CITY ANIMALS

HEY KIDS! HERE'S MY NEWEST WORK FOR MTV.COM. THE TOPIC THIS TIME IS 7 FUNNY ANIMAL GIFS THAT TEACH YOU NEW YORK CITY SURVIVAL. I WANTED TO GIVE EACH ILLUSTRATION IT'S OWN COLOR THEME, BUT I ACCIDENTALLY DID 2 OF THEM WITH PURPLE TONES. LET'S JUST PRETEND ONE OF THEM IS PINK, OK?

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE POST ON MTV.COM BY CLICKING HERE ---> LINK!

UN-BEAR-ABLY CHIC

MOSCHINO IS MY FAVORITE FASHION BRAND (tied w/ Mugler, of course) AND THIS TEDDY BEAR DRESS FROM THEIR S/S/ 1988 COLLECTION IS ONE OF THEIR MOST ICONIC ITEMS. I'VE DRAWN THIS DRESS MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT I THINK I FINALLY GOT A VERSION I REALLY LIKE. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT NEWLY APPOINTED CREATIVE DIRECTOR JEREMY SCOTT DOES WITH THE COMPANY IN THE FUTURE. HERE'S HOPING WE GET MORE CLOTHING W/ STUFFED ANIMALS ON THEM!

TWEET ME

NOW, WE KNOW I LOVE A FASHION SHOW FROM THE BLONDS, BUT THIS YEAR? GHUUURL! WE HAD ALIENS AND VULCANS AND TWEETY BIRDS! OH MY! THEIR ODE TO ALL THINGS YELLOW AND PLATINUM AND, WELL, BLOND HAD ME APPLAUDING AT MY COMPUTER SCREEN. THE DELICATELY BEADED CORSETS WERE ON POINT, AS ALWAYS, BUT THE BRIGHT CANARY YELLOW ONE SHOW AT LEFT MIGHT JUST BE MY FAV! THE ONLY THING BETTER THAT A OVER-SIZED MIRABEAU BUSTLE SKIRT IS A GIANT OVER-SIZED HAIR BUN!

NOW, I WONDER IF THEY MAKE THAT CORSET IN MY SIZE . . .?

(p.s. This is my 200th post! Hurray me!!!)

GIRLS OF SUMMER

I'VE DONE ANOTHER SET OF 5 DRAWINGS FOR MTV.COM's 'GUY CODE BLOG'. THE THEME OF THIS WEEK'S LOST WAS "THE GIRLS YOU'LL SEE AT THE PARK THIS SUMMER. YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL POST BY CLICKING . . . HERE!!!

HERE KITTY KITTY

I'M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PICTURES OF CLOTHING MADE BY MY FAVORITE DESIGNER THIERRY MUGLER. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS YOU'D THINK! I STUMBLED ACROSS A GIF MADE OF THE A/W 1982 MUGLER SHOW FEATURING SOME FABULOUS MODELS IN CAT-SUITS. I GOT TO DRAWING RIGHT AWAY! I USED THE SAME BODY AND CHANGED UP THE ARMS AND FACES. I HAVE A FEELING I'LL BE RE-DRAWING THESE FASHION KITTIES OVER AND OVER.

A BOY & HIS DOG

I HAVEN'T SEEN THE TV CARTOON 'ADVENTURE TIME' TOO MANY TIMES, BUT I SEE THAT 'ADVENTURE TIME' FAN ART IS RIFE ONLINE. I LOVE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO INSPIRED BY THIS ANIMATED WORLD. SO I DECIDED TO THROW MY HAT INTO THE ADVENTURE-FAN-ART RING. I'VE BEEN PRACTISING DRAWING MEN MORE LATELY, SO I MADE FINN AND HIS DOG JAKE INTO GAY HUNKS! NOW LET'S SEE IF THIS PIECE CAN MAKE IT'S WAY INTO THE 'ADVENTURE TIME' FAN ART WORLD!

UPDATE: ONCE AGAIN MY ARTWORK HAS BEEN FEATURED ON COMICALLIANCE.COM !!! THEY'RE A GREAT WEBSITE AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE INCLUDED IN THEIR FRIDAY ART ROUND-UP AGAIN.

