Sketches & Draws

Portrait of Night-time

2012-01-27T21:41:00.000-06:00

“She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes…”

~Lord Byron

My “Portrait of Night-time” design is up for voting at Shirt.Woot. If you've made a previous purchase from a Woot site, you're eligible to vote -- and trust me, every vote counts! Thanks so much!

The Tablet of Prosperity

2012-01-25T21:41:00.000-06:00

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

~Anne Bradstreet

A couple of days ago, I sat at my computer drawing as usual, when my tablet [digital drawing pad] suddenly stopped working. My trusty ol' workhorse, the Wacom CTE-640, pulled a Gone With the Wind on me and died in the traces, so to speak... I mourned briefly before ordering a fancy new tablet online -- sentimental sap that I am. What followed was a very long day and a half, in which I realized that I am extremely addicted to using my tablet for any and all artwork. Getting out pencil and paper to sketch felt like using a charred stick on a cave wall. I'm not even kidding.

Fortunately, my new Wacom tablet arrived today! My husband helped me get it all set up and working, and man, it feels good to be back in business. It'll take a while to really get a feel for the new stylus/tablet, but thank goodness for tablets. "Prosperity is welcome", indeed.

"Twirl of the Hourglass" is a sketch I did this afternoon for IF's "Twirl" theme.

"Black Cat", a very rough sketch from memory of Blackjack, our trouble-makin' little cat.

Floating in the Deep

2012-01-17T21:27:00.000-06:00

Howdy, all -- hope you're having a wonderful 2012 so far! I just popped in to let you know that my "Octoballoon" design is up for voting at Shirt.Woot. Allons-y!

Sketchin' Skills

2011-12-27T20:17:00.000-06:00

"One must keep right on drawing; draw with your eyes when you cannot draw with a pencil."

~Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

In an effort to keep my sketchin' skills from floundering, I figure I should strive to work faster and more simply -- and keep right on drawing. My tendency is to get bogged down in rendering and perfecting; there's something to be said for simplicity, though!

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "Messenger", so here we have a wee little owlet-in-training at Hogwarts.

Also, this is the second illustration for the children's book I've been working on.

Gingerbread Greetings

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

~ Isaiah 9:6 KJV

Merry Christmas, blog readers! I give you today a Christmas card I drew recently; the inside read "May your Christmas be filled with sugar and spice and everything nice." I do hope, though, that this Christmas you'll experience what the holiday's really all about -- "a Savior... He is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11 NIV) . Have a joyous Christmas!!!

All Wound Up

2011-12-24T07:11:00.000-06:00

Greetings, all! Just popping in to let you know about my latest Shirt.Woot Derby entry, "All Wound Up". If you're eligible to vote and you've got a sec, please give it a vote! Thanks and Merry Christmas!!!

Happy, Christmas-y Things

2011-12-21T18:06:00.000-06:00

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!"

~Charles Dickens

Amid the helter-skelter flurry of mailing out cards, wrapping presents, drinking eggnog [shout out to Southern Comfort Non-Alcoholic Eggnog, yay-uh!] and warding off cats from nibbling on the Christmas tree, it occurs to me that my blog could use some lovin'. So then, in the Yuletide Spirit, let us have some merry little works of art!

For Illustration Friday's "Sink" theme, I did a sketch of the Abominable Snow Monster, alias "Bumble". When the band of misfits encounter the Monster, Yukon Cornelius exclaims that "Bumbles sink!" as the creature disappears into the icy waters.

You may have noticed a new "Buy My Shirt" ad on the blog; that's because my "Bake It So!" shirt's available now! **NOTE: As of 12/26/11, "Bake It So!" is no longer available -- sorry**

This is why mailing out Christmas cards takes me forever -- I feel compelled to personalize the envelopes with themed (in this case, "baking") doodles. Sigh.

If you use Tumblr, please feel free to visit me at "Scribbles & Bits"; I'd love some more followers! I'll send Igor ("eye-gor"?) 'round to fetch you.

And Woot members, if you've got a second, please go vote for my marshmallows at Shirt.Woot; my design's called "A Nice Warm Soak" -- thanks!

Seasonal Stripes

2011-11-30T21:22:00.001-06:00

"Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away."

~Charles Caleb Colton

Hello, all! This is just a quick post to show off the illustration I finished today. I originally started my zebra sketch for Illustration Friday's "Stripes" theme several weeks ago... then it was Thanksgiving, and after that I caught a rather nasty cold... But I finally finished my zebra!

Busy is Good

2011-11-01T21:25:00.000-05:00

"One of the many blessings of being an artist is that you don't have to wait for someone to hire you before you can work. That's wealth beyond measure."

~ Eleanor Blair

This has been a busy week, with visiting family and festivities, and we're in that seasonal stretch where things don't really slow down until year's end. For me it's a time of keeping my eyes open for job opportunities whilst (and at the same time) maintaining my freelance workload. Some days I feel like I need the arms of a Hindu deity -- but it's good to be kept busy!

A quick Nazgul sketch, for Illustration Friday's "Scary" theme.

My Shirt.Woot entry this week, featuring brilliant, evil little pigs.

Inspired by Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, my husband and I dressed up as Penny and Capt. Hammer for Halloween. The trick-or-treater turnout was meager to say the least, but we watched "Sleepy Hollow" and had fun anyway.

Happy Fall, Y'all

2011-10-25T22:28:00.000-05:00

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

~ Stanley Horowitz

This is just a quick post to say "Happy Fall, Y'all"! My summer was basically a whirlwind of road trips and blazing heat, consummated by moving back to Texas in late August, so I am certainly enjoying the slightly cooler days and the settling-down of fall.

My "Love Without Words" shirt is available now at Goodjoe!

"Bama Battlecry" was my submission to the College! Challenge at Threadless.

Tiny Pushes

2011-06-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."

~Helen Keller

Today is a day of "tiny pushes". Furniture has been moved about the house, laundry's been done, plans have been made, and blog posts have been written. Each tiny push brings about progress. It feels good to get some stuff done.

I've got three entries in this week's Shirt.Woot Derby, "Anthropomorphic Food" -- Vote for Rum, Cupcake and Ham!

"Gentlerum of Fortune", featuring that handsome rogue, Slosh McGrogger.

"Piece of Cake" -- if you don't get it, watch this.

"The Penitent Ham", in which a certain adventurous ham encounters the dreaded Slicer.

Hit-or-Miss Ideas

2011-05-30T13:21:00.000-05:00

"Painting is a nail to which I fasten my ideas."

~Georges Braque, Cubist painter & sculptor

I don't have very much to say here, artistically speaking. Lately, my art has consisted primarily of struggling to come up with ideas for shirt designs. One of these days I'm going to figure out how to consistently come up with clever t-shirt ideas that will sell. This hit-or-miss designing nonsense is starting to get kinda old. Anyway... that's enough griping. Time to show the artwork!

For Shirt.Woot's "Royalty" derby, I did a T-Rex royal crest design, "Tyrant Lizard King". It's also currently up for voting in the Double-Take Derby.

Just FYI, my "Barrel of Zombies" design is also a contender in the Double-Take Derby.

