Thomas James – 4 New Conceptual Illustrations

Here’s a series of recent conceptual illustrations that I’ve created as personal pieces. I’ve really been enjoying experimenting with new approaches to my work, speeding up my process, and slimming things down to the essentials so the ideas can come through more clearly. You can see more of my work at thomasjamesillustration.com.

Transcending the Dad Stereotype

This first one is for all the “active” Dads out there. I’ve been a father for just over 3 years now, and I see myself as a very involved participant in the parenting process. To be sure, my wife Melissa takes care of more things than me but I pride myself in doing a lot more than the traditional stereotype of the Dad who works all day then comes home to his family while the Mother manages the house and family. Our society still has a ways to go, but I see more and more fathers taking the reins and playing major roles in regards to raising their kids.

Unrequited Love

Based on the age old concept of unrequited love. For the record, I’m not currently in this situation, but come on. We’ve all been there.

I Can’t Quit You, Facebook

It’s amazing to me that despite repeatedly offending their customers with shady privacy stunts and a culture of making changes in secrecy, Facebook hasn’t lost its user base. Unlike most companies who suffer when they ignore the desires of their customers, Facebook seems to be able to slide past without any real lasting effect. The answer? Its users are too addicted to quit.

The Neighbor Gap

Here’s a new conceptual piece about the divide that sometimes occurs between next door neighbors. As for me, I wave and say ‘hello’ to my neighbors every time I see them, but to tell you the truth I haven’t actually had much of a conversation with them, which seems strange to me given the fact that they’ve lived right next to me for years and I probably see them more than most people in my life. A pleasant greeting is about as far as it goes, which creates an odd sense of mutual isolation.

See more of my work at thomasjamesillustration.com.