Thank you Angela

Thank you so much Angela for your kind words and for choosing me as the March winner. This is such a fun group. I can hardly wait to post the WW Bunny on on my blog!

SPRING

This is one of my very favorite springtime illustrations, as you could probably tell since it is gracing the headline banner on my blog. Hope everyone is enjoying some gorgeous spring weather as well. =)

Windy Spring Day

I passed a little boy flying his kite on Saturday. He was having a blast. Good thing he didn't wait until yesterday. We had a full-fledged white-out blizzard. Such is Spring in Idaho. *sigh*

Spring-y Pup

Hello everyone, here's my first post for the weekly contest.
This is Bruno, he's a wild young pup and a main character for my next kids book.
I was doing some color sampling and thought this one fit the "spring" challenge.

Three Little Pigs

for this image, I used mixed media: cut and torn paper (some paper was actually from watercolor images that didn't work--I never throw anything away!), color pencil, ink pen, and glue. I had fun with this & thought using different media from my norm was a good idea...I just let myself go, but I think collage is really not my thing!

Spring!

Benny & Wild Horse Harry
enjoying Texas Bluebonnets!

For the upcoming May Arkansas SCBWI conference, I'm working on these characters, trying to create a picture book with them...I'll be "pitching" my idea to an art director! So, I thought I'd try an image for "Spring".

Spring

In springtime
The only pretty ring time
Birds sing
Hey, ding a ding time
Sweet lovers love
The spring...

Remember when Gene Wilder aka, Willy Wonka sang this while riding the bicycle in "Der invention room?"

Spring is Here

Here is my entry for spring. I did this in a illustration class.
I really had fun with it. I saw my first butterfly on last
week and this week it's cold again. Oh well, hopefully
spring has arrived in some of the places where you all live.
Jersey is still sporting winter! Have a great day everyone!

Girly

OK, so switch my last illo to "spring" and I'll swap in this one for "girly." I was such a girly girl growing up, dressing up and ballet being my favorite hobbies of all time. Fun, fun, fun!

I sketched this out a few months ago and finally got it painted. I really like the way it turned out. This time I just used the pencil outline instead of outlining it in ink (since our new printer prints things out with waterproof ink, making my life so much easier). Also, I think I got the perspective right, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Spring

I'm not super thrilled with how this turned out. What do ya'll think? What could I tweak to make it better? Honest opinions welcome...

Girly

I planned to do something else for girly, but I haven't finished it yet. I did finish this a few days ago and decided it worked well enough . . . although it probably works better for spring. It's black and white, but I painted it with black watercolor, so it counts, I guess. Black and white is actually something I really enjoy doing. Anyway, I'm currently in the process of reevaluating my portfolio and decided I needed/wanted a few more black and whites, so this is the result. Let me know your thoughts. And, if anyone is available, would anyone be willing to take a look at my current portfolio and give me your thoughts on what works and what doesn't? I'd be happy to do the same for you, if desired.

Girly/Spring Sketch

Just a sketch now, but this is what I had in mind for combining Girly and Spring into one illustration. I did a couple of other sketches as well, using the same characters, trying to be consistent. I'll make sure to post them (and the final piece of this illustration!) soon, I hope.

Hi I'm Beck, the newest member. Thanks to Linda for the invite and for the warm welcome!

I normally work in gouache but use it like watercolors, I also use markers, ink, pencil, crayons almost anything! If you'd like to see more of my doodles check out my website http://www.beckadoodles.com

Nice to meet you all and happy doodling!

Spunky

I can't believe how long it's been since I submitted to WW. I've missed it. I put my homework on hold and whipped out this spunky version of my younger self. Sure I was girly, but growing up on a farm gave me a certain, well, let's just say I wasn't afraid to get down and dirty. Only 2 more weeks and the semester is over. Then I hope to be a bit more regular.

Girly

Still working on this a bit, but wanted to get it on line.

Girly II

I was playing around, and these three goofballs appeared. I remember acting goofy with my girlfriends ... listening to our Rick Springfield album (yes, album, pathetic I know!!). I can't wait to see my girls go through this phase! :)

Congrats to Michelle

Way to go! I just got my SCBWI March/April Bulletin and imagine my delight when I saw your illustrations in it. Totally awesome!

Girly with Color

Here is my version with color. I'm still not wicked happy about the color. I think there's too much yellow. I probably should have made the boy's uniform blue, but it's late, and I'm tired, so I'm posting what I have.

Girly!

What's more girly then faries!!!
Have a great week everyone.

Girly

I started working on an illustration for Girly. I applied the color, but it turned out, uh, ... not so good. So, I'm posting the inked version. I'll redo it, and post it in color later. It's amazing how a little bad color, can destroy an illustration. Sigh.

Playing Troubles

As much fun as it is to play, it can lead to an assortment of bumps and bruises. Thank goodness for older brothers who help out in these situations!

Despite the three year age difference, my two boys are surprisingly good friends. The youngest still doesn't talk (unless you consider a barrage of this great conversation: "On, on on on, ON!!!" (I REALLY need you to turn the light on, NOW!!!", or, "Aah dah dah dah, AASH?" (isn't it time to wash my hands, Mommy?)), so they don't really "play" yet, but they sure make each other laugh and are quick to offer love when something goes amiss.