LiL' RED IN DAH HOOD

I DREW THIS IMAGE OF A COURREGES KNIT SHORTS AND CAPE ENSEMBLE ALMOST A YEAR AGO, IN BLACK AND WHITE, TO BE INCLUDED IN A FASHION COLORING BOOK I WAS/AM WORKING ON. IT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE IMAGES FROM THE COLORING-COLLECTION, SO I DECIDED TO COLOR IT IN MYSELF!

I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT TURNED OUT. I FEEL THE CROSS HATCHING OVER THE TREES GIVES IT THAT OLD WORLD FAIRY TALE FEEL, WHERE AS THE MOD-FUTURISTIC COURREGES CLOTHING (TAKEN FROM A 'EBONY' MAGAZINE SPREAD FROM THE LATE 60'S. HELLO!) REALLY PUT OUR LiL' RED RIDING HOOD INTO A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE.

IT'S JUST A SHAME THAT BIG BAD WOLF IS GONNA WIND UP EATING ALL THAT FRENCH COUTURE! TSK TSK.

QUITE A HANDFULL

I HAVE COVERED MY INTEREST IN FABULOUSLY OVER-WORKED MOTHERS BEFORE ON THIS BLOG, BUT THIS ONE IS A SPECIAL ADDITION TO THE LIST. THIS DRAWING OF A DONNA KARAN CLAD LADY-ABOUT-TOWN (OK, IT'S DKNY FROM THE MID-90'S, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE!?) WAS THE 1st I DID OF MY FASHIONABLE-MOTHERS-WHO-ARE-TOO-TOO-BUSY-FOR-THEIR-KIDS SERIES. BUT FOR SOME REASON IT STAYED TUCKED AWAY FOR YEARS, UNTIL I DISCOVERED IT THE OTHER DAY AND SCANNED IT AND WHIPPED UP THIS GEM. I THINK THE LIL' CROSS-HATCHING HERE AND THERE AND SCATTERED WORDS IN THE CELL-PHONE BLAST TURNED OUT FUN, WHAT DO YOUUUUUU THINK???

p.s. I USED WAY TOO MANY DASHES ( - ) IN THIS POST, NO?

THE CAT'S MEOW!!!

RAN ACROSS THESE SKETCHES I DID OF SOME KITTIES AND DECIDED TO PHOTOSHOP THEM ALL TOGETHER FOR 1 GIANT KITTY JAMBOREE! I KNOW MANY OF YOU, LIKE MYSELF, COULD HAPPILY STARE AT SOME CUTE LIL' KITTENS ALL DAY LONG, BUT TRY NOT TO STARE AT THIS DRAWING FOR TOO LONG OR YOU'LL NEVER GET ANY WORK DONE!!!

SCARDEY KAT

WHATEVER THESE TWO ARE LOOKING AT I'M SURE IT AIN'T PRETTY. I HOPE YOU CAN GET COFFEE STAINS OUT OF A YELLOW-TRANNY-LIGHTING-BOLT-CUT-OUT-JACKET!!!

QUICK EYES OUT THERE WILL REMEMBER THIS SUIT FROM THE 'SEX AND THE CITY' MOVIE. IT IS THE THIERRY MUGLER YELLOW JACKET THAT SAMANTHA WEARS TO A JEWELERY AUCTION. I FOUND AN OLD MAGAZINE CLIPPING OF IT FROM WHEN IT 1st CAME OUT AND PAIRED IT WITH THE MUGLER RUNWAY STYLING FROM THE '98 COLLECTION. THE HAIR AND MAKE-UP IN THAT'98 SHOW ARE CLEARLY INSPIRED BY -OR- INSPIRED THE LOOK FOR UMA THURMAN AS POISON IVY IN THE CLASSIC CRAP-FEST 'BATMAN AND ROBIN'.

HRM, MAYBE THEIR SCARED BY HOW MANY REFERENCES I'VE PUT INTO THIS PIECE? IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR ONE LIL' CAT TO TAKE!!!

