The Blog: News, Works in Progress, Reflections

Filter +

"Chicago to Chicagoans." My Tribute to Saul Steinberg's Famous New Yorker cover

chicago to chicagoans map
The Iconic Chicago Hot Dog Stand

The Iconic Chicago Hot Dog Stand

I made this little illustration of one of the little wonders of the city: The iconic Chicago hot dog stand. Love these spots. Here's my piece. And below the drawing, all the must-haves for any truly authentic Chicago hot dog joint.

Chicago hot dog stand

  1. Painted in super-bright colors. By that I mean red and yellow. Picnic table & an umbrella that matches the building.

  2. Called Sammy’s, Marty’s, Charlie's. A name that sounds like someone your grandpa would have a coffee with.

  3. Proudly World Famous, Original, Founded circa 1954 or some combination in a fifties-era font.

  4. Some relics of the good old days that actually date back to the good old days. For a few examples: a newspaper dispenser, pinball, gumball machine.

  5. Some hints of their old logo or old name, maybe on a second sign or inside.

  6. On the front of the building, everything on their menu painted in big letters.

  7. Inside, a menu with replaceable letters and very bare-bones descriptions, like "Hot Dog -  $3."

  8. Vienna Beef logos. Bonus: The Vienna Beef poster with the gigantic hot dog on Navy Pier.

  9. Two line cooks with their heads down, working like crazy, radio turned up.

  10. Amazing meats and fries, unbelievable cheap, incredibly fast.

Art in "The Big Sick"

If you've got an eagle eye you might have seen my work in a few places on screen.

One that I was happy about was getting an art appearance "The Big Sick." Great movie, a surprise box office success. I've always been a fan of the Director, Michael Showalter, and I'd loved Kumail in Silicon Valley and his podcast appearances with Pete Holmes.

I have three pieces on the screen in The Big Sick. Two are "Memento Mori" pen and ink drawings (which I've posted on my Instagram account), and the third is the ink drawing of the Chicago two-flats.

The most visible and the one people have seemed to recognize most is "Siblings: The Chicago Two-Flats," which was actually the drawing I did to kick off this whole illustration venture. Here's that one in this scene with Ray Romano, Holly Hunter, and Kumail. What's been amazing to me is the number of people who have seen the movie and noticed my work in it, then got in reached out to me. I never realized people checked out the set art, and wasn't sure I did that--but cool to see that people do!

 

 


The link to view and purchase that print: click on the image above or here. 

You can also find my work in the Netflix series "Easy" (See image below. That's the "Taxonomy of Local Homes") and the movie "The Pact," which will come out next year. If you see my work anywhere else, let me know. I'd love to know where Cape Horn Illustration is in the world.

Process: From brick and mortar to pen and ink

This is a bungalow in Mayfair, a neighborhood bordering Albany Park and rich in bungalows. I thought this home was cool because of its Spanish tile roof and dormers. I also thought it was interesting in that the home has its entrance on its broad side. Generally, Chicago bungalows have their front doors on their narrow side--which is part of what makes the Midwestern bungalows unique and distinct from the much broader California bungalows, for one. Enjoy. 

This was made by talented videographer, Jack Brandtman, who has a series of fantastic Chicago-themed videos on his Youtube channel . This is part of his series on Chicago makers. Go support him by watching and subscribing!

New Relief Prints: Memento Mori series

Here are a few relief prints--made via linocut--that I want to share. This is based on the "Memento Mori" concept that dates to the Roman Empire. Memento Mori means "Remember death," or "Remember that you will die" and is supposed to encourage one to be humble in life and appreciate life. It was a saying that in particular was directed at the victors and leaders in Roman, the conquering heroes. It was supposed to be an antidote to hubris. 

The theme was woven through medieval and Renaissance art, as well, through the work in particular of northern European woodcutters and painters like Hans Holbein and Heironymous Bosch.

I wanted to take the theme to a few modern settings, and this is the result.



Closeup: The Subway Ride.


Closeup: The Selfie.

Tribute to Shel Silverstein

I've always loved Shel Silverstein's work. When I learned he grew up and lived in Chicago, I started reading more about him and thought it would be fun to put together a brief illustrated tour of his life and make a nod to his poetic and artistic style. An attempt, anyway.

What I realize, trying to imitate his work, is that his drawings look simple but there is a lot going on. There is power and looseness in the line work, there's very deliberate choices about white space--i.e., what NOT to draw. His illustration complements his poetry, which is also, on the surface, simple and to the point. Usually there is some twist or turn at the end that makes you think. Just like his famous song "A Boy Named Sue." 

His work is a great lesson in minimalism. Shel can make simple black and white text and pen strokes turn into some of the most beloved, thought-provoking, and colorful pieces of work for all ages. 

Going to Printer's Row this year? It's on June 10-11 by Printer's Row Park in the South Loop. Come find me and say hello.

Go back to the homepage.

Homes of Famous Chicagoans

>>Click here for a much larger version of this. 

Homes of the Chicago famous

A Year of Homes: 2016

Here's a look back at a selection of the homes and buildings I drew this past year. It was a great year. Wishing you all the success and happiness you wish for in 2017. 

Here's the link to a vertical scrolling page of home portraits. 

Locking in: The Creation of the 7 Locks Brewing logo

Some friends of ours, Keith and Laura, opened a brewery in Rockville, Maryland, called 7 Locks Brewing. It's a great spot, great beers, highly recommended--check it out if and when you're in the area. 

Last year, the 7 Locks crew decided to give their original logo (below) a re-design ahead of some new beer releases. 

Keith approached me to take on the task, which I gladly accepted. I shipped them the final logo just before this past Thanksgiving. 

I was happy with the outcome and the development process. In this post I wanted to share that process, showing the stages from concept to finished logo, with the sketches along the way and my thoughts and reflections on each.

The Night City Sky maps.

One of the disadvantages to living in Chicago (and most big cities, for that matter) is missing out on a clear view of the night sky. What's worse is forgetting it's up there.

Whenever we head back to Katie's hometown in more pristine northwestern PA, I'm always blown away by the epic night scene that reveals itself nearly every night. These days, the closest I'll get to the night sky from within the Chicago city limits is a visit to the planetarium and packet of astronaut ice cream.

This past summer, Katie challenged me to come up with a way to combine the fascinating patterns of city streets with the immense depth and unique patterns of the night sky. Many iterations and false starts and trashed drafts later, we finally came to a design that we liked a lot. The series includes Chicago, Washington, DC, Boston, New York, and San Francisco.

We're happy to introduce this as out latest print release, and it's available exclusively through Uncommon Goods. Right here. Image below for your consideration.

In other news: If you're interested in anything from my storefront, use the offer code THETURKEY15 for 15% off all purchases until December 4.

Thanks for reading. There's some work that I'm chipping away at that I can't wait to share with you. In the meantime, I wish you a great and comfortable holiday season for you and yours. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any ideas for projects, prints, or world peace.
All the Best,
Phil