:: Drinking Games ::

I grew up playing 8-bit video games and loved how their basic graphics sparked our young imaginations.

This design salutes those video games of the past with drinking games from the present.

Cheers! 

If you like this design, please feel free to vote for it here!

:: The Devil is in the Details ::

A remake of one of my old designs.

Please support here.

2013 SCBWI Canada East Conference

I'm off to Montreal for the Annual SCBWI Canada East Conference! It's been a pretty hectic month with completing my pre-conference project, organizing and printing my portfolio, and preparing for an out of town trip while just getting all my regular work done.

Anyways I punched a pile of shiny new buttons to share with my new picture book friends. I've been chatting online with illustrators group, but it'll be nice to finally meet everyone in person and finally put some faces to names.

This is my first time attending a SCBWI Conference... wish me luck!

3 Wise Monsters

Sesame Street has taught me many important life lessons, so when I heard about Threadless' Sesame Street Challenge, I could not resist creating something special with Cookie Monster, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch.

See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil are traditionally enlightened by 3 wise monkeys, but these 3 monsters are always up for the task and so much cuter!

Please support 3 Wise Monsters and vote here.

Ninja Cowboy Bear with Bookaboo & Anthony Calvillo - Aug.12

Never thought in a million years that when David and I first self-publishing our little picture book, "The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Ninja Cowboy Bear" could we imagine one day CFL legend Anthony Calvillo would be reading it to Bookaboo on CBC.

Our episode airs next Monday (August 12) at 10am.

Hope everyone can tune in :)

:: All Dahl'd Up ::

I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in this most excellent group show, entitled All Dahl'd Up. These 28 local Toronto artists were all asked to create a piece of art inspired the wonderful author Roald Dahl. How cool is that?

Exhibition runs: June 11-16, 2013, The Gladstone Gallery
Reception: Thursday, June 13th, 7pm-11pm

You can RSVP here.

Alysia Avey
Alexandra Kavalova
Andrew Wolf
Bill Speers
Blair Kitchen
Caroline Hung
Dharmali Patel
Hilary Leung
Ian Westoby
Jason Groh
Jason Thompson
Jim Bryson
Joey So
Kathryn Durst
Kyu-Bum Lee
Mike Csunyoscka
Mike Helmer
Nick Hehn
Nikolas Ilic
Noam Sussman
Perry Osuna
Sam Bradley
Sarah Mercey
Shawn Colbeck
Tara Donovan
Rachel Chalk
Rory Madge

Special thanks to Kyle Marshall

Hope to see you there!

:: My First LEGO Window Display ::

This weekend was super busy one, but one of the highlights was definitely helping install my very first Lego Window Display. Y'see my daily 8 bit Lego creations (from earlier this year) had opened some doors for me - including membership to The Toronto Lego User Group. ToroLUG is a team of mega talented Lego builders from all walks of life. From artists to engineers, these fine folks have one thing in common - we all love Lego.

They have been super supportive of my designs, despite my rudimentary collection and builds. One person in particular was always encouraging me to build my own store window. His name was Sean Jensen. Sean is not only an amazing dad, but he is also what I refer to as a Lego Super Genius. With his infinite generosity, he offered to help build some of my designs.

In under a week, after a flurry of emails and sketching, our collaboration came to life! Our masterpiece sits proudly at one of the Toronto Lego stores (Sherway Gardens Location). It will be on display for the entire month of June, so if you're in the neighbourhood please go check it out!

In other news, my 23 week old son has started stealing kisses...



Update!I turned my 8-bit Lego design into a t-shirt. Please feel free to vote here.

:: TCAF 2013 ::

Hooray, I have been lucky enough to be accepted into Toronto Comic Arts Festival (aka TCAF) again this year!

In preparation, I have been busy punching buttons, re-ordering my picture books, hand-cutting bookmarks and even assembling a special mini book that collects my "Top 28 Picture Book Lego tributes". Check out the photos below.

TCAF is being held again at the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St.) on May 11-12. This year I am on the main floor at table #122 right in the middle... just follow the ninja balloons!

Drop by, say hi and get a free origami pirate bookmark too!

Hope to see you there :)

:: Team Imagination ::

When I first heard about the Threadless Real Play challenge, I knew right away that I had to make time for this.

"Design a kids tee that inspires imaginative and creative play."