CARE BEAR STARE

NO ONE HAD A SENSE OF FASHION HUMOR LIKE FRANCO MOSCHINO. HIS WORK IS SO FUNNY AND VIBRANT AND WITTY AND SMART. AND FOR SOMEONE WHO STARTED OUT WORKING FOR VERSACE, HIS CLOTHING ISN'T SO MUCH SEXY AS SILLY. PERFECT EXAMPLE: HIS FAMOUS 1990 'FUN FUR' COLLECTION. Mr. MOSCHINO SEWED CUTE STUFFED TEDDY BEARS TO SIMPLE BLACK JERSEY DRESSES AND COATS. THE RESULTS ARE ICONIC.

I DID THIS PIECE AT THE REQUEST OF A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO OBSESSED WITH MOSCHINO. THE WHOLE THING TOOK MAYBE 1 HOUR. I CAN BE QUICK WHEN I WANNA! I CHOOSE TO USE ALL RED/WHITE AND BLUE SIMPLY BECAUSE MOSCHINO USED THAT COLOR COMBINATION SO MUCH HIMSELF.

*MARKER ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP.

" I OWN EVVVVREYTHING!!!"

WELL, YOU GOTTA LOVE A GOOD OL' FASHION COMIC BOOK BATTLE ROYAL, RIGHT? TWO SUPER-POWERED BRUTES MAKING MINCE MEAT OUTTA EACH OTHER! OF COURSE, IN THIS CASE, THE TWO 'BRUTES' ARE A OLD SCOTTISH DUCK AND A CLASS-A BITCH W/ SOLDER PADS. THAT'S RIGHT KIDS, WE'RE TALKIN' SCROOGE McDUCK AND MOMMY DEAREST HERSELF, Miss JOAN CRAWFORD! WHEN I THOUGHT OF THE TOPIC OF GREED, THESE TWO WEIRDOS WERE THE 1st TO POP INTO MY HEAD.

DON'T YOU LOVE HOW IN ALL OF JOAN'S FILMS SHE STARTS OUT AS A LOWLY SHOP GIRL AND ENDS UP A MARRIED MILLIONAIRESS? CAUSE, YOU KNOW, RICH GUYS MARRY SHOP GIRLS EVERYDAY. IT ALSO MUST BE SAID THAT I AM STILL A BIG 'DUCKTALES' FAN! HOW COME REAL MILLIONAIRES DON'T TRAVEL THE WORLD LOOKING FOR LOST PIRATE TREASURE AND STUFF LIKE UNCLE SCROOGE DOES? SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO ME!

*MARKER PEN ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ LETRATONE

THIS RUG'S UN-BEARABLE!

1ST OFF, YOU HAVE TO EXCUSE THAT AWFUL PUN IN THE TITLE. I WAS FEELING CHEESY TODAY. . .

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN ME TO FINALLY ADD COLOR TO THIS PIECE. I DREW IT A WHILE BACK AND IT'S BEEN HANGIN' AROUND MY 'TO DO' BOX EVER SINCE. I REALLY LIKE THE WAY THE COMPOSITION AND MOTIFS WORKED OUT, SO I'M GLAD IT'S FINALLY FINISHED.

THE LOVELY LADY ON THE RUG IS WEARING A VIVIENNE WESTWOOD MINI-CRINI, CORSET AND HARRIS TWEED CROWN, COMPLETE WITH 'ROCKING HORSE' SHOES. I USED THE SWORDS FROM WESTWOOD'S 'ANGLOMANIA' LABEL AS A GRAPHIC DECORATION ALL AROUND THE FIGURE. THEY ADD AN EXTRA SURREAL QUALITY I THINK. AND FINALLY THAT GREAT BEAR SKIN RUG. I USED SCANNED SOME FUR FROM AN OLD COAT TO USE AS AN ACCENT AROUND THE RUG. THEN I CHANGED THE COLOR OF THE FUR FROM BROWN TO BLUE-ISH.

I THINK EVERY KRAZY FASHION CHICK SHOULD POSE ON A BEAR SKIN RUG FROM TIME TO TIME. IT RAISES HER CLASS LEVEL, DUH!

