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About

The Chicago Dog | View Work

About the Chicagoland creative...

aka Nickv47, aka DangerHuskie, aka Volkert Design, aka Ghost-Eyed Cat, aka Volkert's Toons, the illustrator and cartoonist in Chicagoland: Nick Volkert.

Learn more about me below!

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Illustration, Cartoons and Code

About Me

I'm a small town kid from Northern Illinois that made the migration from the cornfields of the Midwest to Chicago-land (and then Chicago itself) in pursuit of my passion of art and love of live music.

My background is Fine Art, and I have a BFA in Illustration and an MFA in Painting from Northern Illinois University.

Throughout my career I've worn many hats as a freelance Graphic Artist, working my way up in the freelance arena in Chicagoland as a production artist, designer, illustrator and front-end developer. Working long hours, weekends, traveling all over the Chicago suburbs taking advantage of every opportunity that came my way.

After a long journey as freelancer and full-time creative I started my own company called Volkert Design, LLC., working as a Designer, creating user experinces, interfaces, icons, websites, logos and branding, and applications for a variety of industries. I leverage my skills towards technology, addressing a variety of business issues with my creativity.

When I'm not designing user interfaces for clients, logos, illustrating, or coding, you can see my work posted on my instagram and social media, or out enjoying the Chicago music scene, The Chicago White Sox, or I love hitting the local bike trail to jog and bike and connecting with nature.

Please contact me at nick@nickvolkert.com or follow me on social to request a commission or to work with me!

I'm especially interested in any illustration projects you may have!

~Nick

GO SOX!

Learn more about Volkert Design!

The '10s are OVER

Best of the 2010 Decade

The top designs from a decade of work! Thank you so much for your support!

A watermelon wearing sunglasses rides a skateboard while giving the 'peace' sign.

Created: November, 2016 | Role: Illustrator

You might be cool, but are you a skating watermelon with sunglasses cool?

A wiener dog with cool Blues Brothers sunglasses, a chicago themed stocking cap, a mustache, and a suit that looks like a chicago-style hot dog.

Created: August 27th, 2010 | Role: Illustrator

No ketchup, ingredients like it was dragged through a garden, aviator sunglasses, mustache, stocking cap, it's just a little Chicago Dog!

The superhero Captain Pancake stands proud with his blue cape waving behind him.

Created: May, 2015 | Role: Illustrator

NEED PANCAKES? CAPTAIN PANCAKE IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!

Abstract works on canvas and board

Abstract Art

Check out work I made in pursuit of my MFA in Grad School at NIU, and beyond.

An abstract work that has a prominent green paint that has deep purple streaks on the bottom of th work with hints of yellow and orange peeking through the green.

2005

A piece that ended up looking like the side of an actual boxcar, or maybe a vintage refrigerator, that I was able to preserve in time with oil paint.

Oil on wood panel

24 in. x 24 in.

available|$1,750

An abstract work on a square board with layered shades of orange with a dominant application of black.

2006

A spooky vibe came over me when I created this work. Using orange and black to make a layered abstract work that feels right at home during Halloween.

Latex acrylic on wood panel

24 in. x 24 in.

available|$1,700

An abstract painting on stretched canvas with dominant use of red with shades of blue and white with touches of yellow.

2006

Meant as an homage to our veterans that last their lives in service, this piece has a frantic application of red white and blue and yellow on canvas.

Latex acrylic on wood panel

48 in. x 48 in.

available|$2,200

A super stack of pancakes

Captain Pancake

The most powerful breakfast buddy!

Captain Pancakes descends down from the air to join you for breakfast.

Created: November, 2016 | Role: Illustrator

Dropping in for breakfast!

Captain Pancake is dressed like a Chicago Bears Superfan, and is holding a chicago-style hot dog.

Created: December 9th, 2018 | Role: Illustrator

Captain Pancake is a huge fan of a certain football team from Chicago, by the lake, of the Midway!

Captain Pancake is celebrating your birthday while holding a present and surrounded by confetti falling down.

Created: November 26th, 2018 | Role: Illustrator

Guess which Captain Pancake loves birthday? The Captain BIRTHDAY Pancake loves birthdays! Happy birthday to one and all! Treat yourself!

Getting decked out

Skater Designs

Totaly cool sporty fruits, ghosts, pumpkins and more shredding on their skateboards!

A cool banana skates on a skateboard while showing a peace gesture.

Created: January 28th, 2019 | Role: Illustrator

The Banana Skater is the chillest banana on a skateboard you'll ever see!

An orange with green sunglasses skates on a skateboard while waving

Created: February 19th, 2019 | Role: Illustrator

Orange you glad this skating fruit stopped by to say hi?

A pear shows off a trick on a skateboard

Created: February 10th, 2019 | Role: Illustrator

A skating fruit that ap-PEAR-ently does the juiciest tricks!