IF: cultivate

I quite like this idea that I came up with for this week's IF; it's very quickly executed in my terribly swollen (and quite difficult to make scans from) sketchbook, but I'm thinking of doing a better version of it.  It might not be a bad idea to make this into a series of four seasons- this being the summer.  I like the strangeness of it. 
Speaking of strangeness...sometimes I wonder whether I'm just kidding myself. Is there really a place in kiddie lit for me?  Is that, in any case, what I'd really like to do?  Ideally, I know that I'd rather illustrate picture books for teenagers and adults...yeah, that's a lucrative market- lots of THAT kind of stuff around... I often feel as though my style is unfortunately between markets- too weird/creepy/non kiddie for the kiddie market, too naive,not slick (or sophisticated or collage-y or urbane or whatever, depends on the moment) for the editorial market.  It seems as though I'm just missing the mark everywhere... but what to do? What I do is what I do...and it seems to me that to be myself is the only way to proceed.  Some people will like it- it's just a matter of finding those people. 

My focus for the next little while is going to be developing new pieces for my portfolio.  I feel as though I haven't changed things around for a while- not that I haven't been doing anything, it's just that so few things have, shall we say, 'made the cut'.  I'm pretty happy with a number of the ideas that I've come up with recently just playing around and sketching (this IF being a good example).  Here is another recent sketch:

...which I developed further into:

(not sure that I'm happy with this, though...)

Another that I'm considering doing a 'good' version of:

 Well, that's all the news of note for the moment.  I am continuing my valiant (if insufficient) attempts to augment my online presence- I'm considering joining either lunarize (their winter 'publisher' gallery was sold out) or hire an illustrator (in order to further the aforementioned presence online).  I must follow up on mailings.  Oh, and do some more DRAWING, too... further sketching for client, pencils for dummy, pieces for portfolio.  Bonne semaine!

IF 'warning', new commission, a few 'yuks'

...And so I have returned from a short trip to Florida, rested, relaxed and more ready than ever for spring.  My 'perruche' postcards have arrived, and I'm very pleased...tomorrow, the mailing will commence...

I haven't participated in Illustration Friday for a while now, much to my chagrin.  Yesterday, though, I began to make amends.  Here is my take on 'warning':

I'm also starting work on a new private commission that seems as though it will be fun- I've just done several VERY rough sketches (really to rough to show, sorry, although I may change my mind later), too rough to show the client at this point.  I'm going to do some more passable sketches to email to her tonight.  I'm really looking forward to this project- she seems very open to ANYTHING, but has given a few guidelines ('anything' without ANY guidelines can be hard).  I will be posting more on this at a later date... and work continues on completing my book in book-dummy form.  Lots to do...

Oh yes, I'm still doodling pointlessly for my own amusement.  For your perusal: