Meldy's Blog

Busy Bunnies!

2012-02-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

Busy Bunnies! I have been VERY busy lately! This little guy has been sitting by waiting patiently for me to return. Tonight I cleared my schedule, cranked "The Killers" (I may have a hoarse throat tomorrow from singing out loud for about four hours :D) and spent some quality time mapping out the design for this toy.

It is still a work in progress, but I can move on to the back side and then polish with some tweaks and details... and then the magic happens ON the bunny.

Sketch Meetup Night at Cafe Express

2012-01-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a sketch meetup night at Cafe Express. My friends Gary and Ashley were there and I got to meet two other sketchers. I added to my "octopus" sketch page and doodled the bunny that the octopus is going to be hugging with all eight legs. I'm kind of liking the jellyfish that I created and of course some Amoebunnies™ showed up. They always do. The little guy in the bottom left is heartbroken about something...

Exercise in Progress

2012-01-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am playing with the blob brush, line width, paintbrush and pen tool. I am using doodles from my sketchbook as my subjects. We'll see where this goes. My goal is to experiment more this year and to bring more of my sketchbook to life. This will help me to flesh out more of my ideas and develop my "styles".

I really like drawing hair... by the way. :P More updates on this illustration later.

Quick Octopus Study

2012-01-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight I did a quick study of the octopus that I will paint on the Mini Qee Bunee. I am REALLY loving and am addicted the Lynda.com tutorials on CS5. I have been using Adobe Illustrator since 1998 and most of it has been self taught. Going through the lessons has really been beneficial in picking up little tid bits that I had no idea about!

This is the quick doodle that I created and scanned in. I really like drawing initial sketches using a real pencil and paper and then tracing them in Illustrator.

Mini Qee 5" Bunee Project

2012-01-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

I've recently been commissioned to paint a do-it-yourself vinyl toy! Yeah! I am super excited about this because I've been collecting designer toys and have even collected a few blank ones to paint on for myself (that are still blank >.>).

This project is the "push" to get started and I will blog about my progress. Like I said, I've never done anything like this, so there will be a lot of trial and error (on another blank DIY toy that I will name "frankentoy" just for that purpose) and discoveries along the way.

The first step was to do some quick sketches so that my client could pick what this guy is going to look like! She gave me full artistic freedom, so I sat down and had some fun and then passed the doodles along.

Icarus comes from my love of Greek Mythology.
This one was not selected, but I may have to do him for myself.

I just let myself go on this one and let my sketch flow abstractly.
Abstracty was born.

Arrr! Who doesn't love pirates? This octopus sure does!
And so does my client, Richelle!

My next step is to flesh out this design further, front and back, in more detail!

Two Friends Moved to Florida

2012-01-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas gift that had to be made! Sometimes the ideas are so obvious that it makes up for the ones that I struggle with! :P

Lolita Mario

2012-01-03T05:03:00.000-08:00

My friend, Richelle, dressed up as a female version of Mario for Halloween last year. She looked so cute that it was super easy to figure out what I was making her for Christmas! :D

Illustration for the Rosewood Crescent Hotel

2011-11-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

This is an illustration that I completed a couple of months ago for the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and I've been very excited to share about it. Now that the program that I designed it for is coming up soon, I am able to post about it here on my blog.

Every year the Rosewood Crescent Hotel gives gingerbread classes that are taught by the hotel's pastry team. I was asked to create an illustration of the front of the hotel as a gingerbread house in a playful and whimsical style to go on aprons that are available for purchase and use at these classes.

It was a lot of fun to take such an ornate, lovely and complex building like the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and simplify it using graham crackers, cookies, icing, jellybeans, candy canes, peppermints, candy corn, gumdrops, and an assortment of other candies.

I am really looking forward to taking one of their adult classes in December. It seems like a wonderful thing to do with a date and I would definitely encourage you to try it out for yourself! They offer classes specifically for children as well as others for adults.

Visit their events page to see the dates, times and price of each class. And be sure to get an apron! :)

My camera doesn't do such a great job in low light, so please excuse the blurriness of this image. I will get a much better picture later. :) The actual image is very crisp and clear like the illustration above. Aprons come in red and green and you can also have your name embroidered on them for an additional fee with a week's notice.

Recycle Bin Finished!

2011-11-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

The recycle bin is finished!

Side facing the property entrance.

Side facing away from the entrance. Areas have been left open or blank for the placement of magnets and stickers from the recycling company. Those will be added after the paint has set and a varnish has been added. Phew. I have been working so hard today that I forgot all about eating!

