New J&J Puzzle Pages Jan/Feb 2014

Puzzled? Check out the gang in this very "COOL" issue of Jack & Jill Magazine.

New Humpty Dumpty Activity Page

New Illustration/Activity page design for the Jan/Feb issue of Humpty Dumpty magazine.

Kids home from school today? then have them join Humpty and the gang in this fun hidden picture/(paper cut-out) snowball fight in the Jan/Feb issue of Humpty Dumpty magazine!!  

Be sure to checkout the bonus Snowball Launcher :-)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it!!

Holiday Humpty Dumpty Puzzle Page!

Can you find all of the Holiday themed items in this fun filled puzzle page?  New work for the Nov/Dec issue of Humpty Dumpty magazine!!

Trick-or-Treat!

Have an early Happy & safe Halloween!!

New Promo piece!! Still working the inks :-)

New Work - Sept/Oct issue of Jack & Jill Magazine

One of the best things about my job is the continual opportunity to be able to relive childhood moments through my work.  If you are now an adult who grew up in America during the 60s, 70s, or 80s, and enjoy the "Spooky" season, I am sure you have fond memories of Halloween night.  Whether it was a night of spooky story telling, that daring trip through the cemetary on your way home from Trick-or-Treating, or just the opportunity to get Free Candy, this particular night allows all of us a chance to be a kid again, even if it is only for a few hours.

In the Sept./Oct. issue of Jack & Jill magazine I was given such an opportunity to be a kid again.  I was asked to create a Halloween board game activity for some good old-fashion Halloween Fun.  I found my inner child having a blast as I generated riddles and designed a game-board, along with the game cards and the Halloween character cut-outs of the J&J Gang.  Although I call upon my inner-child for inspiration with all the issues of J&J, the Sept./Oct. issue was an especially fun treat for me to create as it showcases one of my favorite times of the year...Halloween!

To find more Jack and Jill Halloween fun, be sure to get your copy of the next issue by subscribing to the magazine here.

New work for the Fall issue of Pockets Magazine

A sneak peek of what you will find inside the Fall issue of Pockets Magazine :-)

Happy Easter!! Bunny Mask :-)

Just incase you needed something to wear while hiding your kid's Easter baskets!! and don't worry it comes in Blue, or Pink :-) Click the color to the left to download.

 

"Double Talk, Trouble Talk "New Work for Pockets Magazine!!

New work for the June issue of Pockets Magazine!!  Check it out.

New Puzzle Pages for Jack & Jill Magazine

Help Jack & Jill figure out which Leprechaun is the real Leprechaun in the March/April issue of Jack & Jill Magazine.

Happy Valentines Day!

A Pirate's First LOVE!!

© Merrill Rainey. LittleRainey Illustration & Design LLC

My not so ordinary submission for this years Tomie Depaola awards

I've been a member of SCBWI member since 2007, so I figured it was finally time to enter the Tomie Depaola awards with my not so ordinary piece for his prompt - "Sneeze" A sneeze, Is a breeze, In, Your, Nose.

Wish me luck!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

A little Thanksgiving promo piece for my Art Rep. Tugeau 2

Bitter Sweet - New Comic and Cover for the Nov/Dec issue of Humpty Dumpty magazine

New Cover/Comic work for the Nov/Dec issue of Humpty Dumpty Magazine!! and unfortunately do to financial issues at US Kids magazine. This will be the last appearance of the new Humpty comic for awhile :-(

Anyways enjoy!!

Happy Halloween!!!

You never know when the Great Pumpkin will rise!!

Happy Halloween!!!

~ Merrill

New work for Pockets Magazine!!

A few new pieces for the upcoming issue of Pockets magazine!!

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 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!