"Delusions of Grandeur" was done for the "Shirt Titles Reinterpreted" Derby, in which designs were reinterpretations of previously printed shirt titles... as the Derby title indicates, actually.

Shirt.Woot introduced two new [gray, of all things] t-shirt colors, and so the "Silver Screen" Derby was born. I did a little Nosferatu design called "Lunch Break".

Lastly, here's a baby Smaug sketch, because the Illustration Friday theme this week is "Asleep".

Small Moments

2011-05-10T09:39:00.000-05:00

"Got no checkbooks, got no banks,
Still I'd like to express my thanks -
I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night."
~Irving Berlin, "I Got the Sun in the Morning," 1946

Lately I've been trying to take advantage of wonderful little things that come my way. I bought myself a little bottle of bubble solution, and sometimes I just sit outside and blow bubbles for a few minutes. It's a quiet, calming thing. I've recently begun riding my bike around the neighborhood from time to time; after a [very!] long hiatus from biking, I'd forgotten how pleasant it is to feel the gentle wind in your face and explore new places on a bike. I may not have won any art contests lately, and I may not be rolling in money and fame -- but there's so much to be grateful for, like small moments of refreshment and delight.

On a side note, today is my dad's birthday. Happy birthday, Dad! :-D

The theme at Illustration Friday this week is "Beginner", so I did a rough sketch of a wee laddie practicing the bagpipes. This may or may not have been sketched while I was watching a documentary about the Massacre of Glencoe, so.. bagpipes.

"Zombies" was a recent Derby theme over at Shirt.Woot, so here we have my entries:

"Remember the Undead", with a zombie/sugar skull thing...

"Sock Monkey's Last Stand"

"Barrel of Zombies", which got an Honorable Mention.

For the "Amusement Park" Derby, I decided to focus on the glories of AP food.

Tidings of Great Joy

2011-04-24T20:26:00.000-05:00

"He lived and died to buy my pardon; an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!"

~ Bill Gaither, "Because He Lives"

Just a quick post to wish you a happy Easter!

What's a Few Months Between Friends?

2011-04-20T11:06:00.000-05:00

"You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by; but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by."

~J. M. Barrie

It's good to be back, dear readers -- time to dust off this little sketchblog and get to postin' again! The past few months have flown by, filled with lots of drawing, a little traveling and plenty of plain ol' living. And now, without further ado..

This week's theme at Illustration Friday is "Journey", so I did a little corgi ready to journey through time and space. [I know next to nothing about Dr. Who, so please don't be offended by any inaccuracies, rabid Who fans!]

My "Self-Expression" design came in 3rd place in ShirtWoot's latest Double-Take Derby; it originally was an entry in the "Oddball" Derby.

I did a Tesla shirt for ShirtWoot's "Woodcuts" Derby.

For ShirtWoot's "Science Fair" Derby, we have here a rogue mutant fly trap wreaking havoc.

Last but certainly not least -- this is the first illustration from the commissioned children's book I've been working on! Very exciting!!!

Perverse and Rebellious

2010-12-08T23:04:00.001-06:00

"The tighter a deadline is, the more I'm inclined to be perverse and rebellious – I'll start thinking about another, different project, until it becomes the most fantastic thing which I must start immediately."

~ Errollyn Wallen, composer

This quote pretty much sums up my art-life in recent weeks. It's so hard to quiet the little part of me that wants to flit madly from fun art contest to new Christmas craft project to time-consuming-thing-of-the-day. Must focus!

Things that I'm lovin' right now (read: Prime Distractions):

Jan Brett's book The Twelve Days of Christmas, with its gorgeous illustrations (seriously, they're amazing.)
Egg nog. 'Nuff said.
Handel's "Messiah" -- so good.
Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda... can't wait for the sequel!
Christmas ornaments; come Dec. 26, gonna hit up those sales!!!

This week's Illustration Friday theme: "prehistoric". Here we have a quick illustration of a time before our history, on a far-distant planet. "By Grabthar's hammer, by the Sons of Warvan, you shall be avenged!" [name that movie!]

My Little Fox shirt, "Rake Break", won second place in Shirt.Woot's "Double-Take" Derby! It looks like it won't be available much longer; buy now!!! (~~Click the ad on the right~~ Sorry, no longer available)

I recently took on my first international commission, designing a bubble gun tattoo for a very nice lady in Spain(!)

Last week's sketch for Illustration Friday -- "Savor".

Giving Thanks

2010-11-23T22:01:00.001-06:00

In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thanksgiving is upon us, boys and girls! You know what that means -- well, yes, there's food and family and football and 'Friday -- but, really it means counting our blessings. I don't know about you, but my life is chock-full of blessings, big and small. Not to get all preachy here, but it is good to set aside time amidst the harum-scarum of holiday festivities to reflect and be thankful for what God's given us.

One thing I'm particularly grateful for at the moment is t-shirt designs. (Crass commercialism, you say? Well.. yes. Bear with me.) Check out my designs that're up for sale at Shirt.Woot and LOLMart!

The "Catmas" shirt's only available for a few more days; get one now!!! [~~Click on the ad on the right!~~ Sorry, no longer available]

Robotron won first place in the "Build Your Own Robot" derby at Shirt.Woot; thanks to all who voted! [~~Click on the ad on the right!~~ Sorry, no longer available]

Lastly, my design for this week's Illustration Friday theme, "Sneaky", features the ever-mysterious, ever-misunderstood Severus Snape. Gotta love that Sneaky Snape.

Burnin' Till the Break of Day

2010-11-15T23:12:00.000-06:00

"Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burnin' burnin' burnin'
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray!
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burnin' burnin' burnin'
Keep me burnin' 'til the break of day!"

~ "Give Me Oil in my Lamp", religious children's song

This time of year, events and to-do lists and schedules invariably fill the calendar more and more until one is immersed in a maelstrom of activity -- and I am looking forward to it. Between a new book club and t-shirt designs and sporting events and weddings and traveling and freelance gigs, things are shaping up to make this a very busy season; burnin' the candle at both ends always makes for fun times!

The Illustration Friday theme this week is "Burning", which coincides nicely with my Shirt.Woot entry this week -- a mighty robot terrorizes Blockopolis as its denizens flee and the city burns.

My Chupacabra shirt, "Goat Sucker", is up for voting at Threadless; the goats need votes!

These are posters I did recently for a client -- the Christmas tree design will actually be blown up to a full-size poster, which is pretty nifty.

It Keeps on Slippin', Slippin'

2010-11-09T22:13:00.000-06:00

"I am long on ideas, but short on time. I only expect to live about a hundred years.."

~Thomas Edison

It's a tricky business, Time. It so often gets out of hand, quietly evading our grasp before we notice, and then weeks/months/years have passed. It occurred to me today that this weekend, we'll be traveling and then in about two weeks, it will be Thanksgiving -- and then Christmas will be right around the corner. Where did this year go?? Yipes stripes.

It's also interesting how so many industries (graphic design, for instance) are obliged to begin seasonal prep work months in advance. Working on Christmas illustrations in the weeks preceding Halloween is just odd; I try to get in whatever 'mood' my artwork calls for -- but breaking out the "Jingle Bells" in October kinda throws my mental calendar off a bit. Although, getting a jump start on Christmas shopping might not be a bad idea...

