Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo from the book Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade by Robert M. Grippo and Christopher Hoskins:

I did this illustration a few years ago as a tribute to my favorite part of Thanksgiving- not the turkey, or even the pumpkin pie- the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! After purchasing a book on the history of the parade I was inspired by all of the spectacular balloons to have graced the streets over the years. I am also a big fan of New Yorker cartoons, so that is the style I wanted to go with on this one- it seemed to fit with the city that hosts the parade! I used Prismacolor markers and outlined with a fine Micron pen and used colored pencil for shading- and a little watercolor wash (a medium I rarely work in but seemed right for this piece).

As for why the parade personally means so much to me, I don't remember when I started paying attention to it, it's just sort of always been there- like an old friend that visits once a year. I remember my dad telling me when I was little that Christmas season doesn't officially begin until you see Santa at the end of the Macy's Parade, so I would watch for him and then jump up and down in celebration when he arrived. It's funny how some things that parents say to their children seem to stick, because here I am a full grown adult and I still watch for Santa Claus every year. Even during times when I was helping in the kitchen, the sound of the parade coming from the t.v. in the other room was a comforting and familiar sound.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!