Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Happy Holidays!
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And a little behind-the-scenes process work:
First, after trying to start three times before, I finally decided to center the image on the road runner. I'd had a lot of fun drawing him for my card two years ago and I'd already had a special rubber stamp made of him, so I would get to use it again:
These two images give an idea of how I build illustrations - I start with rough sketches. If I get something I like, I scan and piece together an overall layout template to use to either transfer or as a light-table guide. In this case I had to transfer the old-fashion graphite way, because the paper I did the final drawing on was ultra-thick (I mean NO LIGHT was getting thru that sucker).I also had to plan for the paper-punched layered star (fixed in place with a gold brad), which looks like a moon in this template.
At this point, I was still going for 3 road runners. I eventually decided against the 3rd because I didn't like the way his beak stuck into the back of the front road runners head and two seemed enough to communicate the message of loved ones and/or friends. BTW, the mountain range in the background is the actual Sandia Mountain Range, as viewed overlooking Albuquerque.
My sketchbook page of swatches and notes… trying to decide what colors to use, materials, trying out stamp colors, etc.
This is the the final illustration with no digital adjustments, straight-up scan.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Drawing Morning Pages (Doodle Edition)
Dec 12-15, 2011
Missed a day in here - I somehow completely missed December 11th. Whoops. This is what happens when holiday madness disrupts the normal routine. Or you just let yourself get distracted. ;)
Missed a day in here - I somehow completely missed December 11th. Whoops. This is what happens when holiday madness disrupts the normal routine. Or you just let yourself get distracted. ;)
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Friday, December 02, 2011
PiBoIdMo 2011 - Winner!
I do solemnly swear that I have faithfully executed
the PiBoIdMo 30-ideas-in-30-days challenge,
and will, to the best of my ability,
parlay my ideas into picture book manuscripts.
My second year of participating in Picture Book Idea Month 2011 (#PiBoIdMo) was another success. Once again, I find myself thinking… this is really something I should do everyday, keep this list going all year long… or at the very least, find a way to make it a more regular practice. Of course, I've got two long lists to work through, and this year I'm more interested in the follow-through of the these ideas. The next step… turning these ideas into real books!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
F is for Fiffer-Feffer-Feff*
BIG F
little f
F . . f . . F
Four fluffy feathers
on a
Fiffer-feffer-feff.
*more fanart - from Dr. Suess's ABC Book
I really wanted to complete this drawing, but at the same time I really struggled with it… which is why it's so late in being posted. NOW I can move on to the G beast. :)
Drawing Morning Pages (Doodle Edition)
Nov 23, 26-28 2011
I've been WAY behind on my Drawing Morning Pages posts… although I've been keeping up with the actually drawings fairly well. Today (1.12.12) I'm catching up through late Novemeber to mid December. Hopefully I'll get myself up to date by this weekend.
I've been WAY behind on my Drawing Morning Pages posts… although I've been keeping up with the actually drawings fairly well. Today (1.12.12) I'm catching up through late Novemeber to mid December. Hopefully I'll get myself up to date by this weekend.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
F is for Fandango** / Illustration Friday: VANITY
If the fancy Fandangos seem stuck-up and snooty,from NO SUCH THINGS, by Bill Peet
It is because of their exquisite beauty.
They're most often seen with smug smiling faces,
By a crustal clear pond in a jungle oasis.
There they linger for hours with nothing to do
But sip the sweet water and admire the view.
And the view they admire, as you might well suppose,
Is their own reflection, right under their nose.
*This week I got to combine my extracurricular blog posts, and it was all do to kismet! I originally thought of doing a Dr. Suess creature (I still am, working on it!), so I ran to the library to grab a couple of the books I didn't have - and on display were a couple Bill Peet books I was not familiar with (I am a true Bill Peet fan from childhood - when we went to the books store, I was always asking for a new Bill Peet book), so I snatched them up and brought them home not even really paying attention to what they were about.
One of those books, NO SUCH THINGS, just happens to be a book of made up creatures! It was just perfect. I looked at the cover thinking, I really hope those horse-like creatures start with an F, because they are just so cool -- and they DID. And apparently they're extremely vane creatures, which totally fits in with Illustration Friday's theme this week: Vanity. Such lucky and fun discoveries this weekend. :)
**and also FANART
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
E is for Enfield
The enfield is a mythological beast most commonly (when seen at all) used in European heraldry especially in England and Ireland. It is most famously used in the heraldry of the London Borough of Enfield.
The enfield it has the head of a fox, the chest of a greyhound, the body of a lion, the hindquarters and tail of a wolf, and forelegs like an eagle's talons. The enfield is a creature of Celtic cultures, which has given meaning to the various parts: the head of the fox represents craftiness or cleverness. The chest of a greyhound suggests swiftness and endurance. The body of a lion means royalty and bravery. The hindquarters of a wolf implies fraternity and loyalty to family. Finally, the forelegs of an eagle's talons conveys strength, nobility and hunting prowess.