Babies

Here's another from the archives. For the babies post, this is "Pig pile".
Deb

Play

This month has whizzed by with sick children and trying to keep up in the studio and everyday life! So, here is a painting I did a year or so ago. This is for the play week. "Building bridges". This is my two son's playing at the ocean.
Deb

Play

I was hoping to get another baby in there so I could use this for the first prompt, but no dice. Ah well, I'll try next time. Baths are some of the best places for good, clean play. :)

Arkansas SCBWI Conference

Thought a few of you might be interested in the upcoming Arkansas SCBWI conference May 15-16. You can show a portfolio, be critiqued for portfolio, and "pitch" a book idea to a publisher/art director. For more info, visit: http://www.arkansasscbwi.org/conference.html

Babies & Play!

I'm running behind--I'm actually working on several other things with several deadlines, so I am working! Sorry I've neglected WW. Here's a drawing that I literally "threw" together today for both "babies" and "play". I hope to stay up on challenges better in the future!

Play :)

Play

Here are a couple of very playful sheep and a bird, tagging along.

Play

She opened that weekend to excellent reviews!
This is how is I used to play... but maybe the audience wasn't quite as cooperative!!

Play

I just love watching children play , but girls take the cake!
They are so full of drama and I find this hilariously funny and cute.
I got this while watching my niece Chyna playing with her friends
at school!

Play

Hi all, sorry I've been incommunicato lately. We were on vacation, and I've been playing catch up. I think I'm caught up. The prompt for WW this week is play, and on IF it's intricate, so I've tried to kill two birds with one stone. We often encounter this scenario in our house, usually with legos. One daughter meticulously finishes up her giant tower, only to have the dog, or her sister come pouncing on in, and ... Ka-Blam!

sweet baby lambs

Hello Everyone-
In order to participate this week, I must confess that I am recycling. =) This is a piece I did for an educational book series on the life of Jesus. I thought it would be fitting due to the presence of these sweet baby lambs. And thanks Vanessa for the constant encouragement and reminders... life can get busy, but it is always good to take a "time out" for oneself. Missed you all!

Babies

Not a new illustration, but I couldn't resist once I saw the prompt for this week. I did this painting for a friend after her twin boys were born. She had a picture of them as little babies, facing each other just like this, and I thought it was such a cute pose!

Babies

Babies are tons of fun to draw and, since I've got one, they are fresh on my mind all the time. I've been working on a book dummy for an idea I have and here are some illo's I've painted for it. (Since I got to choose prompts, I figured I might as well use what I've been working on so that I'd get some posts in at least.) 

As I've been mentioning lately, I'm not happy with the way my color scanned in. I tried tweaking it in GIMP (like Photoshop) but in some ways it made it worse. The orange background in the boy with blocks and the yellow background in the shy baby are much purer in the actual paintings. Sigh. Let me know if you see anything that you feel I could do better with regards to any of them (and it doesn't bother me to hear your true thoughts . . . even if I may disagree). 

*** Update *** I got a new scanner that arrived today and I replaced the old images with these. I think they look much sharper and truer to color. Hooray for good scanners!

Sugar, Spice and Niecey

Meet Sugar, Spice and Niecey. You won't need a sugar
substitute with these babies. Their 100% all natural and organic.
Expect for Niecey's fake afro puffs. They should be removed
before adding her to your morning joe. He he he!
Have a great day!

Thanks!

Thanks, Michelle, for your kind words and for choosing me to be the winner this month! It was a pleasant surprise. (My oldest son really likes the Spotted Bunny, by the way.) 

I really admire the artwork from everyone in the group. I see the strengths that each of us has and I have learned from the rest of you. I also appreciate the support and kindness you give to me and to the group. In this business, I don't know about the rest of you, but self-judgment is enough to get me down. Your encouragement is a welcome respite. It definitely makes this blog a fun place to come to! 

While I'm writing this post, I thought I might as well ask those of you who've been published: what do you think was key to getting your first paid assignment (and then the others that followed)? Was it something you did with your artwork? Was it chance? promotion? attending conferences and networking? connections? Your advice may or may not help me personally, but I do feel inspired by learning about others' success stories (and that helps me push forward until it'll happen to me). 

Crowded

As I posted earlier, I hadn't created anything new for "Crowded" but I had this watercolor painting I did from 2007. I thought it fit pretty good.
Debbie

Legend of the Selkies February post

Here is my watercolor "Legends of the Selkies" for the February monthly post. I really like the light that I have going on, on the rocks around her.
This is the best I could come up with, with only reading a little bit about this legend from the link provided. I hadn't heard of the story before. I'm glad to have had the oppurtunity to learn about them and to try my hand hand painting an illustration. It was a very good lesson!
I'm sorry, I wasn't able to do anything for the 'crowd' week. Life got in the way and I had worked up 4 or 5 other new paintings.
Thanks for looking,
Debbie