Michael Dashow

@mdashow

Illustrator, character designer, kidLit artist & gameDev art director. Rep'd by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social‬ @ CMA Also developing indie puzzle game Puzzle Spy International at @agentepsilon.bsky.social he / him

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Michael Dashow@mdashow· 17d

Working on a new cover illo, hopefully to be finished in time for the next KidLitArtPostcard day. It's a mix of of science fiction and fantasy as I love genre stuff but have surprisingly little of it in my #kidLitArt portfolio. #kidLit #coverArt #sciFi #illustration #characterDesign

A cropped blue pencil sketch of a boy holding a hi-tech sword and an orc girl holding a blaster. Both wear skin-tight spacey uniforms. They look a bit angry, like they have something to use those weapons against.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jul 2

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day, I'm Mike! I like making fun character-driven work, both covers and interiors. I'm especially looking for Middle Grade work. I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #library #librarian #books

A black and white (well, more sepia-toned) illustration of a girl in a frog-themed sweater and glasses talking animatedly to an adult librarian with an argyle sweater-vest and short blonde hair. They're in a library.
The text on the postcard reads "Michael Dashow - illustrator - mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co - Repped by Vicky Weber at CMA"

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 29

BOOK COVER ARTISTS QRP with your book covers! 📚✨ #BookCover #MG #middleGrade #kidLit #kidLitArt

A middle grade book cover. A boy of about 12 holds gum in one hand and some dollar bills in the other. He's got short brown hair and a white tee shirt and jeans and is smiling while offering you, the viewer, some gum. Behind him are a short Latino boy with a book in one hand and his finger up his nose. On the other side is a girl with red hair and a school uniform. She's got her arms crossed and is looking disapprovingly at the main character. They all stand in front of a school.
The title reads "Garrett's Ventures - First Profit: Gum" by Garrett Forester. (Small text reads "Turning problems into profits!")

In a dark nighttime hallway with huge arched windows, a girl and a werewolf (also a girl) are sneaking around. Both are wearing school uniforms, although the werewolf's has ripped a bit from her transformation. She has just knocked over a small table and broken a vase and the girl is shushing her. Through one of the large windows, we see more school buildings and a full moon.
The book cover title is "Boarding School Werewolf" by Jo Barnett. At the top of the cover, it says "School can be a transformative experience."

A middle grade book cover, the title of which is "DeepWoods Academy for the Magically Inept. Book 1: Trouble Brewing." The art on the cover shows a panicked apprentice witch (she's human, with pink hair, glasses, and light academia clothing) makes a mess of her cauldron while being calmy advised by an older, wiser witch (who is a bear.)

girl is trying to walk two fluffy samoyeds but has gotten entirely tangled up in the leashes of the two dogs who are happily running circles around her. The title of the book reads "Zoey Crocker, Pet Walker" by Maureen Keene. The title is simple and hand-drawn, and the style of the illustration is colorful and simple.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 25

👻 If you see this, post a haunted house from your portfolio 👻 #kidlitart #art

Two kids explore a hallway in a dark mansion. They look worried, and the boy holds a flashlight. The hallway is lined with paintings in ornate frames, all of the eyes of the paintings watching the kids. We can see the shadow of some sort of horned monster coming up the stairs.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 13

Artists, repost with your yellow art! ☀️ A kid with their Maine coon cat, drawn for a kidLitArtPostcard day (and my portfolio, natch 😸) #illustration #kidLitArt #cat #maineCoon

A grinning non-binary kid with brown and pink hair and a magenta and orange hoodie holds a ginormous fluffy blue and white cat, who looks decidedly unamused. In the background is a cat-tree which has seen a LOT of wear and tear.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 11

Dragon posting! 🐲 #illustration

It's a very small, derpy dragon happily holding a button in his two front hands. He's surrounded by buttons - it's his hoard - along with lots of other sewing supplies.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 7

We had a fantastic time last night at the BART Prom, an 80s-themed dance held in the parking lot of a municipal rail station. There was a DJ and a 80s band. Mostly just took photos of ourselves but the all-ages crowd came pretty dressed up for it. (with @taliad.bsky.social and @bart.gov) #BARTprom

A nicely-dressed couple posing in front of a lit-up dance floor with other people around in the background.

The two of us pulling on a giant BART card in from of a banner that reads “BART PROM.” Were dressed in nice clothes - Talia in a blank and white polka-dot dress and me in a grey and black patterned jacket and teal bow tie which matches Talia’s hair.

