Happy Easel!

Today my friend Christopher let me borrow his GIANT easel! This makes me giddy with joy! :D

It fits my 36 x 48 inch canvas perfectly... I look forward to painting again. :) Thanks Chris! I'll take good care of it and keep it happy.

Ego Monster and the Inner Artist

I've noticed that a lot of past work hasn't made it onto my blog. So in between current drawings and illustrations I will post a blast from the past. It helps me reconnect with ideas I had and gives me a broader overview of my creations in one place. I've been looking through all of my projects lately because I am working on a new website design and direction with a friend of mine.

This illustration is of the Ego Monster and the Inner Artist. Sometimes, as an artist and a person in general, I get these great ideas and there is this inner voice that says "Oh no... you can't do that" and it feels like a voice of protection rather than a voice of limitation. However, if I listened to that voice I would never accomplish anything! Abolishing that voice doesn't help, talking and reasoning with it does. Once I start to show that little guy what CAN be done, the easier it is for him to jump on board.

Carry on and go forth! Raar!

Miss Altus T-Shirt Design

This is an annual project that I do for the Miss Altus Scholarship Pageant. This year was their 40th Anniversary. I am really happy with how the crown came out. :)

#28 - Parfrump

Parfrump, submitted by Abe, is a sad looking little stone defender. Most parfrumps can be found in cemeteries. Many people assume that parfrumps are gloomy because of their very frumpy, sad postures and expressions. No one can really be sure, though, because parfrumps take so long to think that most people end up leaving before they can even start to speak or formulate a thought. There is a rumor that parfrumps were invited to be part of the game of chess - in one of it's earlier stages. Parfrumps were known to be good defenders, however, they took too long to move and were replaced with elephants. Which is too bad, because parfrumps are not afraid of mice, and there were many games that ended with a rogue mouse causing chaos among the elephants.

Snowkitty and Snowfrog

Snow in Dallas is RARE! 12.5 inches in Dallas is EVEN RARER! As in never has happened before. Ever. At least in recorded history.

I see snow and all I want to do is play in and with it :). I wish we had it more often. The fluffy white stuff on my ledge was very inviting and I couldn't stay away.

Snowkitty and Snowfrog were born!

Snow Ninja Doodle!

I walked out to my car this morning and found three inches of snow on it. Of course I suspected as much as everything on the way to my car was covered in three inches of snow. :P And the sky was FILLED with extra large snowflakes! It was so magical. Nice soft fluffy snow resting on my clothes... saying "hello"... here... there... everywhere... and then ATTACK!! They melted into water!!! It's as if they landed... conspired... said "wait for it... wait for it... wait for it... SOAK HER!" And the snow ninja was born in my mind. Special move: MELT.

Munchkinetta - #27

Today's quick doodle is Munchkinetta (word submitted by Carol - a nickname for her dog)! Munchkinetta is a teeeeeny tiny dog. Quite the opposite of the BIG RED dog that I used to read about as a child. I wonder what the benefits and drawbacks would be with having such a tiny pet?

On another note, I had to fish a penny out from my donations jar to see what one looks like. In this world of debit cards I rarely hold coins. I also forgot how strongly pennies smelled... in their own metallic sort of way. :P

Work in Progress (#16 - Japamm!)

I usually work in a chunkier line, but I have really liked some of the illustrations I have seen with finer lines using outlining color. I'm playing with that concept on this image and I am liking it so far. The lines have been polished starting with the face and I am slowly moving outward and skipping around to other areas to be sure that the entire piece evolves at the same time. I have to keep myself from staying on the face... :P I wonder if her smile muscles are aching yet? :D

Work in Progress (#16 - Japamm!)

I really enjoy reading blogs where illustrators post works in progress. I like to see how they think and how a drawing/painting/etc... evolves. So I am going to lay my thoughts out here for everyone to see. It will probably benefit me to see how I work as well, which could be valuable. :P

I'm not 100% on the colors (really flat right now) and background, but I kind of like the superhero-color-creator-chick look. I think I am going to change her mallet from being "wooden" to being shiny metal. Perhaps one side will be tinted yellow and the other purple... depending on what color she intends to smash into action. LOL! I imagine if that is true, then there is a green/red and blue/orange superhero to be created, huh?