Paint Marker Experiment

Below are a few process images for my Wife's Mother's Day gift, as well my first attempt at using Posca paint markers to mimic my digital illustration style traditionally.

Now I just need more time and colors for my next piece :-)

Pencil Scratchings

Even though I illustrate digitally.  I still start off all of my illustration by sketching out the art with pencil and paper.  Doing so allows me to compose the illustration with a birds eye view.

The below sketch is for an up coming illustration for Humpty Dumpty magazine.

New Jack & Jill Gang Comic - May/June 2013

Join the band and "ROCK-OUT" with the gang in the next issue of Jack and Jill magazine!!!!

New Work - Humpty Dumpty Magazine

New work for the upcoming issue of Humpty Dumpty Magazine.

Yeah It's Spring... kind of..

New Spring Promo piece... Dig it?

MailMeArt Paper AirPlane

Based on my MailMeArt piece.  Here is a little paper fun to help you get through your work week.  Happy Flying!!!! Click here to download the paper toy!

Mail Me Art Project!

Here are a few process and final photos of my piece for the international MailMeArt project.  The medium used was gouache, and was painted on a piece of gessoed cardboard.

To learn more about the MailMeArt Project click here.

Based off of the successful identity created by AIGA Toledo. Check out the ‎Glass City Marathon t-shirt design I did for my friends over at the Family House.

New Jack & Jill comic!!

Join the Jack and Jill gang as they enter into the Land of Lorecraft!! enjoy ~ Merrill

New Design Work!!

A few recent design pieces I did for my friends over at Restaurant Week Toledo. 

~ enjoy merrill

New Chapter Book!!

Just one of the reasons I didn't sleep this past fall :-) - Check it out!!

Awesome Christian Association 
By: Tony Bellagamba
Illustrated By: Merrill Rainey

Being a kid is pretty fun. Being a kid with special powers is AWESOME! And no one knows that better than Just-Plain-Jada, Once-Upon-A-Ron, and No-Way-Jose. Even their little white dog, Penelope, is in on the excitement. Together they are the Awesome Christian Association, also known as The ACA! With the use of their special t-shirts and the simple phrase, “We love Jesus to pieces”, these kids and their dog can go anywhere in the world. Will you come along with the ACA on their first adventure and help them change the world? 

Those interested in purchasing a book, please go to www.acakidz.com
50% of all proceeds donated to charity

Here are a few illustration from the book: 

© 2013 ACA Kidz • acakidz.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

Keep On Trucking!

Another painting experiment in Adobe Illustrator. ~ enjoy!

Doodles!

I recently completed a project for a client of mine in a style I was unfamiliar with. I was so impressed at how awesome the end result looked. I decided to work on developing a whole new illustration portfolio called "Doodles".  Below are a few of the new pieces of work ~ enjoy!

~ enjoy!