World War II book cover 2:25 PM

Just finished this cover. It was a lot of fun to draw but digital painting it took more effort than I thought it would require. so much detail. I wonder why I do it to myself sometimes and then realize, no, I don't wonder. I just can't help it. Now onto the interiors!

Vikings are finished! 2:30 PM

Well, at least I'm done with drawing them... for now. I really enjoyed illustrated this book. It played to all of the things I love drawing! non-fiction historical detail, swords and shields, combat,  and whiff of fantasy. Tolkien was heavily inspired by Norse mythology and legends when he created middle earth and in my research it shows (and hopefully in my drawing)

Now, got to prep for MoCCA!

World War II pencilling! 3:24 PM

Pencils for the cover of a book about World War 2 that I'm doing for Little Brown. Love drawing the P-38 Lightning- quite possibly the coolest plane ever. EVER

Guts & Glory: Civil War is out! (buy it...) 3:50 PM

I've been pushing pencils and brushing ink on the second book in the Little Brown "Guts & Glory: Vikings" series (and already have sketched the cover for the 3rd!) when I found out that "Guts & Glory: Civil War" is available to be purchased. I had a blast drawing this book. It combined more than a few of my favorite things- History, Accuracy, Action! I love illustrating history as exciting/terrifying and as closely to how it actually was that I can... and this book let me do so!

Ben Thompson is a terrific writer to illustrate for. He's understands that history and non-fiction is exciting and is often done an incredible disservice by how it's taught and presented in textbooks. I wish I had more time and couple of extra arms to illustrate every cool or surprising moment that he describes! I've done a lot of American Civil War illustrations and Comics and when this book came up I was wondering if I was burnt out on the subject (A few articles and sites have said I'm Civil War Buff- I am not. History Buff, yes. Civil Rights Buff, yes. Civil War has a lot to do with those) Thompson's text was so much fun and enjoyable without downplaying the severity of war that I was excited to draw the Grey and Blue all over again!

So please purchase it! I promise you will learn more than a few things new about the Civil War!

•The Illustration above is the 1st Louisianan Special Battalion "Wheat's Tigers"
•The Illustration below is of the CSS Hunley- the Confederate Submarine and my favorite thing to have drawn in the book!

Illustrating a new book for Little Brown about VIKINGS! 3:17 PM

Little Brown signed me to illustrate another book! Which is awesome- what's more awesome? It's about VIKINGS. I'm gonna get medieval! Above is the cover in process!