Preview my new website!!

Hello, everyone. I've been hard at work developing my new website and blog. You can get a sneak peak at www.clelandillustration.com/test. There you can visit my new WordPress blog as well. I know what you're thinking: "But Josh, I'm subscribed to this blog. What do I do when you move???" Settle down. When the time comes I will provide with a 34-step instruction list that must be followed EXACTLY! Until then, sit back and relax. Worry about something less severe, like the economy.

UPDATE 7/25/09: My website is now updated and can be viewed at www.clelandillustration.com.

I'm also interested in your constructive feedback. This is your chance to tear me down (but please do it constructively). Comments welcome are:

"Love the site, but this is confusing to me…",

or

"The navigation is hard, and this is why."

Comments NOT welcome are:

"It looks weird on my browser. I'm using Internet Explorer 6.0".

Simply leave your comments on this post, or email me at Josh@clelandillustration.com. I thank you in advance.

New website development updates

I've been pretty silent lately when it comes to updating this blog. Mainly because I've been hard at work redesigning my website (initially posted about it here). I wanted to post a quick update to my progress. It's coming along great. I'm very excited about this new look and functionality, and I'm thrilled that I'll be completely dumping Flash!! Also in the works is an iPhone-friendly version.

Here are some tease shots. Hopefully I'll be able to post a link to the complete "beta" site version sometime next week.

I will also be redesigning this blog. This presents some dilemmas. I get a lot of compliments on my current design, which I like. However, I need to have my blog fit the identity of the new site. So, I'll have to work that out. I'm also debating switching the blog over to Wordpress, although figuring out how to transfer all the feed info and stuff sounds like a headache. We'll see. I'll also have to figure out how to design a custom blog with WP (something I need to know anyways).

So, stay tuned. As always you can keep up with the blog by subscribing via RSS, or signing up to receive updates via email. How fun is that!

New website coming!!

Yes, that's right, a new portfolio website. I'm in the very beginning stages right now, and I plan on taking my time to make sure the concept is fully discovered and development is top notch. So, currently I'm only working with pencil on paper (and occasionally the scanner and Photoshop to resize/place images). I found some great website sketch comps at www.960.gs.

Below are initial sketches in my discovery process. I haven't nailed down a look quite yet, but the one I'm developing here looks quite promising. There's going to be much greater emphasis on call to action, and highlighting/showcasing my capabilities. I hope to have progress updates here in the near future. This is going to be fun!

Happy Chef sketch

Here's a quick sketch. I like the style that's progressing here, but the line quality isn't good enough to spend more time on. I'll probably tighten up the sketch and continue some other time. I really like the character.

Shampoo for Lush Hair

Just a quick sketch. Taking a break from serious work. I'll probably vector this one up when I get a chance.

Parting of the Red Sea colored

Well, I've been working on this one all week, and I'm not sure if it's done. I thought I'd post it anyways.

Speaking of nature acting in unnatural ways, LOST is on!!



UPDATE: I'm submitting this to this week's Illustration Friday topic: "Breezy". A while back I watched a Discovery Channel show that gave a scientific explanation to some of the miracles in the Old Testament. I've always found this stuff very interesting. To me, a scientific explanation to a miracle doesn't make it any less of a miracle. In fact, it only reinforces the miraculousness of God using natural events for His purpose.

However, the particular episode I watched talked about the parting of the Red Sea, and gave an explanation as to how this could have happened naturally. They hypothesized that a large wind (or "breeze") came down and blew the sea down, revealing an underwater ridge, which the Israelites used to cross. I saw a problem when they said that the "breeze" had to be over 100 mph sustained. Wouldn't this blow people into the water (especially children and the elderly)?

I'm not trying to start a debate—only providing an explanation as to why this illustration fits with this week's Illustration Friday topic: "Breezy".

Parting of the Red Sea

Here's a sketch I did yesterday depicting the famous Bible story from Exodus: The Parting of the Red Sea. I'd like to continue with this one so stay tuned.

Well, off to church to learn more Bible stories.

Hungry Bear

Now that the crazy holidays are over I can get back into drawing. It's been a couple weeks since I've picked up a pencil. Because of that I thought I'd post a sketch I did last month. I'll probably work it up in the next couple of weeks. In case you can't tell the boy is eating a nice, big sandwich.

New year, New business cards

With the new year approaching I thought it would be a good time to create new promo business cards. Here's a teaser. I'll probably order them just after the first of the year.

