Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” felt like a perfect quote to play with artistic and illustrative expression. Watercolor, oil paint, and pencil sketching as a foundation in Adobe Fresco that was then blended digitally with a touch of photography and collage. Monochromatic / color contrast […]

Shakespeare

These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends Yes, it is a bit shocking. Yes, it will make many people uncomfortable. And yes, I considered not including it in the book for fear of it being labeled as “smut”. But it is not gratuitous. It has meaning. And, unfortunately, rather appropriate meaning in context of how dark […]

Angus Young

Angus Young A little AC/DC anyone? “I’ve got the Blues in my heart and the devil in my fingers” is such a colorful way to express the frenetic guitar playing of Angus. He’s all fingers. Messy fingers everywhere. And a tail.

Salvadore Dali

Salvadore Dali And the award for “Weirdest Book Entry” goes to…probably this. To be fair: this image idea, strangely enough, came to me in my sleep. No idea why. No context in the dream. And nothing going on in everyday life that was particularly about feet. But I couldn’t shake it because of its oddly […]

Henry Ford

Henry Ford Henry Ford’s quote: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses” is a fantastic tribute to innovation and entrepreneurialism—which is a design lesson in and of itself. It also sets up a great visual dichotomy between horse and car. Do you see the initial demand made by […]

Game of Thrones

When You Play the Game of Thrones You Win or You Die It’s winner-take-all according to Cersei Lannister. That’s great if you actually win–but, of course, most won’t. So, is that crown a good or a bad thing?

It’s Aliens

Giorgio Tsoukalos The crazy-haired Ancient Astronaut Theorist may not have actually said this (it’s an internet meme), but it sums him up perfectly as he attributes every fantastical situation to aliens. There’s science, and there’s slightly kooky. The kooky’s kinda fun. Context matters.

Poo Stew

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen Makes Poo Stew One of my own favorite things to say, this was tricky to visualize. Make it too real and it looks sophomorish. Make it not-real-enough and you don’t get any emotional gut-punch. Make the food photography too pretty and you COULD interpret it to mean “making something […]

Joseph Stalin

Principles Triumph, They Do Not Compromise –Stalin Agree? Compromise? Sure (that’s sarcasm). Certain people–maybe even you at times–will feign acquiescence while actually intending quite the opposite. Or certainly feeling as such. Everyone thinks they’re the good guy (see this previously visualized). Your principles are the “correct”, “more important” ones. And should win out at all […]

Every Normal Man Must Be Tempted

Every normal man must, at times, be tempted… A sinister quote by American journalist, H.L. Mencken that speaks to eventual universal frustration. And though we may all arrive, occasionally, in this dark place, our pathways there will be unique to our individual situations.