It is now time to eat! See you soon!

(also... my lofts used to be an oil company... several old fashioned pumps are still scattered around the property. That is the reason for the gas pump in the illustration. Our buildings turned 100 years old this year... full of personality that you usually wouldn't find in an apartment complex.)

Mural Progress

2011-11-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

The front side is almost finished! The bricks need a second coat and some color variation. The trees also need a second coat. I spent most of the weekend painting and it felt good to be outside. I also was able to meet several neighbors that I don't normally see. Next weekend I will have more updates and side 2 of the bin!

Preparing for a Mural and Happy

2011-11-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of painting a mural for my apartment complex. The design is going on a recycle bin in an effort to beautify what would normally be a dingy brown receptacle.

Since the mural is outdoors, I project the design on the wall of my loft and create stencils to transfer the design.

And this is "Happy" the outdoors cat that likes to say "hi" while I draw!

More updates to come...

Invitation and RSVP Cards

2011-11-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I illustrated a save the date card for Gary and Ashley's wedding reception. Last week the official invitations went out so now I can post them publicly!

Go to my website to see the save the date, invitation and RSVP next to each other. I can't believe it is almost here!

Logo Experimenting

2011-09-23T05:43:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of creating a new logo for myself. This is one of the roughs that probably isn't "it", but I am playing around with each idea because every sketch has possibilities, even if it isn't for the original intent.

There is a part of me that loves simple, iconic design. I am also falling in love with creatively done infographics. Also, I am falling more in love with fonts.

It is nice to know that as I get older that I love what I do even more.

Art Cards

2011-08-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

...art cards that i recently made in a trade...

...i always think of coloring books...

...from when i was young...

...when i draw in black and white...

Reception Save the Date

2011-08-14T21:09:00.001-07:00

Please click image to see a larger preview.

This is an illustration that I created for my good friends, Gary and Ashley, to announce their upcoming wedding reception. I look forward to being there! :)

Reception RSPV and Android Game Design

2011-08-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

...it has been so quiet here...

...so here is a little nudge...

... to let my little blog know...

... that I am still here...

...small snippet of a wedding reception RSVP that I am illustrating...

...and a crop of part of a video game illustration in progress that I am designing
for the Android platform...

...I will be back again...

...soon...

:P

Framed

2011-07-10T18:52:00.001-07:00

Slowly getting the sketches out of the book and up on the wall.

I have a lot of respect...

2011-06-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

... and appreciation for anything handmade.

I have homemade cross-stitch ornaments from my Mom that hang on my Christmas tree, and while Mom couldn't get the 16-year-old me to enjoy cross-stitching, I really appreciate the time and love that she put into them.

One of my favorite hand made items is the Christmas stocking that my Grandma made for me when I was a baby. I still use it. Even when it is suggested that it be retired, I can't imagine not seeing it under the tree every year!

I've decided that this blanket is for my Grandma. I've put well into 40 hours into it so far. I have much more than that left to go and am enjoying every minute of it, especially since I know how much she will love it.

Art Card Trade

2011-06-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I agreed to do an art card trade with Candace Camling, a very talented professional illustrator from Des Moines, IA. She very quickly sent me two adorable illustrations that I love! Thanks for trading with me, Candace!

"Spring Bunny"

"Whale Pal"

I am so happy to add these to my collection. <3

I will post the cards that I sent to her as soon as I know that she has them. ^_^

Eyes...

2011-06-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

... are so much fun to draw...

... and there are so many ways to draw them...

Pattern

2011-06-15T05:28:00.001-07:00

I love the pattern of single stitched yarn... :)

Sneaks

2011-06-13T22:08:00.001-07:00

Sneaks as in sneakpeaks
What is Darcy up to?

Blanket Inspiration

2011-06-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am working on a pretty big and fun illustration project right now and I can't really post any of it (yet), which is a big reason for my silent blog. I am picking up some small personal side projects and will be posting more of those in the meantime.

One of those projects involves me picking up the crochet hook again and starting a blanket.

I have a long way to go... which is great. Crocheting really allows me to sit and think about the illustrations that I am working on and I've already had several "Ah-ha" moments that have contributed to my project. :) So many ideas are being weaved into and coming from this blanket.

Creepy yet adorable girl...

2011-06-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

... and her cat.

I live in an awesome loft apartment and I only have one window, so if it isn't the right time of day it can be a challenge to get a good photo. Thank goodness that there is a rooftop deck on my building for natural light! :D I am definitely going to be investing in a scanner soon.

