Sunday, February 26, 2017

Sunday Sketches (Fabric Insipration)

When living in England last year, I somehow fell in love with fabrics. Uh huh. My niece had taken me to an incredible fabric shop in Scarborough and I was immediately taken back by all of the rows and rows (and rows!) of beautiful patterns and colors! I blame them for my "love of fabrics" now. (wink) I cannot safe enough about this sewing shop and the wonderful owners who run it. If you're ever in the area, it is a must go to.

Since then, my creative eyes are always on the lookout for fabrics representing my illustration style - English and woodland.  Let me tell you, the fabric bin is growing! Some pieces are just samples while others are 3-4 yards of a particular pattern that won my heart over and one day, I hope to make them into curtains or table cloths.

Why collect fabrics? It's easy...the patterns inspire me! I often play around with them on my desk until something new transforms and is usable in my own illustrations, such as curtains or clothing. Take a peek at my previous illustration and you'll see where I've done this with the curtains draped in the window of Miss Lilly's tree-house.

This week, I'm sharing with you how I create dots within my art. Take a close look at the first picture above. Depending on the setting/style of my illustration, I'll either use a white pastel pencil (rectangle box) or a while gel pen (square box). Both give a different texture and feel. For example, the white pastel dots will go on prior to painting, leaving a more loose and washed look, while the white gel pen goes on afterwards, presenting a smooth, even finish. Does this make sense? Please feel free to ask any questions you might have about this process or anything else I do that you're curious about. That's what we're here for each week - to learn, grow and encourage one another! Happy Sunday Sketches!
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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Scribble Picnic (Octopus)

It's a miracle!!! Actually, it's an octopus which I barely squeezed in on this first (and brand new) round of Scribble Picnic. Yay for me! I've worked all day on this little illustration. In fact, this is my second attempt at painting the current theme. If you take a peek above, you can see where I started (top right) all the way through to where it was completed this evening. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll reply as quickly as I can.

Enjoy! I'm off to see what everyone else came up with over on Michael's blog.
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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Sunday Sketches (Birthday Squirrel)

Here we are with another week zooming by but happy to say I've been able to get a lot of work done. Above is birthday card #3 and absolutely pleased with how it's turning out. It's going to be a wonderful series when completed and should be ready early Spring.

Besides the cards, I've been keeping busy with packaging orders, sitting in on PB (picture book) agent reviews and more. Stay tuned for a more detailed update (hopefully) this coming week. Until then, have a fabulous week! Oh and don't forget hubby's brand new art co-op has launched - Scribble Picnic and perfect for all of us creatives.

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

A Little Foxy Love

Just a quick little note to wish everyone a lovely Valentine's Day. Whether you're married, dating, or living the single life....may LOVE touch your heart in more ways than one on this special February day!
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Sunday, February 12, 2017

Sunday Sketches (Thickleberry Village)

Believe it or not, I've tried multiple times to write a few blog posts of things on my heart this week but it just didn't happen. I'm always amazed how quickly each week passes and soon discovering those other "to do" things on my list haven't been checked off yet again. I think it's time to re-examine my time management schedule! (wink)

With that said, I did manage to finish the "Thickleberry Village" illustration I've working on since last weekend. Above is the final piece as well as, one of my WIP pictures from a few days ago. Also, you can view a short time-lapse video of me painting over on my Facebook art page (or Instagram) to see how I illustrate my trees. And as always, feel free to leave me any questions you have about my work and/or how I do things.

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

 
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Saturday, February 04, 2017

Sunday Sketches (Birthday Greetings)


It's been a lazy kind of weekend thus far. With the warmer weather lately, it's been great getting outside to walk and enjoy the sunshine. So that means taking a break from the studio...and that I'm certainly OK with! Personally, I enjoy getting out and "looking" for inspiration to pour into my work throughout the week. :)

Above is another peek at a birthday card I'm currently designing/illustrating. For those of you wondering, the "2" represents the birth year.  This entire greeting card series will range from ages 1 through 12. It's coming along great and a project I'm very much enjoying.
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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

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Thursday, February 02, 2017

Hello, Gorgeous! It's a New (Creative) Year


It's been a wonderful start to the new year. Much more than anticipated and it feels good to the creative soul. Uh huh. For the first time since I've started illustrating and working from home, I'm in love with my studio. I mean, I'm truly in love with my work space which in return, creates the perfect atmosphere for designing new characters.

Above is a peek at one of the children's greeting cards I'm currently hand-painting and is part of a special birthday series to be released later this year. It's going to be an adorable set so am looking forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.

Besides painting the birthday cards, I'll be creating a children's book trailer for "Ladybug! Ladybug!", putting together my own children's coloring book and beginning the illustrations for the next book in the "Flitter Flutter Crawly" series, "Bluebird! Bluebird!". Exciting!

Here's to a lovely week to each of you! I'm off to catch up with everyone here in the bloggie world!
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