Three people on the dance floor: A man in a bowler hat, nice white shirt and suspenders, a woman in a black lace dress, and another woman with teal hair in a white and black polka dot dress. The space is a fenced off and decorated part of a parking lot under train tracks.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 4

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day, I'm Mike! For this month's theme of us as kids, here's Jr. High me working on one of my favorite hobbies, building and painting a spaceship model. I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #MilleniumFalcon #MeAsAKid

The artist as a blonde kid with glasses, carefully painting details on a mostly-assembled plastic model of the MilleniumFalcon from Star Wars. Around me/him are various paints, glue, and model sprues. He's in a dark room backlit by the window. The text reads "Michael Dashow, mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co, repped by Vicky Weber at CMA."

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Jun 1

Post a poster you used to have in your room, apartment, or house (This one seemed to follow yours in suit.)

One-sheet from Katsuhiro Otomo's anime movie Akira. It's not the one with Tetsuo walking towards his bike, it's the other one, with Tetsuo standing with a large gun and the tag-line "Neo-Tokyo is about to E*X*P*L*O*D*E"

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 29

Like this! (Late reply as the light wasn’t good for photographing it last night. 😄) #KidLitArt

A photo of a blue free-standing garage with large glass doors on the side, covered by the garage’s overhanging roof. In front of the garage are succulent bushes and a short stone wall, with the ground covered with leaves. Looming above the garage is a huge oak tree.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 29

I already showed my workspace in the last question so here’s the reverse angle from my desk. (you can even see my reflection in the glass door is waving at y’all!) #kidLitArt

The view to the backyard from my desk. Around it, you can see posters, art, some animation cels, a couch, and other junk.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 29

Anyhow, I wasn’t sure where we were supposed to include these photos, but here’s my space, circa three minutes ago. #kidLitArt

A photo of my messy working space circa three minutes ago. It’s a converted garage with tons of bookshelf, space and posters on the wall and the computer and boxes under the counter space.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 24

Last week @taliad.bsky.social and I took a short vacation - our first in many years - down to San Diego for her Commencement ceremony for her Masters… plus a little R&R time for just us! Whew, that was fun and really needed! 😅😎

Talia and Mike - 50s couple in glasses and colorful shirts and/or hair - taking a selfie on or near a sunny beach.

Talia - with teal hair and in graduation robes and a mortar cap and a silver cord denoting that she graduated with honors - standing in front of a fan that says National University Masters program.

A sunny beach with a handful of palm trees in Oceanside, California. Pacific Ocean stretches out to the horizon.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 7

As an FYI, the character on this month's postcard is Phoebe Fang, the same character I drew for February's #kidLitArtPostcard:

A middle-grade-aged girl wearing glasses, jeans and a frog-covered sweater holds a copy of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile and looks suspicious as she eyes the door of the library behind her. The door is ajar and a sign on it reads "Missing: Librarian."
The text on the postcard reads "Michael Dashow, mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co, repped by Vicky Weber @ CMA."

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 7

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day, I'm Mike! I like creating work with a lot of character... or one character a lot of times, if need be. 😄 I'm especially looking for MG work. I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #characterSheet #characterDesign

A page with 6 drawings of the same character with different poses and expressions. She's middle-grade age, with a roundish/squarish face, rectangular glasses, and long dark hair. She is wearing a white t-shirt and over it, a crop-top sweater with lots of frogs on it. She's got a heavier build. The text on the card reads "Michael Dashow, mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co, represented by Vicky Weber @ CMA"

Michael Dashow@mdashow· May 4

May the 4th, yadda yadda yadda. 🖖 An Ahsoka Tano I drew several years back, from the wonderful season 7 of Clone Wars.

A stylized illustration of Ahsoka Tano in an action pose holding her 2 white light sabers and wearing her blue-with-gold-trim outfit from season 7 of The Clone Wars.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Apr 24

🌷If you see this, post something pink 🌸 #qrp #artShare #kidLitArt #illustration #ifYouSeeThis

A trans kid stands, holding one fist up while the other holds a sign mostly hidden by her leg. She's got a thicker body and is wearing red sheakers, trans flag socks, a white skirt, a big red sweater with a white stripe across the chest, and big glasses. She has fluffy brown hair and a cheerful, determined expression. Behind her lots of other people - many teens - are also marching and carrying signs that read "Support trans students" and "trans lives matter." The background is mostly purple.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Apr 21