Brick walls are great for temporary display while I contemplate the next step.

evilshenanigans

2011-04-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Be sure to click on the image for a better look!

It has been some time since I've posted! I have been producing like crazy! This has been the busiest two months, and has been very fulfilling.

I can finally share one of the projects that I have been working on. I am very glad to not only share the logo design that I came up with for "evilshenanigans" (what a great name!), but also to share the blog with you. The author of this blog is brilliant and her recipes are to die for…. or at least to spend a "cheat" day on. Take a look and prepare to head for the kitchen!

In Memory

2011-04-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

In Memory
of two beautiful souls

remembering Mischelle's laughter
and love of her daughter Desaree

remembering Desi's smile and laugh
her mischievous nature

dressing up as butterflies
skating and carving pumpkins

going to a Rangers game
seeing her enthusiasm for her favorite team

reluctantly trying sour candy
because I know she gets tickled at the faces I make

hanging out with Prailey
while she counts out my pennies

dropping stuffed animals
off of my balcony

playing basketball at picnics
riding horses

playing silly games at baby showers

remembering how much fun it was to make a scrapbook of us for her
and seeing how happy she was to receive it

watching her sing in choir
feeling so proud

being blessed by her open nature
and her love for all people

hot Cheetos will always be her's

wishing I could hug her
one more time

I've been blessed
You are forever in my heart

I miss you

Playful Sketching

2011-03-01T20:39:00.001-08:00

I've been away... working on an exciting, BIG project, for a very talented friend of mine (soon to be revealed!)... and I will be returning very soon in FULL force with the Amoebunnies™. I've got plans for them. Yes, yes I do. Tonight I gave myself a few minutes to do a quick sketch and to feed the little guy. He does like carrots. Yes, yes he does.

Updated Website Page

2011-02-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the coding help of my friend Jaime, my temporary website page is now live. :) It is really simple and is keeping my url cozy for the new design!

Visit me at www.meldy.com!

Be sure to hit refresh if you don't see the new text!

It's Snowing Amoebunnies™ (Finished)

2011-02-10T20:21:00.001-08:00

Don't worry. This is Texas.
Accumulation will be minimal.
An Amoebunny™ per household.

Look Ma!

2011-02-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

Look Ma! I am drawing on the walls!

This is what happens when you don't have children at my age. You turn into a child. The child you always wanted to be. :P Armed with colored pencils. And a blank wall. And nobody to say "no". Ha. I am actually painting over this wall... but when I came home today I immediately had the urge to grab a pencil and sketch RIGHT THERE. And I did. And I am happy.

Sorry, Mom, for telling on you to Grandma when I saw you drawing on her kitchen counter while you were talking on the phone. I had no idea. I was 7.

Snow is Coming! (and a work in progress)

2011-01-31T21:34:00.000-08:00

Snow is coming! (I hope...) We don't get snow too often in Texas, so when there is a chance, I hope for it to be a good chance! In honor of the anticipatory snow I decided to relax with my sketch of "snowing" Amoebunnies™.

This is definitely still rough and is just the first blocking in of color. One of the things I love most about personal projects is the opportunity to relax, play and experiment. It is amazing how much you can learn while playing. :)

Play time is over, this girl is sleepy! Have a happy Tuesday (and if you are wishing for snow... I hope you get it... but not too much... just the right amount will do... and if any of the flakes are Amoebunnies™ please be sure to take a picture for me!)

Hot Glue and Wire

2011-01-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hot glue and wire! Why am I so excited about hot glue and wire? I will tell you! It works magic when you want to attach something to a brick wall without doing any damage, and it removes so cleanly and easily. I first used it to hang some decorative lights along the top of my wall earlier this month. It wasn't until today that I realized that there were so many other possibilities!!!

I've always wanted to use the wall above my art/computer desk as a space for creative brainstorming and would usually just buy a bulletin board. But that never really achieved the right look for me. I wanted something that blended flawlessly from a creative space to a nicely decorated space. I love my brick wall so much that I want to hug it! Which turns out looking like I smacked into it. :P (Yes, that is me in the sketch.)

Darcy! You draw a lot of Amoebunnies™! Do you draw anything else? Yes! I do! And I will show you those other things soon. :) You know, in between bunnies.

I am looking forward to watching my creative-brainstorming-decorative-space grow! The great thing about the wire is that I can undo the drawings easily in the future to color them and them put them back up in place without ever removing the glue. I am going to get some lovely beads to put on the end of the wire to finish them off.

