My new book "Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco" is out!

 

Photo by Maya Gonzalez of me reading at the book release for Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco in Oakland. 

Fam the day has come. After over a decade in the making this story is out there. I started working on this story back in 2008, put it down, and came back to it in 2018. Request it at your local public library, school, doctor's office, and cop it for your home. 

Shout out to editor Laura Atkins who first helped me get it ready for pitch, Cheryl Klein and Kandace Coston at Lee & Low Books, art director Chad Beckerman, Lee and Low Staff, my agent Marietta Zacker and all of you who've helped to share the story.

LINK TO PURCHASE A COPY.

Fam, I'm going to be phasing this blog out in favor of a new one on my site. Robdontstop.com

"Fresh Juice" bk release at Chapter 510 - July 22nd

 

Hey fam, my new book is coming out in a matter of weeks. If you're in the Bay Area I invite you to come to the book release where I'll read the book alongside local author DeMareon Gipson. DeMareon wrote a book called "Annalise's Cough".  Come get a copy of my book and DeMareon's, and visit the incredible organization that is Chapter 510 who've helped me grow as an artist and storyteller. 

Also, the first 50 people there will be able to get a free cup of healthy juice made by Oakland's own "Super Juiced".

MORE INFO

Dig this? Check out these photos from the 2016 book opening for "Furqan's First Flat Top"

Character 170 - Sensei Fatima

 

Did a symmetry sketch of this young lady a few weeks back and decided to redraw her in photoshop. She reminds me of a young Lady Sensei. Anyway, fun.

Dig this? Check out my "Collage of Characters 2020-2022"

Sierra Health Foundation - Theory of Change

Finished this illustration for the "Sierra Health Foundation" as a joint collaboration with Design Action who did the layout and design. Each round of the artwork involved feedback from Design Action and the client.

Here's some process:

Thumbnail

Rough sketch

Rough sketch 2

Color version

Final version before text was added

That's all she wrote. If you know of any young students trying to get started in illustration share this pdf with them.

Dig this? Check out this illustration for "In Dance Magazine"

Children's Portrait 75 - Stella

 

Here's a new portrait of Stella, commissioned by her Mama Sarah. And they have a cool tradition where the young ladies in her family take a photo with the exact same dress on when they get to be 5 or 6 years old. This is her sister's portrait Eva.

What is this? Wow, we're at number 75! I've been doing these portraits for about 10 years. Not rushing, taking my time, etc. But through family, friends, and community I have been able to keep making these gifts. I paint these by hand, each one unique from photo reference provided by parents, caregivers, grandparents, aunties, uncles, etc. If you'd like to commission a portrait of a kid or a family go here. 

Dig this? Check out this collage of children's portraits.

Sometimes it gets shelved 6- Worker's union

Sup fam, been a while since I shared one of these. Its a shelved illustration for a west coast teacher's union. For some reason this didn't quite make the cut but we got almost to the end so I thought I'd share. Check out some of the process. 

roughs

Linework

Color sketches

What is this? There are projects I work on as a freelance artist that never see the light of day. I mean , its possible that they get used but I think more often than not the organization or company is trying to do their best and sometimes it doesn't work. 

Final

Dig this? Check out this piece about Migration from a few years back

I'll be at Carnaval SF (May 27-28)

 

Sup with it fam. If you've never been to it, Carnaval SF is a 45 year old event celebrating a multicultural heritage that is deep in the Bay of Indigenous, African, and Latino roots. There is drumming, live music performances, delicious food, lots of people of all ages, lowriders, art vendors, and a huge parade through the historic Mission District. 

For more information please visit their website: https://carnavalsanfrancisco.org/

I'll be tabling there this year on Harrison street between 19th and 20th. 

Come by and say hello. Here are some videos to give you the flavor of the two day event. 

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Dig this? 

