Illustration Friday - Danger

I couldn't resist this topic.  As I was cleaning out my studio yesterday I found this older sketch and it immediately screamed "DANGER" to me!   It reminds me to watch my step! 

Illustration Friday - small

I'm working on a children's
book story and it has a tiny character in it - named Lily.  Here Lily is telling a mouse that if he wants food, all he has to do is ask...not steal!

Commission

My First Real Commission

A baby named Finlay - his naming sponsor wanted some kind of a name illustration.  All I had to go by was his name and the fact that he likes things that go "Roar".

First I came up with this:

And secondly - this.

Despite the fact that we all like the second one better, the client is taking both, as she thinks the second one will be great for him in a year or so.

Awesome!

Wiggle

A quick sketch for the IL prompt of "Wiggle".   Nothing like a tight dress  to make one wiggle!

NE SCBWI - annual meeting

This is my first year attending the New England Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - not that I am one yet, but I'm working on it.

The challenge here was to illustrate "Don't worry, I fixed it" - in a double page spread sized 10" x 16".    This is my first..and last try - since it is due tomorrow evening!

The Conference is next weekend, Friday, Sat and Sunday - should be interesting.

Comic Book - Short Stories

 I'm working on finalizing all my drawings, files, lettering etc.  This will be one of about 5 - 6 short stories in my comic book.  
Starting with the cover page....

A few new items

I haven't posted since before Christmas!  I have too many pieces, drawings, cards to post but will show a few of my bigger ones.

The first one is a study for a larger painting to go with a story about how Stars get their Shine.

The second one I just liked. 

I'm working on some dinosaur sketches for another story - here are a few pencil sketches - dino studies really

Holiday Cards

I'm starting to work on Christmas and Holiday cards.  Probably late, but the muse started nudging me so I've listened. It might be a Fishy Christmas theme this year.

Second Illustration Friday - Keep Rowing

I seem to have alot of "Journey's"  in my sketchbook, this one I call "Keep Rowing" 

Illustration Friday - Journey

It's been awhile since I've submitted anything to Illustration Friday - and I couldn't resist this prompt.  This piece has been shown here before, but it's a perfect example for "Journey".  It was conceived at Heathrow Airport in London, where so many people are taking a Journey from their homeland to a new unknown, hopefully safer home.

A brave Journey.

Praying for Peace

Two paintings completed based on  a view from Buenos Aires from the near by Ecological Reserve.   The first painting below is a calm view of a city from a peaceful tropical oasis. "Peaceful City" I call it.

The second one is called "Praying for Peace" and in my view, the outstretched arms and glowing orange rays depicts both protection and anger. Anger as to what we humans can do to each other, anger that no one is saying "STOP!". Protection because we all need it.

Thanks for the inspiration from Xul Solar, amazing artist.

Learning about production

What I don't know about production can fill a book.  In working on my portfolio I went to a printer on the advice of a friend and got most everything done and done well.  A few items needed to be redone, so I worked on those today and got them completed. Happily reprinted.  Asked husband for help putting the actual portfolio together and had a shock when the portfolio - advertised as 11x14 - only had pages that are 12x 10 or something like that.  OK, so the COVER is 11x14  - but they don't tell you that.  My production oriented husband was shaking his head that I hadn't measured the inside portfolio papers - but I didn't.

Well, it's all getting sorted out and I will have a good laugh about it in a few weeks.  Meanwhile, I'll have some lovely prints to sell if anyone is interested. Anything on these pages will be up for grabs in varying sizes.  I'll probably put them in my long abandoned Etsy shop.

The edges look funny here but are all white in person.  Ah well, live and learn.

Merging drawings

I need a refresher course in merging two sections of a drawing after scanning in. I'm not sure if it was me, or my computer that was being uncooperative, but it just wasn't working well.

I did get the two pieces together finally, but am going to do some research on how to do this more smoothly.

Heathrow

I did this drawing after my last trip to England - inspired by the enormous multinational lines at security and passport control.  I was also inspired by a painting I saw at a friends house by Stephanie Ho and loved the shadows she used.

Getting ready for the SCBWI conference

I'm so excited to be going to this conference, not only will I get an introduction to the whole business, but I signed up for an illustrator intensive workshop and a portfolio review session.  As I've mentioned before, I've never had a portfolio and am having some anxiety about putting one together.  I've read a few blog posts about assembling one that have been very helpful - here is the link to one. Great advice and I'm following it as best I can.

I've gone thru all my artwork, and have a pile set aside of potential pieces to include.  The pile is too high - I only need about 12 - 15 pages of work, but I am working on everything to ensure that I have the right pieces that will go together. Everything is scanned into the computer, and sized for printing.  I'm doing trial prints but will have the final prints done at a local print shop.  I bought a portfolio book, and I'll be ready to assemble it all in a few weeks.  I've ordered business cards and those are coming today.

I plan on going to the city a day or so early to see friends and relatives - and to get a slice of real NYC pizza, and some really decent bagels.  I'm looking forward to this trip - there is so much to do in the city that I could spend all week there!

A new story about gardens

Peter ropes the wolf, while the hunter wants to shoot the animal.  Work in process

One of my fish drawings

I've also joined a group that meets once a month to review Children's Book manuscripts - a totally new idea for me, but a great group.  More on that at another time.

Snow White finding the Cottage

Work in Progress for Poor Snow White, lost in the woods. 

Business cards

Making business cards for my first illustrators conference.   I used these images on the front, and the "head-shot" on the information side.