I was so tempted to never post again, just so those gorgeos Ojos de Dios photos could stay there forever. Sigh.
However, I was forced to move on because of exciting news-- Yes, I've joined the rest of society and finally made a Facebook fan page for my illustration work.
So come be my fan, and say hello!
I first spotted Ripple on illustrator Peggy Fussell's blog a couple days ago, and since then have spotted it all over the place. Started by Kelly Light, its a collection of original art pieces for sale and all the proceeds go to help animal victims of the gulf oil spill.
The two Non-Profits that are benefitting are The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center.
Basically the deal is, you donate $10 to one of those organizations, and then email Kelly your receipt and what art piece you'd like to buy. More info here.
If you're an artist and would like to donate, email ripplesketches@verizon.net for more info.
I'm working on re-opening my online shop, Other Such Things, was doing some design updating and then I felt like giving everything a new look. So ta-da-- a new header! Goodby seaweed-ish plant...
Happy Summer everybody!
I mentioned a while ago that I was working on a site theme for the wonderful Aeolidia.com. I'm happy to announce that my under-water circus theme (featuring Ms. Aeolidia, the sea slug, herself) is up!
Visit Aeolidia and select my theme from the pull-down tab, on the upper left, or click here to check it out! At some point it will be the default theme--I'll let you know when that happens.
And in case you were wondering, Aeolidia is a great design company:
“We specialize in making standout shop websites for crafters and other small businesses, but we do about a billion other things, as well. Just ask us!”
I cannot recommend them highly enough!
For a while I've been playing with the idea of making Matryoshka dolls with my illustrations. The other day I spotted these custom ones by Irina Troitskaya:
They are blowing my mind.
I love them.
Irina is a freelance illustrator who does work for all kinds of clients. You can see more of her work here.
Because I decided May wasn't busy enough, I just signed up for two exciting projects: Pikaland's PikaPackage Project and the Flourish business e-course. I'm really looking forward to working on both.
You may have noticed my little etsy shop languishing over the months. I haven't figured out how to juggle pursuing illustration through more traditional means, while selling prints and other items directly to customers. I'm an illustrator, not a shop owner. But I'm hoping after Flourish I'll be both.
The PikaPackage will tie in nicely to that-- get the creative gears moving, as well as a promo for my work and shop.
And to help me juggle everything, I've signed up for the free trial of the task management program, Things. Does anyone use it now? I've only had it for a day, but I think its love.
Here's how I did on my March goals for The Meetup.
How did everyone else do?
In other exciting news, the rain has stopped!! and the sun is peeking out! Hooray! Unfortunately, most of RI is underwater. But hopefully this means things will start to dry out.
PS. I think I'm going to use those drawings as part of a promotional piece to send out...
I got to do a bunch of illustrations for a Time Out New York Kids feature article on gardening. Back when I was drawing, these sunny days, and anything green, seemed so far away. But then we had an amazing weekend, and now it all seems right around the corner!
I also did some spot illustrations for the numbers, which they didn't end up using. I guess it was getting too crazy. But they're cute, right?
Yay, I'm a Featured Artist for the week over at Hire An Illustrator! Whoo hoo. You can check it out here.
I'm working on sketches for a book dummy and last week headed to the library for some inspiration. The children's librarian was super nice and helpful-- insisting on finding me every book on my list. I ended up sitting at one of those tiny round tables for an hour paging through picture books piled around me.
One of the comments I received at the picture book workshop was that I should work on including more dynamic compositions. Specifically different points of view, or angles, of a scene. I definitely can get stuck in the medium-wide, straight-on shot and forget about playing with all the other perspectives.
Looking through picture books with a specific element in mind is a fun little exercise I find really helpful. The author and illustrator, Andrea U'Ren, is great at varying the composition on every page of her lovely book Mary Smith. So let's have a look, shall we?
From above, looking down over the shoulder:
(Note the detailed peas in her pocket!)
Looking back and down, with a large character in the foreground and a teeny, tiny Mary in the background:
(See her?)
Coming straight at us:
From below, looking up:
Bisecting this wide shot, with the side of the house, gives the reader the feeling of looking down an alley:
I also really like how she illustrates the stories her characters are telling each other with black and white drawings in speech bubbles:
It feels like a fun nod to comics and graphic novels.
And lastly, a wide shot, with Mary in the slight foreground looking back:
While this composition is almost straight on, pushing and pulling the point of view, even minimally, makes a wide shot a bit more interesting. I think its good to remember that the perspective doesn't have to be super dramatic to be more dynamic.
Anyhow, I've been a fan of U'Ren ever since Pugdog was published. I love her thick lines, planes of color, and how all her characters have this great, grounded weight to them. If you haven't already, definitely check her out.
Yep, it's that time of year again.
What better way to watch the Oscars than by nibbling on the heads of the Best Actor and Actresses? Delicious.
I think this is my seventh (eighth? I should probably know this...) year drawing these ladies and gents. Get them here, from Eleni's bakery. And if you're in NYC they do same day delivery!
I'm in Seattle until next week visiting my new baby cousin. (Is 'cousin' the right word? She's my cousin's daughter... hmm.) I've never been here, but I like rain and a baby is a sweet extra bonus. So good times ahead.
I just added the illustration above to my site. Its from a book idea I was working on about how animals sleep. After showing it at the picture book workshop and talking to the editors there, I've decided to shelve it as a proposal. Apparently, the publishing world is sick to death of sleeping books. I have some other ideas for new proposals, but in the meantime I'm finishing a few of the sketches for my portfolio. A la this cute piggy one. I'd love to hear what you think!
Your bathroom sink comes with one of these too, right?
You may remember Hudson from this photo. Need I mention his love of bathrooms? Anyways.
One of my goals for the year is to enter some competitions. The deadline for the first one I'm looking at, PEN New England Children's Book Caucus'12th Annual Children's Book Caucus Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award, (yep quite the mouthful,) is fast approaching: February 1st. I'm going to try to get a final manuscript of the new story idea I'm working on and some sample illustrations done, but if not I'll just submit my illustration work.
I'm working on compiling a list of other ones through out the year. Any recommendations?
Happy twelve days of Christmas everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays. Here's the winter postcard I sent out recently.
The last few days, I was in Vermont with my family. Unlike last year, when we all seemed to be consolidating on the east coast, these last days of December seemed to mark the last time our family will be together in one spot. My sister and husband are off on a grand, four month long, trip to explore Asia, and my brothers are teetering towards moving out of RI. I'm happy for all of them, (and a little jealous of two in particular,) but it made our time in Vermont all the more special.
Plus it snowed. How lovely.
Here's a rough sketch of an illustration I just finished for Time Out New York magazine.
Other than that I've been working on knocking things off my monthly goal list, as well as some Christmas-y things.
My immediate family is considering "simplifying" gifts this year. We're in the process of deciding what exactly that means-- no gifts? just stockings? a price limit? donations in lieu of gifts?-- but I think we're moving in a nice direction. We're all grownup pretty much-- my youngest brother is twenty-- and everyone seems to be interested in less stuff lately-- either in the interest of pairing down in general, or because of near-future moves.
I love to buy gifts, but I tend to be a little insane about it. I get caught up in needing to find the perfect gift. It starts out as fun, but it can turn stressful towards the end. I think a simpler take on things, might open up the holiday for us. Leave more room for enjoying each other and the season.
Which is what I'm looking forward to this weekend. Getting a tree, decorating, some gift making, some baking... our apartment smelling yummy...hot apple cider.
It's my first magazine cover!:
I actually didn't realize those little guys we're going to be on the cover, so it was a nice surprise! (I drew the birds, bees and flowers.) Plus I have this full page illustration on the inside:
Quite fitting as I was a nanny myself for years. Oh how I miss those girls in Brooklyn!
Thanks Time Out New York Kids! What a fun job...
Alrighty, just a little late, ahem.
1. Fall mailer. Probably Thanksgiving themed, as I pretty much missed Halloween. Darn. 2. Make list of items to bring to the book workshop. 3. Three new kid illustrations for site. 4. Update site-- add in new work, do new homepage. 5. Make list of children's publishers to contact. 6. Get a wholesale account for Magnetic Kids. 7. Work on organizing my office/studio.
That should keep me busy!
The sketch above is from some more work I did for Time Out NY Kids. They wanted the birds to almost look Disney-esque...
PS. Canine family member update: We are meeting a pup this weekend. I think. Very exciting!
Drawing has been so fun lately. Sometimes it feels very hard, but this little lady was such a breeze.
Now I'm working on coloring.
Yum.
A few weekends ago I participated in an art show at the boathouse where I row. And I forgot to take pictures. Which is ridiculous, but basically my M.O. lately. Darn. However these are a couple of the images I displayed. They're pen and ink, with collaged bits of vintage paper. And the one above has some water color as well.
It was a small, pretty low key show of the boathouse member's, ie rower's, work. Who knew I was in such good company? Apparently, a lot of artists row in the Seekonk! Anyhow it was a gorgeous evening on the river and everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks to my parents and friends who came out.
Here's an, unfortunately incomplete, list of the artists who showed:
As I row at 5 am these days, it was especially nice to connect with other rowers. Besides my team, there are only a few other people crazy enough to be up at that time. And several people pointed out that it was fun to see teammates in their "regular" clothes, perhaps looking a little nicer than usual. --No one cares much about looking nice pre sunrise.
