L is for Loggerheads Overhead

L is for Loggerheads Overhead

Loggerheads swimming was the inspiration for putting them in the air. I was inspired by the cold night snow at home to do a monochromatic sketch.

The sketch has reference to  David Wiesner's Tuesday and his flying frogs. Who could forget those images!

My Entry for the Tomie DePaola Contest

Sneeze: A sneeze is a breeze in your nose. Watercolor pencils

 

This is the image I sent to the Tomie DePaola Contest for Illustration. See www.scbwi.org/awards/tomie-depaola-award/

 I actually thought the poem said, "A Sneeze is a breeze that tickles your nose." (Which I actually like better than the original, but...)

The image was supposed to be designed for babies up to 2 years old.

Other than sending images to the SCBWI Bulliten this is a FIRST Submission.

(Thanks to my critique groups, Springfield Scribes and Book Ends for the push!)

J is for jellyfish, K is for koi kites

K is for Koi Kites

J is for jellyfish

J is for jellyfish, much harder to draw in pencil. Ugh.

K is for Koi Kites. This is exactly what my students in elementary school would do when they were done making their "Japanese Fish Kites" from kraft paper and paint.

I is for Imperial Angelfish

E is for Emperor Angelfish: watercolor and marker

This school of Imperial Angelfish are attempting to make a color wheel.

H is for Hermit Crab

H is for Hermit Crab: watercolor pencil

Feeling the Florida sun and sand in this image. Wish I could bottle it.

(Did I mention I've been walking the picket line with my teacher daughter? It's freezing cold here.)

G is for Gar, a freshwater fish

G is for Gar, a freshwater fish: black and white pencil on gray paper

What I learned doing this sketch: work on larger paper. My Gar is not as long and narrow as I intended it to be. I was worried about my paper fitting on my scanner so I worked too short and it shows. Live and learn.

F is for Fiddler Crab on the Roof

Fiddler Crab on the Roof: Watercolor Pencils and Marker

A tip of the hat to artist, Marc Chagall for inspiration. 

(Do fiddler crabs come in green?)

D is for Doctor Fish, E is for Electric Eel

Combined D for Doctor Fish and E for Electric Eel in this cartoon.

C is for Cooter, (A large freshwater turtle)

C is for Cooter

This month's theme of Doodles, my facebook drawing group, are creatures that live in or near water, done alphabetically. I like to find obscure things to draw, so here is the Cooter.   The word, "Cooter" stems from the African "Kuta" meaning turtle in Bambara and Malinke languages. It is thought that African slaves called turtles "Kutas" and the word, in certain areas of the United States, evolved into "Cooter". 

(I think if I'd had a son, I might have named him "Cooter".)

B is for Bullfrogs: "Fly Dynasty"

B is for Bullfrogs: "Fly Dynasty"

Learned two things working on this drawing: 1. Don't waste time on bad paper, you'll regret it, and 2. Drawing fly camo is harder than it looks. Hope you enjoy seeing it.

A is for alligator, headed to the beach for the holidays

A is for Alligator (Black Marker)

The theme of the month, on the facebook page "Doodles" is A to Z water-related. I've chosen alligator heading to the beach for a holiday.

IF....I had it to do over, I'd use baggy trunks (funnier) and swim flippers...not crazy about how the teeth look, needs revision.

(Is this sketch a secret longing for the beach during the winter? No, I actually LOVE snow.)

SkaDaMo: Day 30, Last Day!: The Astronomer

The Astronomer, (b/w pencil on gray paper)

Last Day, the astronomer, looking to the future on a starlit Winter night.

SKaDaMo Day 29: Patterned Pandas Parade with Packages

Pandas (Black marker/gouache)

I am not good at photographing my own work. My blacks are off in this sample. (See how they look red on the right Panda?)  Coming from a fine art background, I tend to work larger than my scanner bed, a problem since I haven't got the hang of making decent photos of my work. (Need to make this a priority....teach myself to do it.) Ah, the new year approaches.

SkADaMo, Day 28: Turkeys, what else?

Go Wishbones: Watercolor pencils on gray paper

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Added a few snowflakes to my Turkey Cheerleaders.
(A local team plays in the state championship tomorrow, guess I got caught up in the spirit.)

SkADaMo, Day 27: Guinea Pig in a Wig

Guinea Pig in a Wig (#2 graphite pencil)

Let me tell you how much I hate #2 graphite pencils: smeary! The lead floats on the surface of the paper and floats off into the background at the slightest sneeze. I felt like I spent more time erasing than drawing.

(If I were not so lazy, I SHOULD have used better art pencils.) Live and learn.

I wanted three contessas, but gave up after dealing with the media problems.

I like the image and I'll put it on my do list for finals.

SkADaMo Day 26: Hamsters in Dicken's Attire

Hamsters in Dicken's Attire

There was something about the way the hamsters hold their little paws that reminded me of carolers, so.....here they are, whiskers and all.

SkADaMo, Day 25: Koala

Koalas in the Tree Top (b/w pencils)

I was a little distracted by the koala's dual thumbs, so I pictured a young one playing patty-cake with his mother while his younger sibling slept.

SkADaMo Day 24: Moonlit Deer

Moonlit Deer

An Albino Deer in the Moonlight.

SkADaMo, Day 23: Wild Boars

Mother and Son, Wild Boars (B/W pencils and black ink pen)

Got a title suggestion, or caption for this one?

SkADaMo: Day 22: Sugar Gliders on the Roller Coaster

Sugar Gliders on the Roller Coaster (Pencil)

I've actually never drawn a sugar glider before, they are pretty cute little characters. Flying squirrelish. Don't know where the idea came from but I thought it would be funny if their "dare" was to lift off on downward plunges of the roller coaster.

(Yeah, I know the wheels are wonky.)

SKaDaMo: Day 21: Griffin as Skater

Griffin Skater

I had fun with this one, can you tell?

SkADaMo: Sketch #20: Beetle

Scarab Necklace

This isn't my favorite sketch but it's day 20 and this is what I have. (Pluggin' away.)

SkADaMo: Day 19: An Aye Aye

An Aye Aye

Yes, this animal actually exists and it's even creepier than my drawing. I tried to make it cute but this is the best I could do. (It would be a great creature for a Halloween book.)

SkADaMo: Day 18, Josephine Baker, peacock

Josephine Baker, peacock. Her legs are a little wangy and she's shorter and rounder but.... It's done.

SkADaMo: Sketch 17: Seals

Seals (B/W pencils on gray paper)

Since I live in the Midwest, seals are not part of my visual memory. I used photos as reference to draw these cute little chubbas swimming around, nuzzling each other.

SkADaMo: Sketch 16: Dinosaur Bones

Dinosaur Bones (B/W pencil on Gray)

I know for sure I do not want to be a scientific illustrator. Although this stretched my drawing muscles, it was kind of boring. I found myself wanting to add a silly hat, googly eyes and a crazy patterned outfit. (Mmm, now there's an idea!)

SkaDaMo: Sketch 15: Polar Bear Skating

Polar Bear (Marker and gouache)

Skating is better when you wear your Christmas sweater.

SkaDaMo, Sketch 14: What's Up?

What's Up? (Black sharpie Marker)

SkaDaMo: Sketch 13: Her Majesty, Queen Fox

Her Majesty, Queen Fox  (B/W pencil on gray)

I think this one would be fun to paint. Trying to work ahead of deadlines, Thanksgiving looms.

SkaDamo: Sharpie Marker Drawing, Sketch 12

He's too sexy for his stripes. (Opaki)

SkaDaMo: Sketching with ballpoint pen, Sketches 10 and 11

Little House on the Prairie Dog

"Love those Bad Boys!"

SkaDaMo: The Storyteller, Sketch 9

With story telling figures from the Southwest in mind, my dragon becomes the storyteller. B/W pencil on gray paper.

SkaDaMo: Cheeta-hoteph, Sketch 8

Cheeta-hoteph, inspired by Lion Bed, King Tut's tomb. (B/W pencil)

SkADaMo: (Sketch a Day this Month) My next four sketches: #4, #5, #6 and #7.

Awkward Cow Ballerina: b/w pencils on gray

Ninja Newt: black ballpoint pen

 Here are my next four days of sketches. Using prompts from a facebook page called "Doodles"  Experimenting with different media helps expand my illustration visual vocabulary.
Sketches 4, 5 and 6.

Professor Chicken: b/w pencil on gray paper

Red Panda Jazz: b/w pencil on gray

SKADAMO, sha-zamo!....a sketch a day in November: #1,#2 and #3.

Hillbilly Jackalope

 My brain is rocking. Doing PiBoIdMo and SkaDaMo this month.
PiBoIdMo is a picture book idea a month. SkaDaMo is a sketch a day in the month of December. I love the looseness of sketches but it appears I've picked up some fondness for zendoodling techniques in these first three samples. All made with black ballpoint ink pens. It will be interesting to see where the month takes me. Sketches 1, 2 and 3.

 

Elephant

King Caparaya

Celebrate Creativity with Peter H. Reynold's Book, THE DOT

I just finished four dots for International Dot Day, inspired by the wonderful book THE DOT by Peter H. Reynolds. I'm letting my Facebook followers choose which one to submit to Celebrity Dots. My dots are: Close Knit Couple, Mermaid, Sleeping Bunny and Snail. If you'd like to help me choose, look me up on facebook. (Louann Brown)
 Teachers check out the celebration of creativity for your classroom here: http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/.  
Ends Sept 15th so hurry!

Close Knit Couple

Mermaid

Sleeping Bunny

Snail

I Like-A.

Here was my experiment with chalk lines on dark paper, with underlayers (here and there) of white acrylic, application of oil pastels, then an India ink wash. I love the results but am looking for sturdier paper as a base. Any suggestions? I plan to continue to experiment with this technique. Off to the studio!

Sunbathing on the Raft