Have you ever heard someone go off, and their words are so perfectly chosen, so well said in that moment, that you’re in awe? You think, “There’s nothing to add here,” and you applaud in your head. That’s exactly this. Pure perfection. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

This is the guy who recklessly chainsawed his way through agency after agency looking for waste, fraud and abuse, didn’t actually find any, got his government contracts and then left thousands of highly-skilled people unemployed. Eat the rich.

Elf and Penguin “Snowball Fight” #elfandpenguin #northpolehijinx #snowballfight #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

I'm an "A.i." abolitionist. No consumer-facing LLMs or generative "A.i." in anything. Sure, machine learning in science and a few other limited applications is fine. But consumer-facing LLMs and generative "A.i." that are based on theft, push disinfo, and can be manipulated by billionaires? No.

I have new work on the way, in the meantime enjoy the outsized imagination of a bunny from a few years ago. “Bunnysaurus Rex” #bunnysaurus #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Does this seem like a good idea?

Wut?

Black Cat Chronicles: “Spider Cat” (From last year) #blackcatchronicles #spidercat #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Black Cat Chronicles: “Hello?” (From last year) #blackcatchronicles #meowhello #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

“I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested. I'm 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak. ... The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I'd rather die.’” 🫡

Out for another ride. This stretch of weather has been spectacular! #getonyourbikesandride

I think I love Halloween, but the Count loves it more! #halloweenfrog #counthalloween #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

This needs to be a major headline in every news outlet across the country.

“Goose the Cat” A portrait of our son and his fiancée’s cat. #catportrait #catnamedgoose #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

A Gerbera Daisy in our backyard. ##blackandwhiteflowers #gerberadaisy #backyardbeauty

Blending in with a sploot to boot. #camouflageddog #blendingin

We are adrift. We need to start paddling now or the waves will take us.

From a couple of years ago, “Owl be the Wiser.” #wisdomowl #wiseoldowl #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

The distance between where we are and where we were is both expansive and instant. We can always choose human over machine until the day we cannot. #saynotoai #saynotoaiart #humancreativity

“Birdities” #birdsonwires #catslovebirdsalot #illustration #kidlitart #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

As seen in my workshop today. A framed portrait of our son snorkeling nearly twenty years ago. #portraitofson #snorkelphotos #rusticworkshop

Happy National Dog Day! I love my little Ava, the ShihPoo. #nationaldogday

I post words I’ve written every now and again. I wrote this 15 years ago, but it still rings true to me. #bones #lies

#15MoviesToGetToKnowMe 2001: A Space Odyssey Monty Python and the Holy Grail Groundhog Day Castaway Coco The Way Back (2010) The King’s Speech Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Life of Brian The Sting The In-Laws (1979) The Corpse Bride Inglourious Basterds Raiders of the Lost Ark Alien

It’s all in the delivery. #musicalpenguins #performingpenguins #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Wishing I was more gruntled.

show me your getaway vehicle

"Let children be children" doesn't mean make sure they have no responsibilities, inconveniences, or challenges. It means let them cry or lose their temper without shaming them. It means let their imaginations run wild. It means let them get wildly excited about things you find commonplace.

I will not be ignored. #largecat #bigmeow #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Happy #kidlitartpostcard for August! I’m John Hentz, aka “Johnny Draws” I’m an illustrator in search of representation. My focus is on picture books for preschoolers and early readers. My portfolio is here: johnhentzillustration.com

For me, using A.I. takes all the joy and humanity out of what it means to be creative.

Advertise your account with one gif

1/3 The average animated cartoon short presented before many feature films in theaters during the 40’s and 50’s averaged over 6 minutes long with over 9,000 frames. Each was 24 frames per second and each frame took an average of 30 minutes to complete. Hundreds of talented artists were required.

Skydiving Bovines #skydivingbovines #parachutingcows #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

I just got blocked by someone who appears to love AI and has made a film or two using it. To that person, I’m honored that you blocked me. If you are creative enough to write, develop and direct a film, you should be creative enough to find talented actors and performers. 1/2

Yup. I continue to say that AI is for those who fetishize THE IDEA and dismiss THE WORK. It's for those people who come up to writers and say, "I got a great idea for a book, I'll give it to you, you write it, and we'll split the profits 50/50," as if the idea is the hardest and most important part.

I know,… I’m waving down a train that’s left the station: PLEASE STOP USING AI FOR EVERYTHING. ChatGPT and other AI platforms are an enormous energy drain and are trained to mimic (steal) the work of human writers and artists. Without actual art and literature, AI would have nothing to draw from.

I feel like I’m going to end up as an aggrieved old man shaking his fist at all the AI users, shouting, “You stole everything from real artists and writers and let machines make joyless art!”

Sketchy Doodles: “Bob Ross’ Dachshund” #bobross #dachshund #empathy #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Chickens Piling Higher! #chickenpile #pileofchickens #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

Chicken Pile! #chickenpile #pileofchickens #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

I'm young, but not "know exactly why I came into this room" young.

An old favorite from 2022. #longshadow #catshadow #illustration #kidlitart #picturebookillustration #scbwi #mixedmedia #whimsy

I was told there would be a hand basket.

Welp, goodbye CBS/Paramount. Another state media company in the making.

I hope anyone who may have just seen me in the middle of the breezeway, convulsing and spinning violently while flailing my arms maniacally, could also see the large beetle that was stuck in my hair until it fell down my back. I’m good now btw.

i don't care what your skill level is. i don't care how many followers you have or how much money you earn. if those are doing well for you, i'm genuinely happy for you. keep going. i care about people behind the art. y'all are what matter. art is not competition. it's human expression.

I’m petrified about today’s science news. Genetically modifying crabs to have cheetah genes? This could go sideways fast.

I don’t often giggle, but when I do, it’s because of something this damned cute!