School

Some of you have already seen this (sorry!). I haven't been around due to tendonitis in BOTH of my elbows and I probably won't be commenting on your things like I'd like to (I've loved what I've seen!), but things are turning around and I hope to contribute more frequently in the near future!

BTW, this illo was a spec piece for a job I didn't get. However, I now have a job (howbeit low-paying . . . but a step in the right direction!) to illustrate a book by a young author. I'll post things when I'm allowed to.

Last Post before school

Can you believe it??? School already?? Seems we just got out yesterday. I do love this time of year. Fall is wonderful and not just because was born in the fall. I love the smell of the crisp air and colorful leaves. Apples and carmel! It's wonderful. I just don't want the summer to end just yet. I didn't get chance to go to circus this summer so I draw a picture of it. It's watercolor and collage. Have a good one everyone!!!

So many questions...

I am so excited about these first projects that Vanessa has chose for us and I have so many questions about illustration. If you visit my blog you'll notice that I have never created a scene so I hope that a few of you wouldn't mind answering the following questions.

(1) What size should my illustration be; and

(2) How can I scan my illustrations so that the true colors show?

Thanks in advance.

Carla

First Day of School

Mom is always much more nervous than her young when it's "first day of school"! Sniff! I hope they do well today...

In response to Illustration Friday

This is a line drawing in response to last week's Illustration Friday: Caution. I'm working with my 8th grade Talented Art students & encouraging them to respond weekly in their sketchbooks.

ABC Children's Picture Book Competition

http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/5th_comp/SorryDoesntCleanItUp.html
Click to read the story and the author and illustrator bios... then vote in September!
Voting begins September 20 and runs through October 4...be sure to vote daily! As you can see there are lots of good friends in the competition this year!

sruble: Kitties at the Beach

This week I used a technique that I’ve never tried before, glazing. For those who don’t know, glazing is where you build up thin layers of color instead of just laying down one color from the beginning (which is what I usually do). It was fun, but frustrating to wait for layers to dry, and of course I cheated a few times and painted before a layer was completely dry (I couldn’t help myself).

Here it is; the original is a bit brighter. What do you think?

 

Remus and Romulus at the beach

 

Next time I try glazing, I’m going to try mixing more colors through layering.

Line art -- art nouveau

Here is my "Q" page of the ABCs of Lesser Known Goddesses coloring pages.

The musician I did the CD cover for has asked me not to share the image until the CD release which looks like it will be early next year.

The next art related projects I am working on will be more line work in art nouveau, so still no color to share. LOL.

Shameless Self-Promotion

The ABC Children's Book Competition for 2009 will be here soon. It's a great place to read the stories of up and coming author/illustrator teams.

There are twelve finalists this year (including yours truly: hence the shameless self-promotion). The author/illustrator team with the most online votes will receive a royalty-based publishing contract for their winning entry.

You may go to the ABC Book Competition website to vote, once daily, beginning September 20 -October 4th. The address is http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/5th_comp/bellaUpsideDown.html

My entry (along with children's author Summer K Hall), is "Bella Upside Down."

We'd be ever so grateful if you could cast your vote our way. Oh, and please feel free to spread the word on your blogs, on FB, or Twitter. We can use all the word of mouth possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Work that paint!

Self-critique: I've really got to kick it up a couple of notches when it comes to painting my line drawings. So, yesterday I went down to my local used-book store and bought a great book on using watercolors. Practice, practice, practice I must if I plan on becoming an excellent watercolorist as you all are.

Until next time...

sruble Dancing Chicken

I haven't been around for a while because life got in the way, but I'm back this week and am planning to stick around again for a while. I've looked through all the posts I've missed in the last few months. Wow! You guys have been producing some really excellent work! Congratulations to Vanessa for being named member of the year!!

For this image, I painted a chicken dancing, using waterlogged acrylic. The effect is very similar to what my watercolor looks like. 



Next week I'm going to try a new watercolor technique (new to me, old technique). If It works, I'll post it. 

About Blogs and CD covers

Hi All,

It's been a super busy summer. I have been slowly but steadily catching up on several years worth of projects from my to-do list that the enforced down time of this year have given me the luxury of doing. While they are not specifically watercolor, I thought I'd share the pretty pictures anyway.

I am also blogging about children's book illustrators with interviews, if you know of anyone interested give me a holler. I have recently added a follow my blog badge to my blog and would love it if you all would follow me. Daily Art Food. I have been doing facial expressions for my daily doodle challenge. Some of the images are quite amusing.

I finished a quilt I started back at the beginning of the decade. Eep!



I finished the CD cover but have to ask permission before I can show you guys. The album was supposed to go to press in mid September, but there have been some delays, so who knows when it will happen.

Girl and Dog

Remember this girl? Sans bunny and now jumping up a bit... I did her and her dog friend as part of a series. The other ones are here and here.

So Funny

"I told my 3-year-old daughter, Evelyn, that on the day she was born the doctor said, 'It's a beautiful girl!' She asked me how the doctor knew she was a girl, and I told her it's because she was born naked. She exclaimed, 'Oh, so boys are born with clothes!'" (Parents Magazine, August 2009)

Have a Happy Monday!

try, try again

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for letting me back into the fold ladies. I have recently become serious about perfectig my style so make that final and fabled leap as a published illustrtor. (hopefully) I'm tryig to push my stuff to be great and unique and worthy to editores, etc. This piece is my latest attempt and it didn't quite make it. But, at least I finished a piece. Now to find more time and energy in the day to do another piece. *sigh*

Family Vacation

So I am in love with my new pen and india ink.

Mermaids a Plenty

This the only way I can get the stinky girl to take a bath.
hee he hee he!
Have a good one

Back to School

I can't believe it's almost that time already. Sheesh. Where did the summer go? (Did we even have a summer?) I've got to think about buying school clothes ...

Lifted

Terry explained to the new girl that Tameka was in the habit
of listening to feel good music and poetry daily before classes.
It kept her lifted all day long.
hee he hee he! Have a good one everyone.

From sketch to painting

I thought I'd share one little illo, from sketch to finished painting.

For this one, I started doodling a pig in an old-fashioned bathtub. I did a quick pencil sketch: I tend to sketch really small, so when I'm happy with the drawing I have to enlarge it either on a photocopier or using my scanner. Once I get it to the right size, I transfer it to watercolor paper using a small lightbox.

I can still make a few changes while transferring the sketch: in this case I changed the paper boat to a little rubber duck. On the sketch paper, I'll sometimes play with color, just to get some ideas.


Once I have the sketch on the watercolor paper, I use pen and ink to do the outline. I love ink drawings, the looser the line, the better. I prefer using a nib so that I can play with the width of the line, but I'm still learning how to control it. Also, even though I like the line to be loose, like on the sketch, once I start doing the outline in ink I have a harder time keeping it just as fresh. I like the results, but it's certainly more controlled. Once that's done, I erase the pencil marks and start painting. Selecting the colors and painting is also something I'm still working on. I guess my favorite part of any illustration is the sketch: everything else takes a bit more work and effort, and I find myself being more tentative. But the greatest thing is that I can see myself improving little by little. Having a blog and being part of Watercolor Wednesday has helped a lot! :-)

Strengthening my wings

These are some character sketches for a picture book that I am writing. This is the project that I hope to complete by next spring.

When I was about 8 years old I passionately vowed to become a children's book illustrator and writer. Then I grew up and left that dream behind. But now I'm back on track.

It feels great to be fulfilling my life's purpose and I've learned much since I began this past April. For example, I initially began using words to write my first manuscript and soon found that drawing is the best way for me to "write". Therefore I'm just filling up my sketch-book with scenes and will add the words later. Whatever works, right?

The biggest obstacle to my life's purpose is using color yet I'm coming along at a slow but steady pace. And don't be afraid to get in my face like an army drill sergeant when it comes to critiquing my skills. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Sometimes birds need a big fat push out the nest whether they can fly or not. Wings can only be strengthened if they're used.

Carla

Marathon Bunny

I am excited to become a member of the Watercolor Wednesdays club. I am an amatuer in every sense of the word and was very nervous about being accepted. So I was over-joyed when I received a reply from Linda. I have my running shoes on for this adventure and hope to become a valuable player on this team.

Summer Vacation

In addition to everything else going on, I have a new computer & now I don't have Photoshop (too $ for now), so I'm trying to figure out how I can use the camera program that I have already...this is a very old image that I happened upon. Usually, my husband cans/puts up pickles during the summer & everyone loves them. This image is about canning, a southern thing, a summer thing.

Hi Watercolor Wednesday members!

Sorry, but I've really been away from the site most of the summer either physically or mentally! Now it's time to return to school, so things are picking up speed in that area & I'm busy getting ready to teach Talented Art once again. I know many of you are moms (I'm a mom too but mine is in law school)! Many of you are getting your children ready for school, so how about an "anything goes" in August? Post anything you like--share what you're doing and what you're trying/hoping to do. Share any sales or publications or rewards. Share any sketches, doodles, or drawings. In September, we'll get back to normal. Hope this works for everyone--sorry that I've been "out of it" these past months...I just need to reorganize and get back to a regular routine of creating and producing! Have a happy August!