Texas has been beautiful this weekend! I have been out in it and really enjoyed the 70+ degree weather. Today I am "arting" so the window is open to let in the lovely "spring" weather while I jam to tunes. It will be below freezing in a couple of days so I am enjoying it while I can! :D

Hope you are enjoying your weekend! Next weekend - the Super Bowl! (I am not a football person but I know how exciting that is for those of you who are!)

Amoebunnies™ in Love

2011-01-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

There is a special sort of challenge in drawing when your sleep schedule is off and you have two cats in your lap during the inking process. The bunnies don't mind too much... they are too much in love to notice. Well.. the top two are... although they look like they might want to pull apart for a bit. The other has pretty talented ears... and let's just hope that the one with candy hearts doesn't come across a whole bag of them (which leads to the question of what does an Amoebunny™ look like "hopped" up on sugar?) The wee one at the bottom simply just loves you. *Points to you*... yes you. :)

Amoebunnies™ are hard to hold...

2011-01-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

for very long.

Amoebunnies™ want to help...

2011-01-19T16:29:00.001-08:00

...especially when you are sad. They don't know quite what to do...
but they try their best to soothe your head.

It is (Snowing?) Amoebunnies™!

2011-01-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

...at least it appears to be doing so... I wonder if they glide down slowly... like snowflakes... before soaking into the ground... and where is this surreal land that I live in where Amoebunnies™ fall from the sky...?

Ashley's Koala Shirt!

2011-01-17T20:33:00.001-08:00

My friend Ashley ordered one of my "Koala Loves You" shirts and sent me this photo!!! :) Cute! If you order a shirt, please be sure to send me a picture!

Two new "Duck Loves You" shirts in the shop for toddlers and children

2011-01-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

Two new shirts in the shop! Please let me know if you purchase a shirt and show me or send me a picture of the product you receive! I would love to see how they turn out. ^_^ My number one priority is quality and I want to make sure that is what you are getting! OK... maybe my number one priority is CUTE and quality. :P I will continue to update with new shirts.

Toddler's sweatshirt

Children's t-shirt

Meldy's T-Shirt Shop!

2011-01-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

Meldy's t-shirt shop is now open! More products will be added over time. Right now there are a few women's shirts available, and some children's products will be posted soon. :) Enjoy! ♥

http://meldy.spreadshirt.com

Meldy is going Loveable

2011-01-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

2011 is going to be the year of "cute" for me. :) I've been heading down this path for a while now and I have decided to embrace it. There are a few paths that I am on, of course, but I realize that "Meldy" is now my "Loveable" line, full of loveable illustrations and I am excited to continue to watch it grow in that way.

Now that I am aware of this I am in in the process of designing the new meldy.com. Right now there is a placeholder (www.meldy.com - if you don't see a purple page with a kitty you might have to refresh) and within the next week there will be a link to a t-shirt shop. This blog will also be going through some changes. :)

I feel like a six year old who is making new friends to play with. ^_^ I suppose that is where all of this started to begin with... so it makes sense! I hope you have as much fun as I do! :D

Love,
Meldy

Kitty Loves You

2011-01-03T18:16:00.001-08:00

...and what a blessing that is!

And now he will hypnotize you!

2011-01-02T21:27:00.001-08:00

Snake Loves You

2011-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

He really does!

Cute Christmas Commission

2010-12-29T05:48:00.000-08:00

Cute Christmas commission of an adorable little boy on a tractor (with friends ^_^)!

Back to Rabbit Sketches...

2010-12-09T19:50:00.001-08:00

What is that sound?

"Commercial Art"

2010-12-08T17:29:00.000-08:00

When I was in 7th grade (13 years old), I wrote a paper on commercial art. I just came across it in some old files. It is worth a chuckle.

Commercial art is usually created for business purposes. It is used for reproduction. An artist could illustrate and the illustration could be copied a thousand times over.

The classes needed for this job is math, english and art. The salary was not given, but I expect it to be high.

The equipment that could be used for this job is a drawing table, paints, pencils, pastels, paper, graphs and an imagination!

I want to be this because I enjoy drawing animals, and people, practically everything! I would love to make a career out of it. The only thing about this job that I really don't like is the fact that I have to be good in math. I hate math. I am terrible in math. But I am s l o w l y (haha I did space that out on the paper!) improving.

The hours for this job is unlimited. I hope I will be working on it a lot of the time.

By Darci (I used an "i" instead of a "y" back then) Melton

Well, little me, you got through math (yes, you had to withdraw twice to keep from failing and finally had to take it in the summer with a tutor... but you did make an "A")... and you did make a career out of it... and you do work on it a lot of the time. :) I am not sure what you had in mind when you wrote that you expected the salary to be "high", but you are doing alright.

