dantat.com

When Pigs Fly

A sketch for a project I'm working on with Little Brown....

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sorry for the lack of posts

I've been surrounded by various tasks. The picture book, two chapter books, my graphic novel, and the house addition. I normally make up the work late at night when everyone is asleep, but, a little someone has been teething and I am exhausted...

On top of all that finding a stable work environment has been rather difficult as well. Behold the current state of my studio....

The carpet has been removed, all my supplies have been boxed up, and I'm in the process of making my studio look like a garage (look at the horrid state of that concrete floor)

Meanwhile for the Memorial Day weekend I was up in San Francisco spending time with family. I also got together with author Mac Barnett (author of OH NO!)

We got together for a photo shoot for the book jacket and I shot some video of him for a future book trailer for the book. We got together for lunch and then afterwards he took me to the "Pirate Store"...

I've wanted to see this store for years. One reason in particular was to see the amazing mural created by Chris Ware which interprets the history of the written word. That and the fact that I've wanted to purchase some pirate attire...

Mac and I then parted ways, but not before he gave me this sweet "Evil Robot Memory Eraser" from the Time Travel Mart in Echo Park, CA

A magnet... CLEVER!

In Case of Zombie Attack...

1) Drive down to Phil Spectre's house.

Phil Spectre was recently convicted of second degree murder and possibly faces a sentence of up to 18 years in prison. He also lives just a mile away from me. The famous music producer was apparently a gun fanatic who had guns strewn about his entire home. Sure, you might think the police cleared out that house of all it's goodies but from what I've heard from friends in town is that the house has all sorts of secret doors and passages and I'm sure there has to be good loot about. Even if there are no guns I'm sure there would be some sort of rare Beatles memorabilia or Grammy's lying around to use to barter for food and water during the Apocalypse. With a zombie uprising afoot the cops will be too busy fighting for their own survival and I can gain easy entry.

Time to case the joint.

2) Go to COSTCO

For all your bulk needs. Food in bulk, DVDs, beds, furniture, toys for the kids, gasoline, tires, even medicine! The first plan is to enter the warehouse and close the steel doors at the gate.

No one can enter unless they flash their membership card!

Just kidding.

BUT you can only gain entry if you show that you can demonstrate you have a level head, some sort of useful skill, and you're not a dick (Because the post Apocalypse doesn't need zombies AND jerks)
Second, I do a quick run through of the whole warehouse to make sure there are no zombies stuck inside Costco with me who could potentially bite another person and spread the disease. I may accidentally pick off an uninfected human being or two who appear 'zombified' because they are trying to get to the free food samples but, hey, it happens.
Then with use of a forklift I will fortify the steel door closure with piles of washing machines, refrigerators, and big screen TV sets using a forklift.

Beef jerkey anyone?

Feel free to try this on your own settings.

Thanks to Joey Spiotto for the idea:
http://jspiotto.blogspot.com/2009/02/surviving-zombie-apocalypse-step-1-have.html

Dantat.com has changed locations (for today)

We're on day 3 of fire sprinkler installation and I'm forced to be cooped up here in my kitchen with my cat working at my 3 year old son's red IKEA dinner table. As you can see behind me the kitchen has been tarped off to keep out dust. Well, at least I know I can eat at any time.

I think it's also fun to share this new project that I've been hired to work on with Little Brown and Co. It's a chapter book series called "Nanny Piggins" and it's one of the best hapter book stories I have ever read in a long time and I leaped a tthe chance to illustrate it. Take Mary Poppins, three kids, a grumpy father, and a pig nanny who always wants to have mischievious fun but manages to keep everything barely in order and you've got some really great tales to share.

Here are some character sketches. It's gonna be loads of fun!

Holes

Hey look, I have absolutely no privacy whatsoever! Why is this man climbing into my garage (formerly studio) attic?

Two words..... Fire Sprinklers.

With this house addition the city has decided that we should also meet new city regulations that homes should be fitted with fire sprinklers which used to be just a standard for large business buildings, but now, apparently, things have changed.

Little holes can be found all over the house. Amazingly, the attic clearance is only three feet and these workers fit in there to feed pipe all through the walls....

Meanwhile, my entire house is saran wrapped to keep the dust off. It kind of reminds me of the scene in E.T. when NASA comes in to take E.T. from Elliot and the whole house is draped in plastic

.
Needless to say, it's very difficult to work under these conditions.

Lemme share a new painting that took me much longer than I had originally anticipated (I am still happy with it though)

Lastly, here is some REALLY amazing news. Sterling Publishing has given Tammi Sauer and I 100% support of our upcoming book "Chicken Dance" so much so that they gave us the cover of the Sterling Fall 2009 Catalog cover.

That along with an original song for a book contest and even POSTERS for book stores!

I'll let you all know more as things progress. For now, it's back to further adventures in the swiss cheese castle.