UNDER THE (double) C

I HAD THE IDEA FOR THIS PIECE WHEN I HAD THE SPEND THE NITE IN A TORONTO AIRPORT ON MY WAY BACK FROM LONDON! THERE WAS NO WHERE TO SLEEP OR SIT OR ANYTHING, SO I JUST SAT UP DOODLING ALL NITE LONG. NOTE TO CANADIAN AIRPORTS: GET SOME FREAKIN' BENCHES!

I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY MUCH "LITTLE GIRL": THE COLOR PALETTE, HOW YOUNG GIRLS ALWAYS WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR PRINCESS OR A PONY OR SOMETHING STUPID LIKE THAT, THE ANIMAL FRIENDS, THE HIGH FASHION FANTASY. YOU GET THE POINT. I HAD REAL FUN COLORING THIS ONE IN AS WELL. I LIKE NOT HOLDING BACK ON HOW LOUD AND TACKY YOU CAN MAKE THE COLORS ON AN IMAGE.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PICTURE FOR A LOOOOONG TIME. NOT THAT IT'S OVERLY COMPLICATED, JUST THAT I KEPT PUTTING IT OFF IN FAVOR OF OTHER PROJECTS. IT WAS DRAWN ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO AND JUST FINALLY COLORED TODAY. THIS IS THE 1st TIME I HAVE COLORED AN IMAGE IN PHOTOSHOP FULLY BY HAND WITHIN THE COMPUTER. I USUALLY MAP OUT THE COLORS BY HAND AND THEN SCAN THEM IN AND MESS WITH IT AND LAYER IT LATER.

NOW, I LOVE ME A YSL SAFARI SUIT AND I LOVE HIS BEADED AFRICAN COLLECTION AS WELL. SINCE HE HAS SO MANY AFRICAN INFLUENCED COLLECTIONS TO PULL FROM I DECIDED TO PIT THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER: BIG GAME HUNTER VS. CHIC AFRICAN NATIVE. I ADDED THE VINES AND BIRDS TO GIVE IT A DENSE, JUNGLE FEEL.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP

DOG SHOW

I HAD THIS GRAND IDEA FOR A PIECE BASED ON A SANT ANGELO DRESS I HAD SEEN MANY TIMES. I LOVE THAT HIPPIE-BOHO-SWINGING-SANT ANGELO VIBE AND AM ALWAYS WANTING TO CAPTURE THE MORE KITSCH ASPECTS OF IT. I WANTED TO DRAW THIS FLOPPY GIRL WEARING A FLOPPY SANT ANGELO WITH A BIG FLOPPY POODLE IN THE BACKGROUND. I DECIDED TO USE A SOFT BLUE FOR THE OUTLINE OF THE GIRL AS OPPOSED TO MY FAV STARK BLACK. I FIGURED IT WOULD MAKE ALL THE COLORS POP MORE AND HELP GIVE IT THAT TRIPPY VIBE I WAS AFTER.

THE COMPOSITION DIDN'T TURN OUT EXACTLY AS I HAD WANTED IT. SOMETHING ABOUT THE DOG BEING NOT AS LOOOOONG AS I HAD WANTED. I HAD PUT OFF DOING THIS ONE FOR SO LONG BECAUSE I JUST COULDN'T GET THE LAYOUT HOW I WANTED IT, BUT I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH IT ANYWAY. BUT STILL, IT'S AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT IN COLOR FOR ME AND I'M ALWAYS UP FOR DRAWING A SANT ANGELO CREATION.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP

"I don't know about you, Miss Kitty, but I feel so much yummier"

I FOUND A PICTURE FROM AN OLD 80'S MUGLER CATWALK SHOW WHERE THE MODELS WERE ALL DRESSED UP IN KITTY THEMED SNOW SUITS. I FLIPPED OUT!!! STUFF LIKE THAT IS WHY MUGLER WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE MY FAVORITE DESIGNER. HE'S JUST SO RANDOM AND KITCH AND RIGHT UP MY ALLY. I ALWAYS FIND THAT ANYTHING WEIRD I THINK TO DESIGN MYSELF, MUGLER HAD PROBABLY ALREADY DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR, IF NOT THE SAME THING.
STOP BEING WEIRD ALREADY THIERRY AND GET BACK TO WORK!!!

