I'm still around

I apologize for not having an update in a really REALLY long time but things have been busy. I'm beginning the process of moving downstate (near New York City!). I am still working on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. It is starting to scare me how close the deadline is! I am looking for a scanner to get my pages up online faster because I have a lot more now completed. Now that the deadline is so close I have lots of good ideas for "In Flight"...it is strange how working under pressure can do that!
I hope to have some new work posted for everyone in time for Christmas. :-)

Happy Halloween!

IF~Spooky

For this week's topic, which is Spooky I have an illustration of some jack o'lanterns! In my head the color/lighting would have looked much better. I may continue this piece traditionally since it started out as a pencil drawing (and I much prefer the drawing). I haven't decided if I will continue it in Painter...

Tight Sketch for IF~Spooky

The IF topic for the week is Spooky. Today I finished the tight sketch of my illustration, which I spent about a day on...I decided for this week I would do something more involved. I plan to finish this in color.

Here is the tight sketch:

...And a couple of detail views:
I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out in color! Even the gray scale drawing itself looks good. I think this would make a great print or greeting card for next year.

IF~Transportation

For Transportation I have a witch on a broom. This piece is also a part of my Sketchbook Project theme, which is In Flight.

SP~In Flight: Pages 6-9

IF~Beneath

I have not done an IF in a while so when I looked at this week's topic I knew that I could come up with something fast. There is not a whole lot to explain here...Just a girl beneath an umbrella wearing rain boots! Medium is graphite/pen & ink.

My website/Changes

I decided to change my URL to my Coroflot site...See the badge at the right to go to my page.

Big Cupcake (Color)

I am reintroducing myself to Corel Painter, which I haven't used in a few years. My tablet came with Corel Painter Essentials, which is a smaller, more "beginner" version of Painter. I posted the pencil drawing of this a while ago...Here is the color:

I primarily used the digital airbrush and fine airbrush...I think a watercolor brush may be somewhere in there...

SP~In Flight: Pages 4 & 5

SP: In Flight~Pages 2 & 3

Update on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. Here are pages 2 & 3. For my next couple pages I plan to do something more relaxed...sort of a "doodle." Since Halloween is coming soon I would also like to do some Halloween-type illustrations for In Flight--bats maybe?

IF~Caged

It has been a couple weeks since I did anything for IF. Been doing personal work and I also just got a small freelance assignment! :-D I am starting my sketchbook for the Art House Co-op. My theme is "In Flight." When I saw that this week's topic was Caged I felt that I could merge the two somehow as I am trying to do personal/professional work together in a timely manner. I suppose this drawing is the opposite of something being caged...as the bird is being set free. I always seem to do peaceful illustrations! :-D Medium is pen & ink. The texture is from putting a layer of acrylic gesso underneath...it was one of those "happy accidents."

Big Cupcake

I'm feeling inspired by food art, still lifes, etc. right now. I did a bunch of cupcake sketches in my sketchbook a while back and now I have begun to choose the ones I like best to make into final pieces. This is a drawing of my first one. The dimensions of this particular piece are 14"x17." Color to come later.

IF~Breakfast

This week's topic was a perfect opportunity for me to do some food illustration. I immediately wanted to do sweet breakfast foods. Medium is graphite/Photoshop.

IF-Diary

In progess illustration. Not happy with the color yet so here is the line drawing, which was done with mechanical pencil and also sepia toned in Photoshop. The first thing I thought of was a boy breaking into his older sister's room and sneaking a peek at her diary. I'm a fan of compositions that bring the viewer into the piece. Here I show him getting caught in the act (the boy looking devious).

IF~Giant

For Giant I have a drawing of a girl with a giant coffee cup...sort of poking fun at oversized coffee drinks. I would like to add color and possibly have a cafe setting...

Illustration Friday Topic for 6/25/10~Paisley

I've recently discovered the website Illustration Friday and their weekly challenges that they post to artists. This week's topic is Paisley, and I felt that a paisley design would work great on a bird. I hope you enjoy!

My Contribution to the Ripple Blog

My sketchcard contribution to the Ripple Blog to help animal victims in the Gulf Oil Spill. It is something I did quickly; just a drawing of a hermit crab hiding in her shell and sitting in an oily puddle. Pen & Ink (Sharpies and Indian Ink to be exact) over graphite.
The size of the card is 2.5" x 3.5".

Please visit: http://ripplesketches.blogspot.com/

My work at RoCo...

I have been participating in a show for the past couple summers at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center. I first went in 2008 just to view the art and then in 2009 I decided to submit work (my Society Finch piece). For 2010 I decided to do something a bit different...with a style I am playing with and really enjoying.
The first piece I created is of a Koi Fish:



and the second one I created is of a Peacock:



Apparently they have sold, which I am happy to hear, and the money (each piece is sold at $20) goes to support the gallery.
It is interesting to hear which one people like more!
Please visit http://www.roco6x6.org/ to see more work from the show!

I am putting up products available for sale on my Zazzle store. For now I have my products featured on note cards and greeting cards but as my business grows I would like to try putting my illustrations on some of their other products (tote bags or baby clothing especially). I am working on some new designs and I will be adding more cards asap.

First Post of 2010

I started the new year doing some pattern work and character work. First, I would like to post some characters I have been working on. The monster with the horns is an old sketchbook character I decided to revisit and the spider is a new one I came up with out of the blue. Lately I have been looking though older drawings and revisiting stuff I feel deserves a second chance.