"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAD!"

Here's the Birthday card image I did for my Dad's birthday last weekend. I've been an artist for a long time, and I don't think I've ever actually MADE a card for anybody before! Does that seem lazy and thoughtless? It sort of does, and I've wanted to do it in the past, but schoolwork and the job always seemed to get in the way. Hopefully family members and loved ones can look forward to my "homemade" cards from now on (of course, now they'll expect it).

It seemed like such an easy task -- one that would allow me to skirt my usual frutrating perfectionist hang-ups which cause me to redo a piece several times before I'm satisfied -- but, alas, it was not meant to be. After sketching, penciling, inking and scanning in my first attempt, I convinced myself I needed to start over from scratch. The idea was kept, but I decided I needed to take it further along Exaggeration Avenue, and I'm glad I did. You want to go a little further with a goofy concept like this, and the first attempt was a bit too tame and stiff. I'm not going to reproduce the interior text here, but the gag has to do with a "birthday suit" (get it?). Har-dee-har!

Happy birthday to my dad! He turned 60 this year, but I wouldn't guess it from looking at him. We had a great time visiting, especially now that we're closer (a 2 1/2 hour drive instead of 12), and I wish him the best.