Nice review...

We just got a very nice review from our favorite Canadian Belt Drive Betty... Check it out when you get a chance...
http://beltdrivebetty.blogspot.ca/2013/12/calling-all-moms-dads-and-grandparents.html

Still time...

There's still time to get Bikers are Animals 4 - Working and Riding for that special little one. You can order from BikersareAnimals.com.

And the winner is...

Here is the winner of the East Coast Biker Magazine Biker Babies Contest. Her name is Jamelyn and she won signed copies especially to her of the 4 Bikers are Animal books. Congrats Jamelyn!

Nice review on BAA3!

We just got a really nice review on Bikers are Animals 3 - On the Road from Women on Wheels. https://www.womenonwheels.org/htmlitems/Mag-Article5.html Check it out when you get a chance.

Sorry...

Sorry about the lack of posts over the past couple of months. With the book out, we've been to the wall with marketing, etc. I have been updating the BAA Facebook page pretty regularly. If it's quiet over here, you can check out our goings on over there at https://www.facebook.com/PJBikersareAnimals.

I will try to do a better job updating this blog.

BTW, Lin and I got married in early November!

Between...

Between getting Book 4 out and my other work, I've been lax with this blog. That said, I've been updating the Bikers are Animals Facebook page regularly. To keep up with the latest posts, check out the page at http://www.facebook.com/PJBikersareAnimals and please "Like"...thanks, PJ

The new East Coast Biker Magazine ad...

The new East Coast Biker Magazine ad for the Biker Babies Photo contest...

When you start...

When you start a character, you have some idea who he or she is going to be...but the final often turns out a lot different...

nt than the first rough.

Over the weekend I was asked if I was going to do another book and will there be any new characters. My answer was, right now I just really want to get book 4 out first. That said, the answer is yeah, I can see at least two more but I'm not sure when, These are at least an 8-month commitment and I want to do some things before I jump into that again. As to new characters, here's the rough of some I like. Galup was the already a background character in book 3 and will again be in book 4. Ban-Tam was introduced in book 3 as a friend of the BAA crew. He's also in background of book 4. The others Jay-Doe, Chompster and Knuck are characters that I think are cool and will develop in next books.

Please let your friends know about Paul Jamiol's Bikers are Animals FB page and ask them to "Like" it when they stop by. We want to let as many out there as possible know about the Bikers are Animals series. https://www.facebook.com/PJBikersareAnimals 

These books are a way to put a positive spin on motorcycles and show youngsters how these riding critters love their motorcycles, love riding and love doing things together with their riding friends. Thanks big time...PJ

I'm often asked...

I'm often asked about the process of developing a character. Here's how the character Howlena starts as a rough, gets more and more refined and ends up as the final riding critter in full color.. It's a fun process to see them come to life. Considering that between the 4 books there are 26 riding characters, 16 young critters and 5 background characters, there's a little drawing time involved.

Road Trip Rita...

This is Road Trip Rita. While Rita isn't on of the Bikers are Animals crew, she is their very good friend from the North. Road Trip Rita is the mascot of Belt Drive Betty of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles. Right now Betty and Rita are on the "Belt Drive Betty 2013 Conga" which started June 18th and will end Sept. 16th.

Betty and Rita's trek across Canada will cover 10 provinces, 2 territories, 83 communities and on they'll be on the road for 26,000+ kilometres (16,000+ miles.) for a total of 91 days. Check out Rita and Betty's progress at http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/track-my-conga. Let's show them some support from their neighbor in the south.

Back in 1991...

Back in 1991 I did a drawing on what I thought a future Indian would look like.

The new Indian Chief from Polaris Industries will be revealed at the 73rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, which runs August 3-11, 2013. I'm wondering how close to my idea it will be. One thing for certain is it'll be a belt drive. Mine has a drive shaft setup.

East Coast Biker Magazine Biker Kid Photo Contest...

Norm Keller, publisher of East Coast Biker, came up with the idea to have a little contest in his magazine and Bikers are Animals 4 will be apart of it. Readers can submit a picture of their Biker Kid and those submissions will be posted in the magazine. 