My First Shirt

2010-12-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

"Koala Loves You" has arrived as my first t-shirt design for sale! I ordered the shirt from Spreadshirt and I am happy with the quality. It is super soft and comfortable.

This was a birthday present for my friend, Richelle.
Happy Birthday Richelle! I'm glad you like it!

I am going to update my online shop with a few different designs for adult and children's sized apparel. Expect a link soon!

While listening to music...

2010-11-23T20:13:00.001-08:00

...things just come into my mind and I have to draw them. :)

La la la la la la la...Walking on Air...

Little creepy girl...

She has a little creepy cat...

(song by Kerli)

(Sketch by Darcy)

<3>

On a Rabbit Kick

2010-11-20T07:11:00.000-08:00

How many ways can I draw a rabbit?

I read an article about how creativity often involves limiting yourself, giving yourself a few options and a point of focus. Too many options can result in indecision and chaos. Let's try it. Rabbits. That will be the subject of my sketchbook. I hope to have a diverse and hoppy family. :P Cheesy? Yeah... maybe I should save the cheese for mice week. :P Ha!

Maybe "Meldy's Blog" needs to be "Meldy's Farm"...

Amoeba Bunny = Amoebunny™

2010-11-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

Amoebunny™ doesn't necessarily like candy corn... it is just that he doesn't really have a choice but to eat it when it is mixed with his carrots.

Amoeba bunnies... this is the crazy stuff my mind creates while sketching. I am having flashbacks to 6th grade science class and being fascinated about how amoeba engulf their food.

Thank you, Jaime, for shortening the name to Ameobunny™. :P

Amoeba Bunny Loves You

2010-11-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

There will be more amoeba bunnies to come.

Turtle Loves You

2010-11-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: I added a bow... he just needed it. :) He is so dapper.

"Turtle Loves You" has taken a while to do. I would say that it is because he is a slow moving little animal and that would make sense. :) The truth would be that I am in the middle of packing for a move, and at the same time having back and neck problems. Convenient, yes? :P So, needless to say, blogging has been put on the back burner.

Things seem to be looking up though, and as soon as I am off of these muscle relaxers I expect to be up and moving once again. :D Yay!

Maybe I should draw a rabbit next to celebrate!

Ducky Loves You

2010-11-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

Koala Loves You

2010-10-28T18:22:00.001-07:00

Jennifer

2010-10-15T16:55:00.001-07:00

A birthday drawing for Jennifer

Happy Birthday to a very sweet girl!

Sketch Post

2010-09-19T19:26:00.001-07:00

Spent the weekend with my Mother ^_^

Watched movies

Sketched while watching movies

I see some baseball and rockband influence here

The little boy looks mesmerized

Maybe he is noticing girls for the first time

I like his sweater

I think that is the crocheting influence

Loops!

2010-09-07T21:05:00.001-07:00

Yeah... I am pretty happy. :) Two posts in one night...
yarn made me do it. :P That and I am pretty loopy.

p.s. ... don't turn your back on cats... ever...
Fizgig is laying on my loops....
they are under that fuzzy belly...
somewhere....

Crochet Cat Toy

2010-09-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

Learning how to crochet... one stitch at a time. I've started out simple. I really wanted to get the movement of making consistent stitches down with ease. So I sort of mindlessly worked on one long chain, for relaxation, right before bed whenever I could. This has resulted in me feeling confident enough to move on to the next step... getting the magic loops down.

This has ALSO resulted in Prailey's new cat toy. :) She used to have a long "string" (aka cord that used to hold up a pair of sweat pants) that she would loop over her back and walk around the house with... weaving it in and out of chair legs... so that she could slowly weave it back out again. Silly cat! :) That particular string disappeared long ago... but now she has a new one! All I had to do was dangle it in front of her nose and her little eyes grew big and she mewed happily for it. I did not put this on her back... she got it there all on her own. Happy Cat. =^_^=

An Artist's Comforts

2010-09-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

...at her desk in the night times...

Skinny. Vanilla. Latte.

Sweet. Sleeping. Kitty.

Adobe. Illustrator.

Patrick. Watson.

Toys. To. Be. Painted.

<3

Sketches Made for a Friend

2010-08-30T15:56:00.001-07:00

The Children's Book of Necromancy at Animefest

2010-08-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

A Children's Book of Necromancy (I am still tickled that the link is to Barnes and Noble) is going to be at Animefest in Dallas this Friday through Monday, Sept 3rd–6th. Many of you might remember me joyously slaving away on the illustrations for this coloring book for a large part of last year! :D This was my first book to illustrate and the experience was full of a lot of learning and fun!

