November Pinch Punch Post

This month's Pinch Punch Post topic is "Robin."

People often think of robins as a sign of Spring.  Unfortunately, this is not true.  Not all Robins migrate, they just hide out in the trees during the winter months.  An article posted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology states, "it's a lack of food more than anything that causes some robins to migrate further south for the winter."

Just a little piece of information to pass on.  I always thought when you spotted a robin it was a sign of spring coming.

Here is my illustration for November's Pinch Punch Post.

That little guy is waiting for his dinner.  The illustration was drawn with pencil and ink and then digitally colored.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

 

Animal Alphabets- C

Well, this week we find ourselves in some murky water trying to catch a glimpse of the Creature From the Black Lagoon.  Except my take on the word is a kid trying on a costume of the Creature of the Black Lagoon.

I'm really having fun with Animal Alphabets.  You should give it a try.

Until next time, it's back at the drawing board for me.  

Babadook

So this week for Animal Alphabets is B for Babadook.  For those of you who don't know Babadook he is a tall pale-faced monster in a top hat with pointed fingers who torments people after they become aware of its existence.  You can read about him and the movie here.

Here is my take on Babadook.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

ANIMAL ALPHAPBETS

So I started another new illustrating challenge on Twitter called Animal Alphabets.  The letter was A- for AudreyII from Little Shop of Horrors.  This is what I came up with.

Next up B for Babadook!

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Animal Loon

I found another exciting monthly drawing challenge on Twitter  called Animaloon Collective,   You post on the second Tuesday of each month.  This month's word is "Turkey"

This is what I came up with.

This illustration was completed digitally on SketchBook Pro.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Good Night Pig

Here is a new character I developed for my new story/picture book called "Good Night Pig."  I am still trying to come up with a name for her.  So as of right now I will refer to her as Good Night Pig.

She was created digitally on Adobe SketchBook Pro.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.  

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #33

This week's Illustration Friday challenge finds our protagonist facing a possible melting situation.  This is what I came up with.

The prompt word for this week is "wax."  

This illustration was drawn in pencil and then transferred to SketchBook Pro and digitally colored.

I hope you like this illustration.  If you would like to see my other challenges than click here.

Until next time it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

Dragon Art

Here is an illustration of a dragon I did.  I will show how it looked originally and then after.

Here is the original: It was done in ink and color pencil.

This is the first change I did with it.  I colored it in SketchBook Pro.  I made a slight change to his tail.

This is the final rendering.  I changed his color and added some soft fog using SketchBook Pro.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

November Pinch Punch Post

For those who like an illustrating challenge, I would highly recommend Twitter's Pinch Punch Post.  Every month they give you a prompt word and you have to post your illustration by the 1st of each month.

November's prompt word is "caterpillar."  And here is my illustration I done.

This illustration was done digitally in SketchBook Pro.  

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.  Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #32

I must admit it has been a long time since I participated in the Illustration Friday challenge.  I have been extremely busy getting my portfolio ready for the SCBWI Fall Conference.

The conference is now over and I am back.  So this week's challenge word is "spooky."  I love everything about Halloween and this is the perfect painting that depicts spooky (in my mind)

I did this painting in acrylics.  I hope you enjoy this.  You can check out my other challenges I have done by clicking here.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Pinch Punch Post October

For this month's Pinch Punch Post the theme is "Bat" and this is what I came up with.

The illustration was done in color pencil and ink and then the background was done digitally.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Spot Illustrations

The SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference is just around the corner so I have been updating my portfolio.  I am adding some new pieces to it.

I just finished a spot illustration so this will be added to my portfolio.  If you do not know what a spot illustration is I will tell you.  A spot illustration is a stand alone drawing with no background.

Here is the spot illustration I just created.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

SCBWI Narrative Art Award

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) have announced the  Tomie dePaola Award will become the Narrative Art Award.  This award will be judged by a rotating panel of judges each year.  The assignment will always be three images in the format of panels to show sequence and narrative.  

This year's assignment was to create three illustrations from the same story that display Dilemma/Conflict/Resolution.  There also must be three different characters.  The theme they went with was in honor of the 125th anniversary of Sherlock Holmes.  So I had to depict a mystery scene.

This is what I came up with for dilemma.

This poor little lad is missing his cheese.  So he went to the RDA (Rodent Detective Agency) and

hired a mouse detective to solve this mystery.

Dilemma:  Hmmm. What do we have here?  Did the Mouse Detective stumble upon some cheese thieves? And is that the missing cheese on top of the pile?   If it is the missing cheese how must one get that cheese away from the thieves?  That is the question.  Elementary my dear, Elementary. 