Photoshop mock up above.

Above is the front.

Above is the back.

Bear

Just an exercise in Photoshop painting. I was playing around with lighting, color depth, and layering. I really wasn't concerned about the final outcome, and I wouldn't consider this finished (the paw is barely touched). I may finish it later. Or, I may not. You're just going to have to wait to find out. I know, I know, you may be saying to yourself, "But Josh, does that mean I have to keep checking back to your blog to see if and when you finish it?!" No. Just subscribe to my blog through RSS, or by filling out the email form on the right, and you will be notified whenever I post. Isn't that great? No more trying to remember to check my blog. How freeing is that? If you don't know what RSS is just Google "What is RSS" and you will be enlightened.

FBC Site Launch

FBCbeaverton.org is now launched! There's still a lot of things we want to do with the site, but it's now officially out in the public.

New blog look… Again!

Well, I did it again. I got bored and refreshed the design of my blog… again. I just couldn't help it. Hopefully this one will last for more than 3 months. Who knows. I may be playing around with the illustration in the next couple of days so it may change here and there.

The black background really doesn't work well with large amounts of type, so if I decide to start typing more in my blog posts I need something that's easier on the eyes.


Edit: At the last minute I decided to submit it to this week's Illustration Friday. Topic: Island… because, he's kind of on an island, I guess.

First Baptist Church BETA

I wanted to post a couple screenshots of the website I'm working on for my church (First Baptist Church of Beaverton). It's slow-going but fun.

New portfolio site coming

I'm in the process of redesigning my portfolio site. Why am I redesigning it, you ask… because I feel like it, that's why. I can do what I want. Stop pestering me!

Anyways, the reason is I'm sick of the black and brown background. Too dark and depressing. It's time for something fresh and summery! Plus, my current site buries my work with many clicks (two at least--that's two too many). When one goes to my newly-designed site BAM!! they go directly to my illustration portfolio--no clicking needed. If they want to go to my graphic design section it's only one click away. How awesome is that!!

I still have work to do. I have to optimize many of the images for the new white background. And, I'm adding captions to the work so I'll be working on that as well.

You can preview this new "beta" site here.

Explorers lines

I wanted to post a wip illustration in Illustrator. These are just the paths. I'll color it later. The yellow lines are where I plan to do shading… and I don't plan on leaving the rest of the lines pink, so stop freakin' out!

In Progress (maybe)

A few weeks ago I started an illustration with a specific idea in mind. During the process I lost interest in the idea. I thought I'd post a couple versions of the illo. One vectored and one taken into Photoshop. Neither are considered done (especially the Photoshop one), but I thought I'd post them anyways. I can't decide which I like better. I guess they're two different styles so it's hard to compare.

Some of the shading on the body is weird because this guy was going to pull a blanket in his teeth, thus covering up most of his body and casting a shadow. If I continue on with this I'll fix that definitely.

After some Photoshop work. Definitely only halfway done. I think the reason I lost interest in these is because I felt the character needed more developing, so I didn't want to spend the time on the computer. Plus there's other illustrations I want to work on, and I've been real involved lately in developing my church's website. If you're really good I'll post some screenshots of that.

New look

Hey, everyone. I wanted to get the word out that I'm sporting a new look.


(update: I thought I'd upload a pic in case you're reading this using an RSS reader.)

Randomness

Well, it's been over a month since I've posted anything here so I thought I'd post some sketches did today. I really like the big goof looking at the flower. I think I'll polish up the sketch and work on coloring it as soon as I find time. I roughly sketched a battle going on in the background, but I don't think it came across in the scan. I like the little guy, too. Reminds me a little of Marvin the Martian.

He is Risen! Happy Easter!

Look!! He is alive!! Happy Easter everyone.

Maybe I'll have time to color this guy.

Spaghetti Rex

Nothing says Italian food more than Tyranosaurus Rex! Am I right?

I have been working on a personal portfolio project for the last few weeks and decided to post some updates. This is a concept branding scheme for an italian restaurant. This is a fun one. Maybe I can sell this brand some day for a lot of money. I'll probably work on more illustrations following this theme--maybe of other dinosaurs doing italian food activities. I'll also do some business cards, stationary, and letterhead,--and maybe a website mock-up.

Here are some sample menu pages. The menu was stol--BORROWED-- from "The Olive Garden".