Check out the Malcolm X Jazz Fest

PDF- 15 Tips from 15 years as a freelance illustrator

 

Check it out, this is a pdf with 15 tips that  I've learned from, failed at, or screwed up on as a freelance illustrator.  I started making art as a kid drawing for fun, doing graffiti, and then going to college to study and changing my major 3 times. After the second major change and becoming a dad I officially began freelancing, accepting money for my art and let me tell you it has been a bumpy road. 

Feel free to cop this for a young student who wishes to be a freelance artist who works for themself. I wrote the words, did the illustrations, and my lovely wife Joy did the design/layout for it.

COP THE PDF HERE

Is this useful? Check out this post about why I still use business cards

Freelance Chronicles 8 - Five reasons why I still use business cards

Business cards by Robert Liu-Trujillo

Ok so I have been making business cards with my name, phone number, email, image, and services offered for about 15 years now. How old tech of me right? I get it, there are apps where you can just send someone your contact info, airdrop it, text it, or refer them to your IG I get it. But here are a few reasons why I still keep a business card for introductions. Note: I didn't have a business card during the start of the pandemic because, well I was in the house :/

Hasan Minhaj via GIPHY

1. No phone:

You forgot your phone at home, it got broken, or you lost it. Damn. Sucks, you can tell the person you're talking to your name or write it and your number or email on a napkin but a card might be handy. I've definitely had this happen before.

Brazilian singer Anitta 

2. Phone battery died: 

Have you ever missed a crucial opportunity to show someone your work, get their info, or exchange info but your phone battery died? Try keeping a business card as a back up :) If you had a great conversation, they will want to talk to you again fam. People fake good work, and some put on a good show, but it's harder to fake good vibes or energy. Or you can have them wait while you recharge your phone....

The one and only Prince 

3. Getting away from social media:

I've been on social media for almost 20 years and I have referred people to my (fill in the blank) but I'm getting kind of tired of it honestly. There are some great artists out there using it to the max but I don't want it to become my life. And it started to feel like that a few years ago. These companies found ways to make us addicted and that is not healthy, for me. You?

Also, from experience, I know that these apps come and go. For a few years they're hot, and then people are on to the next thing. And if you're an artist with a smaller but dedicated following you have to build your audience again. So I still use it, but I keep my distance. If you want to step back a bit from social media I think that a curated website, blog, or page is a great place to refer folks to via biz card.

Tessa Thompson

4. Leave them impressed:

Ok, if designed properly with your information, a sample of your art on it, and a print quality that speaks to your esthetic your business card can leave the person holding wanting more. If I get a well made business card that communicates your taste by seeing it and/or touching it I'm going to remember you. It could be done with letterpress, with metal, or a bright color. The point is, leave the holder with a taste of how dope you are.

Tyler the Creator shot by Cam Hicks

5. Control the narrative:

On your card you can provide the basics like your number, email, etc. But, you can also provide them with coordinates to a location. Weird, right? You can put a QR code on it that when read sends them to a song. You could just have a link to a video. There are lots of ways you can control how the holder interacts with or gets to know you and your work. A well crafted and updated website featuring a portfolio of your work is still a tried and true way to do this. Just saying, show them your true self in your way.... 

Back of the business card (w/o my ph number :)

Dig this? Check out my post about how I got 1000 sales on Etsy as an illustrator/author who makes merch!

Who dis? What's this? Hi, my name is Rob and I'm an artist/author from Northern California. Oakland to be specific. I have been working as a freelance artist for over 15 years. I've picked up a few tips on the way and "Freelance Chronicles" is one of the ways I share. Was this helpful? Please share and cop something from my shop. Adios. 

Art vs Artist 2023

 

Been awhile since I did one of these. I tried to quickly pick some recent drawings , projects, or paintings that I like. Some of these are client work, but some are personal.  Top to bottom, left to right.