Resolution:  Ahhhh, with the help of his feline friend and a trusty pool stick, that is how you get cheese away from cheese thieves.  

All the illustrations were done in color pencil and ink.  

Hope you enjoyed my illustrations.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Tiger Sketch

Hello everyone, I was cleaning out some boxes and found this sketch I had done of a tiger.  The illustration was rendered in pencil only.

I hope you enjoy this illustration.  

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

September Pinch Punch Post

September's "Pinch Punch Post" on Twitter finds us watching The Great Bengal Magician trying to pull a rabbit out of hat but gets a slithery surprise...  The prompt word is "tiger."

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

August SCBWI Draw This

This month's SCBWI (Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) "Draw This" challenge has us on a screamin' fury roller coaster ride.  The topic of this month's challenge is "wild."  And this is what I came up with.

Who doesn't enjoy a roller coaster ride?  I know I do and these three seem to be enjoying it.  Well, errr. maybe the pig not so much....

Hope you enjoyed this month's challenge.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Fat Cat Animation

I'm so excited to put this video up.  This is my very first, quick animation using SketchBook Pro Flipbook.  Now, I know I have a lot to learn but I still had fun with this.

Hope you enjoyed this animation.

Until next time, it's time for me to ge tback at the drawing board.

Fat Cat Bunny

My favorite cat is back and this time he's an imposter.

A bunny imposter... Hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Fat Cat Dancing

I created Fat Cat a while ago and decided I want to develop him more.

So here he is doing a little dance.

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #31

This week's Illustration Friday challenge has to do with one of my favorite foods-Pizza.

I had this drawing done for another project so it fit right in.

Hope you enjoyed this illustration. 

If you want to check out my other challenges than click here.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

August Pinch Punch Post

Twitter's Pinch Punch Post is an exciting monthly illustration challenge.  This month's theme is "Dragon."

And this is what I cam up with.

Isn't he cute?  Don't you just want to play with him?  The bird's don't look to excited.  

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

July SCBWI Draw This

This month's SCBWI Draw This challenge has us acknowledging a crowning event.    That's right it's a celebration!  King Giraffe accepts his crown as the animals gather around.  "All hail the King!"

Illustration done in color pencil and some digital.  

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.  

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

Illustration Friday #30

Okay, so I missed the Illustration Friday challenge this week but went ahead and did something anyway.  The topic was "Sailor" And this is what I came up with.

Anyway, I can't think of a better way to depict a sailor than with this guy who is very familiar with water. 

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

If you want to see my other challenges than click here.  

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Dino the Dinosaur

Here is a new illustration I just got done with.

He's al ready for a sleep over.  He even has his stuffed dinosaur companion.  Not sure what I am going to do with him yet.  Perhaps a story will follow soon.  

Until next time, it's time for me to get back a the drawing board.  

Animal Closeups

I decided to start a series of trying to draw an animal a day.  So I came up with just doing animal closeups.  Why? You ask?  Well,  only doing their heads has it's advantages which I will list below.

ADVANTAGES OF DRAWING ONLY CLOSEUPS

1. It's easy and quick
2. It's a way for me to practice on SketchBook Pro.
3. It keeps my creative juices flowing.
4. And most of all it's fun.  

Let's start with this guy.

So I already posted some of my animal closeups as doodles and you can see them here and here.

So every week I will post a new animal closeup.









Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #29

This week's Illustration Friday challenge is so delicious and happens to be one of my favorite desserts!  ICE CREAM!

And look who also enjoys ice cream.

Can you guess the flavor?  It is my all time favorite ice cream in the world.  No, not blueberry.  Blue is in the name though.  Any more guesses?  Oh, okay, it's Blue Moon!

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Check out my other illustration challenges here.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Pinch Punch Post for May

Twitter's illustration challenge "Pinch Punch Post" for May was "monkey."

 I  had a lot of fun with the word.  My first thought was a barrel of monkeys and then this is what I decided to do.

I illustrated this is pencil and ink and then finished it off with watercolors.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until the next time, it's time for me to get at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #28

Wow, this was a quick turnaround this week.  I was messing around on SketchBook Pro and came up with this week's Illustration Friday challenge.  The topic is "portrait."

This illustration was done digitally.

I think he looks a little shy.  What do you think?  Overall, I am happy with him.

If you want to check out my other challenges than click here.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #27

This week's Illustration Friday Challenge tugs at our hearts.  It's all about "love."

I was going to use an old drawing that I had with hedgehogs but that would have been lazy on my behalf.  Here is the illustration I am talking about.