Now I will be sitting at my very first convention as the illustrator... which is fun for several reasons. Two of those reasons being that I always thought it would be neat to sit at a convention for something that I illustrated... and the other being that I will be surrounded by a LOT of cute things (that.. really... I should restrain myself from purchasing... a little...) :P

Today I spent time with the author, Debrin Case, to sign all of the books for sale as well as to seal them with stickers.

I will be sitting at the table on Saturday from 10 to 5... so come on by and see me!

Crafty Boston

2010-08-24T15:18:00.001-07:00

My vacation to Boston was so much fun! Special people, wonderful cool weather, history and green green green gives Massachusetts a special place in my heart. I will probably post other photos later, but for now I am posting pictures of the adorable frog that my friend Sandy made for me, my first crochet attempt and the supplies I purchased as soon as I returned to Dallas!

Sandy made me a frog!

...and then she began to teach me how to crochet... my stitches are not as neat as hers yet...

...and here are my new supplies!!! :D I found the book at Half Price Books and it is full of cute animals as well as scarves and hats and other accessories. I am pretty excited about learning!

(Thank you Fizgig and Prailey for insisting on modeling for these shots!)

Happy Birthday Jessica!

2010-08-13T16:07:00.001-07:00

Today is my roommate's birthday! So I drew one of the most important men in her life... her cat... Gabe. Handsome fellow, isn't he? (I say this as my female cat hisses at him... they are going to get married one day... I just know it!)

Friendly Visitor

2010-07-31T13:52:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, when I am drawing, Fizgig softly jumps up onto my desk and says "Hey... I need lovin'"... so here I sit while he takes his 10 minute lounge in my lap. :) Happy cat. Happy me.

Grateful

2010-07-27T21:15:00.001-07:00

Tonight I felt the need to do a quick sketch. It has been some time since I have done any rough sketching for the blog. Mainly because my rough sketches have been pulling in more illustration work. For this, I am grateful. I am grateful for the opportunities to do what I love, for fantastic friends, for a wonderful loving family, and for everything I am learning and am continuing to learn!

Morrigan Completed :)

2010-07-18T22:23:00.001-07:00

Finished

Darcy and Morrigan for scale

Star Wars Caricature Gift

2010-07-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Saturday was "Surprise Birthday Day" for a friend of mine. The theme was Star Wars, so I whipped up a caricature of the birthday girl as one of her favorite Star Wars character. "Amelia" works so good with "Queen Amidala".

Business Cards

2010-07-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy with several art projects this last month. A few I will be posting soon and one that I can't show yet (but is really fun and exciting!)

I did recently finish up a business card redesign (of some cards that I originally designed two years ago) for The Art of Sacred Space. So I figured that this was a good time to update the online portfolio with the cards that I am most proud of. I created the logos and illustrations for all three as well.

Newest Art of Sacred Space business cards.
The logo is varnished so that it has a nice "shine".

The original business cards designed two years ago.

Hundred Coins business Cards

More Progress!

2010-06-28T20:12:00.001-07:00

Click to enlarge

All of the darkest lines have been painted in! I will be finishing this painting over the next two weeks, so there will be more consistent updates. I will also post COLOR photos next time... especially since there will be more color... which means I need to take pictures under natural light... because this indoor light is killing me. And you thought I was going black and white to be artsy. :P

Painting in Progress

2010-05-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

My favorite things, today: iced coffee and Patrick Watson (his music inspires my imagination and takes me on a lovely trip while painting).

I spent a couple of hours drawing and painting while listening to Mr. Watson, and this is my progress today. Once I have the heavy black lines painted in, I will begin to add the color in between and overlapping the thicker edges.

Close up of the left side of her hair

Close up of the right side of her hair

Skirt of feathers

The Move Studio Mural

2010-05-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

I had the delightful experience to assist my friend (and talented artist), Christopher Sheehan, with a mural that he is finishing up for The Move Studio, here in Dallas.

Chris has put a lot of love and hours into his Spiral Portal mural! How many hours... I am not sure.. a LOT. He started with a lazure painting (notice the background of layered colors behind the spiral) that I believe consisted of about 20 layers of color applied with a brush using an infinity stroke. No small task! I was happy to be able to help him connect the spiral, something that took a mere 4 hours. When I left he still had highlights to add and a varnish to apply to the wall.

I am looking forward to seeing the final piece! Thanks for including me, Chris! :)

Welcome Back!

