Stephen Kade Illustration

Portraits

2012-01-22T05:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a series of portraits I just completed at the end of last year. I intend on going a step further and completed a big canvas that will feature all the pirate monkeys on a ship with some "pirate stuff" going on all around them.

The Grand Adventures of Ribbit the Frog

2012-01-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

Here is the painting I just completed for the cover of an upcoming book called The Grand Adventure of Ribbit the Frog. I designed these friendly croakers and they are a lively bunch looking to move beyond the edges of the swamp on an adventure. I added some process photos so you can see how I complete a painting. Enjoy!

Don Quixote Redux

2011-07-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by the legend of Don Quixote and have been enjoying the many takes on his legend in books, movies, and art. After pondering concepts for a year or so, I came up with my own take that was painted with acrylic paint and measures a whopping 24''x 48''. I snatched a few photos of Spain from my wife's photo album to keep the landscape of Spain fairly accurate, and then I brought the technology of Mr. Q either way forward, or way back, depending on your point of few.....

Quest of the Bumble...

2011-07-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

I have been craving doing an environment piece, so I tackled this mountain landscape and couldn't resist dropping a character in there to give it a bit more story to this painting. The size is 8''x24''. I love that size canvas too, it is a challenge in design to space the elements out accordingly to keep it visually interesting.

An Homage of The Great Wave at Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai

2011-07-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the wood block print of The Great Wave at Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, so I decided to do an homage with a bit of my flavor. It is 10'' x 20'' and created with a Faber Castell Brush Pen and watercolor.

Monoprint Madness!

2011-07-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

I learned a new process of creating art a few months ago, and the product here is called the "Monoprint". Essentially, you roll a coat of black screenprint ink on a piece of plexiglass, and then scratch away with the instrument of choice. On these, I used a BBQ skewer, some cotton balls and a few other random kitchen tools. It is an immediate process that must be completed very quickly (in my case about 10 min. each). Once you have taken away the ink in the chosen areas, you place a wet piece of watercolor paper on the inked glass and burnish. Peel away the paper and then you have a mirror image of what you just created with the tools. After that, wait a few days to dry and then color in with watercolor. The paint does not stick to where the ink is still on the paper. A fun, fast process for sure!

Stephen Kade Art Fair Schedule 2011

2011-05-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here we go, another year, another tour of some of the fine cities in southeastern MI, bringing all my stuff to the masses. Bring the kids, grab an elephant ear and come along for the fun. Here is the list:

June 4-5 Art on the Grand, Farmington MI
June 11 Berkley Art Bash, Berkley MI
July 8-10 Art in The Park, Plymouth MI
July 20-23 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair ( I am the featured artist, so some very cool one of a kind merchandise with my monkey on it for that one!!!! )
August and Sept. some Sundays at the Kerrytown Art Market
September 17-18 Funky Ferndale, Ferndale MI
September 24-25 Birmingham Art in the Park, Birmingham, MI
December 3 Noel Night at College For Creative Studies, Detroit MI

There will be some other shows thrown in there too, I will update here and on Facebook, so if interested contact me there and I'll Friend you so you'll have all the updates. See you out there & don't forget the sunscreen!

Coming Soon: Sock Monkey Society

2011-03-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

This collection of little people are just a few pickings from my imagination that kinda fit together somehow. Don't know how, where, or why but I'm working on some sweet and sinister plots as we speak....
OH YEAH, they will also be a super cool limited edition print coming soon, details to come

Vinyl Toys Made In Detroit

2010-12-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Here is my stab at painting some 3-d Goodies. I love the vinyl painting scene so much and I've noticed it really tends to bring out the talents of 2-d painters a heck of a lot. So I decided to give it a stab too! These little people are all roughly about 4'' tall.

I think you'll notice somebody in there that looks a bit like me....hmmm.. but which one........

P-40 vs. the Future

2010-12-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

12'' x 24'' acrylic on canvas

This painting has been in my head for about a year and I finally got around to placing on canvas. I have always been fascinated by the P-40 Mustang. I still can remember in 2nd grade being obsessed with those planes, and here I am 30 years later, still obsessed. So here is my take on the actions over the Pacific Ocean during the mid-forties. Cheers!

Madagascar mural

2010-12-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

I just finished a great Madagascar mural last month and had a blast with it. It warapped around the whole room so no matter where you were there was somebody lookin' at ya - very cool! The characters range from 9'' tall to 7 feet tall. It took about a week to complete, and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. My client was so great to work for and let me do my thing without any hassles. I wish all my clients were this good.

