> Photo of me drawing at Cafe 71, Irving Place, NYC, taken by Kenichi Hoshine


> I flew back to the east coast last week: visited my parents for a couple of days and spent the rest of the week fulfilling professional obligations and meeting with friends. I judged the sequential category at the Society of Illustrators , spoke at a couple of classes at my alma mater, and attended the AI-AP party.


> Passengers on NJ Transit. I caught the Walton Ford and Ron Mueck show at the Brooklyn Museum with Esao, Tomer, Kenichi, Mu and Tomomi. "Make it big," was the mantra of the day.


> My mom and K in the kitchen. So lovely the comfort of home cooking.


> Drawings of K at Cafe Sabarsky and sleeping on the plane back to LAX.

** Lastly, Erik J. Olsen will be interviewing me for an upcoming Iconic Podcast . If you have any questions you'd like for me to answer during the interview, please email them to Erik at iconicpodcast@yahoo.com

UPDATE 6.5.06 Thank you for submitting your questions to the Iconic Podcast! Erik will no longer be accepting questions, and we'll be conducting the interview very soon.

> "Sink," 12.5 x 13.5", acrylic on Rives BFK. NFS.

My new entry on www.politewinter.com, just painted last night. A gentle bath of milk tea.

> The Black Parade Special Edition Box


> Giro 2007 Bike Catalog

I posted a large cache of new illustrations on www.jamesjean.com yesterday. The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance) album just came out in the US, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the special edition box was put together. The final art was a bit more desaturated than my original version, but it should complement the photography in the overall package. Gerard Way had a very specific vision for the entire suite of images and characters, but my original contributions included the deer nursing the giant-headed baby and the massive heart pulsating in the background. The Giro catalog was also fun to work on: ballpoint pen drawings + loose photoshop painting . . . sort of a flashy digital version of my sketchbooks.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO

Last month, I got a call on a Thursday from Atlantic records, saying they needed an album cover illustration for Monday. Yes, I panicked, but they wanted the deluxe package to emulate a vintage cigar box and circus posters, so I was stoked. My adrenaline spiked for the next 48 hours.



I love the type and colors in these posters. "Dude!"




This was the art director's original idea/sketch for the packaging. We talked a bit on the phone -- a sketch by Friday, approval the same day, 2 days to execute, and final on Monday. Perfect.



A thumbnail sketch I did in photoshop over the AD's original sketch for the box. Working out the composition and typography in a mad rush.



My final sketch, with type treatment. The AD seemed excited by the sketch, and sent it to the band. No answer. Saturday . . . no answer. Sunday . . . no answer. Finally, Monday: turns out P!ATD just wants their name on the box. Feeling sorely disappointed, I decline to finish the box due to lack of interest and time.

However, I will be finishing up this illustration for an upcoming project with Adhouse books . . .

At long last, Kenichi Hoshine if offering prints for sale. Also, you can find some "Paul Pope goodness" at the new Adhouse online store.

> Grammar 1, mixed media on rice paper mounted on Rives BFK, 10 x 14", SOLD.



> Grammar 2, mixed media on rice paper mounted on Rives BFK, 10 x 14", SOLD.

I have a couple of pieces in a show opening this Oct. 21st, 6:30-10pm, at the Giant Robot gallery in San Francisco.

GRSF
618 Shrader St.
San Francisco CA 94117
Mon-Fri 11:30-8, Sat. 11-8, Sun 12-7
415.876.4773

Please contact the gallery to purchase. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the opening, but it looks like it will be a good show!

> One of the pictures of my studio that I shared at the workshop. I'm using a newer computer/monitor/scanner configuration now, but that's the system that I've used since 2002 in the corner of the room.

* Thanks to everyone who attended my workshop at EAA! If anyone has feedback or questions from Sunday, I look forward to addressing them in the comments link below. Also, I'll definitely keep in mind all the requests for a DVD tutorial in the future.

** I went to compress my emails the other day, and wound up losing a year's worth of emails. Unfortunately, my last backup was 3 months ago, so I was only able to recover up emails up to July. If I haven't responded to your email within the past couple of weeks, please resend.

*** Also, I will be unable to make any prints until Nov., when I will have new equipment shipped in.