A vote from readers on the Biker Kid submissions will take place in October issue after the release of Bikers are Animals 4. The Biker Kid with the most votes will get an autographed copy of Bikers are Animals 4 and poster of the book cover. All entrants will get a BAA 4 postcard addressed to their little entrant with a personal thanks from me for entering the East Coast Biker Magazine Biker Kid Photo contest.

To check out the first 2 submissions, click here to go to the July 1st issue to see the first entrant and click here to go the July 15th issue to see the second entrant.

Now that the book is finished a little something different...

After 8 months with the young BAA critters, their adults and bikes, it's time for a little something different. I did a couple of these calendars for Linda last year and will be doing them again for her.

After years of shooting chrome, paint and steel, it's a nice change to shoot things a lot softer and organic. It's a whole different ballgame for me with photography and it's super relaxing. It won't be long before we kick up marketing on the book so this is a nice little break in the action.

Big Thanks to...

Big thanks to Norm Keller of East Coast Biker magazine for letting his readers know about the Bikers are Animals 4 - Working and Riding October debut.

Norm's East Coast Biker is a popular web-based motorcycle magazine with contributors providing stories from states all over the east coast. Check it out at  www.eastcoastbiker.net

 

To Press...

The finished book went out Fed Ex to the publisher late Friday. Now it's wait for proofs and if all goes well Bikers are Animals 4 - Working and Riding will be in our hands by October.

It was really strange waking up over the weekend and not have to draw the critters, Feel like they've gone for a ride and left me behind. So I'll be catching them on the flip side in October...Can't wait!

It's done!...

After 8 months and almost 1,000 hours, BAA 4 is completed. Here's the back cover...

This has been one long ride for me and I'm glad to get that last line in. The next step is off to the printer (this week)...and then it's marketing time. The book should be in our hands by October (fingers crossed.)

P.S. There is a Safety page and a Thanks page from all the young critters as the last two pages. Lin put the Thanks page together which helped us big time meet our end-of-June deadline. She did a great job on it too!

The final...

 Maggie©

Here she is, the final young critter for the Bikers are Animals 4 - Working and Riding. Her name is Maggie and her dad is Slick the dresser riding elephant from Book one.

The cover...

Here it is folks...the cover of Bikers are Animals 4 - Working and Riding. Sketch has called it a day at his shop, he's hung the "gone riding" sign and he and Max are headed out for an all day ride. The weather is perfect so it's time to twist the throttle and leave the work world behind!

I said 3 but...

Max©

I said 3 more characters after Cole but it's actually two. This is Max who is one of those two to go. Which means I've got one more character to do and it means we've created 16 new characters that will be in BAA 4...whew...glad it's coming down to the wire.

As to Max, he's the son of Sketch. He really thinks the world of his dad and when it's time to ride he's raring to go. Max and his dad are also on the cover of BAA4 which you'll see in next post.

Three more characters...

Cole©

Three more characters after this young critter. Meet Cole...His dad is Talon the eagle (Cover of Book 1). Cole is proud of what his dad does and loves riding rain or shine but mostly shine!

Our latest addition to...

 Zack© 

Our latest addition to the little critter crew is Zack. His uncles are Zig and Zag, the twin riding gorillas who were introduced in the first Bikers are Animals. This young one loves his uncles and is crazy about their Banana Yellow bikes.

You've heard me mention the BAA Team...

You've heard me mention the BAA Team, so who exactly are they and what do they do?

First up is yours truly...

I'm the author and illustrator...sound important? Not really. Yeah, I draw the pictures but there's no way I can do it myself so here's who keeps me on the straight and narrow...

This is my much better half Linda...

Lin is both creative and art director plus the editor. She wears all three hats extremely well and if it wasn't for her input and help, instead of having 5 books out in front of the world, I'd have zero books.

Meet my good friend Bill Thomas...

Bill is the BAA Technical Adviser. This guy knows his motorcycles and keeps me honest and... makes me redraw things if they're not right...LOL!. He's also an idea guy who adds big time to the books. FTR, Bill's an artist in his own right. You can see his work at Rosebud Tattoo in Sanford, ME.

