CPSA Meeting: Plein Air Drawing in the East Mountains

Yesterday I took a drive up to my friend Betty's house, were our local CPSA chapter was gathering for our monthly meeting. Usually we meet in town, but this month Betty invited us out to her house to do some Plein air drawing. We were invited to trek around her property, but being a rather warm day (up to 104°F in town -- WHAT, already?! It's not even June 1st yet), most of us opted to stay in the shade and sketch from her porches. Can you believe this is her back yard?

(the view from the front is equally impressive… frankly, her 360° views are impressive).

And then I started drawing the yard/mountains. (… well, I did a little illustration sketching first… more on that in a few days). These were pretty quick little sketches in my moleskine sketchbook, so I didn't really put time/effort into my full-on burnishing technique. This was mostly just fun practice… playing with line and color. It was so nice to just sit with a group of people and draw together, chatting about this and that - including our mutual love of colored pencils.

Bella Sara Prints: Now available in my Etsy Shop!

Hi, Bella Sara fans! I am now selling signed and dedicated 8x10" glossy prints over at my Etsy Shop. At the moment, I only have Anemone (from the Royalty Series) listed, but any of my Bella Sara characters can be requested, check my Bella Sara page for a full listing!

Illustration Friday: ASLEEP (1)

Hello IFers! I'm planning to do some new original sketches for this theme later, but I couldn't resist posting these two pieces for this week's topic "Asleep". Enjoy folks!

"Deep, dark, sea sleep."
The bowhead whale catches
winkson drifting arctic waves.

"Cold, cavernous, huddled hibernation."
Kodiak bears sleep through chilly winter
months in comfy dens on the islands of
the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska.

New Print Available at my Etsy Shop: Aesop's Fables

My little Aesop's Fox is for sale as 8x10" prints (with or without title treatment) over at my Etsy Shop! Check it out! Thanks to all the wonderful #NESCBWI11 attendees that voted for this piece!

Announcement: My Etsy Shop is OPEN!

I have an Etsy Shop! Well, I've HAD an Etsy shop for many years, but I've never actually listed anything in it. Today I posted my first four items, all of which are Original Illustrations. You can click on the image above or the My Etsy link in the sidebar on this blog. I have plans to add more prints of my work soon! Check back often!

Whew! It's been a lot of work, but mostly just because it's something new!

New Work: Sticker Sunday - "Class of 2010"

I apologize for missing Sticker Sunday last week - but I was a little busy. ;)
This week, I'm posting a graduation themed sticker sheet… even though it's from last year's graduation season.
As you can see in the sketch, it started out being a numbers game - a customizable design that would be timesless. But this typical approach to the graduation theme, it just looks boring. Somewhere in development the decision was made to make it specific to 2010, and I really like the results, even though it only got to sell for one season. I'm never actually seen one of these sheets in person, I wonder how the production materials turned out. Guess I'll never know, now. :(

Life Drawing: In the Southwest

My local CPSA District Chapter had our monthly meeting at the Masterworks Show at the end of April. Among other activities, we had the opportunity to sit and sketch a still life that had been set up by members IN the gallery. It was really quite fun to draw for a bit, get up & walk around the show, and sit back down and chat with other members.

I didn't use my colored pencils, I haven't quite wrapped my head around life-drawing with colored pencils - it's such a graphite or charoal type thing… although I did try it a couple months ago for another life drawing session DC Meeting.