HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!!

(“Dad’s Grill”)

It’s the last day of National Ice Cream Month! What? You say you’ve not been celebrating because you have nothing to wear? Well now you can remedy that with a pair of my Melt ‘n’ Drip Soft Serve Keds hi-tops. Guaranteed to guard against ice cream headache. (No promises regarding ice cream toes, though.)

New retro design in my online shop … featuring “Rolly” the Pizza Cutter. I have an addiction to midcentury advertising mascots … I don’t care what they are (creatures or inanimate objects) or if they’re hawking breakfast cereal, cars or floor wax … I love ‘em! So I’ve been creating some of my own … and who better to endorse this particular food favorite than the guy who gets the first slice! He’s available on tees, super large prints, mugs, postcards, aprons, etc. and soon to be a take-out menu binder and pizza party invites, envelopes and stamps. Grab a slice!

This is sort of a companion piece to my shop’s bestselling design “Hot Diggity Dog!” (although no dancing hot dogs in that one, unfortunately!)

(Click the photo to see him a little larger.)

On May 24th, my Rolly hat was featured on Zazzle’s front page as one of “Today’s Best”.

You know how it is … you’ve waited in line for 15 minutes in the hot sun behind a pack of wild kids, and now all you want to do is enjoy your ice cold soft serve treat. But before you make it ten steps from the ice cream shack, it has melted all down your arm and onto your shoes!

Well now you can enjoy your favorite ice cream treat without ruining your clothes with this original design inspired by old ice cream advertising signs.

You can buy it on tees, mugs, aprons, cards, etc. here.

On May 22nd, this design (on a sticker) was chosen as a “Today’s Best” and was featured on the front page of Zazzle.

Next door to DAD’S GRILL is your favorite dessert joint … MOM’S BAKERY! Design for Mother’s Day tees, aprons, etc. in my online shop features an original illustration inspired by midcentury book and advertising characters. (Shown above: 10oz mug & iPad cover. Back of the mug has a spot for mom’s custom info.) The establishment year and proprietor name/title are customizable at the time of order with the names and dates (that they became a mom) of the customer’s own favorite lady. You can buy it here. (Click the above photo to see it in closer detail.)

On April 27th, this design was chosen as a “Today’s Best” and was featured on the front page of Zazzle.

MOM’S BAKERY is a new design to coordinate with my best-selling DAD’S GRILL.

Poster #3 in my BOND. REDESIGNED BOND. portfolio project – FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. This one is out now at the suggestion of Jeff who was the first person to note which one I should finish next. (Feel free to make your own requests in the comments field that I added.) This is one of the more surreal pieces of the pack … I think I was watching too much of the classic Avengers while working on it. :)

James Bond will return in MOONRAKER (the poster, that is) per Karen’s request!

The master key for the whole work-in-progress project is here.

(This unofficial series is a portfolio exercise for tribute only, and is not for sale. Illustrations © Ridge Rooms. The original James Bond characters, books, and film elements are owned and licensed variously by Ian Fleming Publications, Danjaq LLC, EON Productions, MGM and United Artists.)

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

ridge. xoxo

I am a GIANT James Bond fan … have been since I was a kid. So much so that all my friends call me “Bond Girl” and I got a 007 tattoo as soon as I was old enough. I grew up wanting to have something to do with a Bond film and even went to film school, but ended up going down another career path. I had been talking to friends recently about finally doing a Bond illustration project, when the excellent composer John Barry passed away suddenly last week. Therefore I decided to do something in his honor, since his early Bond scores have factored into many a late-night drawing marathons and have inspired me creatively over the years.

I love when people redesign classic movie posters, so I’ve fashioned a few Bond posters in my own design style, with nods to the collage-style of the original posters as well as the excellent silhouetted opening title sequences for most of the films. I tried to steer clear of most of the Bond clichés - the gun barrel, the logo, the martinis, the Walther PPK, etc. - although I did of course throw a girl into each one. They are all three-color, with the gold color repeating in each one. Also, the same fonts are used for the block quote type. I love designing for negative space, so a large chunk of the design is left open on each one.

Although ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE is my favorite Bond film, I started the poster series with GOLDFINGER, since it’s one of the best Barry scores. (If you don’t think so, try watching the iconic laser-beam sequence with the sound off!) I’ve sketched out about 5 more, and will finish the rest of the films as my schedule permits. Although Barry didn’t score the later films, I plan to continue on and do all 22(!!)

The master key for the whole work-in-progress project is here.

(This unofficial series is a portfolio exercise for tribute only, and is not for sale. Illustrations © Ridge Rooms. The original James Bond characters, books, and film elements are owned and licensed variously by Ian Fleming Publications, Danjaq LLC, EON Productions, MGM and United Artists.)