tendonitis

Sorry about the lack of posts. I've got tendonitis in both elbows that I'm trying to rest and heal from and everything aggravates it. Sigh.

I've done 2 illo's on spec recently. I didn't get the job for the one below but I'm waiting on the other. Because of tendonitis, I was relieved not to get the job. But I do like how the illo turned out.

Stories for Children - June

Here's my latest illo for Stories for Children. 

"sticky"

Here's my Watercolor Wednesday's contribution this week. The prompt was "sticky," and what could be more "sticky" than some roasted marshmallows on a stick?

Illustration Friday: Unfold

Saying goodbye to an old friend, however bittersweet, also leads to the unfolding of new adventures. What kind of future awaits this boy, his teacher, and (of course) the hamster? That unknown can be scary, but I always feel a bit of excitement in these situations. 

I created this for Watercolor Wednesdays wanting to use scrap paper and a quick sketch. I like how it turned out, but the colors didn't scan in as nicely as the original. Reds, for some reason, come out flaming hot while the more subtle colors tend to fade. Oh well. My favorite part of the illo is her skirt. And the hamster (although you can't see it very well). 

By the way, an editor from Brown Books emailed me a couple weeks ago after having found one of my portfolios on the web (coroflot). She likes my stuff and asked if I'd like to be a freelance illustrator for their company. I realize that she may never actually call with an assignment for me, but just the thought that an editor from an established publishing company likes my work gave me the boost I needed. I don't think I could ever quit illustrating (it's way too much fun), but it is easy to feel discouraged and to wonder if I really have what it takes.  

Sketch

Here's my latest sketch (though I am working on others). Once again, this fun idea is inspired by my very creative husband. What would I do without him?

Old Stuff

I was just organizing all my files and came across these I did before I started doing children's illustration. I really enjoy using black and white and pencil since it forces me to create value in ways that I don't always achieve with color. Can you tell I love to do babies and little kids?

I finished it

Here's the final product. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Let me know what you think. Would you do anything different?