Asleep - Illustration Friday

This week's Illustration Friday's topic is "Asleep". This is art from an upcoming book to be published in Sept. titled My Big Book of Prayers.

Christmas in May

Here's another peek of the picture book I am working on at the moment. Listening to Christmas music on Pandora as I paint to get into the zone.

Wet-in-wet watercolor technique

I have been doing a lot of wet-in-wet watercolor technique on the new book I'm painting. It's a big challenge but fun. There are moments I feel totally out of control but it's also exhilarating to not know what the outcome will be. Talk about letting go! Which is completely new for me but I am really enjoying it.

painting...

I am painting away on a new project. I will reveal more in late June...but let's just say I am listening to Christmas music while working on it. Here's a sneak peek.

Messy studio and sleeping studio companion included. ;)

Shhh! Spring is here!

Shhh! Spring is here! Maybe, if we don't say it out loud, Spring will stay! It has been a LONG Winter and it seems at least for the moment that warm weather is here at last! Here are a few photos I took in my yard, today.

Quentin Blake - The power of illustration

Junkin' treasures

I love watching American Pickers on the History Channel and even though I am not a "junker"...that's what we call them in our family...my sister and brother-in-law are the best junkers I know! I am lucky cuz all I have to do is give them my wish list and they go on the hunt!

Here are just a few of the recent treasures they have gotten for me. Thanks Jan and Pat!!! :)

 A wonderful Corona typewriter that still works! The case is the to the left with my hubby's old slinky from the fifties. A 1959 Highlight's Magazine and a great book, Art for Children...I found those two gems. :)

 A very cool small portable Corona typewriter and a couple old fans.

This is what I woke up to on March 14th!

And it's started snowing like crazy again since this picture! It's a white out at the moment outside my studio window.
What is even crazier than this? It's supposed to be up to 70 by Thursday! That's the best part of Spring snows...they don't stick around very long.

painting...painting...painting

Working away...here's what's on my desk.

Illustration Friday - Layers

Here's a small cropping of a piece I did for the Tomie dePaola Illustration contest that SCBWI had recently. The illustration was for the opening of Johanna Spyri’s wonderful book Heidi.

I thought it was appropriate for Illustration Friday's "layers".

Note- I just realized I had two versions of this illo that I worked on so I added another version where Heidi's clothes are bigger and the shoes a bit clunkier as well as a few other changes.

Not sure which one I like better?

What's on my desk?

I'm working on a sweet board book project at the moment. I can't give many more details until it comes out but I'll give you a peek. You will see a little color study above the painting that I did digitally. I find it really helps me to do that before just jumping into a painting. That way, I can work out all the color issues ahead of time.

working...

It's been way too long since my last post because I have been working feverishly on a board book project along with other assignments as well. I am having lots of fun but I haven't had time to post so here is a little peek. Lot's of toddlers in this book.

Too much trust?

Here is Brad hard at work in his office chair.
Here's Cassie...too trusting? Good thing we always look down to see where she is before moving an inch.

Magazine art

I recently did an illustration for Jack and Jill magazine, the Jan/Feb 2011 issue. They do a fun contest called Pen in Hand where they choose one of their young subscribers whose story was chosen to be illustrated and featured in their magazine. Here is Tiny Tom's Courageous Adventure.

Happy New Year!

I don't usually do resolutions for the new year but I am going to try to sketch more this year in my sketch books. My sweet daughter got me not one but two sketchbooks for Christmas to try and motivate me.

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends!

Don't Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet

Don't Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet

Merry Christmas!

Cassie's ready for the hoildays!

sketching

Piggy doodle

A piggy doodle for you...he's greeting someone, just don't know who as of yet.