Illustration Friday (started by illustrator Penelope Dullaghan) is a great way to stretch out creatively. Here are three of my favorites from the past few years.

1. Topic: Cats. Inspired by Frank Kozik's "Smorkin' Labbit" toys and the late Parti Quebecois leader René Levesque.

2. Topic: Jungle. Tea-drinkin' gorilla = endless comedic possibilities.

3. Topic: Song. Inspired by a photo that appeared in an issue of Logberg-Heimskringla (the Icelandic community paper I once worked for). Illustrator/designer Von Glitschka asked me to provide a tutorial based on this for his illustration class. I was honored, to say the least.