Alex the Lion

What have we become, asks the Sock Monkey?

2010-05-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Here he sits, the Great and Powerful Sock Monkey of Higher Reasoning, looking at what our species has become as of late. Pleased, or horrified at our progress (or lack thereof)? Well, I guess that depends on what angle you are coming from. Point of views on that subject are quite readily available these days. In fact, thats all we have in media these days are opinions- corporate backed opinions that is. Everybody's talking, but not saying a thing, Blah, blah, blah, la-tee-da. Peace Out.

Batman sculpture

2010-03-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

This is a sculpture I painted recently of everyones' favorite smiling superhero The Batman. It is approximately 6'' tall and was sculpted by Gabriel Vinas, a very talented young up and coming artist. I think he really captured the illusive essence of the man who is the Bat. I was inspired by his work and had much fun with this project. I hope to do more of this kind of 3d painting in the future.

Alexandra and the Amazing History Book

2009-11-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gents, the book is out!!! Thats right, the first book I've illustrated for someone else and just been issued. There was a big launch party for "Alexandra and the Amazing History Book" and the authors home. It was a great night and this is a photo of the awesome cake. It was massive and tasted just as good as it looked. It is strange to see your artwork done by others and then getting to eat it after appreciating it, now THAT doesn't happen every day.
Anyway enough about the cake. The book features over 20 paintings I did and is the story of a magical history book that transports Alexandra through time for quite an adventure. I had to do much homework to get all the period costumes right, but it was well worth it. For more info on the book or to get a copy write the author at AlexandraHistoryBook@gmail.com

American Gothic 3000

2009-11-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

So I was looking at the classic "American Gothic"and had to laugh at how funny the couple in the painting looks. They just seem so right for each other and you can tell so much about them by just looking at them. Of course, I had to give a whack at making my version of this awesome painting. Yeah, Robots and monkeys, I guess I'm forever attached to the robots and monkeys. Not a bad thing tho, I'm just sayin'.

Organ Grinder Turnabout

2009-09-29T06:07:00.000-07:00

This little monkey can now get his day in the sun. If the little man stops dancing, just watch what our little fuzzy guy is gonna do with that hammer.

Shadow Art Fair

2009-09-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for uber-cool things for your super cool pad then the Shadow Art Fair in Ypsilanti is the best place to find it. It is one of the best shows I've ever been a part of for sure. The people and the art and craftwork are of the utmost quality and hipness for sure.This is my entry for the poster design contest for the upcoming show. I'm crossing my tentacles with a hope to win and be a part of their show again later this year. Click on the image for a closer look.

Amy Winehouse

2009-09-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the lovely Ms. Winehouse, what else could I say that hasn't been said already. She sure can sing though, when she's not busy with the after hours activities. I painted this about a year ago, and its pretty tiny, 8" x 10" I think. Rock On Goldust woman, take your silver spoon and dig your grave.

Gnomes

2009-09-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

Well you know what they say, "When in Rome, Paint a Gnome" I think thats how that saying goes...hmm, maybe not. ANYWAY, yeah garden gnomes, natures little helpers are some cool cats for sure. The legend comes from the Nordic folk, and they swear by 'em, and who am I to question how nature takes care of itself. I just wanted to capture them in their natural beauty, so I grabbed my brushes, layed down in the grass and waited for something to happen, and this is what I found. Funny litttle people, wicked sense of humor, but their language matches their suits, very blue....... Expect more gnome paintings soon, they're having another party this weekend, so I think I'll sit down and have a very small drink with them. CHEERS!

Fine Art Festivals I'll be at the rest of Summer

2009-08-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Just for your information, I am going to be in several more Fine Art shows this summer if you are in the Detroit area you can come by, say hi, and maybe get something free for stopping by- thats right, I said FREE. I am in the Brighton Fine Art Festival on Aug. 8-9th hours are 10-6. I'm at the uber-cool Funky Ferndale festival Sept. 19 and 20th. I'll also be in the Birmingham Fine Arts Festival on Sept. 27 and 28th. Probably have a few more too over the fall but don't have solid dates on that yet. Here is a link to a ultra-cool video that was shot at a show I was in last month called the Shadow Art Fair. Check it out !!
http://vimeo.com/5721887

Sock Monkeys in Space

2009-08-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

So I'm sure all of you know that monkeys were the first ones in space, so this is my warped perception of what that might have looked like if they truly had their way up there in the big blue!

