Princeton Pod Life

With a pandemic raging, Princeton students aren't allowed to set foot on campus, but this doesn’t mean they can’t emulate university life. Many are forming pods of five or more students, and living together in houses across the country. Living responsibly under the same roof, they can share in their educational experiences, and form a lasting camaraderie. Thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson (at Princeton Alumni Weekly) for another fun assignment!

Below are sketches i submitted for this piece:

Thanks for visiting. Please visit my website to view more fun stuff!

Grade Inflation

This illustration for Princeton accompanies a story about the trend of grade inflation in higher education. GPAs have shifted upwards at Princeton as well, but the ceiling varies from department to department. As an example, your chances of getting a higher grades are much better if you're an English or Slavic Language major, as opposed to an Earth Science or Chemistry major. Below are sketches submitted for this project:

Thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson, for another fascinating assignment! 

Please visit my website to see more fun projects!

Princeton Dispatch art

This piece for Princeton accompanies a story about a debate between progressive public intellectual, Cornel West, and conservative legal scholar, Robert George. Their dialog  focused on the “truth-seeking” mission of liberal-arts universities. You read the story here!

Please visit my website to view more fun illustrations.

Tiger Confessions

Here's a new piece for Princeton Alumni Weekly. It accompanies a story about a private Facebook group for Princeton students,  Tiger Confessions. In this group, students can anonymously express thoughts they're uncomfortable  expressing in person to others. These confessions can run the spectrum from happy, sad, embarrassing, to just plain humorous. In a recent post, a student discussed committing suicide, which caught the attention of the school administration. They reinforced the idea that, while it is worthy to have forum such as this, there are mental health professionals available, who can help address difficult issues and emotions which students confront.  

Here're some of the sketches I submitted for this project.

A special thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson, for this fascinating assignment.    

Thanks for visiting. You can view my illustration portfolio here.

Princeton Eating Clubs

This piece for Princeton Alumni Weekly accompanies a story about the university’s famed eating clubs. Change is in the air as 9 of 11 of these clubs now have elected female presidents. Their goal is to make these unique meeting places more diverse, inclusive and safe. A special thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson for this tasty assignment!

Here are sketches I submitted for this assignment.

You can view my illustration portfolio here!

Math Versus Politics

This piece for Princeton accompanies a story called Math Versus Politics. It explains how utilization of activism and mathematics can end a true threat to our democracy, partisan gerrymandering. Thanks to art director Marianne Nelson for this fascinating assignment. You can view my illustration portfolio at my new site! 

Princeton Alumni Weekly

Here’s a new piece for Princeton Alumni Weekly, which accompanies a story about their University Press Club. In an age when there’s much volatility in the profession of journalism, they’re rethinking ways to practice it with quality, efficiency and success. A special thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson, for a super fun assignment!

Please check out my new illustration site here!

The Princeton Experience

Here's a new drawing for Princeton Alumni Weekly. The university was recently ranked as the best school for African-American students by Essence Magazine.. Given recent racial unrest on campus, this story gauges student reactions to this prestigious ranking,

Talking about race through drawings is sensitive business. Here are some ideas I submitted:

A special thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson, for another thought-provoking assignment.

If you'd like to discuss a project you need illustrated, please contact me at

danielbaxter@webjogger.net   or    845-758-0766

Thank for visiting.

Sitting In at Princeton

Here's a new piece for Princeton - about a student reporter embedded at a sit-in in the school president's office. The students were protesting the university's use of Woodrow Wilson's name on a campus building. They were also shining a light on his racist views. While the president's office was in lock-down for 32 hours, the reporter (Gabe Fisher) was able to blog real-time updates about negotiations between students and the school president, Christopher Eisgruber (standing). The sit-in sparked a passionate debate about race, legacy, political correctness, and the concept of scrubbing history.

In this illustration detail, the university president leans against his desk on the left.

Below are ideas I submitted for this story...

A special thanks to art director of Princeton Alumni Weekly,
Marianne Nelson, for another fascinating assignment!

You can check out my new illustration website here!

American Lucifer

The 2012 Vice Presidential Debate takes place this evening. Coincidentally, I recently drew this portrait of a vice president who's been debated about very much; Aaron Burr. He lives in infamy for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. He was also put on trial for conspiring to invade and take over Mexico (he was acquitted).  But Aaron Burr also had redemptive qualities. He was a feminist, a rationalist, and a supporter of manumission (the act of a slave owner freeing his slaves). He also perfected many campaign techniques which are utilized in modern politics. This article for Princeton Alumni Weekly examines this complex man who historians are presently reassessing. I created this mirror-image portrait to convey Aaron Burr's dueling legacies. A special thanks to art director Marianne Nelson for this fascinating assignment!

Here are layout ideas I submitted for this story:

Mirror images of Aaron Burr, portrayed as a devil and an angel.

Straight-on portrait of Aaron Burr with relevant elements of his story.

Contradictory portraits of Aaron Burr overlap.

Aaron Burr as devil, reflection as angel.

Reference to famous duel with Alexander Hamilton

Thanks for viewing,


You can view my new illustration website here!

May the best man win this evening's debate!