This is what I decided to go with.  

It's a simple drawing and it is new.  

If you want to check out my other challenges then click here.

I hope you enjoyed these illustrations. 

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

July Pinch Punch Post

For this month's drawing challenge for Twitter's Pinch Punch Post, gives us a close up look at a little red crustacean.  Can you guess what I have drawn?  If you guessed crab than you would be right.  Except this crab isn't crabby at all.  He's a pretty happy crab.

See for yourself.

I illustrated this on Sketchbook Pro.  I think he came out pretty good.  

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.  Until the next time it is time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

June's SCBWI Draw This

So this month's illustration challenge for SCBWI "Draw This"  gives a splash of color.   The prompt word is "splash."

My first thought was to do an animal splashing in some water but then I thought I would take a different approach and this is what I came up with.

This illustration was created digitally on SketchBook Pro.  I'm finding I am doing more of my work digitally.  I still have a long way to go before I get really good at it but I am happy how this turned out.

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Here are my other illustration challenges I have completed if you want to check them out.  Check them out here.

It's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #26

This week's Illustration Friday challenge brings new growth.   If you guessed sprout than you would be right.

Here is my illustration for the word "sprout."

This illustration was done digitally in SketchBook Pro.  

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.  Check out my other challenges I have done by clicking here.

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #25

Here is my entry for the Illustration Friday challenge this week.  The topic is "Three"  So what better than three blue cows who love lollipops.

Illustration done in colored pencils and some digital aspects to the third cow in Sketchbook Pro.

If you would like to check out my other challenges then click here.

Hope you enjoyed this week's illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back to the drawing board.

More Doodles

I am enjoying doing quick sketches of animals close up.  Here are a couple more that I did.  It seems like I am doing 1 or 2 a day.

I think I will do a series of them.

These two are appropriate together I think.  

Until next time, it's back to the drawing board for me.

Just Doodling

Sometimes when I am not doing challenges like Illustration Friday or SCBWI Draw This or Twitter's Pinch Punch Post, I am stumped at what to draw so then I will start doodling to get my creative juices flowing.

Here are a couple of doodles I did recently.  They are just a couple of animal close ups.

Both doodles were digitally done in SketchBook Pro.

Now I'm ready to get back to the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #24

This week's Illustration Friday challenge finds an energetic Hippo ice skating while twirling Hula hoops at night time.  What a show!

This week's prompt word is "skate."

This is what I came up.

I think she needs to be careful though.  The ice is starting to crack.....

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

If you want to check out my other challenges I have done then click here.

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Pinch Punch Post for June

June's Pinch Punch Post illustration challenge finds us busy as a little bee.  If you guessed "bee" as the prompt word you would be right.

I decided to do my illustration digitally in Adobe Sketchbook Pro and this is what I came up with.

I wanted to keep it simple so we could focus on the bee itself.  She definitely is the Queen Bee of her hive.

I hope you enjoyed this month's illustration.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back to the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #23

This week's prompt word for the Illustration Friday Challenge is "mind."

This is what I came up with.

Illustration was done in ink and color pencil.

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.  If you would like to check out my other illustration challenges then click here.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back to the drawing board.

Illustration Friday #22

The prompt word for this Illustration Friday challenge is "Team."

What makes a perfect team?  Three kids and a chicken?  I think that makes a pretty darn good team.  What do you think?

Check out my other challenges here.

Until next time, it's back to the drawing board for me.

Digital Character

I haven't done much drawing over the past few weeks because my full time job has been keeping me busy.  I'm still continuing to practice on drawing children.  If you read any of my earlier posts than you know I prefer to draw animals.  

I created this little guy in Sketchbook Pro.

Hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

May SCBWI "Draw This"

For the month of May SCBWI "Draw This" challenge has us hungry.  Follow the animals as they gather for a feast.

If you already guessed "Feast" as the theme, you would be right.

The illustration was done in color pencil and the background was painted digitally.

Hope you enjoyed this month's SCBWI "Draw This" challenge.

Until next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday Challenge #20

Sorry folks, I missed a few weeks of Illustration Friday (three to be exact) but I am back and ready for this week's challenge.

This weeks challenge finds our little mouse up against some heavy odds.  No matter how hard he pushes the elephant resists.

The prompt word for this week is "resist."

This is what I came up with.

I done this digitally on SketchBook Pro.  I wanted to keep it simple.  

Hope you enjoyed this edition of Illustration Friday challenge.  If you want to check out my other challenges then click here.  

Until the next time, it's time for me to get back at the drawing board.  

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