July 28: Animals with a Twist: Lion: Namaste

Lion "Namaste"
Colored pencils on black paper

From a series of drawings prompted by
Doodle Day, a facebook group.

July 27: Animals with a Twist: Siberian Tiger in Striped Jacket

Siberian Tiger in Striped Jacket
Colored Pencil on Black Paper

I actually really like this one.
Used an old portrait as a clothing model.
[Will post when I relocate it on the web.]
Of course I took use artistic freedom on many details.

From the drawing prompts on Doodle Day
a facebook group.

July 26: Animals with a Twist: Ram: The Fashionable Reader

Ram as a fashionable reader. Done in colored pencils on black paper.

From the series, Animals with a Twist. Prompts on the face book page, Doodle Day.

July 25: Animals with a Twist: Baboon: Former Soccer Star

Baboon as a former soccer star.

Colored pencils on black paper.

Continuing the series of drawings, Animals with a Twist,
from prompts on the face book page, DOODLE DAY.

July 24: Animals with a Twist: Llama: "Little Miss Llama"

"Little Miss Llama" sits on a bench holding her pet bunny.  The drawing was done with colored pencils on brown paper.  Part of a series of Animals with a Twist, from prompts on the facebook page, Doodle Day.

July 23: Animals with a Twist: Monkey: Peter Pan

Loved the costume and pose, so I used it in this drawing of a monkey. Fits in a creepy sort of way. I was reluctant to give it a title because it said so many things to me.

Colored pencil on black paper.

July 22: Animals with a Twist: Ewe: Ewe Remind Me of Frida

I've been finding animals that have a distinct character, then trying to match them with costumes.

This ewe seemed to have a "Frida Kahlo" vibe, so that's the way I chose to draw her.

Colored pencils on black cardstock.

Storytelling sketches

I'm working on sketches that are more "storytelling". The first two show a child playing a musical instrument and attracting a bird in the process. I thought the piccolo player was too stiff. The flute player is more relaxed. I'd like to do a final of her with a music stand in front and a garden behind her.

The bottom sketch is a boy building with toothpicks and peas, or marshmallows being pestered by his siblings. Title is "The Problem with Siblings". The baby, hidden by the sculpture is reaching for it. Totally lost in the sketch. I need to find a solution to this problem. Hum......any suggestions?

July 21: Animals with a Twist: Donkey: 'Beast of Burden'

Donkey, 'Beast of Burden'.
Colored Pencils on brown cardstock.

Loved working with colors.
Wish I'd made the bowl of fruit much bigger to emphasize the idea.

Part of the facebook group, Doodle Day's month of prompts from the theme 'Animals with a Twist'

July 19: Animals with a Twist: Kangaroo as 'the Boxer'

Kangaroo as 'The Boxer". This doesn't work for me. The body and head don't match well enough. I struggled with the male torso...don't actually draw men that often.

The sketch is part of the Doodle Day facebook's monthly drawing prompts. This month is Animals with a Twist.

Drawn with black and white pencil on gray paper.

July18: Animals with a Twist: Walrus as The Godfather and Storytelling: Elephant Princess chasing fireflies.

 For the series, Animals with a Twist, on the facebook page, Doodle Day, I chose a walrus shown here as 'The Godfather'. Seemed a perfect fit to me.

White and black pencil on black card stock.

For a 'Storytelling' illustration, I drew an elephant princess chasing fireflies in her nightgown. Would liked to have indicated a forest in the background but wasn't sure if it would add or detract from the action.

Colored pencil on black card stock.

July 17: Animals with a Twist: Giraffe eating spaghetti, Storytelling illustrations: Giraffe and Pig in the Rain

A recent critique of my illustration portfolio revealed that I needed to work on more illustrations that are "storytelling". A colleague of mine also a member of SCBWI-Illinois, also received the same comment, so we've challenged ourselves to work on that aspect by posting a few drawings a week on the Downstate Illustration Facebook Page.

[I used Giraffe Eating Spaghetti as an Animal with a Twist for the month's 'Animal with a Twist" prompt also.] 

"Pig in the Rain" is the first post I did with a storytelling slant. I hate the black line and will work on getting rid of it as I go along. There were actually more raindrops in the pig illustration but my scanner hates light blue and will not pick up on that color. 

The giraffe illustration got cut off in the scanner, the plate of spaghetti is complete in the original. I wish I'd shaded the hands. If I choose to paint these I will make necessary corrections.

July 16: Animals with a Twist: Aligator: Grandma Gator tells the best stories. [Plus 'storytelling' Illustrations]

Grandma Gator Tells the Best Stories

White and black prismacolor pencil on black paper. Prompt from Doodle Day drawing group on facebook.

I think the merge of 'gator and grandma works better in this combination than the previous drawing of an elephant.


I've also accepted a challenge from one of my fellow SCBWI-Illinois illustrators to work on our 'storytelling' illustrations. Both of us had received the same critique of our work, too static. Needs more of a 'storytelling' aspect. So here are my first two attempts. My style seems to be evolving.

Pig in the Rain. Colored pencil and marker on white cardstock. Not happy with this rendering, too stiff. Will work to improve...

 Princess chasing fireflies. I like this one better but I chickened out. Was going to add a forest in the background and gave up. I like the action better but her back hand is a little misplaced. Trunk was in the way. Colored pencils on black cardstock.

