Style is Always a Work in Progress

An artist is always evolving. I'm always thinking about trying new concepts or techniques even when I can't sit down to work, which lets face it, is most of the time these days.

When I finally sat down I wanted to find a way to manipulate my ink lines so that they looked more authentic. I like to pencil sketch and then scan the sketch into Adobe Illustrator and ink the lines there with my beloved 2004 Wacom Tablet. I'm very happy with how my lines read with varying widths but I still felt like I was lacking something.

I finally found one tiny extra step that I feel brings my ink lines up a notch. What do you think? Can you tell the difference?

Teaser #3

These guys have been living in sketch for two years, until now! I can't believe how much fun I am having with this stuff.

Teaser #2

Here's a tiny snip of a new clip art set. This is just the ink layer over a pencil sketch, so this process image is from the very beginning of the process.

A New Project in the Works!

After taking some time off from the holiday hustle and bustle I made a commitment to myself to finally open up my own graphics store online. More information will be coming soon, but my goal is to have things up and running by the first week of June.

I picked this date because while I was taking some time off at the beginning of the year we found out that we are expecting bundle #3 this summer! This little peanut came a quite a surprise and after wrapping my brain around the big change I am very happy.

Here is something that is in the works. More info and teasers to come :)

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Work in Process

 It's been a while since I last posted, but I haven't been slacking, I promise!  I've been working on client projects and getting my goodness together so that I can open my online store (woot woot!  More to come on that later).  To prove that haven't lounging around reading celebrity magazines in my PJs (not that a mom of two small kiddos could do that anyway), here's a snapshot of a current illustration in progress.  Can you figure out each family member?

Work in Progress: Rain & Snow

I am in the midst of a huge project developing images to help teach foreign language to children.  It is keeping me mighty busy so I haven't been able to do much personal work.  Here's a sketch for today's illos: the verbs RAIN and SNOW.  Now on to inking!

cake

I'm trying a couple different painting styles to streamline my illustration process and to work better with the strong linework that I'm doing a lot of lately.  Here's one thing I came up with tonight.

Mix-and-Match character sketch

I'd like to make my little guy one of those mix-and-match character sets, maybe with some scrap wood.  Maybe this sweet thing will make the cut.

Canvas playmat sketch

I might be biting off more than I can chew with this next project, but I've got the itch to make my little guy a canvas play-mat with roads.  I started this sketch wanting both a town and a farm area, then realized he likes the occasional train so I threw some train tracks in there.  Looking at the final layout I have no idea how big this thing is going to need to be.  Good thing I've got a full roll of primed canvas I've been holding onto since college.

Character Study - Little Girl

Here's a character study I did recently.  I like her a lot, but she's looks a bit younger than the client is looking for, so back to the drawing board!

Delayed Update

Sorry it's been so long!  I've been a very busy artist.  I'm very deep in a book project and am learning to balance big-time freelance projects with a full-time job, chasing a toddler, feeding a husband, and selling our house.  The hopes are that we find something a little cheaper and a little bigger so I can stay home with our little dude and have my freelance be my primary source of income.  Anyone looking to move to NH?  I know of an adorable little ranch you'd love!

Today I posted on Smells Like Crayons all about my studio space and some of my favorite tools.  Check them out HERE.  I get all excited when talking about erasers.  What are some of your favorite tools?

And as promised in my Smells Like Crayons post, here are a few sneak peaks of the book I'm working on:

Grandfather & Phoebe

I'm neck deep in a book project, which is why I haven't posted in a while.  Mad props to all you working artist moms out there, this is hard work!  Anyway, in the midst of the craziness that is my life I have started work on a project with Mary LaFleur Langdon.  She has written an adorable story called "If You Swallow Your Gum" which has won 6th place on the adorable read-out-loud website Smories.  You can listen and read along with the story HERE.  Below is a rough of Phoebe asking her Grandfather what happens if she swallows her gum.

The bird has landed...

I finally finished my skydiving penguin!  I posted his sketch a week or so ago here.  Follow along to Smells Like Crayons to see the final results!

Fairies & Toy Soldiers

Here's a very rough sketch.  I'm thinking I might use it for a series of Christmas cards I'll be selling at a small art show in Connecticut in November.  I think changes to the next version will be that one or two of the other soldiers will be still like they're supposed to be, and the one on the end will be looking over and smirking.  I was going for the "on the mantle" look so there will be greenery behind them and N O E L stocking hangers in the background.  What do you think?

Penguins Can't Fly

This guy has been hanging out in my head for a while.  I'm working on the color so hopefully it'll be up soon!

E is for Elephant

I'm digging this little dude.  I've been sketching these during the day.  I got partway through D and got stuck on the composition, so I moved on to Mr. Elephant here.  Cute, eh?

I'm a little nervous about how I'm going to do the color, or even what color story.  I've got two palates going right now.  For one of them I actually pulled Prismacolor colored pencil equivalents for the pencils I use most often when do my color by hand.  My shortest pencils: Chartreuse, Crimson Red, Light Cerulean Blue, and Spanish Orange.

I just stumbled across the Prismacolor Color Picker.  I'll be playing with this nifty gadget tomorrow.

C is for Cow

3 drawings down, 23 to go... and then 26 to color.  I grew up next to a dairy farm so this conjures up memories of talking to the cows while waiting for the bus.  It also conjures up memories of that lovely smell when the summer air really heats up.  The plan is to color this guy and sell prints of him and his buddies.  Stay tuned!

Animal Alphabet Project

Last March I started an Animal Alphabet project which I wanted to have done before the birth of my son.  Well, its well over a year later and it hasn't been revisited since then.  With my new sense of determination and drive to be a full time illustrator, I am revisiting this project with a whole new perspective: that I will actually get it done.

Here are the first two line drawings, cleaned up from my sketches (seen here).  I plan on selling prints of the finished pieces online soon.  So stay tuned!  The grand opening of Pecora Studios isn't too far away!

Robot in Process

I sketched this guy up a few months ago and I've been itching to get at him.  I was totally inspired by John W. Golden's textured style.  It's going to take a bit of going back and forth to figure out what I want out of this piece, so I'll be posting the updates as they come.  Here's the original sketch.

And here's tonight's color job.  I laid in some flat color and then went back in with some texture, because I just can't resist.  I'm crazy about a set of Photoshop brushes from Chris Oatley.  He just might be changing my life and not even know it... Anyway, I'll keep you updated on the progress!

Super Secret Mission

I've been working on a super secret mission for a friend's birthday.  I doubt he checks up on me and my artistic musings, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.  I got the chance to work in a style that I haven't before and I'm wicked stoked for the big reveal.  I can't show the final result until after Sunday, so here's a teaser...