Yesterday’s mail brought an exciting arrival, the book Playing with Sketches, a book by illustrator (and head of MICA’s illustration MFA program) Whitney Sherman. The book is a collection of 50 creative exercises for designers and artists.

In part, we are excited because the book is full of beautiful illustrations, great ideas, and lovely design.

But we are also excited because the book contains…US. Yes, we Idiots were asked to contribute an idea, and, of course, we chose five-minute drawings, that mainstay of creative life in the barn. In case you don’t remember, we will periodically put down our work, take up our pencils, blurt out a topic, and spend five minutes (no more and no less) on a related drawing.

And…the rush of hubris makes it difficult to type…as a subset of the five minute drawing section, Whitney did a little write up of Matthew Draws. That’s right, your very favorite part of this blog has garnered the affections of a prize-winning illustrator.

Above I am pointing (can you see the pride? would you describe it as “palpable?”) at my response to the prompt “lotion.” Here is a closer look.

Yes, it is a breathtaking image.

In the spirit of magnanimity, I will also show you Robbi’s and Tilly’s drawings.

It is fine if you would prefer to look at mine again instead. You are, after all, a person of exquisite taste.

But wait! There is a third page of Idiots coverage in Playing with Sketches.

Here I am at my computer.

Here are my (nearly photorealistic) drawings of Lyle Lovett and Meryl Streep.

 

It is so exciting to finally have my artistic talents be recognized (and celebrated) by so esteemed a person as Whitney Sherman.

And it must be thrilling to you to know that, with a few clicks of your mouse, you could own my immortal linework. Try to tell yourself you don’t want to. Then try again.

And for those of you who are suddenly itching for heaping plate of Matthew Draws, I have it on good authority that the latest installment will be coming this Friday.