IllustrationBlog

Be back soon!

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:33:35 GMT

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!

IF - Breezy

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:32:27 GMT

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

IF - Instinct

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:42:50 GMT

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.

Sketch

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:35:51 GMT

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.

IF - Celebrate

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:33:57 GMT

***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!

Sorry re:IF

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:36:01 GMT

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.

IF - Baby

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:59:17 GMT

How could I not participate in this week's IF theme? It is so "me".

I've actually been pretty busy working on some illustration for an amateur children's book project. The author is looking to publish her stories based on her daughter. It doesn't pay a lot but it's a beginning and I am always open to an opportunity to build my portfolio and get my name out there.

So since this is a recent illustration and perfect for this week's IF theme, I thoguht I'd give you a sneak-peak (without giving away what the book is about, at least until I have permission to)...

IF - Homage

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:56:03 GMT

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!

IF - Garden

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:32:57 GMT

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.

or my book

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:48:19 GMT

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.