This is my finished acrylic portrait of ‘Sam the Tugboat & Friends’ (11″ x 14″) 2016, the principle characters in my original stories called ‘The Adventures of Sam the Tugboat.’  I never previously thought I had the talent to bring my cartoon characters to life, but now that I’ve finished Sam’s portrait along with his many friends, I think I’ve come close to capturing the essence of my stories! 🙂

Sam’s expressions, posture, hat and smokestack are his signature elements for future illustrations – with his sea captain’s hats changing with the weather, his smokestack sporting a different design each time, and his sense of urgency while rescuing his friends at sea painting a true portrait of who Sam really is!

Sam lives and works in the idyllic coastal community of Beach Harbor, and along with his right hand man Fred who manages the marina and takes care of Sam – they help keep ships moving in and out of The Port of Beach Harbor, while at the same time ensuring the safety of Sam’s many friends out on the ocean!  Here’s the link to ‘The Adventures of Sam the Tugboat’ http://samthetugboat.com/

‘Sam the Tugboat & Friends’ (2016)

(Copyright 2016, Mark D. Jones, All Rights Reserved)