The creature had a role in legends as being a guardian of chieftains or leaders who had fallen in battle. The Celts believed strongly in making sure that their honored members and loved ones received what they considered to be proper funeral rites so that their spirits could rest in peace. Enemies would try to carry away bodies, especially of enemy leaders, so that they could tear them apart and use them to demoralize the enemy and serve as a warning. This was distressing to Celtic peoples and they believed the spirit of people debased in this way would haunt the world of the living until they were avenged.
Exerpted from Squidoo
*Gotta admit I struggled with this one… it's taken days and I really had to force it along in the end. Pretty happy overall, but only a scratch on the surface of where I initially wanted to go with it.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Illustration Friday: SILENT
I'm not quite sure how I landed on this process of doing TWO drawings for Illustration Friday, but this make two weeks in a row.
Trying to limit myself to line drawings for the time being, just as a challenge.
What is it about wombats that's so darn CUTE!?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Illustration Friday: STRIPES
Well, since I didn't finish my drawing last Friday, I've had a few days to think about this one and I ended up with two cute little line drawings for Illustration Friday.
Monday, November 07, 2011
D is for Demiguise
The Demiguise is found in the Far East, though only with great difficulty, for this beast is able to make itself invisible when threatened.
The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivorous beast, something like a graceful ape in appearance, with large, black, doleful eyes more often than not hidden by its hair. Demiguise pelts are highly valued as the hair may be spun into Invisibility Cloaks.
quoted from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, ©J.K. Rowling
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Friday, November 04, 2011
B is for Byangoma (Part II)
Long overdue - Byangoma are supposed to have the ability tell a person's future, it's their magic… so when I drew the original group of them standing around, or "at rest") - I intended to include an imagine of one ACTUALLY performing this feat, or "on display". It took an week, but here he is at last.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
New Work: Colored Pencil, Small Work
I have a show coming up! These are my new small works for the show (not technically miniatures but all under 25 sq. inches). In addition to these new pieces, my Bandelier, No.2, Catch a Flying Star, Hey Diddle Diddle triptych (only Cow and Moon shown in link), Aesop's Fables, Fox and Grapes, New Mexico Christmas (the original graphite drawing, not colored like the link), and Sleepy Bears will also be hanging in the show.New Mexico Colored Pencil Society, DC 219 Annual Show
at The Old School House Gallery
November 4-27, 2011
Opening reception November 4th from 5-8pm
DIRECTIONS: On the Turquoise Trail just north of Cedar Crest, NM.
FROM Albuquerque: take Interstate 40 east to the Cedar Crest/Tijeras exit 175 and head north. The gallery is 6.1 miles north of Interstate 40, on the east side of NM-14.
FROM Santa Fe: take Interstate 25 south to exit 278, the NM-14 South/Cerrillos Road
towards Madrid. Follow NM-14 south for 40.9 miles, the gallery is on the east side of NM-14.
C is for Capricorn
Sea goats came from the first sea goat, Pricus, who was created by the god Chronos, and they could speak and think and were favored by the gods. The legend goes that eventually all the sea goats made their way to up onto land where they became the four-legged goats that we know today, leaving Pricus as the sole sea goat and the figure in Capricorn mythology.This, naturally, explains why there are no sea goats today.
* abbreviated, from Gods-and-Monsters website.
Mood Music: Sting, The Soul Cages
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
Just for fun, I started this piece last weekend and finished it during the week. I put a couple pics of it in-progress up on Instagram, but I wanted to share it with everyone here, today. This little character (Charlie the Shy Pig) has really stuck with me and I had SO much fun dressing him up for halloween.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Illustration Friday: SCARY
If there's one thing getting back into IF is teaching me… it's that I really don't like the way I draw stylized people. Gimme a reference and I can draw it well… but I just can't "imagine" them like I can animals… sensing a new self-challenge may come of this.
Monday, October 24, 2011
B is for Byangoma
Byangoma are birds who can tell fortunes, though they are renowned for their finicky nature, helping only those they deem worthy. Scholars have debated for centuries whether the Byangoma are intelligent beings, or if they merely have a magical instinct. The species originated in modern Bangladesh.
Every person experiences this fortune telling differently. Some claim to hear a voice, others receive visions. The most common experience is to hear the birds song, and suddenly have an intuition about a future event.
These are my "resting" byangoma… I have plans for a "fortune-telling" byangoma as well (in other words, "on display"), but as usual I am up late working on this because I can't seem to work ahead of schedule. LOL
Friday, October 21, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Flashback: Artwork Archive
I visited the Alphabeasts website this morning, and wondered at all the new additions to the A category… including Alicorn, which as far as I know is a version of Alicorno, the Italian word for Unicorn. It reminded me of a drawing I did for a friend of mine YEARS ago (his name is Ali - and he'd asked for a drawing of one of my unicorns - I decided to go for a play on the words ;). I searched my computer for this drawing, and ended up finding another, very stylized drawing from many years ago. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share them, just to share… whether they make it onto the Alphabeasts site or not.
Monday, October 17, 2011
A is for Alphabeasts
A is for AmphiptereI don't really know where this project originated, but it's right up my ally. :) Hope I'm not too late for today's deadline!
Check 'em out: Alphabeasts
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
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