Amazing! My inspiration comes from my childhood where I spent much time in the wonderful world of imagination. I used to create rocket ships from old paper rolls and build cardboard cities only to knock them back down, because inevitably a giant monster always arrives. Ha ha, I'll always cherished these moments. Hopefully this design will inspire others to create, play and enjoy this fantastic concept called imagination.

If you like this design, please click the image above and vote. There are many great designs up for voting, so please go check them out!

:: wittlebee + threadless Kids subs ::

When I heard about the Wittlebee + Threadless Kids design challenge, I knew that I had to create something. Not just because I love designing for kids, but rather I now have the very best inspiration ever... in my beautiful baby boy.





This first design "Daddy's Little Monkey" was inspired by my little monkey.

As an artist, I thrive on that feeling of satisfaction from creating art. That sense of pride and accomplishment is second to none...

That was true, until I became a parent. As a new dad, I find my heart overflowing with pride and joy that I helped bring this little baby into the world. Watching my masterpiece get brighter and more beautiful every single day is just amazing.






This second submission "Knock Knock" is an infographic design of, "Three Little Pigs". It's clear, concise and parents can use it to tell the classic fairy tale to their child.

Just in case you needed a refresher, Christopher Walken is always happy to help you out! Just play the YouTube video below and enjoy the best four and a half minutes of your day!

Enjoy :)

:: Game of Pixels ::

I've submitted this design to Threadless, so please feel free to vote here!

To help with the mood, here's the Game of Thrones theme on three Commodore 64 sound chips




Anyone else pumped about Game of Thrones Season 3?

:: 8 bit Bravest Warriors ::

I am a HUGE Pendleton Ward fan and have really enjoyed both his Adventure Time and Bravest Warriors series. So when I heard about Threadless' Bravest Warriors design challenge I just had to put something together.

With the mini hiatus from my daily 8-bit Lego creations, this seemed like a perfect chance to jump back in.  Several of the great Threadless community was also hosting a Pixel Community Challenge.  Plus can you honestly think of a better fit for an animated sci-fi series than an 8-bit pixel design?  Conditions were perfect!

This was so much fun that I actually submitted two different entries.  The first one was illustrated in a monochrome monitor style aka green screen from the 80's.  It was a bit tricky, but I only used four shades of green on a black shirt.  The official Bravest Warriors logo is also illustrated in this style.



For my second entry, I wanted to depict the characters with their heat sensitive stickers animal friends.  The Warriors summon animal weapons by rubbing heat-sensitive stickers on their suits. Danny has the Dog Sword,  Chris has the Bee With Excellent Leadership Skills, Beth has the Cat Lashes and Wallow has the Falcon Axe.  The Bravest Warriors is a super colourful and vibrant series, so I decided to use a full colours palette for this second sub.



If you like either of these designs, please feel free to drop by here and here (or click on the images above) to support by voting!

Thank you!

:: Lego Picture Book #37 ::

#Lego #PictureBooks Book #37 "The Sneetches" by Dr. Seuss

Some Sneetches have stars on their bellies while others don't. The Sneetches with stars feel superior and look down on the ones without. One day, an entrepreneur named Sylvester McMonkey McBean rolls into town with his amazing contraptions. He charges the Plain-Belly Sneetches a small fee to add a star on their belly. Soon everyone had stars on their bellies. Unhappy about this, the original Star-Belly Sneetches turn to McBean. He charges them even more money to remove their stars. This vicious cycle repeats many times until everyone's money is given to McBean who promptly rolls out of town. Leave it to master story-teller Dr. Seuss to weave a fantastic story that deals with prejudice and racism while doing so in stylish rhymes and his signature artwork.

:: Lego Picture Book #36 ::

Book #36 "It's a Book" by Lane Smith

Monkey is reading a book when tech-savvy donkey joins him. Not understanding what a book is, Donkey asks all sorts of annoying questions. Can the book tweet? Blog? Scroll? WiFi? Text? Monkey repeatedly answers "No, its a book." Donkey then takes the book and reads it for hours. There's a delightful double entendre at the end, that may or may not begin with the letters on Donkey's face above. This "Technology vs. Print" controversy story is cute, cheeky and has stellar art - as always! Check out the amazing book trailer!

