Here is a new short comic about some of what I do when I’m getting ready to be an exhibitor at an event. I will make the art, recreate it via prints, stickers, or other ways. Then I pack it up and drive or fly to the event before talking to lots and lots of people. Then I head back home and do it again.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics since 2007. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics in 2021 (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that. My accountability partner is my cousin and artist; Zhanne Easter.
Hey yall, This is a photo of me holding a coloring book I illustrated for a south Bay organization called the Open Space Authority of Santa Clara. They are a an organization that stewards and protects over 30k acres of land in Santa Clara County from being bulldozed and turned into malls. The land includes hills, valleys, trees, wetlands, and lots of animals and critters.
Check out some of the land they protect even in the heart of silicon valley. Its a vast area! Thank goodness for organizations that do this kind of advocacy for all to appreciate nature and wildlife.
Here’s a bit of process of drawing one of the spreads from the book. This is the first spread from the coloring book. I also did the hand lettered typography for the title below.
Here’s the cover for the book which features coloring pages, puzzles, and some other observant activities for children to do. It’s a cool way to introduce them to the Santa Clara Valley.
Here are some screen shots from Open Source’s Instagram account where they took the books to a local hospital and made them available for kids in the pediatric waiting area. Visit Open Space Authority of Santa Clara here. If you wanna watch their video about this coloring book check it out here.
Ok, so I was contacted to do the cover for the Political Research Associates quarterly magazine “The Public Eye” around the summer time of 2025. For those who don’t know this magazine has been around since the early 80’s and they cover issues like White Christian Nationalists, Antisemitism, Immigration, Misogyny, The Queer community, Environmental and Reproductive justice, etc. They do RESEARCH and Analysis!!! The magazine “The Public Eye” started in the mid 90s and has been going strong since then.
Here’s some process art for the cover. I ended up doing a mix and match of photo reference, even shooting me and my wife for this. Ok, so a lot of this issue was about the absolute onslaught of attacks on Brown people from this white supremacist and his team in the oval office. And if you want to know why so many boycotts and protests have targeted certain corporations its because many of them funded his second rise.
Here are some color directions.
Anyway, think about what you read on social media and traditional news media. Some of it is by actual journalists and journalists in training. Some is propaganda to confuse and disinform. This magazine is the antidote to that and this issue is about:
The Department of Home Land Security, tech, and surveillance
Afrikaner refugees and the White Nationalist Myth
Immigrant Justice and why “We Must Fight for Everyone”
Florida, deportations, Aligator Alcatraz
And here’s the thing about this, in the magazine there are sources so you can go and read, watch, and learn what they’re talking about if you want to go more in depth. You can read more about my thoughts on creating the cover here on their site.
Heres a short video of me painting the cover art.
And here’s the final painting done with watercolor, ink, and edited in photoshop. Want the digital or print version of this magazine? GET IT HERE.
Dig this? Check out some other editorial illustrations
This past November I flew out to Detroit Michigan to do a library visit and see the city for the first time. Here’s a shot of me reading to a small crowd at the central Detroit Public Library thanks to Halima Davis who gave me a shot!
I didn’t get many shots of the flight out there but I flew from Oakland to Chicago, then to Detroit and when I arrived it was night time. I took the bus from the airport through the city. Once I got downtown I took the Q-Line to stay with my homie, artist, organizer, and mama Halima Cassells who I know from my time living in Brooklyn NY over 15 years ago.
The next day I would travel down Woodard to the central Detroit Public Library, one of the largest and most beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen. I walked in, found the children’s room which was HUGE and started to get set up.
I walked in and met Halima the librarian and one of the owners of SourceBooks; Allyson Turner!
I gave them both some prints and then we started the reading!
When doing any readings at a public place it’s hit or miss. Sometimes people show up, sometimes they don’t. Halima gathered a few families who came to the library that day and I had two visitors who came specifically to listen to my story.
The reading went pretty good! They asked questions, I got some of my regular call and response in, I showed them some of the process art, and I even grabbed books from the room to share with them to entice them into getting their own library card :).
Big shout out to Halima for snapping photos during the reading and giving me a tour of the library!
They had many different sections, both modern and old. But what I really came to see was the Diego Rivera murals and man did they live up to the reputation. They were absolutely beautiful and because they were painted in fresco style, they look just as vibrant as they day they were painted!