"Pink Punk Princess" + "Robotron" = True Love.

"Afterwards", a sketch for this week's Illustration Friday theme.

My "Home for the Holidays" bunny shirt is up for voting at Shirt.Woot until Thursday. Vote now!

A little Calvin & Hobbes homage strip -- comics are remarkably hard to do, by the way. Which is a) part of why Bill Watterson is a genius and b) why you won't see many comic strips on this blog.

This is one of the designs I'm going to put on my mini-business cards.

Finally, a little shameless self-promotion. Buy my shirt at Shirt.Woot; it's awesome -- and it would make a great gift for that Star Wars/Star Trek nerd in your life!!!!

Festive and Fabulous

2010-10-29T21:11:00.000-05:00

I intend for my paintings to reflect an enthusiastic response to the world around me – perhaps, more simply stated, a celebration of being.

~ Tom Francesconi

Golden maple leaves and cool breezes... ain't autumn grand?! We're halfway through the autumn season (which in my mind, consists of October and November -- August and September are just too hot down here to be considered "fall"), and Halloween looms large. Sadly, I wasn't able to find any nifty parties or events to attend in my immediate vicinity this year, but I can still dress up to hand out candy to wandering munchkins! I'm pretty stoked. I'm not really going to "be" anyone, per se; "Pink Punk Princess" is an alterego born of indecision and frugality. Would you like to see my costume? I'm gonna look like this:

Also, I've been doin' some artz, which is probably why you're reading my blog in the first place. But I just had to show off my fab duds, because it's so much fun to play dress-up!!! [Yes, I'm only six.]

A little sketch-quote that I did just for the font of it. (Didja catch that?)

Last week's ShirtWoot derby theme was "Fall Colors"; here we have my little foxy shirt.

This week's ShirtWoot derby theme is "Meat", so I drew Spam Spade, meat of mystery.

I gave my "Sugar" design a makeover (out of necessity), and it's up for voting at Threadless. Check out my velociraptors there, too!

Spooky and a Scarecrow

2010-10-19T22:16:00.001-05:00

Just a quick sketch for Illustration Friday's Spooky theme: Little Nosferatu.

Plus, while I'm posting, I might as well show you my latest Shirt.Woot design; members, go vote!!!

O Frabjous Day

2010-10-09T00:17:00.005-05:00

"The secret of success in life is to be ready when your opportunity comes."

~Benjamin Disraeli

Tell you what, dear readers -- when it rains, it pours! Since my last post, I've gotten a poster commission, a freelance contract, and (super-exciting!) a winning shirt design!!! I'm certainly one thankful little artist.

"Poker Game" won first place in the "Meme Mashup!" derby at Shirt.Woot; my first derby win!!! It's available for purchase here.

"I Lol, Therefore I Am" was also entered in the "Meme Mashup!" derby.

"Transportation" is this week's theme at Illustration Friday -- here we have a faery scout with her trusty mode of transportation.

"Bloodthirsty Baby" is currently up for voting at Shirt.Woot's "HalloWoot" derby; go vote!!!

Movin' on Up

2010-09-27T17:46:00.000-05:00

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another."

~Anatole France

It was with a fond farewell that we bid adieu to our Old House yesterday afternoon; we'd had lots of good times in that little place. The house was finally emptied and cleaned, quietly awaiting its next tenant. And then we went home to the New House and met our new neighbors. They seem nice, and the New House is a bit nicer than our old place. We've already had exploits in the New House -- a large dead tree limb fell on our roof (thankfully with little or damage!), and I made rice krispies treats for the first time. Guess which exploit involved more feats of dexterity and skill.
So, the transition continues, as we sort through belongings and arrange affairs -- but it's official. We're all moved in, huzzah!

Some things never change, of course; the art just keeps on comin'! Enjoy.

"Old-Fashioned" is this week's Illustration Friday theme, so here we have "Old-Fashioned Fun".

"Calypso" is up for voting at Shirt.Woot; members, feel free to swing by and vote!!!

"Rain Dance", featuring some very muddy piggies.

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-09-07T17:02:00.000-05:00

"The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living."

~Dione Lucas, English chef

My husband and I returned yesterday from a wonderful weekend trip Back Home, where we enjoyed fun times, fellowship and food with our loved ones. The food, in particular, was amazing. Between restaurants and home-cookin', we indulged in lobster penne in Cajun cream sauce, garlic mozzarella bread, shrimp scampi, hot sub sandwiches, thick juicy steaks, herbed red potatoes, cheesecake with blueberries and several different kinds of ice cream. I'm afraid to step on the scales, needless to say. But so worth it! When we got home, I noticed that Illustration Friday's theme this week is "Dessert" -- a nice little opportunity to sketch my homage to fab food. Bon appetit!

"Dessert"

Pickin' and Grinnin'

2010-08-30T16:49:00.000-05:00

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist."

~Louis Nizer

The Great Website Project is complete! You may have noticed a new link under "Check it Out" on the right side of the blog that says "My Website" -- you'll find that it leads to a new and improved home for my artwork, complete with sketchings, t-shirts and finished illustrations. Huzzah!

In other news, my little household will be relocating in the next few weeks to a relatively nearby house in our same neighborhood (yay!). If I don't update Sketches & Draws for a bit, you'll know it's 'cuz I'm sittin' around, pickin' and grinnin' [haha, it is to laugh].

"Swamp Song", done for the Dueling Banjo Pigs blog -- just for grins.

Some faces I sketched in pencil...

An alligator WIP. Btw, does anyone have any experience with selling clip art? Good idea/waste of time..??

This week's Shirt.Woot entry: "Goat-Sucker"

The Best-laid Dreams

2010-08-17T12:11:00.000-05:00

"A dream without a plan is just a dream. A dream with a plan may become a reality."

~Hap Hagood, sculptor

Since returning from a very enjoyable weekend in Washington, DC, life hasn't slowed down. Work has continued on the Great Website Project (in conjunction with the Great Portfolio Project), housing issues have again arisen, lightning has struck (not 20 feet from our house), computer systems are down due to lightning, travel plans have changed. Throughout, the art continues, and I'm feelin' pretty good about it.
Recent encouragement from friends and entrepreneurs leaves me feeling that yes, my art is marketable and must be marketed -- feeling upbeat is so much better than succumbing to the "I sit and draw and have little to show for it" mentality. The plan is this: armed (soon) with Website and Portfolio, I shall sally forth and seek my fortune. Allons-y!

"Velociraptors of the Apocalypse", for Shirt.Woot's "End of the World" contest.

Unfinished sketch for "banjo pig" concept.

Study of a llama, from 1980 Nat. Geo. World cover; original photo by David Falconer.

Steppin' Out with my Baby

2010-07-28T20:46:00.000-05:00

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

~Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

That's right, boys and girls, my man and I are fixin' to hop a plane for a weekend in Washington, DC. But before I leave, I wanted to share some recent art stuffs -- lest you think I'd been idle since my last post (Ha! Me, idle?) So, without further ado...

"Flying Monkey"

Illustration Friday: "Double" (the theme for this week's IF submissions)

"Froggies", my entry in Shirt.Woot's "Three" derby

Some faces...

