Illustration Friday: Detach

If a mean, orange troll with pink ears tried to threaten you, wouldn't you try to detach yourself from it, too?

A literary elephant

I painted this for Watercolor Wednesday (the topic was anthropomorphic). What book do you think an elephant would stay awake all hours of the night to read?

Illustration Friday: Poof

I've got two boys that make me laugh (and cry) all day. The oldest was a baby just yesterday, and POOF! he's grown to be a boy now. 

This illustration shows them together doing what makes them both giggle. My 9-monther really likes to pull hair. The oldest likes to inch his head up close so that my baby will pull his hair. They laugh and laugh at this (even at church!). What sillies!

I have recently been thinking about how I want my illustration style to develop. I definitely want things fun (fun colors, characterization, etc) but realistic enough so that people don't have to wonder what the picture is about. While reading Junie B. Jones with my son, I've been studying Denise Brunkus's illustrations. I love her style. I like how she takes realism and plays with it. I don't think I want to do things just like her, but she has inspired me. This illo is partly rendered while thinking of her style. I also used gray pens to outline things instead of my usual black outline. In some ways I like it, in others I prefer a darker line. Hmmm . . . it'll be fun to see over time how my style will evolve. 

Thumbelina

I joined a blog group (Watercolor Wednesdays) and painted this for it. I'm not as happy with the coloring as I would like to be . . . it's too brown. I think I should look at a picture of caves to help me out. Otherwise, I like my characters. Perhaps I'll paint it again some day (or do it black and white).

Illustration Friday: Enough

Who can get enough love? (And who can give enough to cute kids!)

I just finished this for the August issue of Stories For Children Magazine. My heart was happy when my four-year-old son saw my first penguin draft and he said (very dramatically), "Oh WOW, Mommy. You drew some penguins!" He LOVES animals (we visit the zoo at least once a week).

Illustration Friday: Hoard

This princess has definitely, albeit unknowingly, hoarded all the love from this twitterpated frog.

IF: Punchline

What's the punchline to this haunted car? Take a good look in a window and you just might solve the case of the frightening EE-OWs.