VIDEO: My fav art bks 2

 

Video link

Hey fam, I just finished the second "Art Books" video. In it I share a little bit of 15 books and magazines ranging from Art of animation, to artist sketchbooks, and photography books. The point of these is to share cool books, show you some ways to get kids off screens, inspire young artists, and hopefully get some kids reading. Some of these books would appeal to elementary aged kids and some are for older teens.

If you missed the last Art Books video check it out here

These are the books in the video:

• “Afros” by Michael July 
• “Journey for Justice” by Dr Dawn Mabalon, Gayle Romansanta, and Andre Sibayan 
• “We Are the Ship” by Kadir Nelson 
• “Mexican Muralists” by Desmond Rochfort
•  “The Art of Moana” by Disney 
• "Dailies" by Bobby Pontillas  
• “Girls Garage” by Emily Pilloton  
• “Harlem of the West” by Elizabeth Pepin Silva & Lewis Watts 
• “Stranger Danger” by Clio Chiang 
• “Printing the Revolution” by Claudia Zapata, Tatiana Reinoza, and Terecita Romo 
• “The Art of Hung Liu-Summoning Ghosts” by Hung Liu 
• “Picturing The Promise (Scurlocks)” Edited by Paul Gardullo 
• “The New Bohemians” by Justina Blakeney 
• “Waxpoetics Magazine” 2008/ 2021 
• “Umber Magazine”

If you'd like to purchase some of them I suggest ordering them from your local bookstore, Bookshop.org, or StuartNg Books in LA.

Puerto Rico -Marilisa Jiménez Garcia

 

Fam, this is a book about Puerto Rican hxstory edited by a Boricua scholar and activist named Marilisa Jiménez Garcia. It's published by "Teaching for Change" a DC non profit who focus on teaching the shit US hxstory books typically have ignored or left out. Growing up around a small but vocal community of Puerto Ricans here in the Bay Area and living in NYC I have always wanted to learn more about the struggle for a free Boriken (Puerto Rico) and some of its great figures. So for Women's Hxstory month, Inktober, etc I have drawn some Puerto Ricans. Please share this educational opportunity to read, teach, and learn from this very detailed compilation of art, poetry, people, events, places, etc. 

LINK

Shout to Marilisa and Teaching for Change for including some of my work in the book which you can see below. In the book they talk about Salsa, Bomba y Plena, Vejigantes, the island of Vieques, Hurricane Maria, US Colonialism, Afro Latin identity, the Puerto Rican diaspora, and so much more.

Repeal the Jones Act

Arturo Schomburg

Pura Belpre

Reading poster

Character Collage 2019-2020

What up everyone. It has been awhile since I uploaded a character collage; like since 2018. But you know what, my wife and I had a daughter in 2018 so I did not have the time to do as many character drawings. In fact the majority of what you're seeing above I started to draw back in November of last year (we got childcare). This set of drawings is all done in dark blue colored pencil because I felt like switching it up from my normal style and using one color. This helped make it faster and helped me make work that's suitable for middle grade and picture books. Alright, please check these out out!

Left to right, top to bottom: 1. Ride 2. Fix it or Trash it 3. Photo 4. Jet Boil 5. Rollercoaster 6. Jump 7. Bandsaw 8. Protest 9. Haenyeo 10. Donny & Jalil 11. How's it sound? 12. Pack your bag 13. Argue

You can see the previous collages here too: 

2017-2018

2016-2017

2015-2016

2014-2015

2013-2014

2012-2013

2009-2012

If you are interested in more information about any of the characters, want to work with me, or interested in a print just email me at info@robdontstop.com

Character 156 - Jump

Here's a new character design based on the short story "Flight". 

Here is the previous character 155- Fix it vs Trash it

Character 155 - Fix vs trash

You could throw it away, or you could fix it. If you didn't see the previous short story, you should probably see it here: Short story 28 - Flight

And here is the last two characters before this:
Pack Your bag
Jet Boil

Short story 28 - Flight

"Normally I would tell you to get your hair out of my face! But, agggghhh!" Shouted Tong as Hattie duck, dived, and barreled the dragonfly. Not trying to win, but showing off. There was something peaceful about riding. Our lands seemed to go on forever and I had never seen it from so high up. I want to win but Hattie just wants to have fun.  

