..I try not to be too disappointed...

ok...so I (finally!) actually finished a page for my picture book. (I don't know that I've actually mentioned here that I am working on a book. Well, what do you know...?) And I am not happy with it, to be honest. I fussed and fussed, and I find it to be sort of too much of a muchness..... I should have left out the near-allover leaf cover, and I overworked the birds (mostly the top one), and don't know why I didn't just have her standing on the ground instead of in a sandbox, which turned out to be a pain in the ass anyhow and... just another additional element too many. On the upside, I am very happy with my depiction of the girl- her expression is exactly what I wanted. So. So... I am going to do it again. As a matter of fact, I think that I'll do two more versions of it- that is, I'll pencil out two versions and complete them as I like, incorporating the changes I've considered. Good colour combination overall but must simplify. I AM disappointed- I wanted to get this one done in time to send it out with the next bunch of publisher/mag mailings- but now I'm not sufficiently pleased with it to do so. Oh well... next time. Speaking of the book, I am determined to get back to work on it in a real way- that is, in such a fashion that I will actually complete it within something like a time frame. My determination has been renewed! No IF this week. I doubt that I'll do it for next week either- I have to finish another piece/pieces for Crow Toes Quarterly (woohoo!). Their assignments are always fun. Ugh. I'm a little overly disappointed with myself vis a vis this piece though, as I always am when I have spent time doing something for which I had high hopes and it did not turn out as well as hoped for...must not lament so....ok that's enough moaning for the moment, yes?

IF: fleeting

...it is late, perhaps I'll add some clever commentary/quips tomorrow. Sleep now.

IF: talisman

Illustration Friday: 'talisman'

a tale of greek meatballs

I am away this week but still at work... so here, as mentioned previously and semi-promised, are the sketches for the commissioned piece that I am currrently working on. It is based on a true story about a young man making meatballs in his mother's kitchen in Greece, hoping then to transport them on a flight home to Toronto for a party. I am executing it using the 'meatball recipe' sketch for the left-hand side of the drawing; the right-hand side will be the second sketch (in which it is clear that he is LEAVING the meatball-making kitchen). So far so good. Hopefully I will have time to take it to be scanned before it is delivered! (It is too large for my scanner at home.)

I met with a new friend (BM) before I left to discuss a children's book(s) collaboration! This could be exciting. She is interested in a style rather unlike what I typically do- this will be good for me, though- it would be good to develop another style. Will report as things develop!

What else? Well, I think that I will do IF this week- 3-hour restriction will apply. Will post, certainly. I sent off a few more packages to publishers today. I'm doing well! Must keep on keeping on etc. Ok, that will be all for now. Will return within a couple of days with Illustration Friday post.

Illustration Friday: Poise

With this week's Illustration Friday I seem to have done something that would seem to be rather difficult; I have created an image that turned out to be both a) somewhat cliched (tomboy girl, with frog!) and b) somewhat inappropriate for children (got a little carried away with the cleavage of the woman on the right!). Ah well... Still working on commissioned piece, perhaps will post sketches of this within the next couple of days.

life is short, filled with stuff

I have no idea whatsoever why this must be in bold. Anyhow, in the absence of any IF this week with which to entertain those eagerly awaiting my blog postings, and in celebration of the acquisition of a (good!) scanner, I present to you various stuff that I had laying around from here and there. First, one sheet of the pinup girl tattoo designs I did about a year ago for a tattoo artist: (seemingly mandatory 'bold' gone! why?!)

This week I spent working hard on the business/promotional side of things! (Finally!) I received the postcards that I ordered from vistaprint.ca, and I was pleased beyond pleased. Really, I can't recommend vistaprint enough! The postcards themselves were free; I just paid a download fee (because I was using my own image), which was about 5$ per design (i.e. 10$) plus shipping. And the quality was far superior to the ones I first got (at unnamed print shop near me). All you have to do to be BOMBARDED continuously with offers for free this and free that is sign up for an account with them. (How can they afford to do this?)

Anyhow, so I mailed out a number of packages to several publishers and children's magazines, including CRICKET, my favourite of all magazines for kids. They use an impressive variety of illustration styles, not just all that goofy super-cartoony kiddy stuff that seems endemic...oh, I know what I mean. I now have a decent 'template' letter for both magazines and publishers that can easily be added to or adjusted for the individual recipient. I also sent a follow-up card/letter to several magazines that I've contacted already. So, good!

Here is a stream-of-consciousness ink-watercolour crayon thing I did last summer:
Also this week, I got paid for the piece that I did for Briarpatch. Very good indeed!
Here, another ink/watercolour crayon sketch. This one I like.
And I played bridge! For the first time in nearly five years. I was in 'instinctive mode' mostly- my card-counting skills are gone. Luckily I played the hand only a couple of times (and made it!) I did not disgrace myself terribly. I miss playing cards! Next week I'll continue with more publisher research (have to do some research into the maisons d'editions en francais here in Quebec, too!), but mostly I'll be working on a commissioned piece. Maybe I'll have time for Illustration Friday, maybe not.
One more ink/watercolour thing:

IF: sorry about the lack of image!

Curse my stupidity! I edited the IF post and didn't realize that I had to attach the image again!
Well, here it is now...