How I Create Poster Graphics

About the Artist

For more than three decades, I’ve been creating art that captures the spirit of place, from the beaches and neighborhoods of Ventura County to subjects discovered along the way on trips to many other states to Canada and Mexico. My work spans illustration, photography, and design, combining classic craftsmanship with contemporary tools.

AI sometimes joins the toolkit, but it never replaces the hand, the eye, or the judgment that shape every piece. Each work is built through art direction, color, composition, and finish, the same way it’s always been: with intention and care.

If the results speak to you, wonderful. If not, find something that does. The world needs more people celebrating what they love.

For clarity, more than ninety percent of my art does not use AI assistance at all. My portfolio represents over thirty years of continuous work.

What I Do

Concept and references: I start with mood boards built from historical crate labels, public-domain imagery, color palettes, and vintage type specimens.

Generation for raw comps: I use prompts to explore composition and motif options. Most outputs are discarded; a few become layout inspiration.

Heavy edits: I re-set type, fix letterforms and kerning, rebuild ornaments, correct anatomy, and rebalance lighting. This happens in Procreate, Photoshop, Illustrator, or whatever tool helps finish the job. My methods are practical, not doctrinal.

Local printing: Every print is produced locally in Ventura on quality paper, not mass-drop-shipped from an unknown source.

What I Didn’t Do

I didn’t trace an existing label or paste a town name on someone else’s design.

I don’t market these as hand-painted originals. When AI is part of the process, they are clearly labeled as AI-assisted design prints.

I don’t hide my methods. Layers, work-in-progress frames, and edits are available for anyone who wants to see how the work was made.

Pricing and Editions

These are open-edition posters, priced to be accessible.

When I create hand-drawn or painted originals, those are limited editions with distinct pricing. I keep the boundaries clear.

For the “AI = Theft” Crowd

Style cannot be owned. Using tools, even controversial ones, does not erase authorship when the artist directs and completes the work.

My principle is transparency. Buyers deserve to know what they’re purchasing, and I provide that clarity.

If your stance is “no AI ever,” I respect it. Don’t buy my AI-assisted pieces. Support one of the many artists who don’t use those tools, or choose from my non-AI portfolio.

For Fans and Locals

If you enjoy the work, thank you. If you’d like to see a city or fruit variant, let me know. I love new ideas.

If you spot a detail that needs refining, like a numeral or color balance, tell me. Quality matters.