Brandon Reese

Library Mural

2008-06-18T19:25:59+00:00

Last summer, my wife and I took our then 3-year-old to The Tricycle Music Fest here in Charlotte. It's now become an annual festival hosted by the Charlotte Public Library. We saw some great children's rock bands, The Jellydots, Lunch Money, and Dan Zanes. After one of the shows I spoke to the Director of Youth Services about using me for any illustration projects the library might have. He called back about a week later and wanted to know if I'd be interested in creating a mural for one of the branch's children's section. I said heck yes and year later it's up!

BTW, Last year's Tricycle Music Fest bore even more fruit. I contacted The Jellydots and Lunch Money, both of which I've since then illustrated for.

no fuzzy animals!

2008-06-02T16:25:07+00:00

Just finished this magazine cover illustration... and guess what? Narry a one fuzzy mammal in sight! While I love the cute woodland creature, it's nice to draw some humans once in a while.

A couple more...

2008-04-23T18:43:28+00:00

Here's a few more illustrations from the previous train post. I'm so glad to be finished. I pulled an all-nighter last Sunday.

Attention! Do Not Buy This Book-

2008-04-18T13:48:17+00:00

Darren Di Lieto, LCS (Little Chimp Society) Senior Editor and proprietor, has been plagiarized. A book has been published without his knowledge or consent containing illustrator interviews and art.

Get the word out... do not buy this book!

Read the whole store here.

Toot toot!

2008-04-11T13:28:37+00:00

Here's a spread for a board book I'm working on.

new game cover

2008-04-04T16:17:40+00:00

Here's a new game cover I just created for eeBoo.

While I love the work... I'm starting to feel stagnant. Do you ever feel stuck in your style and you aren't able to grow because you have deadlines that need to be met and you don't have time to experiment?

Obama!

2008-03-20T01:49:42+00:00

Barack Obama paid a visit to Charlotte today. My wife and I were fortunate enough to get tickets before they were quickly snapped up.

It was amazing, to say the least. Everyone was fired up... women were screaming 'I love you Obama!', people were stomping and clapping.... there was even a 'crowd wave' . It really felt like I was a part of something powerful. Barack is such a dynamic speaker. 8 years with the 'decider' at the helm, it's refreshing to have a viable candidate with such fervor and intelligence.

i still love you

2008-03-14T14:52:19+00:00

Here is my contribution to the Bear and Bird gallery show, Cute Attack-

Cute Attack
We've all had a cute attack, a convulsive feeling of fuzzy! Group show exploring the highs and lows the world of cuteness.
Opens March 22, 2008

Man, I love painting. It's a nice break from all the digital work I do... a lovely respite.

Lately, my painting has turned to more mixed media work. I do a combination of acrylic, pastel, spray paint, acetone transfers. It's fun to experiment. I think my digital work has influenced the way I paint. Because I work primarily in illustrator, I think in basic shapes and that's carried over to my painted pieces.

Something new...

2008-02-19T23:47:59+00:00

Merry Christmas Drawgers!

2007-12-25T17:56:02+00:00

been a while

2007-12-07T21:45:23+00:00

It's been a while since I've shared anything with my drawger brothers and sisters... I hope you are all well!

new eeBoo game

2007-09-04T21:56:15+00:00

Here's a game I just illustrated for eeBoo. I illustrated the box and 36 game pieces. It was a wonderful job to work on... but do you ever just get tired of working on the same project?. I thought I'd never finish the 36 peices. Mind you, I did the bulk of this job while juggling my magazine design job, watching my 3-year-old while my wife attends nursing school, and a board book. Thankfully, Noah is in daycare 3 days a week now. That makes it easier on everyone... and it doesn't hurt that Noah loves "going to school".

new summer stuff

2007-08-09T16:46:08+00:00

Hi everyone. I've not posted anything in ages and thought I'd just share some of what I've been working on. Thankfully, I've been busy enough to sit behind this here computer and not out in the danged heat of the summer. 102 here in Charlotte today!

eeBoo time telling game

2007-05-26T00:40:44+00:00

Here's another job I did for eeBoo. A game that teaches kids how to tell time. I asked them- Why not just give the kid a digital watch and be done with it? Seems like a waste of a child's precious time. That TV ain't gonna watch itself, you know.

But who am I to question, they're payin'... whatev.

eeBoo farm animal lacing cards

2007-05-25T20:54:32+00:00

I've not posted in a while. I've been very busy which is a good thing but exhausting. It's difficult to juggle my regular design job, freelance, taking care of Noah... plus my wife is in nursing school now. So far, we are managing it pretty well. It will pay off in the end. Just have to keep that in mind.

Here's the last job I completed for eeboo. The animals will have holes around them so kids can lace string through.

The Amazing Siamese Rock and Roll Twins

2007-04-19T23:50:43+00:00

This is my contribution to Ballyhoo: The SideShow Show
@ Bear and Bird Gallery in Lauderhill FL.

4-Color Gocco Screenprint on Vintage paper. I like to rummage through used book store's throw away bin. The paper is from a book called "Gleanings and Groupings from A Pastor's Portfolio" by Rev. Joshua N. Danforth,1852. No doubt the good pastor is spinning in his grave by my befoulment on the pages of his book.

Tot Tower

2007-03-28T07:32:08+00:00

Several months ago my wife and I were shopping in a neat little children's store here in Charlotte. They carry a nice selection of toys that you can't get at most toy stores... european toys, wooden toys, eclectic clothing etc. A few products caught my eye, namely from a company called eeboo. Their products are so well designed and the illustrations, top-notch. I made mental note of the name and emailed them expressing my interest in illustrating for their company.

Time went by and I forgot about the email. Last month the owner wrote back to me saying she liked my work and wanted to know if I'd be interested in illustrating a Tot Tower.

The job was great fun and eeboo has been a complete pleasure to work with. It will be cool to see my art on something three dimentional.

Extra! Extra!

2007-03-23T22:15:18+00:00

I am now cool on both the east and west coasts... Thanks Portland Mercury!

This was originally available as a print on tiny showase.

Book of Dreams

2007-03-20T18:16:43+00:00

I was invited to contribute to Roger Omar's Book of Dreams project.

In 2002 Roger started gathering kid's dreams from Mexico, Spain, and Brazil. He has invited 80 artists to illustrate those dreams. They will all be compiled and published in a book.

Below is the dream I chose and my interpretation.

THE PUDDLE
While going to the park it was raining and we saw a puddle. After some days the puddle was still there. What could it be? We jumped on the puddle, it opened and we got in. It was a trap for kids. It was a machine to transform kids into robots.
¡aaaah!

children's mural

2007-03-19T15:51:47+00:00

I donated this mural to The Children's Arts Project in Cornelius, NC (just outside Charlotte).

I meant to take step-by-step photos but forgot. I first spray painted the bamboo with a stencil I created. Then I painted white over the ares that the panda would be. Lastly, I painted the black. The black is chalkboard paint so the kids doodle or write on it. (you can see someone already did some squiggles on two of the circles)

It was a pleasant experience. The project's director pretty much gave me full reign to do what I wanted.

Happy St. Paddy!

2007-03-17T21:47:57+00:00

Thought I'd share this oldy. Have a fun green day everyone!

little school book job

2007-03-08T01:04:22+00:00

According to this illustration's poem, it's not a good idea to make lemonade with limes, brown sugar, and sparkling water.

Nick Magazine spots

2007-02-28T01:30:18+00:00

First Highlights and now Nick Magazine... things are looking up for ol' Brandon!

valentines

2007-02-13T16:46:56+00:00

I was planning on making a small booklet of illustrations and poems to send out to ADs for valentine's day but got too busy. Oh well, there's always next year.

follow the leader

2007-02-09T23:58:57+00:00

I just finished this piece for Highlights magazine. It's my first real national magazine... so I'm pretty excited.

Normally, I rely on email to promote myself to new ADs. But this time I called the art director and asked her to check out my site. She said she would and hung up. 30 mins later she called back with this job.

I think I'll use the phone more often :)

Meet Egghead

2007-01-23T23:14:34+00:00

A few months ago I was invited to participate in the Bear and Bird gallery's first show, "For Love of Munny". I just finished mine today. I used sculpey to fill in the arm sockets, create a trunk, and form the 2 birds. I made the nest out of raffia fiber I found at World Market.

