JOE LACEY
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Joe Lacey

BLOG
/bläɡ/ noun – a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style. Yep, that's my blog!

Come and See the Show!

7/9/2019

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Joe Lacey illustrator with
Joe Lacey with "Brain Salad Surgery" by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
Joe Lacey illustrator at his college drafting table.Joe Lacey at his college drafting table.
Time to step back in time...

I was playing Brain Salad Surgery by ELP the other day. I thought it would be fun to take a selfie with the cover over half my face. I posted it to social media and of course received many accolades, primarily in the form of  "ELP ROCKS!". But, it was really a lot more to me than just a fun selfie.

The cover art* with its gatefold opening is very famous and I don't need to go into any great detail about the amazing artist H.R. Giger, best known for his concept designs for the original Alien movie, nor am I in anyway comparing myself to him. He was and always will be in a class all his own.
 
Four months before starting college as a freshman, I had undergone major facial reconstructive surgery. My jaw was broken, my chin pretty much removed and reshaped. To this day, I am quite conscious of this experience and have some regrets about it. It all came out well, but it was not without issues that persist to this day. I used to cover my face with my hand a lot when I was young. Here's a photo of me at my college drafting table. Ahh... the days of hand inking.
 
One of the first assignments for an Introductory Illustration class was to do a self portrait. It's a typical assignment, one I see a lot of. I think it may be a way for the teacher to get a fast glimpse into the mind of the student. I don't recall the exact details of the assignment, we may have had to incorporate some sort of personal element into the portrait. I went out and found an old lawn mower engine and lugged it back to my room. That's where most of the shapes in my self portrait came from. It's a small 8" x 10" acrylic painting. All monochrome. It was one of my first paintings and, despite its naïve approach, it has held up over time and I don't mind seeing it (unlike a lot of other earlier works of mine).

Brain Salad Surgery by ELP"Brain Salad Surgery"
Throughout college I continued exploring mechanical and cubistic interpretations of faces and things for my fine art painting classes. Some of them quite large and typically of friends and other art students. Today, it's pretty obvious why I did this. But at the time I didn't really give it any more thought than "this would be an interesting thing to draw". I always thought I would continue this type of art, but the next thing you know, I'm illustrating for kids! That's another story.
 
Most of these paintings and drawings are gone now, a few sold, a couple commissioned, and most given away (if anyone reading this has one of my paintings, send me a photo, I'd love to see it! — and no, I don't want it back.), but most of them were destroyed. A couple that survived are more commercial illustrations — a pencil drawing of "Madona and Lizards" and "Good News" (an acrylic painting of George Harrison). I would have benefited from doing more research into mechanical parts, looking at Giger paintings, etc. — but, I tend to put my reference away and make things my own for good or for bad.
 
So, here they are. A few very old paintings from college days. I'm considering doing a new updated version of this self portrait. My painting has gotten a lot better since college. Maybe even the George Harrison painting? Quite a few of the ideas I had in college were good, I just had trouble pulling them off. I've always said and firmly believe that it's the idea that matters, not how slick something is rendered. Time to get painting. Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends!

* The ELP cover art by H.R. Giger was stolen at an exhibit in 2005 and is still missing.

Self Portrait of illustrator Joe Lacey. Acrylic on bristol board. ©1986
Self Portrait of illustrator Joe Lacey. Acrylic on bristol board. ©1986
"Madonna and Lizards" by illustrator Joe Lacey. Pencil on bristol board. ©1987
"Good News" acrylic painting of George Harrison by illustrator Joe Lacey. ©1988
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Alley Gator and Friends

7/2/2019

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Diner Mighty Sports Books for Kids:
Diner Mighty Sports Books for Kids: "The Alley Gator Bowling Book", "The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad", "Slam Dunk Dog Basketball-Themed Note Pad", and "Home Run Rooster Baseball-Themed Notepad"
New from Diner Mighty Graphics. Fun 6" x 9" sports-themed books for kids with colorful glossy covers!
Available now at Amazon.com
  • The Alley Gator Bowling Book: With 30 Score Sheets and Scoring Instructions. Plus: Types of Rolls, Glossary of Terms, Bowling Etiquette, Introductory Rules, Jokes, Fun Facts, and Activities.
  • The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad: With 100 Score Sheets and 10 Note Pages.
  • Slam Dunk Dog 100 page lined notebook with basketball terms and pictures from start to finish.
  • Home Run Rooster 100 page lined notebook with baseball terms and pictures from start to finish.
The Alley Gator Bowling Book: With 30 Score Sheets and Scoring Instructions
The Alley Gator Bowling Book: With 30 Score Sheets and Scoring Instructions.
Picture
"The Alley Gator Bowling Book", on the BookAuthority's "Best Bowling eBooks For Beginners" award list.
PURCHASE BOOK HERE
The Alley Gator Bowling Book: With 30 Score Sheets and Scoring Instructions
The Alley Gator Bowling Book: With 30 Score Sheets and Scoring Instructions
Bowling Scoring Made Fun!
Who's that cool dude on the lane?! Why, it's Alley Gator, and he loves to bowl! And he's here to teach you how to score! Have you sat at a bowling alley and watched the automatic scorer total up each game without fully understanding how or why these numbers popped up on the screen? Are you tired of asking someone else to keep score for you? Whether you're a kid or an adult - 9 or 99 years old, The Alley Gator Bowling Book is for you!

The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad: With 100 Score Sheets and 10 Note Pages
The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad: With 100 Score Sheets and 10 Note Pages.
PURCHASE BOOK HERE
The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad: With 100 Score Sheets and 10 Note Pages.
The "Cat's Meow" of Bowling Score Pads!
Who's that cool cat on the lane?! Why, it's Alley Cat! The Alley Cat Bowling Score Pad: With 100 Score Sheets is a fun and charming bowling score pad for kids and adults. The custom-designed score sheets are easy to read and keep score on for up to six players per game. The book also comes with 10 note pages to keep track of your bowling games, personal notes and memories!

Slam Dunk Dog 100 page lined notebook with basketball terms and pictures from start to finish.
Slam Dunk Dog 100 page lined notebook with basketball terms and pictures from start to finish.
PURCHASE BOOK HERE
Slam Dunk Dog 100 page lined notebook with basketball terms and pictures from start to finish.
Who’s the pup who never gives up?
It’s Slam Dunk Dog, basketball’s MVP — Most Valuable Pup! Slam Dunk Dog loves to chase down balls and hound other players with his moves above the rim. If you love basketball the way he does, you’ll love his notebook. This 100 page lined notebook has basketball terms and pictures from start to finish. Perfect for every basketball fan.

Home Run Rooster 100 page lined notebook with baseball terms and pictures from start to finish.
Home Run Rooster 100 page lined notebook with baseball terms and pictures from start to finish.
PURCHASE BOOK HERE
Home Run Rooster 100 page lined notebook with baseball terms and pictures from start to finish.
Who’s the All-Star that never bats a foul and is never called “chicken”?
It’s Home Run Rooster, and baseball is his game! If you love baseball the way he does, you’ll love his notebook. This 100 page lined notebook looks like a baseball and has baseball terms and pictures from start to finish. Perfect for every baseball fan who has America’s Pastime on the mind — even in the off-season!
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    Joe Lacey illustrator

    Joe Lacey

    I produce illustrations and creative idea solutions for toys, packaging, publishing and advertising.


    ON SALE NOW!

    ADULT COLORING BOOKS by Joe Lacey

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    8-bit Kingdom: Medieval tales of computer technology • BUY NOW!


    Famous Illustrators of the Golden Age Coloring Portfolio • BUY NOW!


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