"Simba", a commissioned portrait of my roomie's beloved Maine Coon cat.

Birthday Buzz

2010-07-09T15:55:00.001-05:00

"These things are fun, and fun is good."

~ Dr. Seuss, One Fish Two Fish

It's my birthday today! And now that I'm the ripe old age of 26, I'm celebrating with a cupcake balloon, cheesecake and BlueBell ice cream (Chocolate Moo-llennium Crunch!)... in a very grown-up way, of course. My submission to this week's "Kawaii" derby at Shirt.Woot reflects the sentiments of the day. Sugar for everybody! Happy Birthday to Me! :-D

Rich Harmony

2010-07-08T13:56:00.000-05:00

"Drawing and color are not separate at all; in so far as you paint, you draw. The more color harmonizes, the more exact the drawing becomes. When the color achieves richness, the form attains its fullness also."

~Paul Cézanne

While my painting skills have improved, and I do feel more comfortable painting (digitally)... I think drawing will always be my first love. There's just something about the simplicity of sketching that's hard to beat. My painting studies have been going well, though; I'm pretty pleased with my seagull piece, for instance. It's fun to 'draw' with brushes, observing the harmony of sketch and color.

In other news, I'd like to thank everyone who follows Sketches & Draws -- both official followers and casual onlookers. You're what makes blogging fun. Thanks for checking out my little sketchblog, everyone!

"Seagull" is another sketchcard I did for Ripple -- head over there to help wildlife and receive some neat artwork!

"Hamlet & Horatio" -- Shakespeare meets the Blues Brothers

(à la Shirt.Woot's 'Shakespeare' Derby)

"Dogs of War", another 'Shakespeare' entry.

"Headcrab" was inspired by the parasitic alien creatures from the "Half-Life" video games. Macabre sense of humor? Check.

"Lizard Person" -- it's a long story. They steal tomato soup.

"Love Without Words" is a design currently up for voting

over at Goodjoe, in their "Pets" contest; Goodjoe members, share the love!

No-Mind, No Foul

2010-07-03T21:54:00.000-05:00

"All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness."

~Eckhart Tolle

I wish that I knew whence my best works sprang. Quite often, they seem to leap out at me from little sketch-doodles and take me completely by surprise. If only I could harness the inspiration and make it work for me... oh, the time and effort I'd save. I might even be able to achieve modest success in t-shirt design!

"The Cake is a Lie", designed for Shirt.Woot's "Déjà-Vu" contest, is a mash-up of René Magritte's famous "pipe" piece and the infamous "cake" from the computer game "Portal".

"Samurai Sabers" (also from the "Déjà-Vu" contest) brings a bit of Star Wars to old Japan.

"Go with the Flow" has been my best-placing Shirt.Woot entry to date; it finished in 7th place in the "Psychedelia" derby and received an Honorable Mention.

"Blarg!" was my entry in the "Intergalactic Cup" derby... and my attempt to come up with a design having something to do with space-soccer.

"Primal", from Shirt.Woot's "De-evolution/DEVO" derby -- in which music, that "barbaric yawp", is glorified.

Under the Sea

2010-06-22T11:38:00.000-05:00

Another quick post today, boys and girls -- just wanted to spread the word about "Ripple". Here's how it works:

Each sketchcard on [Ripple] is $10.00. The $10.00 is a donation to help the animal victims of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Every penny is donated. The two Non-Profits that are benefitting are The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center. You can purchase a card if you donate directly to one of the non-profits and email the confirmation and your address to [Kelly Light at] ripplesketches@verizon.net. The artist will mail you the signed card.

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. You donate $10 to a charity, tell Kelly which artwork you'd like, and you get a cool piece of art, such as my "Manatee" seen above, in the mail!

If you know anyone who'd like to get in on this great project, send 'em on over to Ripple. Every little bit helps!

Insomnia

2010-06-20T03:05:00.000-05:00

"In the wee small hours of the morning
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
You lie awake and think about the boy
And never ever think of counting sheep..."

~"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", as sung by Carly Simon

Funny how it throws you all outta whack when your other half's away... but, you might as well post if the whole sleep thing's not working out. Plus, over in the right-hand column, you'll see there's now a link that says "Portfolio", which will take you to my new and improved portfolio blog -- huzzah!

Oh, and I need to send out a huge 'thank-you!' to everyone who voted for my swimsuit design!!! With your help, my "Mesa Rose" design finished in the top 100 (out of 1,880 designs)! Thanks so much, everybody!

Portrait of my roommate's cat, Hepburn.

"Not So Little Anymore"

The Anne-Signal, for whenever Metroville's citizens are in dire artistic straits... or something.

Mother and baby.. creatures.

Re-worked my "Computer Girl" a bit -- hopefully her skin tones have improved.

Swimsuit Design Contest 2010 - Vote!

2010-06-15T10:21:00.001-05:00

MyLycra Swimsuit Design Contest 2010 - Vote Here

Quick update here: Today is the last day to vote for my "Mesa Rose" design in MyLycra's swimsuit contest! My design needs at least two more votes to qualify for the "People's Choice" award. No registration required -- just click the (five!) stars below the image.

Thanks! :-)

I Believe I Can Fry

2010-05-23T22:09:00.000-05:00

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

From hair color to plant life, from pin-up drawings to shirt designs -- I've been doing a lot of experimenting lately. Of my many experiments, one of the most fun was today's beignet-making session. My husband and I finally mustered up the nerve, set aside our worries about frying things in boiling oil, and made our very own beignets. They turned out quite nicely, and now I'm emboldened to branch out and try different beignet recipes! It was an uplifting success after a series of little setbacks this week. Yay for little French doughnuts with powdered sugar!

And in other news, here's your latest batch of artz:

"Mountains", a little enviro sketch.

"Rainforest Frog", a study.

"How'd You Like Them Apples?!", my entry in ShirtWoot's "Eyewitness History" derby.

Various creatures...

"Shnookums", a pin-up sketch.

"Half-Elf Rogue", my entry in ArtOrder's DnD Pin-up Challenge. For those not familiar with Dungeons and Dragons, a 'rogue' is a sneak-thief-type character.

In Which Watercolors Are Used

2010-05-20T16:12:00.001-05:00

"Because watercolor actually moves on the paper, it is the most active of all mediums, almost a performance art."

~Nita Engle

Last week, I had occasion (several occasions -- birthdays and a late Mother's Day!) to make some greeting cards. I sat myself down with art pens and Dr. Pepper, determined to finish my cards before the day was through. Whipping out my watercolor sets, I went to work with a right good will, and here you have the results.

"Peacock Feathers"

"Red Stag, Scotland"

"Queen Bee"

The following pics are the outside and inside, respectively, of a birthday card I made for my mother-in-law -- who, luckily for me, has a great sense of humor!

Flibbertigibbet

2010-05-13T14:53:00.000-05:00

"An artist's career always begins tomorrow."

~James McNeill Whistler

Another t-shirt contest, another online art challenge, another picture crying out to be drawn... it's always one more thing. Why is it so hard to work on one project at a time, to finish one inspired drawing before moving on to the next thing? The Great Portfolio Project has begun; now comes the hard part -- the follow-through.