2010-05-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Not you.. me! You have been here all along. :P Thank you for your patience.

I took a break, a vacation of sorts. I played more and I've come back refreshed with a new appreciation for playing. :)

Yesterday, I had an art night with my good friend Randy-a very talented artist. We settled in on his couch with bristol board and paper in our laps, pen and ink, pencils and a glass of wine and a plate of cheese. Insert two beautiful dogs and one gorgeous cat and all was right with the world. Oh and Edward, who could forget him? :D

The only temporary damper was that I couldn't draw what I set out to draw! But, that is all well and good because I drew what I could at the moment-a Sad Bunny (sad for what I couldn't draw but yet so darn cute) and random images of lips and noses. Sometimes you just have to go back to basics.

Morrigan - Color study update

2010-04-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

(click on image to enlarge)

I have been busy working on other projects for the last couple of weeks and had to put Morrigan aside. I've really missed working on her. Tonight I found the time to revisit her and my goal is to get the outline transferred to canvas by the end of the week. That is the hope and desire!

I decided to change the color of the top of her dress... the red was pulling too much focus. I am liking this color composition better and I still have details to work out before I am completely satisfied.

Detail

2010-04-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Detail shot of her face... in progress.

Morrigan - Beginning of Color Study

2010-04-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

Just starting the color study... Click on image for larger view

Morrigan

2010-04-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is the almost finished line drawing that I am prepping for a 36" x 48" painting. There are a few more elements to add and I am getting very excited about taking it to canvas. Before I do that I will be doing some color studies in illustrator.

This idea came about while researching stories and myths behind crows. I am planning on doing a series of paintings that show how multiple cultures have used this animal in their legends and myths. It really fascinates me how one symbol can mean very similar and different things depending on perspective.

I will write more about the story behind this painting at a later time, as it seems that this drawing is still speaking to me. :)

Sketching from this week's camping trip

2010-04-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

Sketching in the car. This is my friend, Chris, driving his fiancée, Jennifer, and I to our destination. It is very tricky to draw in the car since every time I put my pencil to paper, the road makes the pencil JUMP. Lots of little scribbles made up the drawing on the left. Oh, and Chris has a lot of tattoos on his arms and neck... those scribbles had to stay REALLY loose... try as I might, the car wouldn't let me get any more detailed than that! Challenging!

Drawing in a little cave inside of some rocks at Enchanted Rock, Texas.

My drawing stoop.

It was really nice to draw in a book since I spend a lot of time drawing on the computer.

Business Card

2010-03-26T05:06:00.001-07:00

Hundred Coins business card (front)

Hundred Coins business card (back)

#32 - Gravitas

2010-03-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

"Gravitas" - submitted by Abe.

"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water..." and you know the story. But nobody ever talks about the well that the pail of water was taken from. And he has never been recast in any other nursery rhymes, and no agents have been trekking UP his hill to sign him for movie or night time television dramas.

His name... is "Gravitas"... the acting well. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (he he it tickles me that that rhymes.. ahem), Gravitas (from Latin) is a quality of substance or depth of personality... or in this case, should we say... his well runs deep! So agents! Casting directors! Trek up this hill!!! GIVE A WELL A CHANCE!!! I'm thinking... Shakespear...

Stuck or Steadfast?

2010-03-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

... or perhaps a mix of both?

Illustration Friday - "Expired"

2010-03-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

"Expired" for Illustration Friday

As a single person, sometimes I find it difficult to consume my groceries before they expire. I've been able to buy half a carton of eggs at a time, and even half a gallon of milk (although that can still go bad before I finish it.) What is the MOST difficult, for me, is finishing a loaf of bread before it goes bad.

Wouldn't it be great if they made mini loaves of bread, 1/4 the size of regular loaves? For the single population? Enough for like, three or four sandwiches? :P I would love it! :D

#31 - Chantango

2010-03-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Today's doodle is from Theresa's word, "Chantango". Perhaps it is the "tango" part of that word, but I instantly saw a dancing flower. There might be some Alice in Wonderland influence involved as well. :P

In the world of the Chantango flower everyone is happy and the grass and insects dance with them. I think that the ant has abnormally long legs because he dances so much!

It's been a great weekend and I am getting sleepy... so I am going to dance my way to bed! G'night!

Glombi Watercolor

2010-03-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

It has been 10 years since my last watercolor painting. 10 years! I can't believe it. One of my goals is to start painting again and I am in the process of painting in acrylic as well as in watercolor. So, as part of my fun time this weekend, I broke out the watercolors and painted one of my 100 doodles - #15: Glombi. I started SIMPLE since I have forgotten most of what I know about painting with watercolor and in the process I am remembering how much I enjoyed it.