Celani Family Vineyards

2009-05-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to paint a large 3'x4' painting of The Celani Family Vineyards in Napa California for a very good customer of mine as a present for a friend of his, the propritor of the said vineyard. I was to incorporate the vineyard itself and the wine varieties from the winery as well. The bottles are slightly larger than life size, and let me tell you that painting the writing on those labels was quite the challenge, I'm still uncrossing my eyes. If you click on the photos and look close enough, you can see that on the two bottles to the right I had to paint a miniature painting of the vineyards again as they appeared on the labels as well. All in all it was a great experience, and some day soon I hope to visit the Celani vineyard and get a better look the grounds myself and enjoy what I spent so long painting. Cheers!

McLast Supper homage

2009-04-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

I was recently commisioned by a friend to paint a new version of the Ron English painting "McLast Supper", a fantastic take on the original Last Supper of course, but given a shot of late century sarcasm with a little huge bit of commercialism thrown in there too. This was one of the funniest paintings I've done recently due to the uber-cool characters in the painting. I have loved most all these characters for most of my life and enjoyed thinking of my favorite episodes while painting them. They were much work with much detail, but well worth it. Until next time....

Zuzatz painted legs

2009-03-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

I was commisioned by the Zuzatz company who are launching their new line of sandals with interchangable straps. They are a local Detroit company who had their launch at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design in Detroit this past Friday. The show was a great sucess and a lot of fun too. I painted two pair of legs to match the sandals I was given. The theme of the first was a nautical theme, and the second was nightlife. Click on the images and check the detail. It was quite a challenge to paint on a 3-d object, especially a pair of legs, but the customer was very happy and I was too- Thanks again Zuzatz.

custom painted toys

2009-03-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to delve into the 3-D world of painting toys. I picked up some blanks at San Diego Comic Con last year and just started to paint them. This first one is for my cousin Josh who lives out in LA and is doing much work behind the scenes in the TV world. This piece was to warn him of the dangers of going in the big blue Pacific on his days off. Good luck, Cuz.

Self Portrait?. . .

2009-01-03T09:46:00.002-08:00

Yea, some might say how in the heck is this a self portrait, and I'd say hmmmmm...... and stare blankly at the floor. No, really, I'd say that this is an amalgamation of what I have to do as an illustrator to keep things moving onward and upward. I have to balance my computer illustration skills that get most of my design work done with my true love of painting brightly-colored strange things. I dunno, it just came out my brain and on to the canvas, but I'm glad its' there now.

Attack of the Sock Monkeys

2009-01-03T09:41:00.001-08:00

Okay. so I had this weird dream about this hauntingly silent seige of the city by a disgruntled group of enormous sock monkeys roaming the streets in search of the little people and their little socks. How'd they get that big, well who really knows? I suppose I'd be mad too if I was made from stinky old worn out work socks, I'd imagine that smell might never go away. Anyway, time to some using Extra Strength Nyquil before bed time.

Barack Obama Mural in Detroit

2008-11-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

I recently finished a large 8' x 21' mural of our next President Barack Obama in Detroit at the corner of Grand River and Greenfield. It was a great experience, we had people driving by beeping their horns and singing the support for their candidate of choice. It took us only 20 hours over four days to complete it. I was commisioned by the Michigan Campaign for Change and they may spread this image around town even more now that he has won - I'll keep you posted.

Artistic Murals

2008-08-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a small snapshot of my mural business "Artistic Murals". This particular client wanted a Finding Nemo mural in a babys nursery and was really great with letting me have a great amount of creativity in the layout which really helps the final product. I also attached a few step by step process pictures to see how I paint each piece of the puzzle. Please click to enlarge any of the photos.

Its raining Cats and Dogs

2008-08-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

In the continual search for artistic items that would appeal to the common man, and more importantly BUY, I thought of something most of us Americans have in common is our Children and our pets. So for an upcoming art show I'm in, I decided to do some watercolor sketches of some of furry friends, and here they are. If you see what you like, drop me an email at stephenkade@yahoo.com and I can paint a pic of your animal 5'' x 7'' for the low low price of $20.00.

Iam8bit Donkey Kong art

2008-07-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

I did a painting about our old friend Donkey Kong. Well actually, it's an alternative take on what might happen after we turn the machine off. I hope to possibly get it in the Iam8bit art show in LA, we'll see.

The Adventures of Zak and Thrak

2008-07-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well, now we have it. The title of the new stop motion animation is called the Adventures of Zak and Thrak. This is to be a short film created around a story I wrote in conjunction with master animator Jared Hart. He is also a recent grad from CCS in Detroit. Here is some eye candy for you to look at until the next posting, our wonderful cast of characters.

Character Sketches for animation

2008-01-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

A friend from school contacted me about making some of my characters into a stop-motion animation we'll be creating this year. These are the main characters of the story. Any ideas on names for them? Iwide open for suggestions. Let me know...

New products from Stephen Kade on CafePress.com

2008-01-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

I have a whole store of my art on many products at www.cafepress.com/stephenkade Check it out, fun stuff on good quality products. Go buy some now so my baby can eat :)

Peanut Butter & Jelly

2008-01-18T13:56:00.001-08:00

I had a great time messing around in Photoshop creating this shirt for a client of mine, RunCustom. Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?

Save the Polar Bear, Save the Earth

2008-01-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

Just a nice but sad little painting about the plight of our white fuzzy friends.

Animal Alphabet

2008-01-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

This project was a very fun way to learn some crazy stuff about some of the more peculiar animals of this world. I did not want to choose just all the popular fuzzies of earth, I wanted some of the ugly weirdos too. If you are interested in a copy of this print, drop me a line and I'll tell you how to get one. Enjoy...

Dibble Comics

2008-01-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

These comic strips sre for a customer of mine who started her own line of greeting cards featuring her character called Dibble. It is based on her sister and many of lifes' experiences while rearing kids, marriage and such. Fun work for sure. To check out the rest, go to http://www.dibblesworld.com/comicstrip.php

Angry Batman - Grrrrrrrrrr

2007-07-23T21:25:00.001-07:00

Now here's a guy that always makes me smile. What a sunny disposition with him, and with some pretty cool toys as well. I was thinking this painting is his reaction to Robin dingin' up the Batmobile or forgetting to do his homework or something very teenagery. Yikes, not the best father figure, but a pretty cool pad indeed.

"Naughty Spawn, You face The Tick!"

2007-07-23T21:12:00.001-07:00

If you have no idea whose these people are or what the hell they do, you seriously need to educate yourself about the Tick. He is the funniest, ironic, iconic, supersonic, giantest blue guy ever. Check him out on YouTube right now - I'm tellin you, you owe it to yourself. He has quite possibly the best theme song ever too. SPOON! (that's his hero call)

SpongeBob Superpants

2007-07-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Face it, everyone's favorite late night channel flippin landing place is Nickelodeon. Lucky for me they are lookin for some people to paint them some good stuff. Hopefully I can get some attention from them at Comic-Con this week. I painted them some samples to drool over. These characters are much fun to paint, you really cannot be in a bad mood while painting them. In fact, I can't get the grin off my face at all - time to paint Batman, can't smile with him.

30 Years of "The Star Wars"

2007-07-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

Yep, you guessed it... I'm one of those guys that has that certain sumpthin' for those funny little movies. Seen them a few times, bought some toys, etc. I hear they are celebrating 30 years this year - man, I'm getting old. Anyway, I've managed to paint a little tribute here from the first movie and of course everyone's little green friend. Enjoy!

The Landing

2007-06-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

With this piece I wanted to paint a serene landscape, but ended up throwing in a blimp-boat (not to be confused with a shrimp boat) in to it for a little excitement. I think it could be another "story starter" painting that keeps the creative thinkin' juices flowing. Hmm..... we'll have to see.

After Midnight Craziness at the Zoo

2007-05-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun piece I created as an exercise to see how many animals I could pack into one frame. I always wondered what happens after all us gawkers leave the zoo. There is probably things we don't want to know.....hmm. Anyway, it was also an exercise to practice painting things underwater. I have some plans to paint more underwater stuff soon and wanted to get a "heads up" before I go apaintin'. Cheers!

The Funniest Batman Ever -Adam West!

2007-05-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

A true hero of mine during my upbringing in front of the television, the debonair Mr Adam West. Unmistakably the coolest super hero depiction ever. If you haven't checked out the groovy 1967 feature film "Batman", run out and get the DVD. I was watching it while painting this and couldn't stop laughing. It's the best 10 bucks you'll spend. Way cool behind the scenes commentary that reveals the craziness these guys lived through.Bats and Robin had it pretty good- they were HUGE stars for a few years there. . Ahhhhh, the past; how fun it looks in the rear view mirrror.

I have finally arrived!

2007-04-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

I have decided to enter the unknown world (at least to me) of blogging. I am using it to show additions to my portfolio without the headaches of updating it constantly. Feel free to comment on the extentions of my imagination you see here - Enjoy!