IF Visitors

I don't have anything new for IF this week, so I'm recycling:-) I did this illustration for Picture Bookies Showcase theme Time Out a couple of weeks ago. Being a nanny, I've always understood how much parents need their 'time outs' as well. It's funny how the same expression can have such a different meaning to an adult as it does to a child!

Gossip and Tea

Here is a painting I just finished. I always thought it would be fun to do something with the Red Hat Society. Who wouldn't want to try and draw some of those red hats and purple dresses. So this is what I came up with, three ladies enjoying tea and especially gossip!

IF Moon

Here is my contribution to IF this week. Unfortunately, this painting doesn't have a lot to do with the moon, its more just an afterthought. But I wanted to post something on IF since its been so long and I'm afraid I don't have the time to finish an entire new painting. So this will have to work for now, maybe I will think of something more original next week:-)

My First Book!

Wow, I think this is the longest I've gone without posting! I've been caught up in lots of family activities lately, but hopefully now I can start posting on a regular basis again. But the good news is, I've been asked to do my first book! I'm so excited, it seems like I've been waiting for a very long time for this:-) I think it's not scheduled to be finished until the end of the year or next year sometime, so it will be awhile before I can show any of it. But as soon as I can, I will definitely have it up here! I don't have too much to show as far as new artwork unfortunately, but I am putting together a new sample booklet to send out and this is the cover of it. Sophia will be on the cover and the dog will be on the back. And inside the back cover will be the illustration of just the dog. Hopefully the publishers will see everything and read the story in it. I still haven't thought of a good name for the dog, if anyone has any suggestions let me know. Maybe I'll just call him Dog:-)

IF Suit

Here is my new submission for Illustration Friday. When I saw the word this week was suit, I had to do a penguin suit:-) I thought it would also be a good time to do some black/white work since I've been getting a few requests for it lately.

Finished Painting

Here is my finished version of the last value rough I showed. I had fun doing this painting. I've never done anything the least bit spooky, so it was a nice change for me. I had someone ask what the story is behind it when I posted the value rough. Its not a story I made up, it was from a novel I had read awhile ago. There was a scene in the book when these three boys are camping out in their backyard and decide to sneak out and go searching in the woods for the family ghost that has haunted the house for generations. What illustrator wouldn't want to draw that! The ghost in the book was blond and always wore a white dressing gown. I stuck true to that, but used my imagination for the three boys. Anyway, as I said, it was fun for me to do and I hope you like it!

Long time

It's been so long since my last blog! My time got a little taken up with other things, some art related, some not:-), so I am still working on the last piece I posted. Its getting close, but not finished enough to actually show anyone. But in the meantime, here is a piece I just finished for a girls magazine. They needed a new illustration for their advice column, and here it is!