Black & Orange

I wanted to contribute an illustration to Penelope's Black & Orange gallery, but I'm still a little lacking on fun drawing ideas. I have been snapping a lot of photos lately of anything that catches my eye, so I used the photo below, manipulated it in Photoshop a bit, and tranfered it onto Sculpey III to create the necklace above. Creating homemade necklaces has become a bit of a hobby for me, but sculpting a charm is something new, and was quite fun, especially the part about it not burning!

Have a spook-tacular Halloween!

Illustration Friday: Ghost

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. I've missed participating in IF so much, but have had a hard time getting that creative spark back. So this is my little attempt to break the hiatus.
I love how everything gets dressed up for the holidays....even the donuts.

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween with sprinkles on top!!

Illustration Friday: Farm

This week's entry was inspired by the soon to be released new version of Charlotte's Web starring cute little Dakota Fanning.

Illustration Friday: Match

I was having idea block when I went to read my now several days old Sunday Chicago Tribune, and there was a cover story about the twin Chinese girls who were adopted by different American families, and were reunited due to a chance meeting on the internet. Amazingly, their names are both Mia. They seemed to have an immediate connection when they met face to face, and their DNA was a match.

Illustration Friday: Clean

From the moment I saw this week's topic I knew I wanted to do a 'in the tub' scene even though I knew there would be a lot of similar entries. I wasn't sure who would be in my little tub until I remembered the time my mom and I attempted to bathe our extremely bratty, ornery cat Max. Mom said it couldn't be done, but I truly believed that since I was bigger, and even more stubborn than him that I would be triumphant. Well, as soon as I got him soaped up and slippery he did the 'crocodile death roll', I lost hold of him, and he jumped out of the basement sink, and ran upstairs. I paused, heard the 'I told you so' from mom, and calmly went up after him. I found him just sitting in the middle of the floor. I told him we would have to finish this thing, and his soapy little self realized I was right, and he let me carry him back down to the basement.

I've been meaning to get back to traditional painting for a long time now. I've become so dependent on the computer that the thought of picking up a real brush is extremely intimidating. I needed to break through this barrier. I want to get into working in acrylic, but for this first go around I went back to the medium I used to know best....watercolors.

Illustration Friday: Opposites

This week's topic developed into 2 separate illustrations in which I tried to include multiple opposites. So we have the big happy elephant enjoying being free to eat his little peanut in the city on a hot summer day, and then there is the tiny unhappy mouse trapped inside a country house while attempting to snack on big cheese on a cold winter day.

I definitely enjoyed drawing and coloring the elephant, but kinda lost interest in the mouse. While I was finishing this up I heard Stephen Colbert announce that tonight's word was 'Opposite Day'. How appropriate!

Hand drawn sketches colored in Painter IX.

Illustration Friday: Sacrifice

The pain of being abandoned is often too much for a once beloved stuffed animal to bear. Some of the forgotten ones turn to self-sacrifice, offering themselves up to the almighty shredder to become pillow stuffing in one last desperate attempt to be close to those who once promised to love them forever.
I always intended colour for this one, but this chalkboard sketch version came about during the process, so I thought I'd share it as well.

Illustration Friday: Skyline

I glanced out the window at work last week, and saw this strange suessian-type roadwork vehicle. It poured out some dust which whirled into a big cloud, and then rather precariously weaved from lane to lane backwards with cars zipping by. I'm not sure what the purpose was. My only thought was that it must have been part of some kind of pothole prevention plan.

I wanted to be more creative and looser with this, but got caught up with the details. I added an industrial skyline in an attempt to fit this week's topic. I'm not sure if I like the results with this one. I see it more as a stepping stone to some other design directions I want to explore.

Here's the photo I snapped before it sped off:

Illustration Friday: Jungle

Jungle animals playing on the jungle gym in the urban jungle.

Illustration Friday: Portrait

I was hoping to use this for one of the IF topics. I did this portrait last autumn for my mom's birthday. It is based on an old photograph of us from my childhood when we were goofing around with my dad's 'styling' fishing hat.

This was done almost entirely in Painter IX.
You can see a larger version which I posted at CGTalk. .

Illustration Friday: Cake

Mmmmm, what a wonderful topic this week. I've been a big fan of this confection for as long as I can remember. What could be better than deliciously wonderful cake? Well, I suppose if a friend surprised me with cake that could be even better. Although, I'd accept cake from just about anyone!! :)

Illustration Friday: Sorry

I'm sorry for not updating this blog much lately, and I'm sorry for missing a few weeks worth of Illustration Fridays. I've been busy as I explained in my previous post. I've missed participating. I already feel rusty. This took forever to finish. I attempted last week's topic, but it refused to become finished art. You can't force the design process, (bad things happen if you do), so I let it go. Hopefully, I can get back into the weekly IF habit.