Thoughts in the middle of the night

I've been posting my attempts at getting my illustration skills going again at a couple of places (other than Illustration Friday) that are worth mentioning (may have done so already so bear w/me!): Sugar Frosted Goodness and Three Thumbs Up Award. The first is a blog full of illustrators that just completely intimidate me. I post feeling like the freshman of the class. The latter, is a new blog where there are all sorts of creative work. I check both regularly because the creativity of others is truly inspiring.

I find that my illustrations have no rhyme or reason regarding style. I'm experimenting and testing things out. I hope your pupils pardon my lamer attempts. Normally I wouldn't show these pieces (sometimes half-cooked!) around so much but it just seems like the only way to just jump into the fray and see what happens. Unfortunately (or fortunately!!) I only get the positive feedback from the nice people that post comments. A serious crit would probably be a kick in the pants but it'd be nice to hear at some point --- maybe. ;)

I read this in the Artist's Sketchbook magazine this weekend and it helped me with my thoughts of insecurity (I guess that's what they are): "Don't judge and don't give up. Somewhere along the way you'll think your work is no good and wonder why you're even bothering. This is the time to persevere. Even the most accomplished, full-time artists feel that way, but they work through it because they know it's common and temporary".

I'm sneaking in this post while everyone else sleeps. I'd better go do the same myself. I leave you with another quickie doodle. Ta-ta!

Illustration Friday - Monster

A few months ago my 6yr old woke up in the middle of the night crying his eyes out because he said there was a monster coming after him. Basically he was having a nightmare - his first one. I couldn't convince my poor little guy that he was going to be OK. Only after a lot of reassurances he finally did go back to sleep.

Illustration Friday - Feet (round two)

I bought a set of watercolors the other day and decided to have a go at them. This is my first watercolor in forever and I wasn't even that great when I did work with them in college. Now is when I completely regret having blown off my watercolor class. Back then I was so worried about my design projects that I let the class slide with work that wasn't even my half-best effort. To admit that...ugh!

So anyway here's my attempt at fixing some things that I didn't like about my previous "Feet" illustration. I like some things from that illustration better than this one. I prefer these trees but I like the angles of shades and line drawing of the figure of my first illustration. At least it was worth a try.

Like I have nothing else to do

I'm tired of staring at the same header for what seems like forever now. I'll be posting some small previews of work in progress or completed work there. This first one is still in development and is completely a 'for fun' project. I'll explain more about it when I finish it.

Illustration Friday - Feet

When I saw the theme for this week's IF the first thought through my mind was that I didn't want draw feet but I had no idea what I was going to do instead. We were walking through a park this weekend when I finally got the idea for my illustration. I pointed the camera straight up to take a shot of the canopy of trees overhead. Then, for whatever reason, I looked down at my feet and that's when I thought: "what's the view like from my feet?" (actually from my left foot in this case). This is a scan of a pencil sketch with color added digitally. More refinement would definitely be in order but this is all I have time for. It's going to be a busy week!

NO to spec work!

Hear! Hear! A site that finally puts a voice to why spec work shouldn't exist. It says everything that I probably couldn't adequately put into words myself. You should really check it out.

From the site:
"The mission of this blog is to educate both clients and Visual Communication designers (also known as 'graphic' designers) about the nature of speculative, or "spec" work.

It also serves as a vehicle to unite designers who support the notion that spec work devalues the potential of design and ultimately does a disservice to the client."

Visit the site: NO!Spec

Illustration Friday - Tattoo

I haven't seen if anyone did this week's theme from this angle. If it needs an explanation you weren't around during the 70's or you don't watch reruns! ;)

P is for Procrastination

So here I am sleepy and with some work that needs to be done. What do I do? Doodle and make this silly little drawing. Certainly not worthy of Sugar Frosted Goodness! If you're interested in illustration check it out. I just joined but I will really have to think twice before submitting anything there because the illustrators there are very very talented.

To kill more time I even scanned in this little 2 min. sketch that I did when I was wondering what to submit for Illustration Friday (insect) this week. This is me yelling "a roach, a roach!!" :) I HATE HATE them and they totally send me into histerics. We don't have them in the house but in the summer it's not a good thing to leave the door open for too long because they sneak in real easily and unnoticed. Yuck!

Off to work on a logo I haven't finished...

Spring is in the air!

We worked in our garden all Saturday afternoon. It was good to see it looking decent again after it was abandoned during the winter. I always have the job of weeding which I actually enjoy. Yes, I enjoy it. My neighbor thinks I'm insane and wishes I'd do his weeding. I just told him I enjoy doing my own! ;) For some reason I just find it to be relaxing. Yeah, kind of weird I guess.

Illustration Friday - Insect

I worked on this week's IF theme this afternoon. It's a block print with color added in Photoshop.