I TRIED MANY MANT MANY DIFFERENT POSES FOR THIS CAT-GIRL BEFORE I SETTLED ON THIS ONE. I KEPT TRYING TO DRAW A POSE WHERE SHE'D BE LICKING HER LEG LIKE A CAT DOES, BUT IT KEPT TURNING OUT SO AWKWARD. I'M GLAD I WENT WITH THIS POSE THOUGH AS IT MAKES THE SCENE KIND'A MORE CUTE AND LESS OVERTLY PERVERTED.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP.

DIOR T.V.

I WAS READING A BOOK ABOUT BRITISH DESIGN IN THE 40'S, 50'S AND 60'S AND RAN ACROSS A PHOTO OF A POSH WOMAN CARRYING A PORTABLE T.V. DOWN THE ROAD. IT WAS VERY INSPIRING TO ME, AS I ALWAYS LOVE THE MIX OF OLD AND NEW. THE JUXTAPOSING OF SOMETHING CONSIDERED MODERN ( THE PORTABLE T.V.) WITH SOMETHING CLASSIC (THE WOMAN'S 50'S STYLE SHIRT DRESS).

WHENEVER I DRAW A CLASSIC DIOR LOOK I ALWAYS WIND UP PUTTING WITH SOME PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY, A TV, A SPACE SHIP, AN ELECTRIC GUITAR. I LIKE THE INTERPLAY OF IDEAS, THAT THIS WOMAN WHO WOULD DRESS SO REFINED IS REALLY INTO ADVENTURE AND PUNK MUSIC OR SPACE TRAVEL OR WHATEVER.

AT THE LAST MINUTE I GAVE HER A LITTLE DOGGY FRIEND TOO. THERE IS A DOG JUST LIKE THAT THAT I ALWAYS SEE WANDERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD. HE'S LIKE THE BLOCK MAYOR, ALWAYS CHECKING OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON HIS STREET.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD W/ PHOTOSHOP

PINEAPPLE CROTCH!

I ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY HATE THE PINEAPPLE PRINT SWIMSUIT STELLA McCARTNEY DID FOR CHLOE BUT I LOVE IT. IT'S SO GRAPHIC. IT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING CARMEN MIRANDA MIGHT WEAR TODAY. WHEN I DREW THIS PICTURE I WAS GOING FOR A KIND OF BRAZIL-JUNGLE-TOPICS VIBE. I LOVE TROPICAL BIRDS SO I ADDED A FEW OF THOSE TO FURTHER SUGGEST THAT IPANEMA FLAVA'. I TRIED TO MAKE THE WORD BUBBLE A TAD EGG SHAPED AS WELL SO IT WOULD RELATE BACK TO THE BIRD THEME. AND THE GIRL IS ORANGE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE SHE GOT HER SPRAY TAN ON BEFORE SHE HIT THE BEACH. GOTTA LOVE A LADY WITH A FAKE ORANGE TAN. X-TINA, ARE YOU LISTENING . . .

PEN AND INK ON BRISTAL BOARD WITH PHOTOSHOP

JUNGLE GRRRRRRRRRL!!!

ANOTHER DESIGNER I REALLY ENJOY IS GIORGIO DE SANT'ANGELO. HIS ETHNIC HIPPIE CHIC FASHIONS WERE THE PERFECT FIT TO THE 1960'S AND 70'S WHEN HE WAS AT HIS MOST PROLIFIC. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS WORK THAT REMINDS ME OF AN UPTOWN JUNGLE-JANE VIBE. SO I DECIDED TO DRAW THIS PARTICULAR SANT'ANGELO OUTFIT NEXT TO SOME WILD ANIMALS. THE TWO THINGS I ENJOY DRAWING MOST ARE HIGH FASHION LADIES AND ANIMALS, SO I TRY TO MIX THEM TOGETHER AS MUCH AS I CAN. I THINK THE ELEPHANT TURNED OUT ESPECIALLY FUN. THIS DRAWING IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF ALL MY WORK.

PEN AND INK ON BRISTOL BOARD WITH PHOTOSHOP COLORS