Illustration Friday - Savour

{Sketchbook, 2010}

Too bad the Queen of Hearts never gets to eat her delicious tarts while they are fresh! Every time she bakes, that pesky knave of hearts shows up! You know how the poem goes, don't you?

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and
vowed he'd steal no more.
~Lewis Carroll

Illustration Friday - Sneaky

{Sketchbook with Digital Color, 2010}

As I am sure you know, bears are rather sneaky creatures! This bear is supposed to be hibernating but decided to take a walk around the winter wonderland instead. I drew this in my sketchbook and colored it in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday - Burning

{Sketch with Digital Color, 2010}

I love burnt marshmallows! I did this drawing on a textured watercolor paper and then quickly colored it in Photoshop. It is more of a color study than a finished illustration, but sometimes I like the look of a quickly thought out piece. (Plus I have a terrible head/chest cold that seems to be going around and my concentration is shot at the moment!)

Sketchbook Animals

{Sketchbook, 2010}

{Sketchbook, 2010}

{Sketchbook, 2010}

These are a few recent sketches out of my sketchbook. I drew the turkey because I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and having my parents come and visit me. The second sketch page was done while the cats were laying around the living room. The fox sketch was just a study of the animal because I think they are majestic and interesting animals!

Illustrating My Name

{Black Prisma and Watercolor, 2010}

{Black Prisma and Watercolor, 2010}

These illustrations were created as examples for the current project I am teaching in my Introduction to Illustration Class at the Des Moines Art Center. Its a really fun project but it also makes you think outside the box and decide how abstract you can make your letters while still making the piece legible. The top piece is garden objects and the second is inspired by different animals (and a ladybug!) Its addicting to turn words into shapes... so beware if you decide to do this project. You may not get anything else done the rest of the day!

Toy Network Plush Designs

{Monkey Plush, 2010}

{Squid Plush, 2010}

{Ice Cream Bear Plush, 2010}

{Shark Plush, 2010}

Designing plush for Toy Network, LLC is one of my favorite parts of being a freelance illustrator. Once my drawings are sent to China, I usually don't see the finished products unless I check the website or until the next year when I go into the offices to do more drawings. I am just posting a few of my new discoveries here! I usually just post the ones that are my favorites and look the most like my concept drawings. I especially love the squid! I think its quirky and adorable and I am so glad they decided to add it to their plush collection for 2010!

Falling Leaves

{Sketch with Digital Color, 2010}

I've been busily working on illustrations for a children's book. Having such a huge amount of work has had the opposite effect that I had anticipated. I have found the more I draw, the more I WANT to draw! In college I would get exhausted from the huge workloads but now that my illustration revolves around publishing for children my enthusiasm has grown! This little sheep is the product of one of my sketchbook ramblings.

Pretty Little Victorian Girls

{Sketch, 2010}

{Sketch, 2010}

While looking at some children's book illustrations from the Victorian era, I was inspired to draw some pretty little girls. The outfits for children from that time period are so elaborate and lovely. When I was a little girl I used to wish that I was living during the Victorian times, but now that I am older, I also appreciate some of the modern conveniences! (like advances in medicine, air conditioning... Snickers bars!)

Illustration Friday - Spent

{Acrylic on Canvas, 2010}

{Detail, Acrylic on Canvas, 2010}

Today I finished this piece in the figure painting class I am taking at the Des Moines Art Center. I thought it was perfect for the topic of "Spent" because the twist of the body and the hand laying lifelessly in the foreground give the feeling of tiredness and spent energy. I know this isn't my usual Illustration Friday fodder, but in this instance it will do just perfectly!

A Novembird

{Sketchbook, 2010}

What is a Novembird, you ask? Its a darling little bird who decides to stick around the Midwest even though the leaves are dropping (and the temperature too!). Ok, just kidding, I made it up. I love November because my birthday is on the 16th and then not too long after Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas season! A chilly welcome to November!