July 15: Animals with a Twist: Elephant: Elephant tipped his hat as he walked by.

"Elephant tipped his hat as he walked by."
Black and white pencil on black paper.

The hand is bothers me, it doesn't seem to match the elephant. Wish I'd left it out. Live and learn....

Back to the drawing board.

July 14: Animals with a Twist: Parrot: The Legendary Scheherazade

The Legendary Scheherazade as a parrot.

Colored pencil on brown paper.

Part of a series of drawings from prompts on the facebook page, Doodle Day. [We're doing "Animals with a Twist" this month.]

July 13: Animals with a Twist: Panda: "The Empress"

The Chinese Empress relaxes on her throne.

Drawing done with colored pencils on black paper.

Part of Doodle Day, a facebook group that provides drawing prompts.

July 12: Animals with a Twist: Snakes

"Mother told me not to get tangled up with you."

Black and white pencil on brown paper.

Snakes. Part of a monthly drawing prompt, "Animals with a Twist", on Facebook.

Page is called Doodle Day.

July 11: Animals with a Twist: Chipmunk

Chippy loves martinis. Decked out in her wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and sundress she enjoys the simple pleasures in life.

Colored pencil on gray paper. Part of the month of doodle prompts from the facebook group, Doodle Day.

July 10: Animals with a Twist: Opossum's High Hoop Act

Pearl's prehensile tail works to her advantage during her high hoop act.

Colored pencils on brown paper.

Part of the online facebook group, Doodle Day's month of Animals with a Twist sketches.

July 9: Animals with a Twist: Raccoons birthday party

!st drawing: Happy Birthday Raccoon

Sketch attempting to make raccoons "younger"

Revised sketch: Younger Raccoons

Happy Birthday Raccoon. First attempt was black and white pencils on gray paper. My raccoons looked too old.  I was not happy with this drawing. Posted on Doodle Day and asked for ideas to make my raccoons younger.

I followed their advice and did a few sketches. My revised drawing was black and white on brown paper. They do look younger, but maybe not as 'raccoony'. I added tails to the second drawing to help give visual clues. Thanks Doodle Day participants for your suggestions!


(Got some great tips on how to do this from my facebook group, Doodle Day.)

July 8: Animals with a Twist: Bunny making a snow angel

Bunny all bundled up lies in the snow to make a snow angel. Colored pencils on gray paper.

July 7: Animals with a Twist: Viking Deer

Viking Deer is a twist on the Viking helmet with horns. Part of my daily drawing prompts from the facebook page 'Doodle Day'.

I'm off on the bent arm, it's too high and at the wrong angle.....and my masculine figures always have a feminine feel....I need to draw more men to get it right.

July 6: Animals with a Twist: White Squirrel as Odette, Queen of the Swans (from Swan Lake Ballet)

Working with white pencil on dark paper.

This sketch is a white squirrel in her role as Odette, Queen of the Swans from the ballet, Swan Lake.

In hindsight, I wish I'd chosen to draw her dancing... perhaps I'd do that in a followup.

July 5: Animals with a Twist: Baby Manta Ray....LOVE It.

Why Disney has not made a feature film starring a Baby Manta Ray is beyond me. How adorable is he?

Drawn with colored pencil on black paper.

[From prompts on the facebook page, Doodle Day]

July 4: Animals with a Twist: Hairless Cat: Catucula, the Vampire

Totally Bella Lugosi...the hairless cat reveals his true nature.

Part of a monthly series of Animals with a Twist from the Doodle Day, sketching group prompts on facebook.

First: White pencil on black.
Second: Adding more color.

July 3: Animals with a Twist: Cat in a Hat

 Himalayan Cat in a hat after the painting, “Portrait of a Young Girl in a Green Dress” (1930)by Tamara de Lempicka. shown below.

Sketch part of monthly drawing prompts from Doodle Day, a facebook group.

July 2: Animals with a Twist: Small Dog: Corgi in the Sky with Diamonds

Corgi in the Sky with Diamonds. Colored pencils on black paper. Part of a month sketching Animals with a twist from prompts from Doodle Day, a facebook group.

Animals with a Twist: June 1: Large Dog: Newfie's Wedding

The Newfoundland's Wedding. Colored pencils on gray paper. The Newfie has tiny chihuahua flower girls. From the prompts on the Facebook Page: Doodle Day.

This month we're doing Animals with a Twist.

Multicultural Month: June 2014

Teasing the Dragon, China, Love the image of the Chinese Dragon. Here a boy rides on his back urging the dragon to chase the golden ball. From Doodle Day prompts for Multicultural Month.

Tonga and Sri Lanka

 Last sketches of the month: Tonga, boys straightening the fishing net and Four on a Swing in Sri Lanka. Whew. It has been a challenge.

Next month, July: Animals with a Twist.
 [Can't wait!] Animals are in my comfort zone.

Nepal, Figi and South Korea

 Three more multicultural doodles for the month: Nepal, children carrying "bundles", school children in Figi, and boys singing in South Korea.  All part of multicultural month on the facebook page, Doodle Day.

Thailand, New Guinea, Greece

The next three doodles in the series are: Thailand, Teaching the Dance, New Guinea, Skeleton Dancers and Greek Children Dancing. Still working on figures and multicultural sketches.

Scotland, France and Peru

 And here we have a Scottish piper, a boy in France, and Incas in Peru.