New CARDS AND STICKERS...from the dog!

Bow...WOW!!

I just got this email with one of my newest doggies on the cover. Check out the newest cards and stickers... FROM THE DOG. You'll find the dogs, here.

This is from a recent sale email which expires soon, so click over there and get 'em, soon!

So, if you are a dog lover, greeting card lover or a Tim Bowers lover (wait...forget that last one), you'll want to pick up some of these cards. The prices are dog-gone GREAT!

...I heard that FROM THE DOG.

Some SWEET artwork is baking at the studio.

Here's another "chef" painting that I recently completed. I took a couple of pics while putting together this illustrative recipe.

It's funny to think that baking is a lot like painting. I mix and choose the right tools to work with...

apply some juicy textures...

and add the final touches... yum!

Here's a delicious detail of some of that sweet texture. Acrylic on gessoed board.

Back to the drawing board. -T.

The Blues are BACK!

Yep. It's that time of year. I just finished the artwork for this year's Granville Hot Licks Blues Fest and we're a couple of short weeks away from this great downtown event. If you are in the area, stop by, bring a folding chair and enjoy a day of great blues music, food, drink and pick up a poster or tee-shirt. See you there!

Back to the drawing board... -T.

I FOUND A BOX OF POODLES ON MY DOORSTEP.

Yes, a beautiful box of new books was delivered a few weeks ago. Vampoodle by Joan Holub ( Random House Books for Young Readers) arrived just in time for a perfect back-to-school reading choice. 

The crazy dogs from Joan Holub’s Step 2 reader Shampoodle are back and as spirited as ever! There’s a puppy party in the backyard, but the scaredy-dogs skedaddle when ghosts and ghouls begin to arrive. What should these pups do? Don costumes and join the Halloween parade! -Random House

Bowers ART goes to the kitchen.

I've got a few children's book projects that I'm currently working on but wanted to show some other art that I've been cooking up. I created a series of chef paintings. Here are a few in progress images.

As usual, I start with some sketchbook ideas. Here is the pasta chef, the wine chef and the dessert chef in the early sketch phase.

I tape the edges, gesso (with thick strokes using a large brush) the pieces of Bristol board and transfer the sketches onto the textured surface.

Work on the background and paint the checkerboard border.

Then, focus on the character, letting a lot of the texture show from the underpainting.

Here's a detail. I love to create texture, allowing different colors to peek through the top layers of paint.  So, there, you have it! My recipe for some fun kitchen art. Of course, you may need some reference for this one...maybe a bottle of Cabernet...or two.

NEXT TIME: It's that time of year to start another Bluesfest painting. Update to come.

RAPPY GOES TO THE SUPERMARKET

2017 has arrived like a strong gust of wind. New projects are lining up, new ideas are forming and a new children's book arrived earlier in the month. Rappy Visits the Supermarket is an early reader, full of fun and humor. The "rappin" story was written by Dan Gutman and published by HarperCollins.

You can see a sample of the book by visiting this link:

https://sample-c84e6276c9cb811becbcfff4eb281a3a.read.overdrive.com/?p=rappy-goes-to

Here's a sketch from the book. I try to create as much humor through facial expressions and body gestures as possible. I remember learning to read. Finding funny characters in the artwork usually got my attention. Still does.

So, why not start the new year with a new Rappy story? Pick up a copy and we'll share a few laughs in the supermarket. See you soon!

Ready for the DANCE?

I just finished the artwork for an upcoming book, FOOTLOOSE by Kenny Loggins. The book is being published by Moondance Press/ Quarto Publishing Group. I'm really excited about this one and I think a lot of people are going to be putting on their dancin' shoes in October. The original song (FOOTLOOSE) has been re-written to become a fun story that takes place after hours, at the zoo. The art is full of animals, color, texture, fun and a whole lot of DANCIN'!

Plus, while painting these illustrations, I listened to Kenny's Return to Pooh Corner CD. Pure magic. I usually don't work directly with the author but I spoke to Kenny about his vision for the story. His input made the story telling more complete.

So, this October...

"EVERYBODY CUT FOOTLOOSE"!

I Found a box of Parrots on my doorstep.

A big box of shiny new books landed on my doorstep. Memoirs of a Parrot is the fourth "memoir" book, written by the very talented Devin Scillian and published by Sleeping Bear Press.

"Yay, new books!"

When I read that a parrot would be the main character, I had to choose an African Grey parrot. I have fond childhood memories of my grandpa and his African Grey, named Chico. I chose a Hyacinth Macaw as the other parrot in the story. Mostly because of the color. I live in Ohio and Devin Scillian lives in Michigan, so it just made sense to use Ohio State (scarlet and grey) and Michigan colors (maze and blue). Plus, my wife's family is from the state up north (we're a "blended" family).

A drawing I did in High School of my grandpa and his parrot, Chico.

Also, the main character (human) in the story plays a ukulele. I said, "hmmm, I need to get a ukulele (as reference) and begin my career as a ukulele rock star". Then I met Emily Arrow, a true ukulele rock star, so I bought one. Now I need to start practicing my ukulele licks.

"Hey, I think I need a ukulele."

Anyway, you must take a look at Memoirs of a Parrot. It's got parrots, ukulele players and a very funny story.

End papers from Memoirs of a Parrot.

Thank you, Heather Hughes, Felicia Macheske and Sleeping Bear Press. 

Now, back to the drawing board. -Tim

PUT ON YOUR DANCIN' SHOES!

One of my newest projects is to illustrate a book, written by Kenny Loggins. He re-wrote the song, FOOTLOOSE, as a kids song and the book will have a CD in the back so readers can read along, follow the story with illustrations and dance to this great Kenny Loggins song.

Acrylic paint on a gessoed bristol board. 

Here are two finished interior pages.

















Here is the final art for the cover and end papers. The CD (FOOTLOOSE song) will be placed where the moon is positioned, inside the back cover. So, the moon will be the CD.

The new song sounds great. Kenny did a fantastic job of adding a kid spin to the original version. This is a lot of fun but I have a hard time painting, while dancing. Believe me, you'll be putting on your dancin' shoes, too!

Taking a "mini" break.

I'm in between children's book projects and have a few days to work on miniature paintings. Here is the latest mini.

Prairie Dog with selected frame.

I think the title will be: Prairie Dog. It was painted with acrylic paint and is 3x4 inches. I started the painting last January as a demonstration piece at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art (on the campus of St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs, Florida).

Painting demo for Miniature Art Society of Florida (MASF).

Working from photo reference.
I  purchased the magnifying visor for painting miniatures but they just didn't work for me... returned them and went back to a hand-held magnifying glass.

I hope to finish a couple more miniatures in the next few months. I'll need a few more "mini" breaks.