Meanwhile, there's always more things...

A commissioned portrait of a family friend with his grandparents.

A sketch in tribute to the great Frank Frazetta, who passed away May 10, 2010.

"Love Potion #9", submission for ShirtWoot's "How Things Work" contest.

"Just Hatched" and "It's That Time of Year Again", submissions for ShirtWoot's "Spring" contest.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl

2010-04-28T15:01:00.001-05:00

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for."

~Georgia O'Keefe

The other day, my mom ran across some old pics of me doing my thing. It's funny how we change as we grow up -- but it's easy to see our present selves in old pictures. I still sit around barefoot, coloring things. I still enjoy doing art stuff. It's good that some things never change.

"Genius at Work" -- I would dearly love a t-shirt like that now! And the sacred three-face-bowl!

"Bluebonnet Girl" -- Always fun having artwork displayed.

"Playdoh" -- ah, the Gumby characters. I think Pokey's white mane and tail are due to a lack of black Playdoh.

In other news, I got to play with colored pencils the other day, and "Fire-Beast" was born.

A sketch for girls who draw on their computers!

Pluggin' Away

2010-04-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

"Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all..."

~The Killers, "Mr. Brightside"

Not much to relate at the moment, dear readers. I'm still pluggin' away at various t-shirt designs, working on a portrait, and trying to figure out how best to put together a hard-copy portfolio. (Suggestions are welcome!)

"Live Green" -- my token Earth Day design, I suppose.

"Ophelia", a design for ShirtWoot's "Madness" contest.

"Storybook" and "Strongman", done for ShirtWoot's "S is For..." contest.

"Scheherazade's Other Tales", my entry in ShirtWoot's "Literature Mash-up" contest.

"Bayou Jug Band"

'Tis the Season

2010-03-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd take a second, stop running around doing last-minute things that need doing, and share a little seasonal sketch.

Happy Easter, y'all!

Let the Sun Shine In

2010-03-28T15:04:00.000-05:00

"Energy shifts, the mind chatters, but I shall persevere in keeping that internal critic from raining on my parade."

~ Martine Gourbault

This was a pleasant, quiet morning of enjoying cool breezes and balmy sunshine. Our cats frolicked around the backyard, trying to comprehend the odd little rock that kept sprouting legs and walking away when they weren't looking. (The idea of "turtle" is quite foreign to our indoor cats.) We discussed plans for our upcoming camping trip. We corralled our Houdini cat after she slipped through a gap in the fence. We basked in the gentle warmth of a laid-back morning.

... which was a nice break from t-shirt design. Said t-shirt design is great and all, but it's still a time-consuming (often mind-consuming) challenge. Wrestling with Photoshop and contest regulations and the ever-elusive inspiration will take it outta ya. The good thing is, I've been blessed with a husband who's a super source of ideas and encouragement -- we make a great team. I still say it's gonna pay off one of these days. Meanwhile, bring on the turtles and sunshine. Life is good.

"Band Names Reinterpreted" Contest entry: "Iron & Wine"

"Band Names Reinterpreted" Contest entry: "White Snake"

"New Vintage" Contest entry: "Star Stuff"

"New Vintage" Contest entry: "Italian Stallion"

Weekly Contest entry (Goodjoe): "It's Nice to Share"

Arts is Arts

2010-03-09T19:49:00.000-06:00

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."

~Edgar Degas

The scribbles just keep comin'. Amidst the hustle and bustle of road trips, fender-benders, theater productions, severe colds and missed opportunities, drawing refuses to get left behind.

... and that's as it should be, I think.

"Egg", drawn for SFG's "E is for..." challenge.

"Young Mother"

"Pugly Duckling"

"Bossy"

"Scaredy-Monster"

Excellent Intensity

2010-02-28T19:40:00.000-06:00

"The excellency of every art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeable evaporate."

~ John Keats

Oil pastels are intense. While visiting with some fellow artists the other day, I was offered the chance to play with some oil pastels. Of course I snatched up the pastels and began scribbling furiously. I discovered that layering colors is tricky, and coloring in large areas is kind of a pain. Plus, how do you store an oil pastel picture? It's pretty smeary stuff.

Fun times, though! It was nice to do some traditional-media work, and I love the brilliant colors. Huzzah for groovy artist friends and trying new things!

Dragon, oil pastels

Daughter of Pharaoh

Study of Glenn Dean's "Men and Monuments"

Conceptual poster design for "Camelot"

Today's random scribble: "Tea Time"

Artists Courageous

2010-02-26T08:50:00.000-06:00

All art requires courage.

~Anne Tucker

It's been a rather rocky couple of weeks. I've been dabbling in the world of graphic design and t-shirt design contests, with little success. In one contest, my t-shirt design got a whopping ten votes, putting me in 107th place. In another contest, my design was given a score of 1.66 out of 5, and it was pulled from the contest early. This graphic design business is a good bit harder than it looks; the drawing skills come in handy -- but they're not enough.

So, rather than wallow in self-pity, I've decided to keep on rollin' and improve. If nothing else, I've been amassing work for my portfolio whilst honing my skills. I can only get better at this point. Naysayers are cretins and imbeciles, and ain't nothin' gonna break my stride.

Ten happy things:

Sunshine pouring in your window
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The smell of cheesy garlic bread in the oven
Fashioning little accessories out of colorful beads
Clean sheets
Having a book on your shelf that is the exact art reference you need
Knowing where the above book is on the aforementioned shelf
The sweet, sugary-buttery-pastry goodness of beignets
Community theater
Finally receiving that long-awaited package in the mail

Conceptual poster designs for Sweeney Todd and Glass Menagerie.

Sketch for "Heart"-themed contest - not submitted.

Sketch for "Chinese Zodiac"-themed contest - not submitted. I was going for "Year of the Striped Tiger"...

Design submitted for "Chinese Zodiac"-themed contest: "Learn Your Zodiac!" My most popular design yet -- 22nd place!

Design submitted for "It's Hard Without Shoes"-themed contest: "No Ruby Slippers"

Flexibility

2010-02-13T15:29:00.000-06:00

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

~Jimmy Dean

It's always good to be open to unforeseen last-minute changes. One day you're house-hunting, worried about asking prices and square footage, the next day your husband's job isn't quite rock-solid -- new houses aren't important anymore. Things change. One hopes to be able to take things in stride, if not prepare for them. Fortunately for those of us encountering changes in the art world, there's Photoshop! It's such a blessing to be able to drastically modify a piece of art, after you discover at the last minute that its dimensions are completely wrong. I love the flexibility of working digitally!

"A sword, a spade, and a thought should never be allowed to rust"
~ James Stephens
Irish poet and storyteller, 1882-1950

The following pictures are titled "Rust", inspired by James Stephens' quote; I did these for a recent ArtOrder challenge.

"Rust" (original)

"Rust" (final version)

"Ragtime", conceptual poster design

A little "Mythbusters" fanart.

Happy Valentines Day!

