Thursday, April 29, 2010

Illustration Friday - Ahead

{Sketchbook, 2010}
{Digital Color Study, 2010}
I just squeezed in my entry to Illustration Friday this week! I was thinking of a goose that is far ahead of the pack! I would like to work on this composition a little more and do a final illustration after I clear my art desk of all the projects that need to be finished.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

SCBWI:Iowa Spring 2010 Conference

{Book Signing with Marla Frazee, 2010}
The 2010 SCBWI: Iowa conference managed to top last year's event! Guest speakers included illustrator and 2 time Caldecott Honor winner Marla Frazee, editor of Beachlane Books Allyn Johnston, author Mike Shoulders, author and former Farrar, Straus, and Giroux editor Lisa Graff, literary agent Ammi-Joan Paquette, Harper Collins editor Laura Arnold and author Carol Gorman. There was also a wealth of information from fellow Iowa published illustrators, authors and aspiring illustrators and authors. It is always nice to know that you aren't alone going through the struggles of breaking into publishing. (well, you are, but you aren't the only one feeling all the feelings that go along with it.)
My portfolio review with Marla was fabulous. She has a very authentic way of reviewing work. She gave me tangible things to work on while reassuring me that I was "very talented". (ok, really? Marla called me...me?! talented. What a wonderful compliment!)
{Book Signing with Mike Shoulders, 2010}
Author Mike Shoulders' presentations really resonated within me too. He does over 100 school visits each year and as a former educator and principal, he REALLY has it together! He gave wonderful tips on enhancing school visits. Mike is a positive person to the core and is clearly doing what he excels at!
{Mike Shoulders gettin' Jiggy, 2010}
Mike rapped one of his books, and he TOTALLY pulled it off. A little humor and humility go a really long way! Overall, it was wonderful to meet new people in the field and reconnect with people from last year. I had a great roomate, Erin Taylor, and I suggest you check out her blog too!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Illustration Friday - Detective

{Sketch with Digital Color, 2010}
I managed to get a quick little illustration in for this week's Illustration Friday theme of "Detective". Doggies are such great little detectives with their noses! Life has been busy of late so I thought I would share a little bit about what has been happening in my studio:
On top of juggling a few illustration clients, I have been preparing for a gallery show and putting my portfolio together for an SCBWI-Iowa conference. The SCBWI- Iowa conferences are wonderful 3 day events that allow illustrators a chance to put their portfolio on display for peers as well as industry professionals. As I have been rearranging my portfolio, I am surprised at how much I have grown in just one year! I am really looking forward to this conference and the uplifting, inspiring and creative experiences that always seem to await me. After I attend this weekend, I will definitely share my reaction to this year's event.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Honey Bear

{Oil on Board, 2010}
I finally finished this yesterday. It had been sitting untouched on my art desk for a week. The simple shapes and heavier acrylic underpainting made this a quicker piece than most. Painting in oil has been a journey since college and I am always trying to find ways to make it more efficient... because, hey, time is money. My favorite part of this piece is the fur on the bees' bodies.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The Promise of Spring!

{Watercolor, 2010}
Last night I wandered around the front yard garden and sketched some of the flowers that are blooming. I also did some small drawings of the little comforts that we offer in order to attract birds (and by birds I also mean: squirrels, raccoons, feral cats and chipmunks.) I really love our yard, and this time of year it is hard to sit in my studio and work when all I want to do is dig in the dirt and monitor the progression and growth of my plants. I am especially in awe of God's great work during this time of year! Below are some pictures I took while I was outside last night.
{Adder's-Tongues, 2010}
These lovely little bulbs multiply like crazy. We live at the edge of a woodland and these grow in our lawn. You can imagine my delight when I discovered these during my first spring living in our home!
{English Daisies, 2010}
I planted these at the base of the birdbath and right in front of my studio window. They are so cute!
{Oliver and Moss, 2010)
Oliver loves to rub his paws on the moss that is growing on some rotting wood!
{Lichen on a Mulberry tree, 2010}
Ok, so this isn't exactly a flower, but its beautiful! It looks like some miniature coral!
{Bluebells, 2010}
I transplanted a few of these from the abundance in the woods behind the house. They are native to Iowa and do well in our shady back yard.
{Ferns, 2010}
The way ferns unfurl as they come out of the ground is so magical. I love having ferns in my yard.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Illustration Friday - Linked

{Graphite with Digital Color, 2010}
{Graphite in Sketchbook, 2010}
I imagine sharing a worm is the standard Northern Cardinal wedding procedure. (and it is such a happy occasion, unless you are the worm!) I think it is utterly romantic that Cardinals mate for life. I drew this in my Moleskine sketchbook and then colored it quickly in Photoshop.

Friday, April 09, 2010

Second 2010 Promotional Postcard

{Postcard, 2010}
{Postcard Front, 2010}
{Postcard Back, 2010}
I received my postcards from Overnight Prints*today. This is my second postcard for 2010. I just sent some out in February so I will probably wait until May to send them out. I am really pleased, once again, with the quality for the price.
*I am not sponsored by Overnight prints... I just really like them!

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

First Day of Painting the Bear

{Oil on Board Detail, 2010}
{Oil on Board, 2010}
I started my first layer of oil paint on this today, so I thought I would take some pictures. My initial sketch can be seen Here. I have been working to find a more efficient way to paint illustrations with oil. This time, I spent a little more time doing some flat acrylic colors underneath so that if I miss an area with the oil, it won't be as obvious. I am also finding that I am partial to being able to see a little bit of the brushwork. It gives the illustration life! I hope to get some more painting time in tomorrow too, but we'll see. I have several projects going right now.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Illustration Friday - Dip (sketchy)

{Graphite/Acrylic Sketch on Board, 2010}
This is my idea for Illustration Friday. I will be working on the painting this week, if time allows, so I thought I would post the first stage of the illustration. I immediately thought of food when I saw this week's prompt... I thought of guacamole, sour cream and onion chip dip, caramel, ranch dressing... all kinds of yummy dips. I decided to go with honey after I started drawing the bear. What bear can resist dipping into some honey?

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Project Peek

{Graphite in Sketchbook, 2010}
This is a section of a project that I am working on right now. I was a band geek in high school, and I totally LOVED it! I wasn't very good at memorizing music or marching, but I made most of my high school friends in band. It wasn't very hard to draw the band members of this illustration, because I was very familiar with how marching instruments are carried! This is a great example of how life experiences come in handy in illustration!