Happy Holidays!

 

Eastern Kingbird

Here's the regal Eastern Kingbird, just in time for the holidays.
Aggressive and territorial flycatchers, they're known to take down
bigger birds like crows and Blue Jays.

Happy Halloween

The Autumn Book Experiment #1

A sketch from my personal book that I'm using for my new Art of Kenard Pak facebook page. There isn't much up yet, but I plan to update it like blogger.
Please stop by and visit!

My personal book has made good progress, and I'm hoping to have a dummy for my editor somewhere before summer 2014.  The writing is there, just needs the little bit that determines everthing. Meanwhile, I'm readying some kind of promotion for the release of my first book Have You Heard The Nesting Bird?  The release date is March 18th, and I'll update you with further news.  Other good news: I'm working on a second picture book!  More on that soon...

Big Cartel Store

Hey guys!  I have five different kinds of 5"x7" bird
prints up for sale at my Big Cartel Shop.
Please stop by!

'Apapane

Living on nectar, 'Apapane lives on all the Hawaiian islands.
Most of them high up in the Ohi'a Lehua forests, 'Apapane likes
lots of flowers.

Experiment

This is a variation of something I'm working on for a new book.
You can see the other version at my tumblr.  I seem to prefer the
white in this version vs. the textured background.  I'll make an
announcement with more details later!

Grace: Slanted + 3

I keep coming back to this:  flat plains, solitary trees, and distant hills.
I daydream these grassy landscapes, and at night I dream about dusty,
endless hallways/rooms. 

Red Birds and Open Cage

Out of my sketch book: pencil, pen, watercolor, and
some photoshop.

First Snow Excerpts

On and off this past year, I've been working on a large, winter themed
triptych. These two are sections from panels #1 and #2.  The third
(not seen here) is a segue into early spring, and has characters from
the story I've been working on.  You can say these are experiments
for the picture book I'm writing.  Hope you like them, and sooner than
later, I'll finish the paintings.

Green Honeycreeper

Among my stash of birds, this guy stayed the longest,
and has finally come around to finishing.
Green Honeycreeper lives in Mexico all the way down
to South America.  Their song sounds like an old fashioned,
squeaking, iron wheel.

Creative DA

 

Hello! The great people at Creative DA have included five of my pieces
for their latest show.  The show opened on July 26th in Seoul, and you
can buy the four birds (screenprints) and the landscape (hybrid screenprint +
silk screen) here.  I'm honored to be part of C/DA's great group of artists.

Red-Vented Bulbul

Another invasive species of Hawaii---I think from South India.
With Red-Vented Bulbul I worked with pronounced black, and dotty
textures contrasted against a simple, clean shape.  70, 836, 4030...

Regulars on Hollins St.

More characters from my ongoing project.  It's a picture book,
inspired by Sasek, Andrew Wyeth, WG Sebald, and my own
childhood memories of growing up in and around Baltimore.
I really like that Limbo game: how the story is a backdrop and
what you experience is the mood and remnants of the story.

Chestnut-Breasted Mannikens: Hats Off

Not too common in Hawaii, and just love barley.

Poop Deck Project: Pirate Pilot

 

Here's a full view of my contribution to the Ammo Magazine/Inky Goodness "Poop Deck Project" show this past April.  Pirate Pilot belongs to the pirate suite, and he's inspired by Somali pirates and African patterns.  For more info on how to get a deck of cards and to check out the other great cards, look here!

Sunny, Mike, and TRVT

Characters I've been working on for a picture book project.
That's Sunny to the left.

Picture Book Preview Pt. 2

Here's another piece from the picture book I'm now wrapping up.
It'll be published through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the first
quarter of 2014. The image above is part of a cover idea that we
decided not to use.  What's Robin up to?

Northern Mockingbird

Back in Studio City, Northern Mockingbird used to regularly
wake up my wife in the middle of the night.  Now on the Peninsula,
I've been seeing him everywhere along with Yellow Warblers and Red
Finches.

I'm quiet these days!  Very busy with projects, mostly the picture
book. I'll try harder to post a little more.  There's a bunch of stuff
on the back burner ready to get finished.

Poop Deck Project Sneak

 

I'm participating in a fun show curated by Inky Goodness
and Ammo Magazine!  For my part I designed a Helmsman
character for a set of Pirate themed poker cards. It's planned
for the end of this month, details here

Nobrow Issue #8 Sneak

A sneak of my contribution to Nobrow Issue #8.  Excited and honored
to  partake.  Order here

East Bay With Boat: So Long James

Variation of a painting I did for a friend.  Fun how much art
I discard, derail, and generally soothe/torture into something else. 
One day it's a Hawaiian bird, the next week it's a hazy view
of the bay.

Azure-Winged Magpie

With a black head mask and a tropical water blue on its wings and tail,
Azure-Winged Magpie is a striking bird.  I wish I can see one, and I read
that they're common in their indigenous homes---Pacific Rim to Mongolia
and the Iberian Peninsula (!).

Orioles Over Howard County

A variation of an older painting I never finished.

Preview

Here's a sneak from my first children's book!  It has a lot of birds
in it...

Valentine Sun Drench 2013

To my lovely, wonderful wife.

Hwamei (or Melodious Laughing Thrush)

Originally from China and Taiwan, Hwamei is shy,
likes to run around on the ground, and has a long, pretty
birdsong.  A lot of them live in Kauai.

Common Yellowthroat

Over in the east coast I had never seen a Common Yellowthroat. 
I'll have to pay more attention on my next trip to Maryland.

August 28, 1983

Something I finally got around to finishing!

Kalij Pheasant

Originally from the Himalayan foothills, these
pheasants are rare sights in Hawaii.

Joseon + Tang Dynasties

Jenn wouldn't let me draw her in a 한복 so a 旗袍 (also known
as qipao) it is.  새해 복 많이 받으세요, Bonne Année,  Happy
New Year!