SunsetTunnelMountainTrail

Posted by Arna.

Just came back from Banff where I was lucky to spend 4 days in the fresh air, and experience an amazing story conference. Got my head clear and came back to Toronto to finish a board that is keeping me very busy for the next three weeks. I'll post more about the conference in the next days.

Thanks to Warren Leonhardt who encouraged me to go. Thanks to Chad Kerychuk and Ken Bautista who put the conference together.

Big thanks to speakers Ronnie Del Carmen, Kris Pearn, Josh Staub, and George P. Georgeadis for your energy, insight and inspiration.

This photo was taken on the way up Tunnel Mountain Trail. I am now walking hills in our neighbourhood to get in better shape so the next time I'll make it to the top of that trail!

QuickSketchClayPortraitFun

Posted by Arna. To see more views of this piece, please click the photo and that will take you to our Flickr. Once there, please click 'all sizes' on the photo to see the larger version.

late night sillies

look out, he's...

CentralTechJan_07_2

Posted by Arna:

This model had an athletic and angular frame that inspired this rough treatment. You can see more views of the piece on our Flickr site. Please click the image above and once you're there, click 'all sizes' to view a larger version of the image.

Dino-Fight-At-The-ROM

John took this picture last spring/summer. The Royal Ontario Museum (or ROM as it's known to most Torontonians) is undergoing a bit of a transformation. The reno is called 'The Crystal' but I don't know how crystalline it will be when it's finished, since the skin appears to be white aluminum siding.

This shot shows the old ROM and a skeleton of the new wing in sharp contrast. I wanted the old part to look the way I remember it so gave it a dirt layer. Then I added the dinosaurs fighting in the window as a tribute to the great dinosaur hall. I spent many childhood afternoons standing under the Tyrannosaurus Rex that loomed over the centre of the room, hoping to catch it moving just a little... :)

Broken Glass

posted by Arna:

We stumbled on this (Well, not actually! It's a figure of speech...thanks Clive :)) when walking in our neighbourhood last summer. Michelle says it looks like a fish, and I agree:

4 legged house...

posted by Arna:

An idea for a structure I would build of transparent material, with lights inside so it glows a bit. It could walk like Howl's Moving Castle. I'd set it in a city square or a farmer's field and then watch where it goes!

As seen on Queen West...

These storefront pix were taken by JVB just before Christmas. Clicking one of these thumbnails will take you to our Flickr page. Once there, click 'all sizes' for a larger view.

Time for music...

We spent last night greeting the start of 2007 with friends. There was music and some dancing. This is an unrelated sketch from 2006. Happy New Year all!

May the snow goblin be your friend...

Click here for the Flash version of this little greeting with northern lights... :)

See everyone in 2007!

Frieze...

Posted by Arna in celebration of the party season. Here's a flashdoodle of nudists with their dogs and some blue fruit. Not to say that this is how WE party... :)

Too many eyes...

I'm not sure if this guy is a plant or animal. Imagine coming upon a horde of these in the woods...

Have a lovely weekend, peoples!

Sunset, quick colour rough...

Approx. 10 minute sketch posted by Arna:

This was the scene through our front window tonight. Done with Photoshop Elements as the light faded, hurrying to catch the moment:

Considering December 6...

Two days ago was the 17th anniversary of the killing of 14 women, shot dead at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal.

Arna's son, illustrator and comic artist Max Douglas (Salgood Sam), posted a piece on the subject, and we think it's a good read:

SALGOOD SAM's WORK DIARY

Variations on a cat theme...

Posted by Arna:

Images from morning warm-ups with our cats...