Paying homage to my little girls. I illustrated this a few months ago, but just decided to color it for this week's IF entry. My girls are my inspiration!
 

Water color.  I illustrated this a while back, it was supposed to symbolize planting or mending a friendship together.  I don't really have much experience with water colors.  I guess this didn't come out too badly.  This painting hangs my daughters' bedroom.  I thought it was perfect for this week's IF theme.

I have a project I'm working on. I wrote a simple children's storybook and now I'm ready to start illustrating it. Trouble is, when I picture it in my head, it's definitely not in the style I normally illustrate. I imagine bright bold colors and smooth, geometrical shapes and no borders. How else can I achieve such a look but by digitally illustrating it in photoshop?

So here's my dilemma. This will be the first book I write, illustrate and publish. Should I really be representing my artwork in a style I really don't want to become known for?

Needless to say, I created my main character in photoshop. I really like it and it's exactly the way I envisioned it, but I'm still not sure I will use this style...


I guess I should play around with some hand-illustrated mediums before I decide. My little character will not look exactly like this when drawn by hand. Hmmm. I guess I'm also thinking of what type of drawings would appeal to small children.

Edited to add:  I asked my 3yo what she thought and she said, "Oh, I think she's beautiful and lovely.  I really like that picture.  I think she's going to come later and play with me."

Boy, she's making my decision even harder.

I had to share.

My friend and I are working on a baby book.  This baby book idea is quite original as it is designed for parents and families of our religion, so we have hopes that it will do well.  She is designing the page formats while I am providing the illustrations.

The illustrations below are for the "Mommy and Daddy" page, where memories of their marriage and how they met are shared...

Original, unedited scan (pretend my "watermark" isn't there, LOL)

Edited, enhanced version with no background - ready for dropping into document

Like?

This is what happens when a toddler dresses herself!

Wow it's been a while since I submitted.  I actually sketched this on a notepad at work!

*EDITED TO ADD: My first attempt at coloring using Photoshop. I do need practice, but I guess this isn't bad for a first try!*

I created this drawing back in 2003.

Little girl reads to her baby brother. An "open" book.

color pencils

..my daughters


*click to enlarge*

Yah, I did that!

This is the Michelle I know. This is the artist that was buried within, the one I have allowed to go astray.

Will I be able to keep her here? Only time will tell. But, one look at my daughters was what it took to inspire me to illustrate this. I had taken out my old sketchbooks and looked through them, admiring some of my favorite pieces. Pieces that were buried in these books, never to be seen except by friends or family members who were actually interested and who I would share them with. I then dug out some of my stored away art supplies. I found some brushes, pencils, pads and yes, watercolor paints! I actually owned these supplied but rarely used them.

I am so excited! I plan on enlarging the above drawing with my projector onto watercolor paper and giving it a go. I might screw it up, but at least the original will be preserved in my sketchbook. I can always try again if I fail. I really want this to work out so I can continue to practice with watercolors on other future pieces.

Let me know what you think!

I'm going to take a break from participating in Illustration Friday for a bit. I have stumbled across so many wonderful artists' blogs, and I have been inspired to the core.

The inspiration had another affect though. It made me realize how rusty I have gotten, and how much better I can actually be.

It has also emboldened me to do something different. I am going to try to explore a different coloring medium, as I realized what I thought was my strength was actually my weakness...

Color pencils

I'm really not that good with them, but they are all I've ever known. Not all I have ever tried, but all I have ever felt comfortable using.

Mind you, in high school, I did some amazing pieces in ink, marker, pastels, even watercolor. Where has that talent and skill gone? I let it fizzle and then it finally died. It got to the point where I became afraid of trying anything else but my comfort medium... color pencils.

And then life happened. I am now married with two small children and I work 5 days a week. When do I have time to really sit down and let my artistic juices flow? Hardly ever. All the pieces I have posted for IF have been in the late hours after my girls are finally asleep. I have usually had a long day and felt tired, not inspired. The pieces I have submitted have been forced by my ambition to participate each week. That just takes the fun away.

So, before I participate again, I really want to improve first. I want to find that passionate artist in me again. I know I haven't lost the talent, I just need to find the passion, inspiration, the love that drove me to create images from my imagination. Artwork that really made me proud. I don't really feel pride in my latest pieces, just a sort of satisfaction. But, that's not good enough. I think the satisfaction comes more from the fact that I made some time to draw something and that I actually submitted it.

But I want more. I need more.

The time has come. If I ever want to make something of myself as an artist. It's time to grow up artistically.

Don't stay away too long. I will be back!

Please excuse the sloppiness of this drawing. I didn't get a chance to color it in and tomorrow is already Thursday! I had a busy week!


Visiting the new baby

The baby's pose was inspired by my 5 month old who has been doing this a lot lately.
Graphite pencil

The "Captain", his "crew" at his side, commandeering his glorious vessel!
colored pencil and ink