Practicing on Sketchbook Pro

Ok, so I have been practicing drawing on Sketchbook Pro trying to get used to drawing digitally.  This is what I came up with so far.

And then this one....

I hope you enjoyed, it's time to get back to the drawing board.

Peanuts Illustration

A friend I work with loves the Peanuts Characters by my favorite cartoonist Charles Schultz.  I decided to make her an illustration as a gift.  I actually jumped at the chance since I used to spend hours and hours drawing the Peanuts gang.  So I went on the internet and found these two photographs.

I came up with this so far.

Sorry it is so dark but when I went in to edit it to make it lighter it took away my pencil marks.  As you can see the majority was based off the first photograph but, I added Marci and Pig Pen in from the second photograph.  It has been a long time since I have drawn the Peanuts Gang.  

Here it is finished.  I almost forgot Woodstock. 

This illustration is based off from Charles Schultz Peanut Characters photos I found on the internet.  I  am not profiting off this illustration.  It's simply a gift to a friend who happens to be a big Peanuts fan.    

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

Animal Chorus

I just finished this on Saturday, January 14, 2017.

I was originally going to finish this traditionally with color pencils but I made a couple of mistakes while I was inking it and instead of throwing it away and starting over I decided to open it in Sketchbook Pro and fix them.  So then I digitally colored it.  

I hope you enjoyed this illustration.

Until next time, I'm back at the drawing board.

Illustration Friday Week 7

Okay, week 7 of the Illustration Friday Challenge brings a little bite to the week.   This week's topic is, "Internet."

Below is my rough draft.  As you can see from the finished I changed the look of the desk.  I think the finished illustration depicts the desk better.

I realized I forgot to put in my movement lines for the fish but, I think it still works without them.  This illustration was colored in SketchBook Pro.

Hope you enjoyed this week's edition of the Illustration Friday Challenge.

See what I did for the other Illustration Friday Challenges:

Illustration Friday Challenge Week One-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 2-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 3-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 4-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 5-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 6-

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

My First Digital Character.

I decided to break free from my traditional drawing and give digital a try.  I joined Sketchbook Pro for a year because I read some pretty good reviews on it and decided what the heck it was only $20.

I got out my Wacom Bamboo Splash tablet which I purchased about three years ago.  I really haven't done much with it because I could never get the hang of drawing while looking at the screen.  It felt very uncomfortable and my lines seem to be jittery. So along with my Children's Writer & Illustrator Market books (if you read my previous post, "Ready, Set, Get Published") it too began to collect dust on my bookshelf.

Anyway, back to the present.  I must say I found drawing with sketchbook pro much smoother and more comfortable than the first time I tried to illustrate digitally.    This cute little space alien is what I came up with.

Nothing complicated, just something quick and easy.  I had fun with it. 

If you are wondering if I plan on ditching traditional art for digital?  My answer is, "NO!"  I consider myself a traditional artist.  I love sitting at my drawing board with my HB pencil, my dip pen and finishing off my illustration with Prismacolor pencils.  On the flip side, working digitally, you don't have to worry about eraser shavings (which I tend to have a mound) paper, paint, pencils or whatever you create with which by the way can be very expensive.  I will however combine the two.   There is still so much for me to learn digitally but, I am up for the challenge. 

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

    

Illustration Friday Week 6

I'm back again for another Illustration Friday challenge!   This week's topic is "Sound."

Here is the rough sketch.

I then opened my illustration in Sketchbook Pro and painted it.  

I hope this illustration made you smile. 

See what I did for the other Illustration Friday Challenges:

Illustration Friday Challenge Week One-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 2-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 3-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 4-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 5-

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

Ready, Set, Get Published.

Well folks, it is a new year and 2017 is going to be great.  I will be working harder than ever on getting published.  I also have some other goals that I will share with you in another post.

First things first though, a children's  illustrator/writer like myself cannot go without this very important book.  It is suppose to be the most trusted guide to getting published.

Yes, I admit, for many years in a row I have purchased a copy of this wonderful book and basically they are sitting on my bookshelf collecting dust.  Not 2017 though.

You may be wondering why this year is so different.  Well, first of all, my current full time employment is coming to end in just 4 short years.  Why is it coming to an end?  If you guessed retirement, you would be right.   I work in law enforcement so it is mandatory that we retire at the ripe ole age of 57.   No time like the present to think about my future after retirement.  After 28 years of law enforcement I think it's finally time to fulfill my dream in becoming a children's illustrator.

I know it is going to take a lot of hard work but, I am definitely going to take advantage of the Children's Writer & Illustrator Market 2017.  This book contains so much information to help me get started.  This is my year and I know there will be rejections but, that's all part of it.   I will not be discouraged.

If you have never cracked open this book before it contains, book publishers, magazine publishers, agents & art reps, contests,  awards & grants,  conferences & workshops, articles that aid the writer and illustrator when submitting, and so much more.  This is a wonderful resource for children illustrators and writers.

I already sent out a couple of postcards out to magazine publishers.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my toes too. LOL.   I will also be sending my portfolio out to a few publishers along with picture book dummies.   I don't want to be that ostrich with it's head stuck in the sand anymore.

2017 will be the year of changes and new beginnings.  And what a great way to start off the year with my new 2017 Children's Writer & Illustrator Market.

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

Illustration Friday Week 5

Hello, everyone.  I hope you all had a nice holiday.  I know I did.

If you are new to my blog, I take part in an illustration challenge every week.  The challenge is called "Illustration Friday."  This week's topic is "Talk."    The below drawing is what I came up with.

I decided to leave my pencil marks in the drawing since this was just a rough draft.  I then colored it and here is my final piece.

I m pleased with how it came out.  I always look forward to this challenge because it keeps my creative juices flowing.  

See what I did for the other Illustration Friday Challenges:

Illustration Friday Challenge Week One-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 2-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 3-

Illustration Friday Challenge Week 4-

Well, until next week, it's back to the drawing board for me.