It had been a while since I've illustrated from portraits. I was taking a break to concentrate on my book and the orders were just not coming in. Well, I've done two portraits in the past couple of weeks, and while I was pencilling and blending, I had a random thought about what I was doing...

The smallest little dent, hair or shadow will change a person's face completely. Sometimes I think I've done a decent job, then I lean back and compare the portrait to the photo, or I ask for a second opinion (when you've been staring at the same drawing for a while, it really helps to get the perspective of a fresh pair of eyes). It's important to pay special attention to the details on a person's face. The last two portraits I did, I noticed that changing something so subtle like the thickness of the eyebrows, or eyelashes, or the angle of a shadow, makes a huge difference. You leave one or two of those details out, it changes the person's look completely. Your eye tells you there is something not quite "that person" and then you have to analyze the photo's every detail, be it the shine in the eye, even the size of the pupil or the shadows in their teeth, and if the slightest thing is off, don't dismiss it, fix it! It really does make a difference. Don't think, "There's something missing, something off, but it still looks like them, so I'm going to leave it like this and hope my client doesn't notice". Nope! That's not going to work, find what's "off" now and correct it.

You will become a better artist and you will feel good about it and you will have very satisfied clients who will recommend your work to someone else. I will admit that my work wasn't what it is today. I am gradually improving and that is what every artist should want. It's still not "top-notch", in my opinion, but that is why I keep it affordable.

I would like to add, that if you are interested in a photo portrait from me, know that I will work my hardest to make that illustration as identical to the photo as possible! I do appreciate your input, and if you are not happy, I will re-do the portrait or correct it, if that is possible.

I've added a new album to the website portfolio.  I am now sharing my Facebook - Word Of The Day illustrations.  I've had some fun drawings come out of this project and now I'd like to share it.  Please visit my portfolio at: http://www.littlelovesartist.com/portfolio.htm.

I've also added some sketchbook drawings to the "Random Sketches & Doodles" album.

Enjoy!

If you have a Facebook account, I would like you to know that I am pretty active on there with posting recent art.  I should probably incorporate some of that art onto this blog and the better pieces should be added to my portfolio. 

I began a new fan participation some time ago called "Word Of The Day", where Fans on my page give me a word and I interpret that word into an illustration.  It's been fun.

At the moment, however, I am taking a break from Word Of The Day because I am about to begin a new book illustration contract!  Woohoo!  It should only take a couple of months, so please join anyway to see what I'm up to and to participate in Word Of The Day when I get started back up on it.

Become a fan on my Facebook Page! Click here to visit and join.


Also, I have decided to combine this blog with the News blog I had up on my site separately.  It just made no sense to have two separate blogs.  This blog is also merged into my notes section on my Facebook Fan Page, so if you are already a member there, you will begin to also see any updates I post here.

I've had fun the last few weeks submitting for Illustration Friday.  I'm not stopping for good, but I do need to take a break.  It's time I got back to work on my children's book, which I was hoping to finish by end of January!  I'm almost done with the illustrations now, but there is still rendering and formatting and adding the text and inserting each one into the digital copy of the actual book.

So please stay tuned!  I am self-publishing this book, but hope it will be the start of my official children's book career!

The slightest breeze may be a bit too windy for a fairy!

The only thing that popped in my head for this topic was motherhood.  Therefore, this week's topic is inspired by maternal instinct...

Mother and child illustrated by hand, then scanned and accented with photoshop.

That's what I have been having to remind myself lately.  Sketch a little something each day, even if it doesn't make sense.  But, something that takes a little more effort and imagination.  Especially drawings in which I have to use the anatomy of the human body.  I've also been forcing myself to sketch with ink instead of pencil, so that I am not tempted to erase and eventually will make less mistakes because I'd be conscious of the fact that I can't erase.

So here are some sketches I have done in the past few days.  They aren't perfect, but that's why I'm doing this...practice, practice, practice.

I call this one "Dreaming".  Her nightgown is not supposed to be sheer.  That was just me drawing her legs in before the nightgown so that the feet would be more accurately placed.  I feel like I ruined this one with the "night sky" out the window.  Oh well.

"Sisters Hand in Hand" - This is so rough, I'm not thrilled with their legs and the majority of their anatomy, but I'm happy with the idea of it.  This is, of course, an interpretation of my two little girls.  I depicted my youngest daughter about a year older than she is now.  She's nearly two.

I noticed I've been sticking to drawing small children and toddlers and mostly older babies.  So I decided to draw a peaceful newborn baby.

Just practicing a child's face.

It was time to get a bit bolder and move on to drawing an adult.  Not like I've never done it before, but I wanted to challenge myself and not just draw an adult standing stationery.  So I drew this dancer in a particularly interesting pose.  I wanted her to look like she was in the middle of a dance.

Next, I'll have to challenge myself with a male figure.  I just know I'm going to screw that one up royally, but I have to do it.

***UPDATE - Colored version added:

***

My Illustration Friday entry for this week...

"Celebrate"

Photoshop crashed on me while I was trying to color it this evening.
I will add an updated version before Friday!

I have to apologize for my lack of participation with Illustration Friday.  I really should contribute more, it would be good for my portfolio.

I will make an extra effort to do so in the near future.