:: Lego Picture Book #35 ::

Book #35 "Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World" by Mac Barnett & Dan Santat

A fantastic story about a young girl who wins 1st place at the science fair. Unfortunately her giant robot starts to rampage! Did I mention that the robot also has a superclaw, laser eye and the power to control dogs’ minds? Well, after many failed attempts to stop the ear-less, illiterate robot that can't feel pain, our hero hatches a new plan. This naturally involved creating a giant attack toad to combat the giant robot... Barnett's highly imaginative story is too much fun! And Santat's awesome artwork is chock full of so many delicious details like the brilliant frog montage and robot blue print end papers to name just two... TWO GIANT THUMBS UP!!

Check out the amazing book trailer!

:: Lego Picture Books #34 ::

Book #34 "George and Martha" by James Marshall

George and Martha are two best friends who happen to be hippos. They enjoy doing everything together and learn many valuable lessons from each other too! Important things like practical jokes can sometimes backfire and hiding soup in your loafers is not the best plan to spare the chef's feelings. Make no mistake that these deceptively simple stories and illustrations are masterpieces. James Marshall is a talented storyteller who possesses the gift of whittling great ideas to their basic core. The stories he shares are always warm, funny and sincere.

:: Lego Picture Books #33 ::

Book #33 "Around the World with Mouk" by Marc Boutavant

One early morning, an adorable bear named Mouk packs his things to travel around the world. His wild adventures take him to many beautiful cultures and different countries. During his exploration, Mouk meets many exotic animal friends along the way. This vibrant and colourful over-sized book is packed full of wonderful details on every page (reminiscent of the great Richard Scarry!) This book even includes two pages of reusable stickers - guaranteed hours of fun!

:: Lego Picture Books #32 ::

Book #32 "Along a Long Road" by Frank Viva

A man cycles around town along a shiny yellow path while enjoying all the beautiful scenery. This book is certainly is "about the journey and not the destination" - and what a sweet journey it is! The sparse text helps to highlight the abstract, sleek and stylish design. Possibly most impressive is the fact that this book was created as a single, continuous 35' long piece of art using Adobe Illustrator. Mind. Blown.

:: Lego Picture Books #31 ::

Book #31 "Pssst!" by @MrAdamRex
One day a young girl visits the zoo and has a series of strange conversations with the animals. Each animal requests for a seemingly random item. This curious list included things such as tires, paint, trash cans, flashlights, bicycle helmets, and corn. The baboon even gives the girl a bag of coins picked from the fountains to purchase everything for them. Hilarity ensues.

Adam Rex is a master picture book craftsman with a wicked sense of humour. He weaved a truly special story that starts and ends with, "Pssst!"

:: Lego Picture Books #30 ::

Book #30 "The Happy Hocky Family" by Lane Smith

Meet Mr. Hocky, Mrs. Hocky, Henry Hocky, Holly Hocky, Baby Hocky, and Newton (the dog). This lovable, quirky family enjoys a variety of family activities and they always remain positive. Even when things go wrong, everyone manages to stay happy! Written as an early reader book, the clever, subtle and deliciously sarcastic humour will have readers of all ages in stitches. Beautifully designed by Molly Leach, this book is printed on recycled brown paper to really give it a classic 40's feel.

:: Lego Picture Books #29 ::

Book #29 "My Name is Elizabeth!" by Annika Dunklee & Matt Forsythe

Elizabeth is a spunky and direct little girl. She has a great name that she absolutely loves. What drives her crazy are nicknames, so please don't call her Lizzy, Liz, Beth, or Betsy! One ordinary autumn day, Elizabeth discovers her power to change things once and for all. Both story and artwork are ridiculously cute. There is a beautiful interplay between the delightful text and gorgeous line-work. It's hard to believe that this was a picture book debut for both Dunklee & Forsythe - Can't wait to see what future projects they work on next!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #28 ::

Book #28 "The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss

One rainy day, mom goes to run some errands, leaving Sally and her brother home alone. The kids are bored, but then a mischievous cat shows up! Cat and his buddies cause so much chaos that the house ends up in shambles. Will they clean up in time and, more importantly, will the kids tell mom the true story?

This classic tale has all the Seuss trademarks: rhyming ridiculousness for read-aloud fun accompanied by the good Dr.'s signature artwork.

