here is a fun project i did for the Feb cover of Angie’s List Magazine. The feature was on the controversial technique of ‘tree topping’ which hacks the tops off of trees as a way of pruning.

as i was sketching i could’nt help but think about an old barber i used to regularly visit about 15 yrs ago, i would sit in the dusty chair and he would proceed to give me a flattop cut. he had one his partner had one and the fellas hanging out in the shop had them as well, i didnt have the heart to tell him i preferred the ‘high and tight’ cut. so for the 3 years i lived in Lebanon Ohio i had a flat top, this was the time i got married to my wife, so my wedding day is forever marked by the flattop.

back on topic, as i sketched the lumberjack with a flattop i was smacked in the face with the idea that the tree should be cut the to the exact line of his hair cut. i liked how it reinforced the idea that this fella believes that if a flat top works for him it will work for the trees he cuts, sort of like the barber felt the same way about the hair he cut.

here is a close up of the chainsaw i built. all the while i was thinking of my friend and fellow illustrator Chris Buzelli who during my last trip to NY mentioned his love of using a chainsaw to tend to some of the lumber around his cabin. he is incidentally know to some as ‘Buzz’