Inspired by the story of Chicken Little

Done in acrylic and colored pencil. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Sketches

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow’.

~Mary Anne Radmacher

Two character sketches done in graphite. and a quote that seems to work with the bottom one. (Click on images to enlarge.)

New Character

Got to love those Beagles!! Done in acrylic. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Rough sketch...

This is a rough pencil sketch for an illustration idea. (Click on image to enlarge.)

"Who...ME?"

Latest in the character series. Done in acrylic. (Click on image to enlarge.)

A new friend!

This is the latest in what will be a new portfolio series. Done in acrylic. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Aesop Inspired

This latest piece is bases on Aesop's Fable "The Porcupine and the Snakes". It is done in acrylic/colored pencil. (Click on the image to enlarge)

Character studies done in acrylic. (Click on the image to enlarge)

Black and White?

I thought I'd try it out in Black and white too. I think it translated well. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Completed!

First illustration based on my little dragon character. Done in acrylics. (Click on image to enlarge.)

New Character!

This is my newest little character I developed for a portfolio series. The intention is a full color spread with this pose and a couple of spots showing him in other situations. Working on the color one first. More to follow...(Click on Image to enlarge)

Practicing ...

Trying to brush up on real life drawing skills. This is a watercolor colored pencil study. (Click on image to enlarge)

Beginning Character Study

These sketches are the beginning of a character study I am doing. I did a more realistic sketch of a dragon a while ago and decided to take it in a more young child-friendly direction. More to follow. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Sketches

Experementing a bit with my sketching. Just thought I'd share. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Boo!

This is for an illustrator intensive I'm going to. (Click on image to enlarge.)

New House Portrait

Acrylic and mixing medium. (Click on image to enlarge.)

First of Panda Series

This is the first completed illustration from the panda sketches I did. I used the panda with the ball sketch but changed it up a bit for a more interesting visual story. Done in acrylics. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Latest House Portrait

This is my newest house painting. This is really great practice for working with acrylics as well as backgrounds. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Conference Submission...

This is my finished piece for the NJSCBWI illustrator intensive. It is a double page spread selected from a manuscript supplied by the art director. It is also my first children's book illustration done in acrylic. I love this new medium and I look forward to doing more! (Click on image to enlarge.)

Character Study...

These are a few character sketches I've been working on for new illustrations. All done in graphite. (Click on images to enlarge.)

New Medium...

I recently completed a house painting for a client. Although I generally use markers/colored pencils to illustrate, it was a fun experience experimenting with a new medium. This is done all in acrylic. It took 1/3rd the time to complete a 9x14 illustration. I am anxious to try painting again on one of my children's illustrations. (Click to enlarge image)

New color work

This is the first in a series for my portfolio done in marker and colored pencil. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Illustration Friday: Muddy

In an effort to improve my drawing skills, I have been doing the weekly challenge on the Illustration Friday website. I don't enter the sketch, I just keep it tucked away in my sketchbook for future reference, possibly inspiration for a future illustration. This is the most recent. (Click on image to enlarge)

Just Monkeying Around...

Was focused on my sock monkey collection lately and decided to do a little sketching in my sketchbook. I did a facial character study and two rough illustration ideas
in pencil. (Click on any image to enlarge)

Illio for Conference assignment

This is a double page spread for an assignment at the NJSCBWI Illustrator Day this weekend. It is done in markers and colored pencil. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Fiber Art...

This is my first attempt at fiber art. I am entering a contest at our local quilt shop. The challenge was to create a christmas stocking out of a pile of very small scraps they give you. This is from an original illustration of mine. It is done in fabric, acrylic paint and thread painting. Interesting technique, I really enjoyed it. I think I will try a full illio for the next one. (Click on the image to enlarge)

Sketch ideas for portfolio series

This is a sketch idea for the first of three for a portfolio series. The mouse will be painting the bunny. Done in graphite. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Popups...

These three are the first of several preliminary sketches of pop-up puppets to be used in an illustration I have in mind. They are done in graphite. (Click on any image to enlarge)

Evolving...

This was a piece done for a conference critique assignment. Again, done in markers and colored pencils. I think the technique is evolving. (Click on image to enlarge)

Contest Entry

This is a black and white, line art illio for a logo contest. (Click on image to enlarge)

Version Three

Trying to find my happy place with this duck who is fondly referred to as "Drake". This is the third draft (actually the 4th if you count the pastel inspiration piece). It is done in marker/colored pencils. I did this one through the flu so it's not perfect, but I am happy with the direction. (Click on image to enlarge)

The Next Phase...

After struggling with time elements as well as the sometimes unpredictability of the pastel or the wax bloom of the colored pencils, I decided that I would try a combination of Markers and colored pencils. My hope was that it would go a little faster so I took an old illustration originally done quickly in cp's and re-did it using the new technique,
It went twice as fast and gave a much crisper finished image.
The results are below (old one underneath). (click on all images to enlarge)

This was my second try at the marker/colored pencil technique. I did another "re-do" this time of the dragon Duck. He has since gotten a lot of attention and I was encouraged by an agent last year, to write a story based on him . I have never envisioned myself as a writer but I never shy away from teaching myself anything new.

This piece is marker/colored pencils and was done as an assignment for an illustrator conference I went to in October 2008. I am enjoying this new technique.

Below is a study done for the book "Drake".This book will be for the most part, told illustratively. I learned two very valuable lessons from doing this. Number one, if it is "working" don't try to fix it. Meaning, the original color palette was better, bolder. I am not sure what I was thinking doing it this way. Second lesson...trust my instincts. In the first one without the background, I LOVED it! It had power and punch. Once I put in the background (because I thought I was supposed to) it seemed to lose all it's impact. In the future, I will trust my first impression.

The revised story board for Drake is forthcoming as well as a re-do of Drake himself. Always learning.....

A Brief History...

These first two are graphite sketches. I plan on exploring this medium further. (Click on all images to enlarge)




The color is done in strictly colored pencils. It was difficult to get this saturation without a wax bloom. I outlined it in ink.


This piece was also done in colored pencils about 3 yrs ago. It was my first book cover. The book is Elliot Stone and the Mystery of the Alien Mom by LP Chase. My work has evolved since then


This illustration was my promotional piece two yrs ago. I decided to give pastel another try. The little character on the book was originally named Dragon Duck . I am presently working on a book dummy inspired by this character. The name of the book is tentatively titled "Drake".