9/11 + Haiku Contest

Here's the cover image I did for The Weekly Alibi's 9/11 commemorative issue + 19th annual haiku contest. I can't take credit for the terrific idea (props to the art director), but I know one when I see one! Alibi covers are always fun to do because it's a large (around 10x10") prominent (cover!) space for illustrations. At first I had the bonsai tree much taller -- I planned to have the "alibi" name right across the foliage, but probably for legibility's sake the art director requested that the bonsai be... pruned! (heh). 

This is a close-up of the piece, it's all hand-mixed colours and silkscreened onto paper. The original pretty much looks exactly like this! If you look closely in the background you can see how it has an odd, irregular texture. That's because I used fairly thick ink and when you pull the paper off the screen the ink clings to the paper creating a bumpy, raised surface. I'm pleased with the textured background because it really does look like a wall! I used process magenta and flourescent green for the flowers and leaves because those inks are transparent and I knew they would overlap the background colours nicely. 

And here's a blast from the past! This is the cover I did for the very same haiku contest for Alibi a few years back. 

That cover, as it was published:

Making haiku art

For Alibi is great fun

Illustration rules!