Endearing Young Charms

2010-01-31T00:27:00.000-06:00

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

~Pablo Picasso

I recently had occasion to step back and review the pieces of artwork I've done in the last few years, and I noticed something. I don't incorporate kids into my work nearly enough. Perhaps it's because I haven't interacted with that many children recently; maybe I've become bitter and jaded in my old age..? Whatever the reason, I think kids' endearing young charms justify a bit more artistic attention.

"Young Artist"

"Centaur Lord", in which an intruder is brought before the Master of the Forest.

Palindrome illustration, "Lonely Tylenol©"

"Artichoke Heart"

Gabriel's Power, Satchmo's Grace

2010-01-14T18:23:00.000-06:00

"The trumpet child will blow his horn
Will blast the sky till it’s reborn
With Gabriel’s power and Satchmo’s grace
He will surprise the human race."

~ Over the Rhine, "Trumpet Child"

So, remember in my last post, how I was all whiny about having to seek my fortune in the world? If you're under the impression that I'm a lazy, spoiled good-for-nothing... well, two outta three ain't bad. Today's been a day of counting my (plenteous!) blessings. There's so much for which to be thankful. For instance, I discovered Over the Rhine's album "Trumpet Child" today. And because I'm a sucker for a good hook, the phrase "Gabriel's power and Satchmo's grace" struck a chord with me. I love when that happens!

"Trumpet Child"

"Earl Grey" -- viva LolCats!

"Love", an idea for a poster.

"Baby Saint", another team spirit sketch.

Roses & Cabbage

2010-01-11T17:57:00.000-06:00

"The question of common sense is always 'what is it good for?', a question which would abolish the rose and be answered triumphantly by the cabbage."

~James Russell Lowell

I love roses. Back home, my 'antique' rose blooms for me every year around Mother's Day; it's a lovely, delicately pink flower called "Marchioness of Londonderry". I also enjoy figurative roses, as in the things one does just for the heck of it, rather than out of necessity. Unfortunately, I've noticed that my tastes consistently run toward things (roses, even) that require "cabbage". Which is all to say that it's a shame that nearly everything we want to do, possess or give requires a steady job and a paycheck.

Pretty soon, I'm going to have to give up roses for cabbage. (Pouts.)

A green jay, whose coloring was inspired by the song "Green Jay".

My rather Mucha-esque "Ghost Girl".

A rough, dragony kind of sketch.

Inspired by a baby shower I attended this weekend...

Clean Slate

2010-01-01T23:38:00.000-06:00

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.

~Pablo Picasso

It's 2010, and it's been a good year so far. After ringing out '09 with fireworks, Martini & Rossi Asti and (our) traditional year-end cocktail shrimp, I spent today internetzing, drawing and chilling with my husband and cats. Can't beat that with a stick, as they say.

Happy New Year!

"Katana"

"Headdress", a study; photographer unknown.

"Rocker Boi", a very sketchy WIP (work-in-progress)

"Rainbow Hair", a study; photographer unknown.

... And to All, a Good Night!

2009-12-23T09:30:00.000-06:00

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

~ Luke 2:10-14

Merry Christmas to everyone! I wish you a Christmas and New Year's filled with peace and love.

"Lovebirds", this year's Christmas card (that actually went out on time!)

"Red Tide", a study.

A quick sketch from life of my husband sleeping.

Faces...

Krampus, stealing away naughty children on Christmas morning. I did this for the Krampus Challenge on ArtOrder.

Drawing the Line

2009-12-12T23:12:00.000-06:00

"Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere."

~ GK Chesterton

Dear readers: the next time you decide to draw someone (be it friend, lover, family member or perfect stranger) while they are cooking a meal, DON'T DO IT. IT'S A TRAP!

I love my husband, and he insists that he tried to stay still for me. However, when we agreed to a sketching session in the kitchen, I had no idea how hard it was going to be to capture his likeness while he worked. It was a good challenge, though, I must say -- especially for someone who hasn't sketched from life in some time. But still... save yourself some grief and just pose your subject holding a spatula or something.

... just for future reference.

My wonderful man, making me his Famous Spaghetti.

My sleepy cat, Simone.

A Santa sketch with an Old World, "Father Christmas" feel.

A sassy lil' pinecone.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

2009-12-09T11:59:00.002-06:00

It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet.

~Kojiro Tomita

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas", as the song says. There's certainly no snow outside; it's a sunshiny 70 degrees out there. Nor is my little Christmas tree up yet.. because I'm lazy, let's be honest. To top it all off, I have contracted the obligatory winter malaise. I am one with the Kleenex box.

Most of the house is decorated, however, and having stockings by the chimney, a wreath at the front door, Christmas carols on my playlist and steaming mugs of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows at the ready helps a lot. Snow, schmow. Sick, schmick. Let us make merry!

This persistent Yuletide cheer has started to seep into my art, too, oddly enough.

Cover art for the Great Basset Hound Project.

A pen-and-ink Grover Cleveland sketch.

"Little Monarch", inspired by Little Monarch.

"Snow Faery"

"The World in Solemn Stillness Lay"

Spirited Handiwork

2009-11-20T16:40:00.000-06:00

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”

~Leonardo da Vinci

A lot can happen in the space of two weeks. Multiple road trips, Scottish festivals, watermarks, art prints (more of that later..), [feline] pink eye, audiobooks, wreath frames, frugal finds/kitchen tables, and oddly enough, lots of drawing. I finished the Great Basset Hound Project [yay!] and so am free to do as I please (ie, clean house, do errands, peruse long-neglected blogs and tend to my own). It feels good to get things done.

"Swan", a gift for my grandmother.

"Paso Fino"

The Basset Hounds, as puppies and dogs.

"Winged Horse", inspired by the art of Michael Whelan.

A Study in Arsenic

2009-11-05T17:02:00.000-06:00

"Insanity runs in my family... It practically gallops!"

~Mortimer Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace

I indulged my vintage movie habit the other night with a 1944 classic, Frank Capra's Arsenic and Old Lace. It was such a treat, curling up with pencil & paper to watch the madcap antics of Cary Grant et al. Here and there I paused the movie to make some sketches, just for grins. It's a good thing I did -- turns out I've been doing so much digital work, I'd almost forgotten how to use a pencil.

Cary Grant as "Mortimer Brewster"

Peter Lorre, "Dr. Einstein"

Raymond Massey, "Jonathan Brewster"

Priscilla Lane as "Elaine Harper-Brewster"

A Soul Made Cheerful

2009-11-02T19:00:00.000-06:00

"There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature, or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art, and knowledge."

~Friedrich Nietzsche

Feelin' pretty good about things at the moment -- I suspect this is due in large part to the significant amounts of candy I've consumed over the course of the day. It's hard to be down when you're unwrapping your twentieth Starburst. Halloween wasn't overwhelming -- the party we attended on Friday was lame [such that we left after ten minutes!], but we did have nifty his-n-hers costumes. We also had fun Saturday night, running back and forth to the front door, throwing candy into outstretched goody-bags to appease the marauding hordes. Our neighborhood is quite popular; the little bandits clean us out every year. That's fine with me -- it requires that I hit up the after-Halloween sales to replenish our candy stock. Good times.

In other news, it's been beautiful outside; yesterday's marathon headache finally went away; I got a new crazy-red lipgloss; our football team's won two games in a row[!]; and considerable progress has been made with the Great Basset Hound Project, in which I've made coloring-book pages of the "Basset Brigade" for the Giggles For You website.

