Thursday, August 26, 2010

Self-Licking Brain Freeze

Here is the August cover of a local arts publication called Brain Child. The publisher contacted me wanting to use a work that I did for Illustration Friday (the topic was "germs"). I am fortunate that they like my art work and when I asked if they would like me to do more covers they wholeheartedly agreed. September's cover will feature my Rocket Surgery/Brain Science illustration. I am planning on using "brain" as the driving concept for the cover designs.


















This next piece is another play on words. The title is Self-Licking Brain Freeze. I am hoping to have it published on the September cover. For those who are not familiar with the term, a self-licking ice cream cone is defined as "a process, department, institution, or other thing that offers few benefits and exists primarily to justify or perpetuate its own existence" (yes, I Googled the actual definition!) When I was deployed with the Army I got really familiar with this term! I actually created a computer drawing of a self-licking ice cream cone and made prints for my friends as an end of deployment gift.



















Since I didn't make a copy for myself, I always wanted to redo the design. With doing covers for Brain Child, I thought I would revisit the idea but take it a step further and make it a brain freeze (perhaps that is the end result of those who are subjected to the self-licking ice cream cone). Maybe I took the idea too far because when my wife saw the illustration she asked, "Does it really have to be self-licking?" I appreciate her well-adjusted point of view. She balances off my impractical nature. However, I liked the weird imagery so much that I just couldn't resist doing it. Ultimately it is up to Brain Child to decide whether it should be used.

Created with Micron pens and watercolor.

6 comments:

E*phi said...

Great drawings! I love your work. You combine perfect drawing skills with the most imaginative and original ideas. And I'm happy for you that you got that arrangement with the magazine which is obviously a total win-win!

Always awesome (literally), visiting your blog! :)

nanke's stuff said...

This is a really great illustration, but I have to admit, it's a tad creepy.... but then, the whole concept of "self licking" when you think about it is a tad weird! lol nancy

Alex said...

Creepy? Yes! But eye catching? Absolutely! =) A little twisted, but man that's a lot of creativity there!
Self-licking...hahahaha... Nancy makes me laugh my head off ^^

David R. Vallejo said...

E*phi - Thanks so much for your positive comments. I really appreciate it.
Nanke & Alex - lol! Creepy and twisted? Yeah, I guess so! :)

Anonymous said...

Now I know what self-licking ice cream means! I love how bizarre your works are. I especially love how you did the self-licking ice cream :)

http://justdoodle.wordpress.com/

Unknown said...

Love the first one, but have to admit that I find the second one creepy also. But then, I had never heard the term before and maybe someone who had would appreciate it more. Have to admit though, overlooking the creepy factor, it is well executed.