November/December 2018

Ah, the holidays. Mega time used cooking, shopping, baking, decorating, etc. However I do have a new set of illustrations to share. I find it very relaxing to work in the evening, when nothing good is on TV.

The first few images were done as banners for my facebook pages.

 I experimented with a few dressed owls...

The next group were done to prompts from the facebook page, 52 Week illustration Challenge. Unfortunately, we got word today that the group will end in 2018, so I'll be looking for another Illustration group. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

Prompt here was REPTILE: I chose to illustrate an alligator snapping turtle.

Prompt word: Pencil. Palm Leaf Pilgrims.

Pronpt word: AFRICA. I chose to illustrate a mother and child.

Prompt word: Window: First Snow

Prompt Word: CELEBRATE. Happy New Year.

Prompt Word: Shopping. Shopping for a Christmas Tree!

Night Skater.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Fall Images

Boy Reading: Digital

Most of the images in this post were done from "prompts" suggested by the 52 week illustration challenge on facebook. I can't believe I've almost finished another year. Working from prompts has kept me on task, even though there were times I would have rather spent time with something of my own choosing. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to do a new challenge next year or stick with this one. Time will tell. At least it keeps me working & meeting deadlines.

Gater Dude: Digital

Strawberry Ice Cream Cone: Digital

Brownie's Home: digital

Flying Witch: Digital

Friends: Digital

Grandchildren: Ink

Unrest: Digital

Jump: Digital

Piasa Bird: Digital

Rope: Digital

Tribute to Henri Rousseau: digital

Spooky: Digital

August, September, October 2017

In August, I worked on a SCBWI-IL writer's retreat, "Words in the Woods" held at East Bay Camp near Bloomington, IL. My responsibility was decor, design, bonfire, party and writing activities.

Designed the logo for Words in the Woods.

Most of the attendees posed on the steps for a photo.

Me, Alice and Anastasia posing at the Kid Lit Costume Party.

In September, I concentrated on making a pb dummy for Dani Duck's Dummy Challenge. Not every picturebook I write fits my style but this one did.

Character Sketches: Jackalope

One page of the dummy.

One finished illustration.

In October, I designed the booth for SCBWI-IL to promote author and illustrators latest books and school visits. We exhibited at IRC (Illinois Reading Council) and ISLMA (Illinois School Librarians and Media Association) conventions.

The display board features 2017 releases. (It was IRC's 50th anniversary so we gilltered it up!)

Sarah Aronson greeting her skype winners in girlgoyle style.

Ruth Spiro discusses her books with conference attendee.

SCBWI-IL's 2015-2017 books on display.

Piggies Part 1: Finished.

Most of the pigs I sketched in the previous post have reached a "final" stage.
Here in no particular order they are:

Pig Astair

Piggie's First Birthday

Grandpa Piggie Puts On His Socks.

Prankster Piggie At Work.

Piggie on a Swing 2

Piggie Peasant Collects Eggs

Cowboy Piggie

Piggie Can Can

Piggie Floats His Boat

Queen Piggie

Piggie Dances Flamenco

Working from sketch to final line art.

Been busy this summer working on a SCBWI-IL Writer's Conference, painting backgrounds, designing notebook pages, and creating a "camp craft" for adults. (I'll try to post some pictures next month. I want to keep things a secret until the conference is over.)

In the meantime, thought I'd share some rough sketch to line art work I've been doing. I hope to finish the line art by adding color in Photoshop.

Here are some sketches from this summer. I'm working through a "PIG" theme. At this stage I'm not positive what the background will be, or if I will combine the single figures with others. Working loosely in the sketching stage I try to capture the pose and emotion of the image, when I start the line art, I have to be more sure of what I plan to emphasize.

Once the line art is established I import it into photoshop and fill in with color, texture and shading. I was disappointed that my line work didn't remain as fluid in the digital version. I need to play around with this and get it resolved.