Refreshed and ready to work.

Back after a short vacation. Nothing like escaping the dreary grey "summer" in the bay area. Several days spent breathing in high mountain air and swimming in clear blue lake water can really renew the spirit like nothing else.
  Filled with that inspiration, I came home and jumped right into a new piece (influenced no doubt by my getaway). This is the paint-ready sketch, it took me several hours today to get something that captured the feeling I was aiming for. This piece is an attempt to capture the essence of the Russian River resort area (in Sonoma California) as I recall it from my childhood. I find it particularly difficult to simplify objects as I attempt to design them in a consistent and aesthetically pleasing way. That simplification is so central to good illustration (and good design). I really struggle with it all the time. It makes me wish I had attended Art Center instead of my Alma Mater. Ah, well, here is the sketch. I'll be updating with images of this piece in progress over the next few days: