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.)