Memories

I was going through an old sketchbook (from 2005) when I ran across this color sketch I did for Illustration Friday on the theme "Crowded." It was inspired by my son, who actually slept with all of these stuffed animals back then. I remember the turtle's name was Shell. This is one of those memories that plays tricks: when I was living through this phase, I often found it SO annoying to have to round up all of the guys and arrange them just so before my son would consent to sleep. GOD FORBID one of them was missing! But now I think back and go, "Awwww." And when he woke up in the middle of the night with a bad dream, he'd climb out of bad, scoop up the entire entourage, and appear silhouetted in our doorway with his armload of friends, announcing his nightmare. I know, awwww, right?