"The Basset Brigade"

Consider Fine Arts

2009-10-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

"If you are looking for something to be brave about, consider fine arts."

~Robert Frost

Last night, I discovered that my favorite art forum, ConceptArt.org, will soon be offering its own art instructional program. The program will span 30 months, including three-week class sessions three times a year, and cost almost $50,000. That isn't as much as completing art degree programs at other art schools, so I hear, and I believe they're planning on offering scholarships. Even so.. who, seriously, has thousands of dollars lying around to spare, and who wants to take on [additional] student loan costs? Also, entry into the program is based on the applicant's portfolio. Would my portfolio even be strong enough for consideration?

But oh, how amazing that would be -- a real art education, rubbing elbows with successful artists and illustrators, gleaning from their knowledge, growing my art skills... I must admit, it did give me pause last night. When you've just gotten married and are starting to test the daunting waters of the housing market, that's probably not the best time to throw caution to the wind and take on art school. Is there a good time, though? Is it better to go back to school when you're still young enough to have career-available years before you -- or wait until you have the time and the funds, when you've got an empty nest and a little cash put by?

... things to think about. But now, let us have artwork!

"Skinny Malinky Frog-Legs Learns to Dance"

a rough sketch of a mermaid lagoon ("oh, underneath a magic moon!")

"Autumn Day"

"Audrey"

"Ninja Boy, Pirate Girl: the Forbidden Love"

You Light Up My Life

2009-10-21T09:51:00.001-05:00

"Painting is, by nature, a luminous language."

~ Robert Delaunay

Don't you love it when things work? Just as I was sitting here drooling over a Williams-Sonoma catalog and scolding myself for not updating my blog, the power went out. The power in our area is always a bit sketchy, so my ounce-of-prevention husband equipped my computer with a battery back-up unit some weeks ago. This morning, as the house was darkened, my little computer soldiered on, informing me that it was now running on its back-up battery and not to worry. It's such a blessing when forethought and technology save the day! The power's back on, the blog's updated, and all's right with the world.

"Le Petit Chat Noir"

"Monkey Business"

"Arm of the Mighty"

"Fox"

"Sheep"

Southern Comfort

2009-10-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

"Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life."

~Vincent van Gogh

Noting and savoring the little things is comforting and good. I'm sure I sound like a broken record by now..but it's true. A nippy little coldfront has come through (for southern Louisiana, that's a big deal!), and my husband and I joyfully flung open the windows today when we returned home from morning errands. Before long, the gorgeous weather drew me back outside with my camera (as you can see), and I answered the call of the light on our maple tree leaves with a right good will.

The legendary white stag, trapped in the forest.

A ladybug dances to sweet faery music.

"Angel of Death"

"Loosed"

The princess and her trusty war-bear, at the edge of the Deep Wood.

Autumn Honey

2009-10-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

Art is the stored honey of the human soul, gathered on wings of misery and travail.

~Theodore Dreiser, Life, Art, and America, 1917

It's been a day for flitting about, planning for evening festivities and taking care of a million little things. I procured the perfect autumnal scent today -- a "Pumpkin Harvest & Fall" candle. I gathered the necessary [read: missing] ingredients with which to make my zucchini bread (and tonight's cornbread), and I filled my candied-apple candy jar with Brach's pumpkins. Never fails, Brach's pumpkins mean "Fall" to me; my dad always bought us some when they hit the grocery store shelves every fall. Funny how a little orange and green mellowcreme candy can embody an entire season.

Anyway, so goes the life of a busy bee -- and now, the honey...

Basset Hound studies, in preparation for

the Great Basset Hound Project of 2009

"Blue Ox"

"Snowy Owl"

Scrumdiddlyumptious

2009-10-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.

~Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

It's an encouraging thing to take cookies out of the oven and discover that they've turned out perfectly. One's experimental endeavors can so easily go horribly wrong... or just fail to meet one's expectations. It is a quiet little victory, then, when something (rolling sugar cookie dough in cinnamon & sugar, for instance) goes very, very right -- the butterscotch ripple effect.

"Hansel and Gretel"

And now a presentation from the acclaimed

Loompa Theatre, for your viewing pleasure...

"Thimbleful"

"Now I know...don't be scared.
Granny is right, just be prepared."

~Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods

"... cricket, cricket..."

Complex Tastes

2009-10-05T09:29:00.017-05:00

Calvin: "I'm a simple man, Hobbes."

Hobbes: "You?? Yesterday you wanted a nuclear-powered car that could turn into a jet with laser-guided heat-seeking missiles!"

Calvin: "I'm a simple man with complex tastes."

~Calvin and Hobbes

Ah, fall... as drizzle moistens the gray, already-sodden outside world around me, my thoughts turn to the sunny, brisk autumn days [hopefully!] to come. I imagine our maple tree turning pretty colors, our sweaters keeping us warm and toasty in the crisp breeze, and the scents of baked goods filling our house. To usher in this utopia, I've stocked my cute candied-apple jar with candy corns, bought a couple of fall-colored candles, and found a zucchini bread recipe to try.

Things I want this fall season:

a winning football team (c'mon, Ags.. Seriously.)
a really yummy spice candle (still lookin')
cool weather!
gingerbread chai
a continued lack of threatening/dangerous tropical storms

I know, it's a lot to ask. I'm a simple woman with complex tastes.

"Rollerskates"

Bill Watterson's classic characters re-worked...

"Singin' the Working Man Blues"

"Do Want!": the cautious plains-dwelling diphu is quite partial to zebra.

"Chocolate Bunny"

To Work, Max... to Work!

2009-09-30T14:12:00.001-05:00

"A person who has not done one half his day's work by ten o' clock, runs a chance of leaving the other half undone."

~Emily Bronte

I don't know if I need a slap in the face, a kick in the pants, the threat of revoked privileges or a life-coach with a cattle prod... but this procrastination business won't work. I have got to dig deep down and muster up some self-motivation from somewhere, or things will not be accomplished. If they're my projects, my responsibility, and I will be reaping whatever benefits are to follow -- then it's up to me to get 'em done, in a timely manner and reasonable fashion.

[exits soapbox, puts on Big Girl pants.]

In the words of the inimitable Professor Fate, "To work, Max.. to work!"

A bored fire-faery..

"Little Monster"

An experiment with PS brushes..

The knosk, rarely seen in the wild, is particularly

partial to the nectar of the terpinberry flower.

"Fighter"

Everything Old is New Again

2009-09-28T08:47:00.008-05:00

What was any art but a mould in which to imprison for a moment the shining elusive element which is life itself - life hurrying past us and running away, too strong to stop, too sweet to lose.

~Willa Cather

Well, no more poison ivy... what better way to celebrate than to get a "new" hand-me-down [read: old] engineering table? We bought it from a friend who'd kept it in his attic for years, thinking he'd use it someday. Hopefully history won't be repeating itself here. I look forward to working with it! This drawing table's seen better days, but it's still a great work surface. It looks like the love-child of a big white porcelain board and a beige 60s-era filing cabinet, and it takes up three-quarters of a wall in our spare room. The tricky part is going to be tearing myself away from my digital artwork to actually go in there and use the drawing table. The digi-art is just so darn convenient!

