On the subject of “road trip” and “beach”, a handful of additional sketches:

The May issue of Report on Business Magazine features new illustrations that accompany Ivor Tossell’s story “The ABCs of Cybersecurity.” The assignment included a full-page opener and three spots that served to illustrate the author’s A-to-Z primer. To read the story, download it in pdf format.

C is for China.

P is for Password recycling.

V is for fake anti-Virus software.

Report on Business is published by The Globe and Mail, a Canadian national news media company founded in 1844. It is the largest finance-oriented magazine in Canada with an audience of over one million monthly readers.

“Having previously worked with Kyle and knowing what he is capable of artistically, I knew he was the perfect choice to illustrate our catalogs. This was a quick job and Kyle interpreted our ideas and executed a finished product that was right on the money. I highly recommend Kyle for any job that depends on strong narratives mixed with illustration and photography.”
—Christopher Hughes Barker, Senior Graphic Designer, prAna

Thanks for the kind words Chris. I’ll post a few pages of the Summer catalog on this blog once it gets released. If you’d prefer to receive a printed catalog in the mail, visit prana.com and get on the list (select “Email/Catalog Sign-Up” at bottom left, directly above the footer I recently illustrated).

You’ll find a few pieces of line art that were incorporated onto other pages of the Spring books after the jump.

Silhouettes of swallows, used as a background texture.

Dots, in various configurations, were incorporated throughout one of the Spring books.

I broke a dozen sticks off our Boxwood to reference for these borders.

Paul Klee-inspired landscape-as-texture.

The current issue of Sportsnet Magazine includes my full-page illustration and hand-drawn headline for “Very Superstitious”. Shannon Proudfoot’s story delves into the superstitions of professional athletes—from Michael Jordan’s fealty toward his UNC shorts to Glenn Hall’s pre game ritual of vomiting before chugging a glass of orange juice—and how these rituals can actually improve performance.

A former ballplayer myself (way back when), I had fun concepting this particular illustration. I was never very superstitious and now realize this is probably the reason I never went pro… unless leading the team in strikeouts per at-bat precludes a call up. Whose to say? Download the pdf if you’d like to read the story or get the free Sportsnet iPad app to see the illustration animated.

“I hired Kyle almost immediately after coming across his website. We were running a story that was a tricky one to illustrate and his work seemed like the perfect mix for it. I loved what he came back with… everything—from the presented options to the final delivered files—was spot on. I highly recommend working with him if you get the chance.”
—Myles McCutcheon, Photo Editor, Sportsnet Magazine

Sportsnet Magazine is a bi-weekly print magazine positioned for Canadian sports fans. Launched September 2011, the magazine is part of Rogers Communications and its national network of radio and television broadcasting, consumer magazines and business publications.

The web service provides stickers and key rings with individual codes to be applied to oft-lost items like keys, cell phones, wallets and the like. If lost and found (and reported), the owner will receive an email with details on how and where they can retrieve. Click on the image to enlarge or download the pdf to read the story.

Time Out Chicago is a weekly covering “everything there is to watch, read, laugh at, listen to, shop for, eat and experience” in the 3rd largest city in the United States.

prAna’s Spring 2012 line is now on-line and so is the website footer I recently created for them. The fern fronds were hand-drawn and “colored” using photographs. You’ll find the word “prana” not-too concealed, in keeping with the art of past seasons.

prAna is a 19-year-old clothing retailer based in southern California. Popular from the beginning with yoga and climbing communities, the line—pants, shirts, jackets, sweaters, dresses, hoodies… you name it—is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts and others attracted to prAna’s bohemian style and sustainable messaging. You can find something for yourself at their stores in Boulder, Santa Barbara and Portland, online at prana.com, or at a host of retail partners around the world.

Look for more illustration completed for prAna’s Spring and Summer catalogs on the blog in coming weeks.

Left to right: Full-page illustration that served to kick-off the story; illustration that accompanied banking tips (e.g. ditch that expensive airline credit card); illustration that ran adjacent to phone-related tips (e.g. lose your landline, use apps to text for free, etc.). Click on each of the images to enlarge, or download a pdf of the story to see the work in context.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine was founded in 1947 and has a paid monthly circulation of 800,000. The monthly advises its readers on managing their money—covering investing, retirement planning, taxes, insurance, real estate, buying and leasing a car, health care, travel and financing college.

If you are into maps (as I am), check out Montpelier, another map-inspired project featuring a contiguous hand-drawn line over 46 photographs. Both projects are a mash up of photography and illustration, the real and the imagined.

My apologies to subscribers that were resent older posts late-December. My web host had a hard disk failure that resulted in posts getting resent (at time of failure and again upon restoration).

Sad fruits make my wife and boys happy. At their urging, a few fruits are now here on the blog. If they make you smile too, download the desktop wallpaper or 13 x 9″ wrapping paper. Who needs Harry & David when you’ve got these guys to keep you company?