The Professional Webspace of Designer and Illustrator Kevin Cornell:
"Design, Art, and Lackluster Humor."
Trials, Troubles, and Contributations
Recently, McSweeney's released, Panorama, an homage to the endangered species of publication that is the newspaper. Also just as recently — in fact, at exactly the same time — I had the honor of having my art appear in this prestigious endeavor.
My particular contribution, "Draw Your Own Thrilling Space Adventure", was in the Comics insert, specifically in The Rear End section. This section, edited by Mac Barnett, was designed to entertain both young and old alike, a daunting task. Luckily, I was once young; and as my fresh, new prescription to Simvastatin confirms, I am now officially old. And in both phases of life, I found the art of Ed Emberley to be especially appealing, so Mac and I decided I should put together a "How-To-Draw" of a similar vein.
Realizing Adventures Unrealized
While rubbing illustrative elbows with McSweeney's talented congregation of authors and artists leaves me giddy with delight, I do regret the fact that I won't be able to see any of the Thrilling Space Adventures that might result from my instructional efforts. I mean... I'm missing out on stuff like this...
Or like this...
Or even like this.
What a shame.
Unless, of course... well... you fine folks have now seen how to put together a Thrilling Space Adventure... if you were so inclined to draw one... you could send it my way... and then maybe later I could post my favorites!
Yes! Let's do that! And don't feel obligated to use every character in my space adventure, or hesitate to use a character of your own. My only request is that it's at least in some way derived from my how-to-draw.
When you're done, post your entries to your own server or blog and send me the link. Or, if you don't have your own web space, you can just attach the image (nothing over 1mb please) and send it to . Remember to include your name, and your url if you have one.
Maybe I can even wrangle up some sort of prize. I've got some Superest books lying around here. Sutter and I wrote our names in them, so the library won't take them. Maybe I'll send them to the top five or so submissions? And I'll accept submissions for the next three weeks or so. Not that I'll be a hard-ass about it. Yeah... that sounds like a plan!
Any questions? Okay... GO!
The Contest Has Ended!
Interested in the results? Check them out here!
Comments on this Article
There are currently 28 comments.
3. k.t. strasse
a challenge? i relish the thought!
i look forward to wasting precious classtime AND making space doodles.
4. Phyllis
Oh, my, how much fun is this?? I'll be sure to whip up some thrilling space doodles as soon as possible! This reminded me of all the Highlights for Children (not to be confused with Highlights for Adults, or Highlights for Childish Adults) that we used to enjoy. Ah, nastalgia: one of the sure signs of becoming older. That, and forgetting how old you are. As for me, I'm permanently 24 - it's my driver's license lying, not me!
5. Cliener von Cleanskin
I’d love to see a cut-out version of this to make dioramas – being, of course, the highest form of art.
6. The Philanthropist
Yeah, Zorthron!!! Virtual Stan forever!!!!
"C'mon Z!!"
(http://www.robweychert.com/virtualstan/)
8. bearskinrug
K.T. - Score! Precious Classtime is my favorite kind of time to waste. I'd have gotten all A's if that was a course. Of course, then I wouldn't have done well in the course. Wow... this is like a zen saying...
Phyllis - I love the section of Highlights where you search for hidden stuff! Hmm... as a matter of fact... that's something I should remember for future projects...
Cliener - I guarantee a diorama would be a winner. Hell, it wouldn't even have to have this stuff. I just want to see one.
Philanthropist - YES! I was hoping someone would note Z's appearance!
Steve - Haha - AWESOME. I especially like the hide and seek. And I like how you've captured all this positive inter-species relations. It's like an intergalactic olympics!
9. Karl
I'm not certain any adventure could be more thrilling than watching unconditional love spew forth from the arm of Zorthron, but here goes anyway:
http://trkomics.fishvan.com/thrilling-space-adventure/
10. bearskinrug
Excellent! This is good information to have, as well. I better include a griddle and maple syrup in my outer-space survival kit. ;)
11. k.t. strasse
i love stumbling on your illustrations while wasting precious worktime:
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/on-web-typography/
12. Jonathan Wagener
Here is a "thrilling" space adventure :)
http://espresso-online.info/photo/2010/02/09/tea-loosers
13. bearskinrug
Every try and get a hold of coffee in outer space? It's impossible!
15. bearskinrug
That's true. I mean, Zorthron would never survive on another planet. He's powered by saturday morning cartoons.
16. mary
Mr. Kevin, I hope you thought of the poor parents who will receive space-adventure-themed art from their children this valentine's day...
I don't think they'll be thrilled to receive something like this:
thrilling space adventure (refrigerator art version)
20. Nathan Scheck
Wow, can't believe I almost missed this one. And though I agree that nothing can really match the awesomeness of love spurting from the arm of a flaming robot, here's an attempt at my own Thrilling Space Adventure.
22. Bananaglyph
http://www.perpetualocean.com/tetherdcow/cowimage/tsa.jpg
(I'll blog it once my current megapost is downstream...)
25. Josh
These days the adventure includes kids and a mini-ship.
http://joshnetherton.com/2010/02/thrilling-space-adventure/
27. queenwilly
This is lots of fun. Thanks!!
http://queenwilly.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/thrilling_space_adventure1.gif
28. Bananaglyph
A slight bit of 'in-joking' there from Queen Willy. I'm afraid you need to be a bit of a Tetherd Cow aficionado to make full sense of it. But it is quite cute.
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1. Christian
Having been on many a thrilling space adventure myself, I can confirm the authenticity of both the trapezoidal space reptiles and Zorthron. However, everybody knows that red space saucers only have one rocket, so I call photoshopped.