This is Nicole Burns...

Nicole has been in my life from her day one. She brings her sense of humor and her knowledge of what kids like to the BAA Team table. Nicole was sitting on my bike tank playing with the horn and light buttons at 2 years old. We started her young and her love of motorcycles is still with her today.

I don't have a pic of our last team member Nancy Fawcett. I worked with her everyday for a whole lotta years, She bring ideas, humor and big-time support to the our table.

So that's it folks, the Bikers are Animals team. The ones that make it all happen!


And then there's Maggie...

 
She's not a team member but she sure is a supporter and a serious riding critter. Meet Bill's pup Maggie. Like the characters from the books, Maggie loves her face in the wind and has more mileage under her collar than a lot of bikers out there.

Okay, here's a crumb...

This is part of the bike that'll be on the cover. You'll have to go to BAA 2 to see who's bike it is.

The cover...

I've been asked about the cover of BAA 4 but wasn't sure what I was going to do. I usually do the cover first. Anyway, I finished it today and it's looking pretty cool. Here's a rough of it (extreme rough).

That'll be it for now until book is complete and ready to go to press. Hoping for mid-July...with fingers crossed.

This is...

  Treena© 

This is Treena...She's the daughter of Howlena and just as independent as her mom. The only thing she likes better than riding is...riding!

The logo for BAA 4...

Finally decided on the logo for BAA 4. Think it will work nicely.

Maya riding with her dad...

A pic of Maya on the back of her dad Spike's bike.

Meet Maya...

 Maya ©

Meet our latest young critter for Biker are Animals 4 - Working and Riding. Little Maya is a biker through and through and rides with her dad Spike the bear every chance she gets.

You'll have to wait...another teaser...

Jake and his dad GT Charlie go for a ride and end up at this really cool place. Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait until the book comes out to see where they stopped.

Next up...

 

Jake ©

Next up is Jake. Having a riding muskrat for a dad (GT Charlie) means Jake gets to go on rides to some pretty cool places.

A live animal for a change...

Photographed this cheetah at the National Zoo in DC a couple of weeks ago. Used my Pentax K7 with an aluminum A. Schacht Ulm Travenor 135mm lens. Made in Germany back in late '50's, it's pretty sweet lens. Pretty cool cheetah too. Click on pic to see it larger.

Check out these bikers...

In all my years of riding (40+), I've seen the good that bikers do with events to help others and raise awareness for a multitude of causes. Recently I found a group that has really impressed me for what they are doing and, as a biker and author, it makes it even better. The group is Bikers for Books out of Saint Johns, Michigan. They are reaching out to kids about the power of reading. Check out their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/BikersForBooks?fref=ts

Show your support to some great bikers who are walking the walk with their effort to get kids reading. PJ

Rough of...

A rough of Leenah and Purl on the road. Again, like all the roughs, this is close crop teaser.

Our latest critter...

Purl ©

Our latest critter is Purl. Her mom is Leenah the racoon from BAA2. This little one loves her mom and loves going down the open road together with her on the bike.

A great review...

A great review by David McMullan the Englishman in China...

David McMullan is currently the only foreign journalist specializing in the Chinese industry. David is the International Editor of ChinaMotor Magazine and China E-Vehicle as well as writing monthly columns and periodical reports for British Dealernews, MCN, BikeSA, Motorcycle Consumer News, Motorcycle Powersports News, Kiwi Rider, Revista 400, Global Auto Supplies, Inside Motorcycles, Canadian Motorcycle Rider and many others.

Bikers are animals!
David McMullan the Englishman in China reviews

Maybe not too complimentary a comment until you realise that in Paul Jamiol’s charming
series of children’s books the bikers really are animals!

Famous motorcycle cartoonist Jamiol applies his already celebrated illustrating talents to
a series of children’s books which are designed to stimulate a child’s interest in
motorcycles and motorcycling. At first, motorcycling may seem a strange topic for a
child’s book but as the reader engages more with the animal bikers and their relationships
(certainly in the 3rd book) it becomes a lesson in cooperation and team work as well as a
promotion for leisure orientated motorcycling.