This concludes February's Top 28 Picture Book list, but stay tuned for March's 31 Runner-ups!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #27 ::

Book #27 "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

A clever mouse defends himself from many would-be predators by outwitting them with a tall tale about a mythical beast, The Gruffalo! Ironically the mouse eventually runs into the gruesome Gruffalo and has to outwit him too! Written in iambic pentameter, this cute and clever "brains beating brawn" story also features whimsical cartoon artwork that will have the reader rooting for the underdog!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #26 ::

Book #26 "Grover's Own Alphabet" by Sal Murdocca

Grover literally bends over backwards to show us all the letters of the alphabet. He uses his own lovable furry blue body to contort into every single letter. A charming story with great vocabulary, fantastic artwork and beautiful design that will always hold a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf. Five year-old ME would have had this delightful Little Golden Book at #1 hands down. I still own my precious childhood copy which has endured many family outings, car rides and sick days.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #25 ::

Book #25 “Scaredy Squirrel” by Mélanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel is scared of almost everything. As a result, this quirky squirrel owns detailed plans, emergency kits, graphs, lists, and even comparison charts to keep him safe. One day, Scaredy is forced to leave his nut tree and face the big unknown… with some surprising results! This charming book series teaches us about facing our fears, taking chances and discovering new things. It also features scarily cute, clean and stylish art.

:: Top 28 Picture Books # 24 ::

#Top28 #PictureBooks Book #24 "My Friends" by by Tarō Gomi

A super sweet story about a little girl who shares many different things with the reader: all the different things she learns from her animal friends, from her grown-up friends and even her friend, the book. The bright, gorgeous watercolour art across the beautifully designed spreads will win you over right to the last heart-warming page.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #23 ::

Book #23 "Curious George Rides a Bike" by H.A. Rey

Celebrating their 3rd year anniversary, the man with the yellow hat gifted George a new bicycle. Naturally this curious little monkey gets in trouble despite a good heart. Cute adventure story with lovely artwork, but it's the bonus origami lessons that made this book unforgettable! This childhood favourite was also the inspiration for our very own picture book, "The Pirate Girl's Adventure An Origami Adventure" by The Brothers Leung

:: Top 28 Picture Boooks #22 ::

Book #22 "Oh no, George!" by @ChrisHaughton

When Harry steps out for the day, George the dog wants nothing more than to be good. Unfortunately there are just too many temptations around, like an entire cake, the cat and some lovely dirt! Will George's best intentions be enough? The cute open-ended ending will make you smile! The delightful story + hilarious, stylish artwork + bold, gorgeous colours = sheer picture book delight

:: Top Picture 28 Books # 21 ::

Book #21 "Little Hoot" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Jen Corace

Little Hoot was a happy little owl. He enjoyed school, playing with his buds and practicing staring. However there was one thing he did not like... bedtime! This little owl just wants to go to bed at a reasonable hour, like his friends do. Unfortunately his parents say that little owls have to stay up and play. This delightful twist on a common dilemma makes for the ultimate bedtime story. Also the artwork is just too good! Stunning compositions, gorgeous line-work, beautiful colour palette and adorable details - I can't say enough great things about this book.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #20 ::

Book #20 "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus!" by Mo Willems

Mo Willems engages the reader directly with specific instructions to refuse the pigeon's request to drive the bus in this zany read-aloud book. Naturally, the pigeon pleas his case with a series of hilarious arguments.

This book has cute, clean artwork with a lovely muted colour palette and was the first of many award-winning books for Mo Willems. I had the good fortune to meet him and hear him read at a Small Press Toronto event last year!

:: Top Picture Books #19 ::

Book #19 "Squids will be Squids" by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

Warning: I LOL in a quiet book store during my first reading.

To tell stories about "annoying, weird, pain-in-the-neck people you know", you simply "change the people to animals and add a moral." That is how this hysterical collection of strange and silly fables came to be. A highly original and inventive book that is a hilarious read for both children and adults alike. It features wonderful collage art by Lane Smith and gorgeous book design by Molly Leach.

