The Horror! The Beastliness!

This is some big news: I'm finally able to sell prints of the Evolutionary Diversion paintings I did for 826DC's Museum of Unnatural History! So if you've been wanting a Warty Koala of your very own, or maybe you know someone special who'd enjoy the company of the Andean Rotor Penguin, then now it's possible. See the Etsy Store for prints. Further works from the 826DC Catalog of Evolutionary Diversions by Lisa Grabenstetter, Katie Schuler, and Oliver Uberti.

Spooky Hare

Andean Rotor Penguin

Insatiable Squid

Speigal's Hooved Marmoset

Warty, or Snaggle-tooth Koala

I think everyone needs nature's mutants.

In the sere deserts of Somewhere Nextdoor...

Back from our trip, and three weeks since we worked on the mural at 826DC (They have a new website! Snazzy!) but we have yet to go check out the publicly-open storefront! Alas!

On the other hand, we did get to go see the original 826 Valencia storefront in San Francisco while we were out West. They have had 8 more years to get their store in prime shape... and let me just say, it's veritably ship-shape in perfection. Signage in epic numbers, beautiful props and furniture. It's a really awesome place. If you're in SF, please check it out. You'll be glad you did. It's only a couple shops down from Paxton's Gate:

The whole place is rife with mounted animals. It's a bit morbid, but if you dig archaic display cabinets and beautifully mounted insects, this is it. They also have a greenhouse and floral shop in the back. It goes surprisingly well with the "natural history museum" front space. Some great local metal artists on display here, too. And classes on all sorts of related things.

And now that I'm back, I want to share with you what we were working on for 826 prior to murals and vacations-cum-home-browsing. This is the first whole look at one of the final illustrations for the Catalog of Evolutionary Diversions anyone gets (unless you've been to 826DC since it opened, of course).

 

Zebu Constrictor. Dangerous. Starving. Watch out.

Brief glimpse of the Unnatural History Museum

So this blog had someone come by and snap some cool photos of the space where we're painting the mural in DC: http://tiny.cc/uwq6j (via @newcolumbiahts)

I have to say though, it may look horselike... but that is far more bizarre than a horse. Just wait till the skeleton is complete and everything put together!

The mural wall is to the left of the skeleton and ladder in that first picture they have.

Prepare for ...

The awesome opossum book Lisa and Katie and I were working on for 826DC is more or less wrapped up from our end! Final art handed over to Oliver, and fancy-schmancy scans to come back from the high fallutin' imaging studio he's using. They'll be far and above the nicest scans I've ever been able to get short of giclée printing.

While 826DC doesn't want me to show the full artwork until after the Museum of Unnatural History opens in October, I have some quick and dirty teaser scans for ya. : ) Anyone who can't get to DC to see the books in person, don't fear! I will share the art on here as soon as I am able (though I hear they might do a digital version for non-locals to see). And maybe eventually they'll have copies for sale? I do hope so.

In the suddenly-free time I thought I had, I've been redoing my resume and thinking about a new look for the website. In a week or so, we'll probably be painting some of the creatures we did for the book into the mural installation at the 826DC space itself, however... so free time is fleeting, but painting wins out in the end!

826 DC Painting preview no. 1

So you've all heard by now about the copious arting I've been up to on behalf of 826DC, and you've probably decided that until I pony up something besides a few sketches, you'll think it's some sort of algebraic math nonsense from that whole "science thing".

Well, disparage no more! Here you have the first in the series of 7 I'm doing:

Speigal's Hooved Marmoset

Buggish blighted beasties

As mentioned a few times before... the fine folks at 826DC have contracted my wife, our friend, a NatGeo designer, and myself to illustrate some of the exhibition paraphernalia for their soon-to-open Museum of Unnatural History, in Columbia Heights, Washington, DC. Well, we were really stoked about this project despite the short deadline (September 1st!). And now, some views of the final sketches for my set of creatures:

Lisa is King of the Studio

Man, I'm so happy for Lisa, she gets the coolest jobs ever! Lucky duck has been tacked by Catherynne M. Valente to illustrate some promotional images for Valente's newest book, Habitation of the Blessed: a Dirge for Prester John. Think they're going to be print promo and on the book's website. Which book, by the way, shall have a new cover come release time. Not sure who by. Ignore the one there on NSB's website.

Go, Lisa, Go!

And of course, Lisa's working with us on 826DC's awesome Museum of Unnatural History catalog. Sketches from this to follow!

Making Monsters with Friends

So Lisa Grabenstetter, Katie Schuler, and I had the most energizing meeting yesterday, with a design editor from National Geographic, Oliver Uberti, who is also one of 826DC's artistic gurus. That's right, David Eggers' 826. So we will be donating our time and artwork to the newest chapter of 826, DC's Museum of Unnatural History. How. Cool. Is. That.

We're makin' creatures. 'Cause that's what we do.

I didn't know anything about the 826 project, but man, is it nifty. They're creative writing centers for highschool-aged folks looking to push their writing and maybe delve into something new. Free, non-profit, national. DC's will be location eight, and each one is fronted by a shop that caters to specific needs. San Francisco has a Pirate Supply Shop. New York's is a Superhero Supply. There's a list here.

DC's is a Victorian (un)Naturalist's Society. There's examples of the sorts of cool stuff there on 826DC's blog. It's aiming to open September 24th in Columbia Heights.

If you need an explanation of why I adore the neoVictorian Museum Aesthetic, you've been sleeping. Making an imaginary museum/laboratory was my university thesis.

I cannot wait to get started on these paintings.