Field Day

Tug o War

I don't think I adjusted the saturation on this enough when I scanned it. A little washed out? If I can just get these last 4 days of school behind me, I'll see if I can focus. I keep looking up and I'm behind on creating. Hey- It's like I'M in the tug of war.

The Frogs and Toads all Sing

Schools OUT!

Moranda Carlos was even happier than the children that the school year was ending.
As soon as the last kid left she did her happy dance!
hee hee hee! Even teachers are excited about school being out.

Field Day - Sketch 2

Here is a close-up of the three legged race, but after doing this I think I may make this it's own separate image, and now have to think up something to put in the space in the other sketch. Ideas? Hmmm. I may decide to use these two for my next postcard mailing. I love WW, it so often helps me to come up with ideas for postcard mailings!!

Field Day

I know I missed the deadline for Field Day, but I had the best intentions of doing it, so I'm plugging away despite that minor detail. :) I'm still working on adding the three-legged race in the upper right. I also want to add some funnier elements, but haven't figured out what exactly. It'll come to me... This is my favorite stage of the illustration process!

Bunny Fields

This is Bernie. Who often looses his expensive bunnies
during his horrible magic shows. Bernie decided
he could cut cost by growing his own bunnies.
He has a whole field of them ready to be picked
in the back of his house. Hee hee hee!
Have a great day Ladies. I know this is late.
Life happens!

School's Out!

School's out & dreams begin! A very quick one, using pencil & watercolor together. Her neck is too long & the right cloud is too dark, so I'll probably work on this one for a more finished look w/corrections.

Field Day

Field Day with dogs at the park! Another thing I remember from the Arkansas conference is to use stop action in illustrations but have something still moving (a scarf, hair, kite), so I used the dog in the background. Without the little dog in the background (try covering it with your thumb), everything totally stops & becomes too stiff. Hummm...hopefully it's working here. I've still got to create "May Flowers" & "School's Out!" School is out for me at the end of this week--maybe I'll be able to keep up better!

Field day

'Field day' 5 x 7 watercolor.
Debbie

Field day

I just realized this could work for the topic this week. I finished this last week for June's issue for Stories for Children magazine, mostly trying to get the perspective right (thanks to my son and camera). It was also lots of fun to do the ant. But soccer balls are much more difficult than they appear! I hope you like it. Let me know if you see anything that could be done better.

Arkansas SCBWI Conference

The Arkansas SCBWI Conference this past weekend was great. I learned a lot & I got to meet Cheryl McMickle! That was fun--meeting a WW member for the first time. After going through my conference notes, here are a few things that I learned: (1) there's a difference between "commercial" illustrations (illustrations used for educational material) and storybook illustrations. (2) include black & white images in portfolio; (3) include color images in portfolio that have text incorporated in the design (to show artist's understanding of storybook layout); (4) study the market by going to the bookstore, not just the library; (5) when making a book dummy, use a storyboard layout. First image should be opposite of last. Story should have classic arc: causality, linear time, external conflict, single/active protagonist, consistent reality, closed ending. Also, there must be change in the story. There was much, much more at the conference, but too much to cover here.

Anastasia Suen, an author of over 100 childrens books, was very high energy & informative. She offers on line workshops at www.asuen.com/workshops

Final Prairie dogs

The image is brighter than it scanned in as a jpg.

A sad bunch of May flowers

I don't have time this week to do a new one, but this is somewhat recent. It's from my book dummy (I posted some other images of her a while ago). It's too bad her beautiful flowers aren't helping her be happier (I LOVE flowers).

May Flowers

Snapdragons

Prairie Dog Parade

I am still digging out from under. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. The mounds of papers on my desk, drafting table and light table have been dealt with. I have managed to work really hard all this month and have actually made some headway.

Today I pulled out my palette and pencils and worked on a piece of art. For the first time since my injury in January. Baby steps!

It's still not done, but I was so pleased with all I accomplished today, I thought I'd share.

Without further ado, here is my submission for Mothers and babies, May flowers and Illustration Friday's prompt 'parade.' What do you think?

Flowers

I love the spring time. Martha Stewart has this wonderful line of
paper flower hanging balls that can be made. Well I was to cheap
to purchase the kit so I went home and created this watercolor
illustration hee, hee, hee!

May flowers

This is 'The offering, May flowers'. 5 x 7 watercolor.
Debbie

May Flowers

It's not exactly what May feels or looks like in Texas right now (more like March) but it works nonetheless.
This is an older piece that I've been thinking about redoing. If I can complete it this week, I'll add the new version. :)

Mommy and Babies

This is what motherhood is all about, right? It's what it feels like having a two year old boy running around, anyway. :) Happy Mother's Day everyone!

(I think if you click on the picture you can see some of the details better.)

Mommies & Babies

Mommies' day out...Happy Mother's Day to everyone! Have a great day! (click on the image to see it larger)

Mommies & babies

This is 'Hot breeze' 5 x7 watercolor from the painting a child a day project. These girls were being mommies to the puppies.
Debbie

Florida SCBWI Conference

Is anyone going to the Florida SCBWI Conference in June? I'm going & need a roommate to cut cost. It should be a great conference--I've got an illustration assignment for the Illustrator Intensive that's making my head whirl: 12 images! Plus, the conference is right on Disney's property--the little girl in me can barely contain herself!

Mommies and Babies

This is a watercolor pencil sketch, after the water was added. There were several other stages after this, including color with more watercolor pencil and regular colored pencils, plus ink. I also started a digital under painting of this stage.After all that, I still like the simple image best, so here it is:



If I continue with the other versions and they turn out, I might post them at a later date, but I kind of like this best. Gives me a few ideas for a new process to try out too, and I like trying new stuff. :)

I figured it worked well for both the Mommies and Babies theme for Watercolor Wednesdays and the Hierarchy theme for Illustration Friday.

Mommies and Babies

Don't I wish I could be this posh and organized at the grocery store!

Happy Mother's Day WW ladies!!!

Mom + Cubs

I had this done as a line drawing in ink in my portfolio and I always meant to work it in color. So, this was my opportunity.

To all you talented and brilliant Ladies here at Watercolor Wednesdays,
You all never cease to amaze me with your talents and kindness. I
look forward to each Wednesday to see what each of you will manage to squeeze
out of creative spirits during the week of running around taking care of everyone, working,
and trying so hard to be super woman! We are an amazing bunch of woman.
I wish you all much joy and happiness this mother's day. Whether you are mom
or not YOU LADIES ROCK!!!!
hee hee hee!

Mommies and Babies

It wasn't that long ago when I was grabbing diaper bags, and stuffies, and shuffling out the door with my baby in the snugglie. It was a little crazy at times, but lots of fun too....

Frolicking Faeries and Frustration

I started this dang picture three weeks ago, and finally finished it up yesterday. The faeries are three different shades to add a little variety, but of course the scanner lightened them all up. I guess that means I'm going to have to darken the original so the colors show more clearly.I'm working to keep a very simple palette when I'm painting, and I think it's helping me tremendously. It gives me the freedom to play around with the colors I have picked with less fear, and it also keeps my line-work nice and clear. I've enjoyed looking at everyone's work over the last month. I'll be going back and commenting as soon as I'm finished with the overdue Bunnies and Aesop's pieces I have. :)

step one of watercolor

The Wolf & the Kid (Aesop's Fable); watercolor

step two of watercolor

Aesops Fable, finalized image

the image is too big for my scanner...and I need to let the image rest & go back to it in a few days to touch it up

finalized image - full view

this was taken with my camera, so colors are incorrect