But now I can say, "oh well... back to the ol' drawing board!"

Sketchin' around a bit...

"Pink Iris Faery"

"Sunbird", line art...

... and colored sketch.

An unfinished faery series I'm working on,
inspired by JB Monge's work:

"Winter"

"Autumn"

"Spring"

Seven-League Itch

2009-09-21T22:37:00.000-05:00

It's good to be home, even if it's not Home. A quick weekend trip back to the ol' parental Homestead's always fun and all, but it is good to be back in our own house. Unfortunately, though, whilst staying indoors almost the entire time, I somehow wound up with poison ivy all over my right arm.

It's not bad -- Caladryl lotion'll turn you pink, but it works. (And, thanks to modern technology, you can buy clear Caladryl now, which I promptly did once I got home!) It's just annoying. Plus, I've never had poison ivy before, as I'm not often outdoors romping over field and fen. How do I manage...?

Anyway, you see how it is. Now, without further ado, let us continue in this small presentation of arts and whatnot.

A study of Simone, the amazing sleeping cat.

"Snow Dragon"

"Red Dragon at Morning"

They're not always abominable, you know.

"Lean, Green & Mean"

I've always thought it'd be cool to have Seven-League Boots.

Dancing with Fireflies

2009-09-17T20:59:00.002-05:00

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."

~Henry Ward Beecher

You won't find too many hideous monstrosities, frighteningly evil villains or dark troubled beings in this sketchblog, just so you know. I've never had much luck pulling off the truly grim, grisly and/or gruesome creations. I do have a confirmed morbid streak [a la Poe, Edward Gorey, etc.], but apparently it runs pretty deep. Usually my happy-go-lucky-laid-back-easygoing self shines through when I'm sketching -- and sometimes this is a drawback.

C'est la vie.

("La vie!" -- sorry, bad joke...)

"Giselle Dances".

Horse sketchings... it never gets old.

"Uneasy"

"Flamenco"

"Lightning"

"Hippogryph"

An Attempt at Productivity

2009-09-16T16:56:00.001-05:00

“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.”

~Emile Zola

I must accomplish something today. I've got lots of things that need doing, but, even if it's just this blog post, I need to actually get something done. Funny how sitting around internetzing and watching your cat sleep doesn't really leave you feeling like you've duly justified the air you breathe.

Cats do sleep in a variety of very interesting positions, though -- just sayin'.

Conceptual illustration of the ballad of Tam Lin, in which the Faery Queen is pretty hacked off that the heroine broke the faery spell and freed her lover, Tam Lin.

A phoenix rises from the ashes.

The North Wind summons little Diamond to journey with her.

Pen-and-ink study of Alma-Tadema's "Roman Potter".

Unfinished study of Mucha's "Evening Star".

Pen-and-ink study of LIFE magazine photo.

"Distant"

Order and Abandon

2009-09-14T13:05:00.001-05:00

"Great art is born when Apollonian form and Dionysian ecstasy are held in balance,

when our dreams of order and abandon come together."

~Michael Pollan, The Botany of Desire: a Plant's-eye View of the World

Still working on the whole "order and abandon" thing. It'll come with time, I think, although it's always frustrating to see the work of the Masters and know that greatness is a long way off yet. I can see some small progress in my work, though, and that's good.

I always enjoy working from photo reference.

Study of a Brian Froud drawing.

"Faery Pearl"

"Aurora"

"Lil' Red" -- I wish I'd done this sketch at a higher resolution!

"Let Down Your Hair", a tribute to illustrator Gordon Laite.

A white stallion, again from photo reference.

Rainy-day Prokofiev

2009-09-12T12:59:00.003-05:00

As I sit here in my jammies, listening to Prokofiev and watching the tallow tree leaves dance in the wind outside my window, I think it's good to be indoors on this misty-moisty Saturday.

Here we have a pencil sketch called "Medusa the Queen".

These are some pen-and-ink characters for a

"Mardi Gras bayou jug band" t-shirt design collaboration.

Ballpoint pen horse studies.

Raptor-esque creature concept.

"The Lindwyrm."

Pen-and-ink dog study.

She Walks in Winter

2009-09-11T16:52:00.005-05:00

It's been a rather pensive day, which I think is appropriate. Though I'm still dealing with the tail-end of my cold, I'm able to see past the box of Kleenex to the light at the end of the tunnel at this point -- which is fortunate. It makes it easier to reflect on the occurrences of 9/11/01.

Illustrator Tristan Elwell aptly portrayed the mood I was in this morning, with his quietly moving 9/11 tribute:

Eight years later, we have not forgotten; I hope that we won't forget any time soon. Ours is a nation of very vulnerable might, and it's easy to take our freedoms for granted.

That said (I'll get off my soap box now), time is like water and life flows along. I'm reminded of this as I look over my collection of doodles and scribblings and try to decide what deserves to be posted. It's interesting to see what I thought was quite well-drawn, say, two years ago. How the time has passed... anyway. No more soap-boxing.

Just one of those days...

Character concept: the very wise faun-maven.

Study of a chili pepper.

Study after Mucha's decorative panel, "Le Lys [the lily]".

The queen of the Wilis, from the ballet Giselle...

"She Walks in Winter".

She is the Sea

2009-09-07T00:17:00.013-05:00

Trying to ease what is [hopefully] the beginnings of [just] a cold -- in between steaming mugs of tea, I figure I can get a couple more pics posted.

She is the Sea, fickle and lovely and dangerous.

Experimenting with composition (thus the lines of color), we have a flying carpet...

... and a dragon cliffhanger. I like this composition technique,

but using colored highlighter with

pen sketches probably isn't the way to go.

Once I got a Wacom tablet, new worlds of art opened up. I began trying to translate my traditional drawing skills to digital media, and soon I was spending hours using Photoshop CS2, Painter X and ArtRage -- often in conjunction with my pencil/pen sketches.

Snow White and Rose Red enjoying a spring day.

Tom Selleck

Speedpaint of a startled centaur, gettin' the heck outta Dodge.

Dragons aren't invincible...

Study of a photo-poster that graced my bedroom door for years...

Walk softly and carry a big yo-yo

2009-09-04T17:33:00.000-05:00

Playing with your new blog is a fun way to fritter away a Friday, non? Let the posting of old artwork continue!

This little guy was one of my first digital pieces.

Surely the Reaper isn't grim 24/7; he must have brief shining moments of levity, right?

Vaguely Mucha-esque pencil drawing...

I like playing with charcoal, but trying to preserve it..oy!

*Sigh* Friesian horses are just so cool.

Momentous Occasion

2009-09-04T10:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog! Here you will witness feats of unimaginable dexterity and skill, and you'll probably see some art along the way.
So, without further ado, some pics I did a couple of years ago -- let's see if this blog thingamajigger works.

Ballpoint pens are good for drawing dragons, especially on lined paper.

I never finished this aardwolf sketch... and I'm okay with that.

Have ballpoint pen at concert, will sketch.

This is a congrats-on-getting-married card I drew/painted awhile back.