:: Top Picture Books #18 ::

Book #18 "The Three Robbers" by Tomi Ungerer

Three ferocious robbers, each wielding a different weapon, robbed carriages and hid their treasures in a dark mysterious cave. One night during a heist, they rescue an orphan girl en route to her wicked aunt’s house. Their lives are changed forever. Armed with fantastic artwork this dark story reminds me how much I loved the raw and dangerous fairy tales my parents would read to us as kids!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #17 ::

Book #17 "I Can Fly" by Ruth Krauss & Mary Blair

This 1951 Little Golden Book classic stars an imaginative young girl who mimics all kinds of animals. The empowering rhymes are super fun, but it's Mary Blair's stunning artwork that will knock your socks off. Vibrant colours, beautiful compositions all oozing with delightful details will have you coming back time and time again. There is bonus sheet music with lyrics at the back of the book too!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #16 ::

Book #16 "The Birthday Presents" by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell

Best friends Rabbit & Hedgehog don't celebrate their own birthdays or even recall when their birth dates are. So they decide to celebrate their birthdays together the very next day. Both friends try to find the perfect birthday present and inadvertently give each other the very best gifts ever.

This sweet story of two caring friends is part of a delightful Rabbit & Hedgehog series. Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell may be better known for their best selling "The Edge Chronicles" series, but Rabbit & Hedgehog will always be my favourite.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #15 ::

Book #15 "Big Wolf & Little Wolf" by Nadine Brun-Cosme & Olivier Tallec

Big Wolf was living happily in solitude until, one day, Little Wolf wanders into his life. At first, Big Wolf is wary of the stranger's intentions, but slowly and begrudgingly he lets the little one into his life.

A tender tale about friendship and companionship featuring breathtakingly bold and sensitive illustrations. Just as Little Wolf has taken up a lot space in Big Wolf's heart, this book has taken up a lot of space in my heart.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #14 ::

Book #14 "Miss Nelson is Missing!" by Harry Allard & James Marshall

Uh-oh, the students of room 207 are at it again! When Miss Nelson's class misbehaves one too many times, a new teacher takes over. The kids think Miss Viola Swamp is witch, so they have no choice but to obey. The children learn the error of their ways and miss Miss Nelson dearly, but is it too late? This childhood favourite empowers the reader to solve the case of the missing teacher with a wink and a smile. A fun storyline that captivates readers until the very last page. James Marshal's signature artwork is packed with quirky & delightful details!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #13 ::

Book #13 "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert Munsch & Michael Martchenko

A fun and fantastic reversal of the classic fairy tale! Princess Elizabeth outsmarts a powerful dragon to rescue Prince (not so) Charming, wearing only a paper bag no less! Includes a historic picture book moment when the hero declares "you are a bum." Furthermore, the delightfully detailed illustrations are drawn by my long-time idol Michael Martchenko. This was his very first book in wonderful career of 100+ picture books (and growing!)

:: Top 28 Picture Books #12 ::

Book #12 "Virginia Wolf" by Kyo Maclear & Isabelle Arsenault

Virginia wakes up feeling "wolfish" so her sister Vanessa does everything she can to lift her spirits. A sweet expression of sibling love and support by the wonderful Kyo Maclear. And Isabelle's breath-taking illustrations & hand written text not only compliment the story, but completely enriches it. Isabelle is truly a master craftsman of our times and completely deserving of the 2012 Governor General's Literary Award!

:: Top 28 Picture Books #11 ::

Book #11 "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

A story of a strange feast resulting in a transformation that illustrates how beautiful and mysterious nature can be. I remember turning every page eagerly find out where the hole led as the very hungry caterpillar ate his way through the book.

Eric Carle's distinctive collage style is warm and super rich with colours and textures. He also advanced the genre with his interactive cut-out designs and hand-made materials.

I personally can not think of a more influential artist in all my own picture book projects.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #10 ::

Book #10 "Grumpy Bird" by Jeremy Tankard

Bird wakes up particularly grumpy one morning and goes for a walk. His friends tag along to cheer him up... comedy ensues.

The expressive brush work mixed with bright colourful digital collage blend gorgeously together. This charming tale with it's exceptional artwork is a must have for any picture book library.

:: Top 28 Picture Books #9 ::

Seems fitting to post tomorrow's book today...



Book #9 “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats

Follow the joy, beauty and magical sense of wonder experienced by a young boy’s first snowfall of the season. The colourful textured artwork is still as fresh today, as the first snowfall. This 1963 #Caldecott winner is one of the first #PictureBooks with an African American main character.