The "Read" poster

In 2003 I decided to make a "read" poster and donate it to my old Elementary School in Herndon. When I was growing up, the library and classrooms always had these posters of sports and movie stars with a book in their hands and the word "Read" at the top. I decided to make one of my own, only mine would be a complex mashing of different book characters in a 18 X 24 pen/color pencil hybrid. The piece hangs in the Hutchison Elementary School Library (as far as I know) to this day. Unfortunately I did not take very good pictures of it before giving it away.

The above is a close up on some of the detail, the characters are actually from a book I illustrated that was distributed locally called "Smart Alex"

Here is the full picture.

I've always been a big fan of reading and have always wanted to work on cartoons that promoted it. I fear the art of transforming symbols on paper into fantastic adventures you take in your mind is slowly being lost.

"Butterfly in the sky... I can go twice as high!"