The following day I went to check out a really cool Black Owned bookstore called Source Booksellers who’ve been in Detroit since 2002. I also met up with my friend Tiffany Rachann, founder of Imagiread, educator, artist, mama, and incredible producer
This is me, Tiffany Rachann, Janet Webster Jones, and Alyson Turner
Me and Tiffany Rachann!
Next up, I did a workshop about merchandise at Grosse Pointe Library which is east of Detroit. Big shout out to author, artist, comedian, mama, and librarian Stephanie Fazekasinvited me to come present!
While walking around the library I saw some books by some Bay Area friends 🙂
The first thing I did was set up a table featuring the kind of merchandise I create which is bookmarks, stickers, postcards, art prints, and I brought my most recent book.
In my merch workshop I talked about:
My origins, what I make
I defined what it means to make merchandise
Shared examples of merch or reasons for making it
Ideas for finding your niche
How and where to sell it
How to package it
Some basic book keeping
And how to keep going when you hit a block
Here’s an example slide that I used to talk about product packaging.
This was a small workshop with just 4 of us but it was a great trial run for me regarding merch, how I’ve made what I have, and how to begin if you’re beginning. Ok, thats about it fam. This was a great trip and I hope to venture out to more places to do school or library visits and meet new folks.
BIG thanks to Halima Cassells, Halima Davis, Stephanie Hardy, The Source Booksellers, and Tiffany Rachann for making me feel so welcome in the D. Much love!
This is a short comic about going to the library back in the day. When I was a kid my dad would send me to the library to get books because he thought knowing how to read was important. It totally is and i’m thankful for the lesson. But, when I was starting elementary school we’d moved from Oakland and Richmond to a small city called El Cerrito where the library was NOT inviting or reflective of who I was. I only found that through magazines, music, lowrider shows, graffiti, etc. So I imagined myself becoming a librarian to offer those things to a younger version of myself.
This is why the movement to diversify the publishing industry by empowering writers, illustrators, agents, publishers, etc is so important! And why its being attacked.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics since 2007. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics in 2021 (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that. My accountability partner is my cousin and artist; Zhanne Easter.
Last spring a doctor (Kara Durand) who is also a parent at a school I’ve done some work at in Oakland reached out to commission me to do an illustrated poster for the Afya Center for Health Equity at Kaiser Permanente Oakland. Afya means health in Swahili.
The center was founded by Dr Nailah Thompson. Listen to her talk about why the clinic was founded and how they are aiming to care for and uplift the health of the East Bay’s Black commmuity.
Here are some photos from when the clinic opened taken by Dr Rita Ng.
And here’s a little bit of artwork to show how the piece was created. For this piece I wanted to illustrate a primary care physician having a conversation with a patient. Something simple but intimate and caring.
Heres a recent picture book review of a newish book called “Jenny Mei is Sad” which I LOVE by Tracy Subisak who is an author and illustrator. Its about friendship, big feelings, sadness, and its gorgeous. Never heard of it? Watch the video.
What is this? I have been working as a picture book illustrator/ writer since 2013 officially and I’ve been reading picture books since I became a young dad in 2004. In that time I’ve read nearly 700 picture books. Some trash, some ok, but with these videos I’m sharing my favorites! Watch all of them here. My last book is Fresh Juice.
Dig this? Check out the last review of “Perfect Harmony” by Charles R. Smith Jr.
Here’s a short comic about what has been happening to adults, families, and children in the United States who have been targeted by racist ICE agents who are seeking Brown and Black folks. There are a few words in it. Check it out.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics since 2007. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics in 2021 (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that. My accountability partner is my cousin and artist; Zhanne Easter.
So this is new for the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair, for the first time we’re giving away an award to 3 authors the night before the fair. Check out the awardees.
These are the three writers!
Raquel Donoso
Mona Damluji
Maya Gonzalez
RSVP for the event here whether you’ve been coming to the fair for years, you’re new, or you really support the kid lit world. Also, come check out the 9th annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair.
Errrray, this is my second inspiration board for the year. And what a tough fucking year it has been and its not even over yet. Top to bottom, left to right:
What’s this? This inspiration board is one of the ways I stay inspired and sane through all of life’s trials, and tribulations, work, etc. I’ve been making inspiration boards full of films, books, music, events, people, artists, movements, and more for over a decade. Do you have an inspiration board? Please share in the comments. Who am I? My name is Rob Liu-Trujillo and I’m an artist working in kid lit, public art, and other disciplines. Go to my website, or follow me on IG or YouTube. You can also cop my first art book here.