This is the latest short story! If you missed the last one please check out "Hike" by clicking this link.

Digital drawing

Lightboxing with colored pencils

Character 154 - Pack your bag

Getting all your stuff together to pack your bag!

Check out the short story that inspired this - Hike!

And Character 153 - Jet Boil

Character 153 - Jet boil

Use a jet boil when making food on the trail!

Here's the last character 152- Roller coaster

Short story 27 - Hike

Short story 27 - Hike

Here is my next short story:

Its worth it. “It was only two hours” mom said. But it felt like forever. The climb made me feeling like all the oxygen was sucked out of the air. We couldn’t get any wifi and there was no one around us for miles. But it was worth it. “Nature’s cool... I like hikes” my little brother said. And when I saw
how happy it made Mom I agreed. It was worth it. Every picture, every moment. Maybe not the energy bars, but everything else.

Why not check out the last one? Short story 26 - First Protest

Character 152 - Roller coaster

On a roller coaster!!!

Did you see the last character? Here it is Band Saw

Character 151 - Band saw

Jeanie and Judy. The things you could make with a good bandsaw.

Did you see the last few characters?

Collage of characters 2019-2020
Character 150- How's it sound?
Character 149- Photo

Short story 26 - First Protest

Saturday morning. Uncle George told us we were wasting our time. "Hardly anyone shows up at them demonstrations!" he said. But I know hella people are gonna show out today. Jeanie never been to a protest before so Judy, my sister, and I are taking her. And we're gonna enjoy ourselves while doing it. Today might not change politicians minds but I hope Jeanie will see that she isn't the only one who don't support another foolish war. I can see the folks gathering up the street now.

Funny I was already planning to draw this short story. But being that the idiot POTUS is trying to declare war on a country that the US government has had its claws in for over half a century its fitting to post it now. Stay woke folks. History repeats itself and we've seen this show before.

Here's the last short story: Haenyeo

Some more close ups....

Character 150- How's it sound?

Ok grandma, how's it sound? Thumbs up!

My inspiration for this one? You can now take classes to learn to be a DJ! Did you catch the last character? Here it is:

Character 149

Character 149 - Photo

Character 149. Inspiration for this? Chinese elders on a weekend shopping with their grandkids.

Did you see the previous character? 

Character 148 - Ride

Short story 25 - Haenyeo

This is a short I've been wanting to do for awhile. In fact, I drew this sketch over a year ago and never put the final touches on it until now. For those that don't know, a Haenyeo is a word for Korean women who dive off the coast of Jeju island. No time for a history lesson but what they do, many could not at the age of 20 or 80.

Did you see the last short story? Its here:
Short story 24-Argue

Character 148 - Ride

Working on my colored pencil swag.

Wanna see the last character? Here it go.

Here's another one -Dad's who dig

Character 147 - Donny & Jalil

Donny & Jalil. Wanna see more?

Short story 24 - Argue

Character 147 - Self portrait

Character -Ana Delgado

What is this? I have been doing a series on character design for over a decade, just trying to work on proportions, expression, mood, movement, and style. Learning is life long.

Short story 24 - Argue

Short story 24

They fought all the time before Mama went away. She took care of them and taught them lessons about loving each other that took a long time for them to understand. In fact it wasn't until the flu began watching their every move that Donny and Jalil truly understood what brotherhood meant. They would have to agree on more than just the channel for this new technology to work. 

On shorts: I started doing these over 8 years ago as a way to practice my writing and illustration. Just barely starting to pick it back up again. Want to see more? Check out:

Short story 23- Record Store

Short story 22- Genesis

Panilla's Journey- Middle grade book cover

Hey I came up with the cover artwork for this project about 2-3 years ago. This collaborative middle grade story was a joy to illustrate. Naru is one of the Bay Area's hip hop pioneers who I saw perform as a kid. He and his daughter wrote this story together and he is making it into a physical book. You want one? Want to hear about the story? Click this LINK.

Check out some of the artwork process below as I take it from doodle to finished painting and design.

Here is the last middle grade book I worked on as the author! Hana On Stage!