Recent work {illustration wednesday}

This was a tabloid cover illustration on comedy clubs in the San Diego area. I was very pleased with the concept. So pleased, in fact, that when I started working on it I ran into trouble. I couldn't see how to keep it simple and give it texture and interest at the same time. It wasn't until I thought of it as a screen-print that I was able to pull it off. Whew!
{By the way, do you see the laughing face in the cord of the microphone? Just making sure!}
This illustration ran with a story on the division of chores in the household. The clever hedline says "Are you losing the chore wars." This story definitely hit home with my husband and me. He joked the other day that he could show me how to turn the vacuum on if I wanted. Whatever! (okay, maybe I could do more around the house - don't tell my husband!) My favorite statistic from the story said that around 60% of men actually prefer to do the cooking. Nice!
This last illo was for a story on damaging your vocal chords from over use - specifically in teachers. This is important in my family because all four of my sisters taught at one time and my father is a retired high-school teacher. I loved the erased look of the sound bubble - I used the smudge tool in Photoshop to get it. The smudge tool is a very under-used tool in my toolbox. That may change.

{all illustrations by Cristina Martinez Byvik - for the San Diego Union-Tribune}