Sketch Name: Twitter Bird with Coffee

Thoughts While Sketching: Apparently bloggers seemed to have fallen in love with a twitter bird cartoon I illustrated earlier this year. Due to the popularity of this characterized twitter bird, I thought I would sketch up another. This one features a more laid-back twitter bird, perhaps an employee of a media agency or public relations office, enjoying his morning coffee before starting on some early morning tweets.

Bloggers and Web People – Please feel free to use this image in your posts or on your Web pages. The only thing I ask is that you credit me with the illustration and provide a link back to my site (acriddle.com).

Original sketch:

Sketch Name: Facebook…No, Literally!

Thoughts While Sketching: We all have come to know and be a part of the social networking site Facebook (if you don’t know what I am talking about, I am surprised you even came across my Web site). But what is a “facebook”? According to Wiktionary, a facebook is:

A college publication distributed at the start of the academic year by university administrations with the intention of helping students get to know each other better.

That definition is acceptable, but I think my sketch better illustrates what a “facebook” is to me.

Sketch Name: Baghead Sports Jersey Guy Cartoon

Thoughts While Sketching: This sketch was spurred initially by the professional football fans that wear bags on their heads when their teams are horrible (Saints fans, I’m looking at you). That is where the bag head and sports jersey portion of the sketch originates from. I wanted to put something in the character’s hand, and the broom was the first thing that came to mind.

Original sketch:

Sketch Name: Angry Twitter Bird

Thoughts While Sketching: There seems to be a lot of ranting and venting that goes on via Twitter. I know I see many-a-tweet from those I follow ranting about computer problems, political issues and everyday annoyances. This sketch of a twitter bird reflects that mindset when rant-a-tweeting (new term!).

Original sketch:

Update August 16, 2009 – My Angry Twitter Bird illustration was featured in the blog post “Leave it On Twitter” by SocialMediaRage.

Update November 10, 2009 - My Angry Twitter Bird illustration was featured in the blog post “The Nonsense of Twitter: A Death Knell to Social Interaction” by Tan Quach.

Update November 10, 2009 – My Angry Twitter Bird illustration was featured in the blog post “I Hate Your Tweets” by Brandswag.

Technorati clam code: csx3qave4t

Sketch Name: Sleepless Haunted Owl

Thoughts While Sketching: It was raining outside and for some reason I was having thoughts of Halloween and haunted landscape scenery, which explains the backdrop here. The owl character popped into my head out of nowhere, and it really reminds me of a rejected McDonalds fry kid / fry guy.

Sketch Name: Roller Skating Robot Terror

Thoughts While Sketching: I have been doing a lot of “clean line sketches” as of late, hence the reason I decide to go ahead and colorize them. This guy reminds me of a robot you might see on The Jetsons gone hay-wire. In fact, his eyes even somewhat resemble those of Rosie the robot maid. Who knows what his intentions are other than he is heading this way . . . and heading there fast!

Sketch Name: Frog and Laughing Fly

Thoughts While Sketching: Do you ever feel like you have a lot to do and would rather be elsewhere getting it done than stuck in the middle of a group socializing? That is how I felt when I sketched this quick cartoon. The drawing was done with a clean felt-tip black marker, so I decided to quickly colorize it for fun.

Sketch Name: Faceless Dynamite Guy

Where and When: Sketched during a meeting

Thoughts While Sketching: I’m not really sure what to say about this one. This is a cartoon / sketch that I fleshed out during a meeting. As far as I can tell it is some faceless character about to stick a lit piece of dynamite into a toxic container. Perhaps I wasn’t keen on the idea being discussed during the meeting and this is my brain’s way of communicating that visually.

Sketch Name: Tribal Thorn Cross

Where and When: This sketch was done while riding in a SUV with some co-workers to an event in Richmond  (I was attending to take photographs).

Thoughts While Sketching: I am not sure why, but the tribal designs you see on many, many tattoos have always appealed to me. While sketching this I was wondering if anyone would want this design on their body permanently. I have also never designed a tattoo as part of a paid job (I have done a few for family and friends free of charge), so it would be sort of an honor if someone chose to have my artwork on their body permanently.

For those of you who know graphic designers, I am sure you have heard many times about the importance of a sketchbook. A sketchbook allows a designer to let their ideas transition from their mind by flowing freely onto paper. It is the initial step that every professional graphic designer takes before they delve into a logo or illustration project. While sketching can serve as a starting point for projects, it is also a relaxing activity in that your mind (well…my mind anyway) seems to think clearer and allow new ideas to transpire

Sketching is Good for You!

I sketch all of the time…whether I am on the phone with a client or in a meeting. The best of my ideas have come to life while sketching. I also am adamant that I retain more information from a meeting while sketching, doodling and listening. In fact a recent study was released that backs up my theory (so do not be so quick to think us doodlers are aloof!).

From the Sketchbook Category

I am adding a new category to my blog entitled “From the Sketchbook”. In this category I will post scans of sketches and/or doodles I have done with a small description of what I was doing at the time (as well as my thought process). I hope this will give you some insight into my sketchbook, and perhaps inspire you to pick up a pen and start doodling too!