Write and wrongs
It is difficult to keep track of all the financial scandals that keep piling up. First the London Whale and before you know it the Libor scandal. As if this isn’t enough to absorb, news of problems brewing with Chinese banks are similar to what made US and European banks blow up. Illustration for the Wall St Journal about the US and world debating about accounting standards. Dan Smith, AD.
Dirty rotten scoundrels
It is amazing the amount of junk mail received with offers of riches from African royalty and penny stocks that will make you rich. I’m still in disbelief about the famous psychologist who gave 1.3 million to a Nigerian scam. While these scams seem obvious, criminals are getting more clever at separating you from your money. Illustration series for the Saturday Evening Post about modern twists to old cons. Brian Sanchez, AD.
Use your head
July 4th week seems the perfect time to share this poster designed with Joanne Zamore. This was created for AIGA’s Get Out the Vote program to encourage the public to participate in elections this fall. Joanne has a special place in my heart because we both started out in Washington DC in the early 80’s and got our big break with designer Beth Singer creating a poster for the Hiroshima Museum of Art. The poster later won a national award which helped both of our careers. It was nice to create another poster with Joanne.
The 11×17 poster is free for download.
The great debate
Director/Animator Dave Redl and I are at it again working on a new short animation. A six year old will explain the science of submarines and jets. Here is an early preview of the art with a sketch and frame. Don’t want to give too much away but let me say there is a lot about subs and jets I didn’t know until explained by a child.
More brains please
This year I taught a course in professional practices at Parsons for a semester. Some of the staff was on sabbatical so it was a chance to change up the routine. I highly recommend teaching a course if the opportunity arises. Your creative juices get flowing figuring out how to connect with different personalities. After the semester the two nicest compliments from students were 1) I told them what they really needed to know and 2) My wisecracking ways made the boring stuff tolerable. Illustration for The Magazine Group about increasing the number of college level graduates in the United States. Jeff Kibler, AD. The blue version was originally red but changed because the magazine had too much red in the issue.
3×3 ProShow no. 9
Good news from 3×3. An illustration commissioned by SooJin Buzelli for PlanSponsor Magazine about blame has been accepted into the ProShow annual. 3×3 has a warm place in my heart. During a lunch interview with publisher Charles Hively, I learned Charles was art director for a Conoco ad campaign in the late 70’s featuring Jean Michel Folon. My father worked for Conoco and as a high school student I had a chance to see the Folon layouts. It was the inspiration needed for pursuing illustration as a career. Talk about a small world. Much thanks to 3×3.
Unplugged
One of my favorite memories as a child is going to drive-in movies with the family and eating a hamburger in the back seat while cartoons played before the main feature. The best clip was snack items with faces, legs and arms strutting across the screen while singing “Let’s all go to the movies”. Who knew this would be a such a big influence later in life? Illustration for Berkeley Law Journal about new rules giving financial incentives for builders to make energy efficient offices and residences. Arno Ghelfi, AD.