1. Read Poster 5

2. Alejandria Fights Back/ La Lucha de Alejandria by Rise Home Stories Project/ Leticia Hernandez-Linares

3. Fairy Big Sister

4. Character from We Are Yoga/Somos Yoga by Jill Guerra

5. Me

6. Illustration for In Dance Magazine

7. Ethnic Studies In Every School 2

8. Cover of my book Fresh Juice/Jugo Fresco

9. Dr Muriel Petioni-Blk history month

Dig this? Check these out:

Meet The Artist

Art Vs Artist 2020

Collage of Character 2020-2022

Art Vs Artist 2018

Illustration for "In Dance" Magazine

 

This is a fun project. Nkeiruka Oruche is the guest editor for this issue of "In Dance Magazine" and she invited me to write and illustrate a short personal experience relating to dance. When she asked me to participate my first thought was that I'm not a dancer but she wanted a mix of folks. Those whose creative practice it is to dance and those who've danced at some point in life, which I think is most of us.  Anyway, check out my illustration from the piece.

Read the whole magazine HERE

Here's my sketch, painting of dancers, and added background and text.

I had fun doing this and I'm thankful to writer, dancer, editor, multi-disciplinary artist Nkei for inviting me:). The magazine features a variety of folks from the Bay and nationally, regular folks and dancers of course with some interesting stories about family, tradition, culture, institutions, and lots of opportunities to move your body. Check it out!!!!!

Dig this? Check out 

-ACLU's "Realizing the Dream" 

-Drawings for Oakland's Chapter 510.

-Illustrations for ACLU X Central Valley Report

-My PDF tips to become a freelance illustrator

Sketches 4

 

A page from my 2021 sketchbook

Sketch from a painting I did for The Center for Cultural Power (CultureStrike)

Sketch of Dr Muriel Petioni, mother of medicine in Harlem for BLK History Month

Sup with it fam, its been awhile since I shared some sketches from my process. I share process art a lot with different projects but sometimes I just love looking back at the sketches I made before painting some of my personal or client work. Sometimes the sketches are better than the final. Something about the energy in them.

Spreads from "I am Sausal Creek/ El Arroyo Sausal" written by Melissa Reyes and illustrated by me

Sketch for a painting of pioneering animator Brenda Banks for BLK History Month 

Letters for the 15th anniversary of the Trust Your Struggle Collective

One of many color sketches I did for a sticker

A sketch for a UC Berkeley project "We Too Belong"

Wanna see more of my sketches?

Sketches 3

Sketches 2

A doodle from my sketchbook

A sketch from a picture book called "We Are Yoga/ Somos Yoga" written by Jill Guerra and illustrated by me

One last one, these are sketches for a sticker I did that reminds me to PAUSE.

Dig these sketches? Check out this video of my last sketchbook tour. Thx for tuning in. Sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram.

Children's portrait 74 - Isla & Wren

 

A new children's portrait! Not only has it been awhile since I posted one of these, but its been awhile since I was commissioned to do one. This one is of two girls, cousins actually commissioned by the mother of one and the aunt of the other.

Check out some process:

Want a child painted as a gift? Go to my shop

Dig this? Check out some of the other portraits I've done:

Children's portrait 73 - Malayah

Children's Portrait 66- Karen's nephews

Children's Portrait 63- Jabreel, Kubwa, & Jahlyl

Character 169 - Fairy Big Sister

Just did this one of a fairy while doing a symmetry exercise in Isaac Jadraque's class. Came out fun! So here you go.

Dig this? Check out my last Collage of Characters (2020-2022).

Author Copies!! - Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco

 

video link

Errrrrayyy, just got my author copies of my new picture book! 

Preorder that joint here

Dig this? Check out this recent speaking engagement at Walden School

Character 168 - Revisited

 

I was just taking a character design class on how to push your poses by Tony Bancroft and one of the assignments was to take an old pose (2011) and redraw it. I really like how this came out. 

In the new one, I was trying to put more of a curve in his pose. I wanted it to feel more 3/4 as well. Not straight on, and with some weight in his feet. Anyways, you can always improve! And thats what I'm trying to do. 

Dig this? Check out the last Collage of Characters 2020-2022