My whiteboard-drawing robot intern, InternBot, and I would like to take a moment to say thanks. Thank you for all the amazing projects, inspiration, creativity and collaboration in 2011.

I feel truly fortunate to be doing what I love to do, and if InternBot had feelings, I’m sure he’d feel the same.

All the best to you & yours in the new year.

Thank you, everyone, for your interest in my illustrated poster for Bre Pettis & Kio Stark’s Done Manifesto, which appeared on FastCoDesign and Lifehacker recently. For similar work, I invite you to check out my editorial illustration portfolio, Textbook Example.

High quality giclée prints of the Done Manifesto poster are available via ImageKind (or ArtFlakes in Europe).

My interest in this application of technology and information should come as no surprise—technical illustration practically is augmented reality. It makes hidden or obfuscated information visible and intelligible. What might have been buried in a database or engineering drawing is made plain for anyone to see.

What’s especially exciting is seeing all the hardware and software that will make this a reality already out there, just waiting for a novel package. Siri on the new iPhone 4S is just a peek; speech-to-text is nothing new and Wolfram Alpha has been around for a couple of years.

Imagine the combination of the Microsoft Kinect-style 3D camera, stereoscopic 3D video visor, and wireless video streaming to the smartphone in your pocket for processing via AirPlay. All of a sudden, the future seems a lot closer. Your jetpack? It’s right here.

As for goggles-less AR, don’t worry, it’s coming.

Here are some instructional illustrations I’ve been working on with various clients. Click through for larger images and more information.

Now I just hope I can wash my hands of all these handy expressions…

The organization’s Model E crossover is conceived as a platform that can accommodate any one of four propulsion systems. The same body would be expected to house a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen fuel-cell or purely electric powertrain. [...] The union plans to add a family car, a compact and a pickup to the Model E lineup. Each vehicle would be relatively inexpensive to build, buy and operate, encouraging wide adoption, according to the group.

More on this as the project wraps up!

There was some interest in my robot intern, so I’ve put together a brief video explaining him. InternBot was inspired by projects like Hektor, AS220 Labs’ Drawbot and Make: Magazine’s Drawing Robot. The hardware consists of a whiteboard & marker, binder clips, fishing line, two stepper motors, an Arduino with Adafruit’s MotorShield, and a computer running Processing. The software was adapted from other open-source projects.

Like any intern, I’ve been giving InternBot the most menial, mundane tasks. But I’ve decided to put his time, if not his talent, up for your exploitation entertainment.

If you have an assignment you’d like to shirk on InternBot, email him at internbot@jamesprovost.com or tweet me with the hashtag #internbot.

It’s been a busy summer! Working with great clients on really interesting projects, teaching my robot intern how to draw, developing my editorial illustration portfolio, and now adding a little polish to this site.

In addition to the sliding showcase above, I’ve also added new work in my Technical Illustration and Infographics portfolios.

Take a look, and stay frosty!

Spring has sprung, so I’ve dusted off some recent work and added it to my technical illustration and infographics portfolios.

Lots more to come—stay tuned!

I got an early start on my spring cleaning and today I debut two new portfolios.

The first is a selection of information graphics, or infographics, I’ve created for various clients. Infographics are any form of visual communication design, regardless of content or style. Since technical illustration might be considered a subset of this broadly defined discipline, I’ll be using it to refer to a flatter, more graphic method of working that places greater emphasis on quantitative information, processes & instructions, and less on surface & materiality. Don’t know what I mean? Check out the portfolio!

The second portfolio is my new alter ego of sorts, Textbook Example. All of my editorial illustrations have moved over there.

Textbook Example is a smart, playful look at science & technology issues and required reading for our increasingly complex world. The work combines a love for crusty cloth bound hardcovers, visions of the future from the past and state of the art bleeding edge technology.

Look forward to new work in all portfolios the coming weeks!

I’d like to wish everyone happy holidays and all the best of the season. I feel very fortunate to have worked with so many amazing people on so many groundbreaking projects in 2010, and I look forward to what 2011 may bring.

I’d also like to announce that I’ve relocated from drizzly Vancouver, British Columbia to my snowy hometown of Toronto, Ontario. Through the wintery magic of the internets I’m still available at info@jamesprovost.com or 416-669-5448, I’ll just be answering calls three hours earlier.

Thank you. All the best to you & yours.