Tuesday Blues...

The new 2013 Hot Licks Bluesfest poster is finished and on it's way to the printer.

2013 Hot Licks Bluesfest poster

I painted this one in acrylic (again) and wanted it to compliment a previous illustration, done for an earlier Bluesfest poster. You can see that piece of art in the photo, on my easel. The main band for the night is Ruthie Foster. I used photos of Ruthie to inspire the design but I didn't want to create a portrait. I picked up on the dreadlocks, facial expression and style of guitar and used those in the artwork but didn't try to make an exact likeness of Ruthie Foster. I do that on every poster. Last year, my inspiration was Sean Carney...and so on.

I can't wait until September 7th, when the blues blows into Granville, Ohio. It's a great night of music.

I can hear it from my house but it's better when you are with hundreds of other blues fans, in the heart of the village. My folding chair is packed and waiting.

...I'll save you a spot.

Back to School fun!

Today was the first day of school for a lot of kids in the area so I decided to post a few wacky sketch book drawings (with a bit of photoshop tweaking) to celebrate.

the Mad Science Teacher

One sketch has a science theme (not much like the classes I remember) and the other...well, it's a super hero...not really school related. I spent way too much class time, daydreaming.

Squirrel Man

So, Squirrel Man is like some daydream that I might have had during math class (and you wonder why I went to art school?).

These are very different from my other illustrations...just havin' fun!
...back to the drawing board.

Bowers gets on board with High Five magazine.

My friends at Highlights High Five magazine are publishing the August issue, featuring my artwork on the cover. I remember Highlights magazine from my childhood and having the chance to work with the team at Highlights High Five was very exciting. I know that a lot of little fans of the magazine (who grow up to be big fans of the magazine) will Get On Board! with this issue.

Detail from High Five cover art by Tim Bowers

If you haven't looked at a copy of Highlights High Five in a while...now Is a great time to check it out.

A big THANK YOU to the High Five team.

...another detail pic.

Back to the drawing board...

Snowing in July at Bowers Studio

A box of chilly dogs arrived on my doorstep, last week.  Well, kinda.  My next book, Snow Dog, Go Dog by Deborah Heiligman (published by Two Lions/Amazon Children's Publishing) will be released on September 3 and features the lovable Tinka.

Here is the description on Amazon:

Snow doesn't stop the Golden Retriever, Tinka. She runs and plays and sleds with her boy. But when her friend Millie the beagle shows up, off races Tinka. And she gets lost -- till her boy finally rescues her. A companion to Fun Dog, Sun Dog and School Dog, Cool Dog.

The artwork was painted with acrylic paint on a gessoed surface. I love to get lots of texture on these images and brushing a layer of thick gesso helps me get there. I always feel that I can loosen up a bit with this technique. 

I've been thinking about baseball, lately. No, I'm not playing but I've been working on my knuckleball and will pitch you the details, soon.  

Well, back to the drawing board...gotta get into the blues mood. The Hot Licks Bluesfest is just around the corner.

Bowers makes Time...

Earlier this year, I worked on an assignment from Time For Kids magazine. It was a cover illustration for the March 22, 2013 issue and the only piece of art that I've documented on film, from start to finish.  I like the idea of showing a painting in progress and I'm sure that I'll try it again. This is my first attempt. 

 Here's a link to the video.

Hamster-mania at Bowers studio...

New books just arrived…YAHOO!!

Memoirs of a Hamster by Devin Scillian is being published by Sleeping Bear Press. It follows our first collaboration, Memoirs of a Goldfish (2010).

Here’s a description of the story:

Night 1 / My life is perfect. / I have a bowl full of seeds, a cozy pile of wood shavings, and room to run. / I'm never leaving here. / Question: Who's the luckiest hamster in the world? / Answer: ME! Seymour the hamster has the perfect life. He has a spacious cage, a constant food supply, and a FuzzyBoy 360 exercise wheel that lets him run to his heart's content. Life could not be better. Or could it? When Pearl the cat tells Seymour of the goodies beyond the safe confines of his cage, he starts to think he's missing out. And out is the new in! It's only after Seymour is out of his cage that he begins to fully appreciate his safe and cozy home.

The illustrations were done in acrylic on watercolor board. 

I think I’ll start my own memoir…

Day 1- 

I received two boxes of freshly printed books. Who’s the luckiest illustrator in the world? Answer: Me!

…now, back to the drawing board. 

Look Ma, I'm a movie star!

I've been playing around with the ole' video camera and put together a couple of art videos for practice. I intend to create some painting demos and book trailers if I can figure out what the heck I'm doing. 

Here are my first award winning videos. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd2IIH6xIOE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEaIlc9zROE

And I've been using songs that I created a few years ago (thanks to garageband) as soundtracks...so they aren't exactly fitting for these videos but I used them, anyway. I'll work on new music to go along with the new videos...in my spare time.

That's all for now...back to the painting.