IF-liquid

A couple of quickie pieces that I worked on with John over at duckduckgorilla. These are just some ideas being worked up for a couple of local coffee shops...pieces parts of bigger designs that hopefully we'll be able to post later.

IF-tribute

In my pantheon, Tomie dePaola is the top of the heap.

Strega Nona was my first book report. Met him from afar in first grade (a young author's conference...which were so much fun)...it was the first time I ever even thought that drawing could be a job. I've been hooked ever since.

My daughter is just as bad. This is her at preschool dressed as Strega Nona for Halloween <the year before she was Ian Falconer's Olivia, the year after, Lauren Child's Lola....all her own choices....because she is awesome>.

It only seemed right that this prompt was a dePaola tribute piece. This is my love letter. Thank you Mr. dePaola.



sketch

ink

final

 All characters © Tomie dePaola

IF-farewell

Lola is dramatic. This is the great sadness that descends upon her when I go the mailbox. I might be gone forever.

sketch

 
inking

final (lookie that...an actual color piece for IF! YAY!)

IF-wild

The word wild is only one thing for me. things.

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to meet with Mr. Sendak while I was still in college. He came to Kent for a lecture and chose a class to come and have a longer session with. I just happened to be lucky enough to be in that class. Even better? It was a beginning theater class and I was the only art student. It was like I had him all to myself. One of those perfect happenstances.

He gave me the advice that changed my whole college and career direction...."If you hate graphic design, get out...get out now...nobody cares what your degree is in....if you want to draw, then draw...people will buy you, not your degree." and "NEVER draw the climax of a book, everybody has a different idea of what that will look like....NEVER draw it...draw before, draw after...but, never the climax."

I cried like I lost a dear friend when he died.

IF-urban

I'm really stretching these prompts to fit what I want to post these last couple of weeks! <grin> But, these are URBAN, promise.....

OK....backstory.....I get a message from my cross country, covet his color and vector work; always slightly <just slightly> intimidated by, one of my favourite people in the world...and he's asking for a favour. (in the 25 some odd years I've known him, John has NEVER asked me for a work favour....NEVER.).

Even better...he gave me these specs
"I would love to have a "Fighting Blue Flame" and "Fighting Orange" on skates"
Super fun, right? He wants ME to sketch up some illustrations for the San Diego Derby Dolls? Sign me up!

I whipped these sketches up in a matter of about 20 minutes or so....(I'm not going to give him a chance to come to his senses and decided to draw these himself...which he is MORE than capable of doing).

WHEE! Everybody digs them...<whew!>.....I get to ink them too? Fantastic. I ink them twice....because I'm a perfectionist, John is a perfectionist (that is an understatement) and these are for awesome derby chicks...<who I want to BE when I grow up and get better healthcare>.

Best news ever? John's going to do the color work. BLISS! His vector work is AMAZING!

Want to see the finals? Hop on over to duckduckgorilla.blogspot.com

OH......How is this URBAN? San Diego is a city, right? <grin> Thanks so much to the San Diego Derby Dolls for letting me play with them....can't wait to see what they come up with! http://sd.derbydolls.com/

Quick Question

Is anybody out there a member of SCBWI? Thinking about joining, but don't know much about them and what they have to offer.

Would love some information if anybody is willing to share.

IF-egg

YAY!....been waiting for the right prompt to post this one...and egg is as close as I'm going to get.

I love this piece...and I don't often say that about my own work...but, this one just works for me.

Lots of new things hatching <get it? egg? hatching?> Working on my first assignments from a children's magazine I've been wanting to work with since the dawn of time...couldn't be happier!....and, SUPER EXCITED <like completely ec·stat·ic> about a brand spankin' new collaboration....it's bound to be fantastic and I can't wait to get started.

So, might be a little sporadic posting here, but when I do post, it'll be good! I promise!! <grin>