It was a lot of work but I had a great time with it.

watch that first step...

2007-01-04T21:53:52+00:00

leap

2006-12-13T22:23:35+00:00

Just wanted to share this image I completed a few moments ago. I actually assigned this to myself from the kid's magazine I design. I figured if no one wants to hire me, then I'll hire myself.

I know many of you here are established illustrators that get work. I, however don't. I've taken great efforts to get work... but nothing is happening. I bought an expensive page in Directory of Illustration and got zip. I sent out hundreds of postcards, nothing. I've got a rep and the last thing she sent me was back in August and after she takes her cut, it's almost not worth it.

Once in a while I get an email from an AD that says they really like my work and want to use me, but they never send anything. I'm curious. When did most of you consistently have jobs coming in and building up your client base? I started really focusing on my illustration career almost 3 years ago. Granted, my style has evolved quite a bit since then, but shouldn't I start getting work after 3 years?

gingerbread man takes a soak

2006-12-05T23:34:52+00:00

feeling festive, so I cranked out another Christmas image.

zen santa

2006-12-05T06:11:39+00:00

Thought I'd design the family Christmas card this year...

Mural/Paste-up

2006-12-02T04:29:00+00:00

At about 2:30 this morning fellow artist, Bloo Empire and I completed our paste up collaboration for a local trendy clothing store here in Charlotte. It was a lot of work and a lot of stress but in the end I think the final product turned out pretty darn good. The wall measures 8' x 8'... And that my friend is quite a bit of legal sized paper.

Oh... and a big screw you to Kinko's for hiring morons to run their shops. It would have made this project much easier if the monkies they employ knew how to... no, correction, wanted to know how to print tiles from the large format xerox printer. We ended up printing all the pieces ourselves.

I created the rider and little ghosties. Bloo Empire created the dragon and little flying robots.

dueling banjos

2006-11-09T17:23:04+00:00

Ready for the Friday night fisticuffs? Only 5¢ a seat!
Dip, jab, juke, a bluff! Who will win and who gets beat?

halloween postcard

2006-10-31T04:59:47+00:00

Look! I found this vintage postcard from the early 1900's. I had always assumed that printing capabilities were extremely limited back then, but whatever.

Happy Halloween from Edward Gorey!

2006-10-30T16:52:11+00:00

I found these gems a couple years ago at a used book store in Hagerstown, Maryland. I'd never seen these book covers in any of Edward Gorey's collected books of illustration and thought it was a cool find.

Also, just wondering if any Drawgers ever had the opportunity of meeting Mr. Gorey?

Candy Corn and Sweet Tooth 2.0

2006-10-18T17:00:00+00:00

After I uploaded the first Candy Corn and Tooth Image last night, I had a gnawing pain in my gut telling me I could have done it better. I initially thought I should do it digitally but brushed those feelings aside because I thought I SHOULD paint it.

Why? Because of something I call digital guilt. I have a stigma about my work... thoughts that it's inferior to something hand painted. I'm definitely now more comfortable in Illustrator than with a paintbrush and canvas. After all, you make a mistake on a painting and there's no command+z.

Does anyone else struggle with digital guilt?

Candy Corn and Sweet Tooth

2006-10-18T02:10:03+00:00

Sweet Tooth and Candy Corn,
So in love but Tooth is torn.

If Candy leaves, Tooth's heart will break.
If she stays, he'll throb and ache.

Happy Fall!

2006-10-11T22:37:16+00:00

I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad scarf weather is here.

Monkey trike

2006-10-07T05:49:47+00:00

I've noticed a surge in the monkey population... This little fellow wanted to join in on the fun. Far be it from me to keep a tricycle riding chimp from the festivities.

Mary and that lamb

2006-10-06T05:31:50+00:00

Just finished this magazine illustration and thought I'd share it. This is actually for the magazine that I design. Hopefully one day soon I can hang up my designer hat for good and illustrate full time.

thank you kindly!

2006-10-05T04:50:30+00:00

I feel privileged to be part of such a talented group of people. Thanks for having me!

...and thanks Jim for the invite :)