Hard work and belly laughs
Introduction
My name is Nick Volkert, an artist and creative living in Northwest Chicagoland.
I'm a classically trained illustrator and painter, receiving a BFA in Illustration and an MFA in Painting from Northern Illinois University. I currently illustrate digitally, converting pen and ink illustrations to prints and tee designs.
In my off-hours I like to paint, create comics, attend way too many concerts, play drums, and, in addition I’m a diehard White Sox fan.
I have a lot of comics, illustrations and art to view, hope you find something you like!
Merry Christmas to one and all!
Christmas Designs
A selection of my most cheerful and festive designs from my portfolio! Ho ho ho!
Created: November, 2017 | Role: Illustrator
Captain Pancake is all decked out in his Santa suit to spread some Holiday Cheer!
Created: August, 2015 | Role: Illustrator
In a horrible experiment in the frigid North, peppermint was grafted to Santa Claus' bones.
Created: September, 2015 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Santa shark loves gift giving during Christmas and brings presents to all the oceanic creatures!
Breaking the water surface to say hey
Sharks in Water
You didn't know this, but sharks love a lot of widely celebrated holidays and things. Check em out in this series below.
Created: September, 2014 | Role: Illustrator
Fact: Great White Sharks love to swim up into Lake Michigan and watch Bears games.
"The Gingerbread Destruction Shark"
Created: December 7th, 2020 | Role: Illustrator
Fact: Sharks have a hankering for all things gingerbread, best not get in their way.
Created: December 10th, 2020 | Role: Illustrator
Fact: Goon sharks aren't afraid to lose some teeth (they grow back anyway).
Pen, Ink, and Cintiq!
Illustration
I love making personal works that I use as a vehicle to explore to constantly learn the programs I use on my day to day, and push my artistic abilities.
Created: Ocotber 16th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Skull jam is definitely a pretty grim form of jam, but hey, it's full of calcium!
Created: October 15th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Corn jam is probably the lesser known of the jams, but still down home and as Midwestern as they come!
Created: September 24th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Solos, mad steady beats, The Pumpkin Drummer has your back to keep the spooky tunes moving along in perfect time!
Created: September 17th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY. Are you ready for some gritty four-wheel monster truck action then the NEW chicken monster truck is ready and rearing to get down and dirty in the MUD. Who needs a whole seat when you only need the EDGE.
Created: September 9th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Hey-hey, what do you say? It's a Chicago-style hot dog catching some of that windy-city wind and going for a cruise on it's skateboard to check out the Chicago skyline!
Created: September 1st, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Mrs Claus Shark is a mean mean cookie baking machine and a great host in the waters of the North Pole.
Created: August 21st, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Shark love to destroy any snowmen that might end up in the ocean and assume their jolly identities!
Created: August 2nd, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Sharks love to get dressed up, deliver presents, and eat cookies when it's Christmastime as Jolly St Nick!
"Sunglasses Skater Watermelon"
Created: July 20th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
You're cool, but are you sunglasses watermelon on a skateboard cool? Maybe. I'm not that cool, that's for sure.
Join the Danger Huskie Danger Team
Danger Huskie
Vector works that a fun, cute, scary, and a bit dangerous!
Created: October 9th, 2022 | Role:
Do ghosts wear stocking caps in Chicago because it's so cold most the year? I would argue that yes, yes they do.
Created: October 2nd, 2022 | Role:
A metal fan in life and in DEATH (maybe death metal even). This flying hand with the horns is here to party.
Created: April 28th, 2022 | Role:
Winning ugly is still winning right? This wiener dog knows that and is repping the colors of the south siders while rocking a sweet Chicago-style hot dog costume
I write jokes too
Comics! (Eventually books)
I used to pay the bills as a cartoonist at the Northern Star during my Undergraduate and Graduate studies at Nothern Illinois Univeristy. I’ve always loved comics and was an illustation major to be a comics illustrator (that old cliché). Nonetheless and when the time allows, I love to write and draw works for my friends and social media followers. Big things in the works!
Mondays are the worst
Monday Comic
Just a weekly comic I started celebrating everyone's least favorite day of the week.
"Retreat to Hoodie Season (Fall Edition)"
Created: September 5th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Fall update of my retreat to hoodies comic earlier this year. Huzzah!
Created: September 5th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Oh, you all saw Top Gun this Summer too? Sweet, me too.
Created: March 16th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Early warmth has cause all the orange cones to bloom early this year.
Comics about a wonderful future gal pal
Dear Future Girlfriend
Another weekly comic that started as a series of smart-assed Facebook posts and grew into a comic!
Created: October 8th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Aint no smash dancing like the smashing of pumpkins, smash dancing.
"Chainsaw alarm clock (Repost)"
Created: October 4th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
You'll make sure I'm up for work on time, albeit with an accelerated heartbeat, during cool weather sleepy season.
Created: July 17th, 2022 | Role: Illustrator
If it doesn't work out, we'll at least have this in common, forever.
A helpful little arachnid
Helpful Spider
Always helpful!
Created: August 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Helpful Spider is can't believe it's August already either! In any case he's manning your back to school list and making sure you have all your supplies!
Created: July 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Repost! Helpful Spider is here to remind you to have a happy and safe 4th of July!
Created: May 2022 | Role: Illustrator
Helpful Spider is clearing the way so you can have a nice Spring bike ride!
Reading, it's for your eyeballs!
Related Blogs
Tips, tricks, work stories, short stories, and random musings.
Created: January 16th, 2021
A few tips for JR UX Designers out there looking to gain more skills and be a more proficient UX Designer
Created: January 2nd, 2021
It's cold, miserable, the roads are dangerous, so it's time to get creative while you're huddled up in your warm home.
"Welcome to the new nickvolkert.com"
Created: October 12th, 2020
A two year effort crafting, JSON, SASS, REACT and CDNs finally live!