Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Thank You!

Oh me, oh my! I have been just been awarded the You Make My Day award by two very talented artists : Ginger Nielson over at Ginger Pixels, and Rachelle Anne Miller. I couldn't be more honored or flattered, especially considering the company I am in. Thank you both very much!

My five picks are (extremely hard to pick just five), in no particular order:

1. Anette Heiberg
2. Alicia Padron
3. Phillys Harris
4. June Goulding
5. Monica Carnes

Here are the details:

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Display the “You Make my Day Award” logo
4. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.

Blue Monster

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sneak


This first version is a sepia effect I found with iphoto.

A Walk in the Garden

Monday, January 28, 2008

Illustration Friday 2

A tale of the odd couple.  Sammy the dog likes to have mice for lunch, but not in the way you think.


Jamie waved one last time to the kind family who had taken him in.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Illustration Friday: "Tails" and Legends


Here's a tale of tails, although this is actually quite impossible. Hippo's tails are short and stubby.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Saturday, January 19, 2008

The Attack of Count Neck-Crink


It's a mystery to me.  My neck is perfectly fine, I get in bed, I fall asleep, I wake up--BAM!  I can't move.  I mean, I could move if I wanted, but only if I want to be in agony.  And don't even think about looking to the left, or right.  Did I sleep-walk around my room and do some midnight head-banging?  Did I drift in a dreamlike state to my car and run it into a brick wall? What on earth happened in the night between laying down and waking up that caused my neck muscles to do a salsa, foxtrot and merengue?!  Needless to say, I spent most of today in bed--the first part unable to lay down, and the second unable to sit up.  In fact I searched in vein for a comfortable pain-free position.  I have yet to find it even as I type this.  I at least got some rough sketches done which you'll find posted here.  More sketches for this manuscript that I intend to send off in all it's imperfect glory.  I can't wait for perfect anymore--perfect never comes, and I have to keep reminding myself of that.  :-)

And p.s. the pigs are unrelated to my story.  Pigs are always showing up uninvited in my drawings--they sure have their nerve!



Thursday, January 17, 2008

Sneaky

See, she's pretending to bend down and play with a car, but what she really wants to do is spy on her brother and see what he's doing.  Us little sisters are good at this kind of thing.

The World Outside My Window


This is my view from the studio today.  And usually this gets me inspired to draw--but for some reason, I just want to stare out at the falling snow and sip breakfast tea with honey. 
Taken with the 'photo booth' program of my new (and wonderful) Macbook Pro *heart*

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Help!


Which is a stronger style for a story about a brother and sister? I've been trying to decide all day. :-\ These were both done fairy quickly as test images, so it's not the strength of the drawings themselves I'm worried about, but the style choice. My Kingdom for some fresh eyes!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Illustration Friday: Stitch



He's going to get a stitch in his side after eating all that food!  Click to enlarge.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Final Decision


After lots of different styles and character sketches, I've finally decided on something that I feel fits the manuscript best.  I'm excited to be moving forward with this.  Maybe I'll actually send it off?  I've been working on stories and ideas for a couple years now without submitting anything.  I think it's time to take the plunge.

Upside Down


I drew this upside down, and painted it right side up.

Peaceful

Illustration Friday 2


The wolf is a hundred percent sure that he messed with the wrong Red Riding Hood.

Illustration Friday: 100%

One hundred percent madly in love.


Friday, January 04, 2008

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Roar


I think I'm finally closing in on how I want these characters to look.  I'm still trying out styles too.  Tight?  Loose?  Colorful?  Muted?  So many choices to make!  Then once you figure out the style, you have the size and shape of the book to think about, layout etc.  Spot illustrations?  Full bleed?  I'm sure I'll be dreaming about this tonight.