It occured to me, as I was painting this, that my brother had a stuffed ghost doll that my mom made for him when he was little to keep the bad ghosts away. I think this is the ghost of the ghost doll. :)

Blog Illustration

2010-03-17T20:47:00.001-07:00

Wow, two posts in one day. I've been busy. :P This is part of an illustration that I created for the blog Hundred Coins, a blog that my friend Larry writes. He is very happy with it, and I am very happy with the cleft chin. :) Nothing says "Hero" like a cleft chin.

#30 - eThief!

2010-03-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

eThief! The eThief steals "e"s with ease.

I did it! I came up with my own word for the 30th doodle! :D She is very rough, but that is part of the idea... to get me faster at quick sketches.

She was born out of an email that I sent to a friend of mine. He has a pretty common sounding last name that is spelled a bit differently. You see, his last name is Brown with an "e" at the end. I've only known Mr. Browne for the last five years. Every now and again I forget to include the "e" which NEVER goes unnoticed by Mr. Browne. I usually play along with his "outrage" and scramble for an excuse. This time my excuse ended up being that I stole his "e" and the idea of the eThief was born in my mind.

Another friend commented that if she was wearing a red outfit that she would have a Carmen Sandiego feel to her. So I named her "Carmella"—Carmen's sister.

Sketch of Gaia—Greek Goddess of the Earth

2010-03-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

My love for mythology is growing every day. As a little girl, I used to get lost in books on Greek mythology and as I became an adult, those stories fell by the wayside. I am picking them back up again because I believe that I have underestimated their influence on me and what I enjoy creating in my work.

I am taking a couple of different approaches to this. I read and let the stories inspire me; I also draw what comes to me and then see what symbolism I can find in these myths.

Crows are also fascinating to me right now and I expect that they will be a re-occurring theme. :)

#29 - Fiddle-Faddle

2010-03-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

My Grandma submitted the word "Fiddle-Faddle" for me to illustrate in a doodle. :)

Fiddle-Faddle is a cat with three tails. He fiddle-faddles all day, romping and spinning and trying to catch each one. Seems like a never-ending nonsensical way to spend a day, however, he finds it to be extremely fulfilling. :)

Fiddle-Faddle. What a neat name for a cat, or two cats! Fiddle and Faddle. :P

A Sketch from the Past

2010-03-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

I am busy as a bee... working away on several design projects. So in the meantime here is a blast from the past. A quick grease pencil study I did of my friend Brooke as she sat on my couch about two and a half years ago. I love drawing in grease pencil because I have to commit to every mark I make. I also like the subtle textures.

I will have a new doodle in the next couple of days. :)

Happy Easel!

2010-02-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-26T17:01:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

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!)

2010-02-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

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!)

2010-02-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

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?

Work in Progress (#16 - Japamm!)

2010-01-31T14:54:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope everyone is doing fabulous! I'm having fun looking at some of my favorite sketches created from the silly and nonsensical words that my friends and readers have submitted so far. This one—"Japam!"—is definitely one of my favorites and I have started to polish her up by "inking" her in Adobe Illustrator.

My plan is to compile the best of the 100 drawings and put them into a fully illustrated book—a book inspired by collaborating with you. That is what makes this project so much fun, getting to work with my friends and create something that I definitely couldn't create on my own. And it is so much fun to hear your silly words, where they come from (sometimes they are words waiting for more background), and getting to jot down what I see in them onto paper—digital paper. :P

Some of these sketches stay true to the original story, while others take on lives of their own... it depends on what happens when I start to draw. What happens in that time is really cool as the characters begin to tell me stories that I file away for book possibilities.

Right now I am up to drawing number 26; 27 is coming along soon. I have several words filed away that have been submitted and am in need of many more. So if you, your friends, or family (children usually have a lot!) say something funny or interesting, if it is a word you made up while playing with stuffed animals, anything, please leave a post! :D

Coonkle - #26

2010-01-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

"Coonkle" - submitted by Mawa.

Coonkles love ankles... which works out because mountain men love to have warm ankles.

Sniggler - #25

2010-01-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

A quarter of a way through my 100 sketches from silly words!!!

This is Abe's word - "Sniggler".

A sniggler is a crooked cat. Not really a c r o o k e d cat... although I would have a lot of fun drawing a c r o o k e d cat. But this cat is a thief... I wonder what Snigglers steal? What do you think?