Not to jinx it...

... but I'm trying to get back into weekly blog updates.  This week's edition even comes with explanations!

Here are more layouts for a nonfiction book I'm pitching with a collaborator.  I usually don't include page roughs among the sample artwork and just instead provide finished sample pages, but in this case it's crucial that we show how I interpret her source material since there's notable tweaking and editing on my part.  It provides prospective publishers a better idea of our work dynamic since I'm more than just drawing from script.  I'll spill the beans on this project as soon as we start shopping it around.

These are more illustrations for a college writing guide published by Bedford/St. Martin's.  It's an enormous gig containing over 50 pieces ranging from tiny spots to section openers, and I'll continue to post excerpts as the book approaches completion.  This was a blast to work on, and the continual back 'n' forth with the editor, writer, and art directors was a truly collaborative experience.  A really great time, and hope to be doing more projects like this!

Work week in pictures:

Look hard enough and there's a baby in there somewhere.

News from all fronts:

From the "VIETNAMERICA" front, I recently found out it was selected to be part of this year's American Illustration annual!  Quite an honor to be included among such amazing illustrators which you can view alphabetically here.

And from the "work" front, here're some tiny quick spots for a forthcoming college textbook for Bedford/St. Martin's:

And last Wednesday was my final day of occasionally working at Greenpoint's Pencil Factory among some extremely talented folks.  Here are P'Factors of past/present and peeps bidding farewell over doughnut ice cream sandwiches:

Clockwise from top left:  Gavin Potenza, Jesse Ragan, Neil Swaab, Jennifer Heuer, Liz Meyer, Alex Eben Meyer (no relation), Paul Hoppe, Jing Wei, and Dan Cassaro.

And from the last-but-certainly-not-least "personal" front, my latest ongoing life project is coming along quite nice:

As the dust settles from MoCCA...

... I received a bit of news that could only be filed under "Holy sh*t!": VIETNAMERICA was included in TIME Entertainment's recent Top 10 Graphic Memoirs list, which include personal favorites like 2006's FUNHOME and 2008's ALAN'S WAR. Thanks to them for this phenomenal honor to be included among all these amazing works that have inspired me and enriched my life.

As mentioned in the previous post, here's my badge artwork for this year's MoCCA Fest:

Knowing they would only print in black and worn by five types of guests—exhibitors, panelists, press, VIP's, and volunteers—I wanted to create something that was greater than the sum of its parts. Sadly, I don't think many wearers realized each was part of a bigger design and probably were just confused by the weird illustration shape on their respective badges.

The best thing I got during the show were these wonderful original artworks from Mike Roll and Kelly Tierney, fellow illustrators in the trenches who upon finding out I just had a girl, spontaneously made her these adorable gifts!

Leading up to MoCCA, I did a VIETNAMERICA talk and gathered some cartoonist friends for a chat at the A/P/A institute:

Thanks to everyone who joined Jerry Ma, Christine Norrie, myself, and Fred Chao for a fun evening!  Alright, enough pics for now. My new studio mate is ordering me to get back to work: