PA ONE BOOK GOODIES

I've been working on some fun activities for the PA One Book Guide. Here's a peek at a Zoo Maze and some sticker ideas.

"Start Fishing, Bernard!" a fishing game  with magnets and paperclips, where kids learn what otters eat. Bonus if you know that the rock is something they don't eat but use as a tool to open up shellfish and peel abalone from rocks. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

THANKFULNESS

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I have lots to be thankful for, two cute little boys and an amazing wife. I'm also thankful for a holiday that promotes naps. I LOVE naps, so does Bernard and apparently Arianna Huffington loves both. Check this article from New York Magazine. 

So this holiday, after you have hugged your family and are on the sofa, turn off football and indulge in a nap.

LOVE-A-RAMA

This is a piece for Oxford American Magazine. Leon Bass is a Rockabilly performer who had a couple hits in the 60's and is from Alabama. He stopped performing in the 70's and worked a factory job.
In the late 90's producers from Hollywood contacted him about using one of his songs in a movie and with the renewed interest in his work, he began to perform again.
This is one of his more famous tunes.

NEW WORK IN THIS MONTHS PHILLY MAG

What?! Your kid doesn't speak Mandarin?! New piece for the Nov ish of Philly Mag. Check out the article here. First person to correctly guess/translate what this little girls is asking gets a prize...yeah I know, another contest.

HALLOWEEN IN FUZZYTOWN

It's almost Halloween here in Fuzzytown, can't wait for Trick or Treating but even better is the Halloween Parade the night before, and we will be Boogalooing all down the Avenue.

In the spirit of the season, six people will be chosen at random to win a treat!
Email me at zach@zohora.com with the phrase Trick or Treat in the subject line to enter.

WORLD'S FUNKIEST COVERS LP

Just finished a fun project for Cultures of Soul Records a LP and CD cover for a comp called World's Funkiest Covers. Pretty dope selection of covers in a slew of styles. I can't wait to get a copy on wax. Pre-order and listen here.

And a couple of rough sketches and different directions below.

STROLLER SET

This has nothing to do with illustration but I'm posting it anyway. Fake models working for a real magazine. Yep, that's me, Oskar and Teddy bringing up the rear. You can't tell from this angle, but Teddy's pants are full and he's eating Skittles left over from his birthday. And I fudged Oskar's model release because he said he didn't want to be in a magazine. Good parenting in action!
Click on the picture to see it bigger.
Photo by Ryan Donnell in the current issue of Philadelphia Magazine, superb design by J Southerland.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

A couple weeks ago I had tweeted asking for a couple new followers for this blog. In order to entice new people to sign up, I promised something special in the mail. Well, I finally got around to sending those little "something specials" in the mail.

Congratulations and thank you's go to Andy Smith and Chris Silas Neal both awesome illustrators in their own right. Check out their work when you have a chance.

The prizes were; an accordion man painting on a vintage medical book page. (Pictured here) that went to Andy Smith. And a portrait of John Bonham also painted on a vintage medical book page went to Chris.
The one that went with the Led Zeppelin set that I blogged about last month.
(Full disclosure-Chris is a friend and also a drummer who loves John Bonham so that was an easy one)

Hope you guys enjoy your something specials and I'll do it again soon, keep an eye on Twitter.

NOT JUST DUST BUNNIES

I went on a cleaning rampage last night and finally cleaned out the studio supply closet. At the back, behind the shelf and on the floor I found this drawing of a Blue Footed Booby and a picture of me in second grade with a missing tooth. This was my favorite flannel shirt as evidenced by the fact that I wore it to picture day for first, second AND third grade.