Archive for May, 2010

As you know, I was selected to be one of the jurors this year for the “Doodle for Google” competition. The top 40 Regional Finalists have been unveiled and it’s time for you to vote on the top 40 doodles. Starting at 6:00 a.m. PDT today through May 25th at 5:00 p.m. PDT, you can cast your online votes for your favorite Regional Finalist’s doodle (one from each of the four grade groups). On May 26th, Google will announce the national winner at an awards ceremony in New York City, and the winning design will appear on google.com on Thursday, May 27th. The national winner will also receive a $15,000 college scholarship and $25,000 towards a new computer lab for their school.

So, support these kids. Cast your vote!

My official quote regarding this event:

“When I was a kid, hoping to be a cartoonist some day, Schulz and Snoopy were very inspirational to me. Now, as Creative Director of Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, it’s my continuing goal to explore new ways, through education, publishing and new media, to allow Charlie Brown and Snoopy to continue to inspire young people to be creative and to create their own characters and stories. I’m honored to be selected to judge such a great event for Google because I think endeavors like this build confidence and give kids access to different ways in which they can achieve their dreams.”

Animated still photography of Jane’s World Cartoonist, Paige Braddock. Animated in After Effects by Jules Tortolani.

Thanks to Tiny Heroes for giving our Martian Confederacy book a great review. It’s the perfect sort of story to get readers excited about book 2. Heck, it even inspires me to get crackin’ and finish inking pages. Most of book 2 takes place off world, which is giving Jason and I great opportunities to create unique environments in space. Here’s a sample of one of the “approach shots” to a space outpost… think strip mall in space.

Me, age 8, obviously BEFORE my discovery of Converse Tennis Shoes.

It’s my birthday tomorrow. Usually, I’m giddy with anticipation for the new pair of Chuck’s I inevitably pick up on my birthday… usually in a color that I don’t currently have in my collection. But for some reason, this year I’m just not excited about the big day. What’s up with that? Am I really finally growing up?… to the point where a birthday is just another day? How sad.

In two weeks I’ll be in NYC for the Doodle for Google event, as previously mentioned, I’ll be one of the judges. The contest is for kids (obviously) so the folks at Google asked me if I had any art that I’d done as a kid that I could share… something for the kids to see that I might have done when I was their age.

Well, as luck would have it, my dad had recently sent me this drawing of a stressed out Snoopy he’d dug up. The date on it was October 1973… that would mean I was 10 years old. Pretty wild that I was drawing Snoopy and dreaming of working for Snoopy one day. Too weird.  And a testament to any of you who don’t believe in destiny! (Lex.)

I guess a birthday is a good time to reflect on where we’ve been, where we’re going and where we’d like to end up.