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!
Crisp air and crisp leaves
Fall Series
Time to cozy up in your warm jackets blankets and pumpkin flavored things!
Created: December, 2013 | Role: Illustrator
Logs often patrol the forest in the Fall showing off their wooden mustaches!
Created: December, 2014 | Role: Illustrator
The best way to scare away crows is the apex predator of the sea!
Created: August, 2014 | Role: Illustrator
An isolated version of my 'Lumberjack Shark' design.
It's time to learn!
Back to School
Some cute, some total punkasses, it's a collection of characters that know it's time to go back to school and learn!
Created: August, 2015 | Role: Illustrator
Just an awkward but happy little lunch pail heading to school!
Created: September 27th, 2021 | Role: Illustrator
Captain Pancake was once an awkward little dude too! Here he is with braces and book bag, ready to go back to school just like you!
Created: September 29th, 2021 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Sharks are not real nuts about going back to school, but they do love taking a bite out of their school supplies!
Beep bop boop.
Robot Series
Robots of all types, useful, useless, wildly questionable, cute, totally epic and sometimes scary.
Created: September 8th, 2019 | Role: Illustrator
No one expects the Uber UnderwearBot!
Created: April 7th, 2020 | Role: Illustrator
A wooden robot gets a second wind and returns to his roots and blooms!
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: September 18th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
A robot built to handle all your high fives! It's the High Five Robot! If you see him out in the wild be sure to give him a high five! NO LOW FIVES.
Created: August 1st, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Sharks are known to totally manhandle a box of delicious ice cream sandwiches.
Created: July 23rd, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
FACT: Sharks have taken up jobs as ice cream men and are serving up soft serve ice cream cones...with sprin-kills...sorry...sprinkles!
Created: June 25th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Who loves skateboarding? Little blueberries of course. They also love listening to their Summer jams!
Created: June 19th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Chicago Dogs in Chicago Hot Dog costumes LOVE to go skateboarding, of course!
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 four-wheel monster truck action with The Chicken Monster Truck? It's ready and rearing to get down and dirty in the MUD.
Join the Danger Huskie Danger Team
Danger Huskie
Vector works that a fun, cute, scary, and a bit dangerous!
"Chicago Stocking Cap Dog with Flag"
Created: June 27th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Windy City what's up!? This little weiner dog is decked out in Chicago-style hot dog toppings and touting the city's flag. A true fan of all things Chicago!
Created: June 20th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Who says you need to quit being a Chicago Hockey fan after you die? Da Chicago Hockey Ghost says it's clearly not da case.
Created: June 14th, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
What batter way to celebrate Flag Day than with a tasty Chicago-style Hot Dog and a big ol' waving red, white and blue American Flag!
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.
Created: February, 2023 | Role: Illustrator
That last cold snap really cashed my hands out to oblivion.
"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.
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: June 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Helpful Spider noticed the weather has warmed up and is ready to be helpful for the rest of the year!
Created: January 2023 | Role: Illustrator
Helpful Spider is on the ready in case things get weird, which they probably will, so yeah.
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!
Comics usually on Thursdays
The Thursday Treat
Ongoing comics that are sometimes funny, of various amounts of panels, subject manner, and typically on Thursdays, not on a more funner day like Friday.
Created: September 28th, 2017 | Role: Illustrator
Can the taco not only be a great delivery vehicle for meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream, but also a wildly un-aerodynamic car?
Created: July 6th, 2017 | Role: Illustrator
A tale of a TRex drummer that has a heavy kickdrum style, but lacks a bit on hi-hat and snare rhythms.
Created: February 5th, 2016 | Role: Illustrator
The Thursday Treat is a well of knowledge of helpful, albeit questionable, tips on keeping yourself warm during a frigid Winter.
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!