This 3 book (so far) series depicts a variety of animals as traditional American ‘bikers’
(of the non-outlaw variety). Clad in denims and leathers each different biker has their
own style of motorcycle, varying from the iconic v-twin American cruisers to classics,
customs and sports bikes. Started by club brothers Thor, Trash and Spike the ‘Bears
Motorcycle Club’ provides an introduction to the first book which also includes a biking
gorilla, rhino, elephant and eagle among other animals in its motorcycle menagerie. Each
biker is illustrated and his or her motorcycle and riding style described individually
throughout the first 2 books of the series which culminates in a 3rd book which details a
grand motorcycle tour involving all the animal bikers.

I must admit to being slightly alarmed by the lack of motorcycle helmets and safety gear
on display but relieved by Paul Jamiol’s later assertion on behalf of the animal bikers that
“remember that we are cartoon characters. When it comes to riding a motorcycle in real
life, make sure that you wear a helmet and protective clothing…that means no tank tops,
no shorts and no sneakers!”

Intricately drawn, coloured and shaded motorcycles bring the pages to life in what can be
positively described as a ‘buddy book’ that will delight kids and adults alike as it shines a
positive light on a much maligned pastime. My 2 year old daughter Maya squealed with
delight at the cartoon animals and listened attentively to their adventures.

Bikers are Animals is a truly delightful series of books and one which the ankle-biters
will love. If I have to criticise the series in any way it would be that among the abundance
of beautifully drawn v-twin cruisers, occasional customs, classics and sports-bikes is an
absolute absence of scooters and café-racers. But then again, I am English!

Thanks Dave!...and look for a café-racer in Book 5...Paul and Linda

Check out Dave's sites at...  
http://www.englishmaninchina.org/
http://www.chinamotorcyclenews.com/, 
http://www.chinamotorexport.com/

Finished drawing of Tourk and Tac. This is just a partial teaser. The full pic has them riding on a cool mountain road. You're gonna have to wait until the book comes out to see the full scene. I think you'll like it.

A rough of...

This is a partial of the rough of Tourk and Tac cruisin' down the road.

Belt Drive Betty's Contest Character gets a name...

 

 

Her name is Road Trip Rita and she's the mascot for Renee "Belt Drive Betty" Charbonneau of Belt Drive Betty Media's Canadian Busted Knuckle Chronicles. She had been nameless from when I created her a few month's ago. Renee held a contest to name her furry mascot and the winner is "Road Trip Rita". I recently did some motor and front end work on Rita's bike. She's now sporting a big V-twin to get her down the road.

For more on Road Trip Rita and the best motorcycle website in Canada check out http://www.beltdrivebetty.com

 

.

Here's our latest little critter...

Tac ©

He's the younger brother of our sportsbike ridin' lion Tourk. Needless to say Tac is following in Tourk's footsteps with a love for motorcycles.

Working on...

I'm working on a logo for the inside front page. Here are a couple possibilities.

   

Still might do a third. I like the one with Little T and his dad but I had Trash in BAA3. I really like the one with Sa-Rah and Ela but I think it might need a little more of the bike showing. If you guys have any thoughts...

Meet Dex...

 Dex©

Dex is the grandson of that seasoned riding dog Pops. Dex looks up to his granddad and will go riding with him in a heartbeat.

Got a chance to meet...

Got a chance to meet motorcycle artist extraordinaire David Uhl at the New York motorcycle show back in January. His paintings are really  beautiful...That man wields a seriously mean brush! Pic was taken by my friend Jack Lydon.

Nikki finished...

 The final of Nikki. She's ready to go riding with her mom!

Every once in a while something about real animals...wolves...

Love wolves. I think they are just beautiful and fascinating creatures. Here's a great picture of a pack that I found on the web the other day. I don't know who the photographer is but kudos to him/her for a such stunning shot!

Meet Nikki...in the rough...

  Nikki©

 

A rough sketch of Nikki. Her mom is Skyla, the full-dresser riding bear, from Book 2. Like her mom, she has an independent streak and like all the young critters...loves motorcycles!