Hey artists, if you see this, post a dog 🐕 #kidlitart

A neighborhood park surrounded by trees, with a jungle gym, sand pit, and benches. A border collie looks up at girl happily. The girl - scruffy short red hair and in jeans, tee shirt, plaid overshirt - is standing next to a sign indicating "No Dogs Allowed" and is shrugging at the dog apologetically.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Apr 21

Here you go! 😄🐕

An illustration of three happy dogs wearing human-type clothing, all exchanging gifts. The gifts are all wrapped but it's clear that they're all things that dogs love: A ball, a stick, and a bone. The picture is all in tans and browns, except for the gift-wrapping, which is all blue.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Apr 14

Hi #PortfolioDay, I’m Mike and I love drawing fun, colorful characters and situations. I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social and I'm especially looking for MG cover work, #kidLitArt, illustration & Art Direction jobs. See more of my work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co or www.michaeldashow.com

Four kids in their early-to-mid teens around a table playing Da tabletop role-playing game. The game master is standing in front of a laptop and explaining something that's happening in the game. The other kids are rolling dice, arguing about rules, and explaining a plan. there is a grid map on the table, along with miniature figures, lots of dice, chips, and a sleeping cat. The entire piece is in green and dark pinks and whites, with a dark teal background.

A screenshot from my game Puzzle Spy International, for which I did all of the art and art direction. (It's out now on Steam!) The setting is an ornate Italian geology and archaeology museum, all purples and golds with rocks and a T-Rex skeleton in the background. In the foreground Agent Epsilon in a teal mod dress looks at Stefania Plinth, the museum director in a bun, glasses, and navy blue dress. Stefania is making an angry hand gesture as she says "Those diavoli! They broke in here and stole the Eswatini Giant!"

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Apr 2

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day, I'm Mike! I spaced out and didn't come up with a new illustration for this month's event! ✨💫😄 But I'm available for new work, especially MG covers! I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #childrensillustration

A middle-grade girl in a bright yellow-orange spacesuit floats in space, reaching out to greet one of several octopus-like aliens that float in space with her. Nearby is her small spaceship, and gas-giant hangs in the distance.
The text on the card reads "Michael Dashow, illustrator, mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co, repped by Vicky Weber at CMA."

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Mar 29

Share your snow art ❄️☃️ #kidLitArt #childrenbookIllustrator #art #snow #snowball

Two middle-grade girls bundled up in warm winter clothes are in the middle of a snowball fight in a snowy field. The girl in the front looks happily determined to bean someone with a snowball, while the girl in back is just laughing her head off.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Mar 28

A handmade sign reading “Trans people belong on the bus, not under it” with a hand-drawn illustration of an AC Transit (Alameda County, CA) bus.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Mar 20

A sandwich made with peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff, which is a gooey marshmallow spread that comes in a jar.

A photo of a jar of Marshmallow fluff, with a couple of actual marshmallows sitting next to the jar for good measure. And good news, the jar says it's gluten free!

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Mar 5

Hi again #KidLitArtPostcard day! I'm not sure how I found time to draw & paint this month... It's a mystery (not unlike the situation in this illo! 🔍🐸) I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #library #mystery #childrensillustration

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Feb 22

Quote-post your own winter sports art! ⛸️ #kidLitArt #animalArt #figureSkating #skating #olympics

An illustration of a hippopotamus ice skating in the Olympics. She's got a lovely lavender dress on with lots of sparkly sequins on it. She looks very graceful and happy.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Feb 22

Folks have been talking about the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, so I thought I'd dig up this t-shirt idea I had a while back. (No, it never got made into an actual t-shirt.)

Art in the style of Windwaker showing Windwaker link attacking three Imperial Stormtroopers (in the same style) with his sword. The top and bottom banner reads "May the TriForce Be With You."

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Feb 21

Post a monster! 👾 (staying in suit 😸) #kidLitArt #caturday #yokai #spooky

A Kasha, a type of Japanese bake-neko, or "monster cat." The Kasha were known to invade funerals, leaping down from the rooftops to steal corpses which they would eat. The Kasha here is a three-eyes giant cat wearing ornate Japanese robes and carrying the corpse of a Japanese woman.

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Feb 19

Artist! Quote with your 💛yellow art 💛 #art #illustration #kidLitArt #kidLit #cat

Michael Dashow@mdashow· Feb 5

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day! I love drawing kids, animals, and fun situations. I'm especially looking for middle grade cover/interior work. I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social See more work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #cat #gilr #madscientist #science #childrensillustration