Illustration Friday - Skull

 I haven't done Illustration Friday is a VERY long time.  I thought about it last week and I thought about it the week before.  Then when I saw what today's topic was I decided to give it a try.  Once I decided on a subject, I kept refining and drawing and just got a bit obsessed!  So I chose the Prince of Denmark and his dear friend Yorrick.  Love the pencil drawing... not so sure about the watercolor but it was good practice!  Thanks for stopping by to check it out!  You can let me know what you think in the comments.

Illustration Friday : Creature

I haven't done Illustration Friday in a while but since I have finished this Little Red Riding Hood piece, I thought it would work for this week's theme "Creature".  I think she's in trouble.  Follow this link and check out more great illustrations and artwork!  Thanks for stopping by and if you have a second, leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Swimming in a Sea of Paper

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Swim".  I decided to try using construction paper.  Not sure how I feel about the colors.  Not really very vivid, but it is a low cost kind of paper.  It was fun to play with and because it is a low cost medium, the creative process felt more playful and free.  So, construction paper is not just for elementary school children!

Thanks for stopping to look at my art work and blog.  Please leave a comment.  I love to know what you think because I am always wanting to learn something new and I know you have something that you can teach, not just to me but to others!  And remember to play!  Making art should be fun.

Eye Glasses

"She put on her eye glasses and still could not believe what she saw!"

This week on Illustration Friday, the theme is "Eye Glasses".  This was my very first post when I began my blog last fall and I felt like it was a good fit for the theme.  I can't help it... I love this drawing.  It's funny how an artist can be so self critical most of the time, but then there comes an art piece that just turns out so good.  The look on her face is full of wonder and disbelief.  I felt that way when I finish this drawing!  I  just have to pat myself on the back for this one :)

Thanks for stopping by to check out my work and put up with my self congratulations.  Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.  And that includes any comments on how it could be better.  I want to learn and improve!

Remembering Yesterday

Finally!  I actually completed a new piece for Illustration Friday before Friday!!!

I don't know about you, but I get caught up in memories sometimes.  So, for the theme "Yesterday", I chose to feature a woman recalling memories of her youth, triggered by an evening spent looking in her yearbook.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my artwork.  I haven't used watercolor in a while, because I am still new at it.  I like how quickly I can lay the colors down.  It goes much faster than colored pencil!  Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.  I sure do appreciate it!

Angel Wings

My little angel has found a play mate.  This week on Illustration Friday, the theme is "Wing".  My original drawing had her lying on a ledge.  I thought tiny flowers would made it look more whimsical.  Thanks for stopping by to see her up close.  Please leave a comment.  I'd love to know what you think of them.

Playing On the Beach

This week on Illustration Friday, "Ocean" is the theme.  Couldn't we all use a trip there?

I imagined my kids playing on the sand on a sunny beach.  I think this would make a nice series showing the children walking and playing on the beach and in the ocean.  I may explore that.

Scanning this piece was frustrating.  When I get the cash, I'm going to have to upgrade my scanner.  The colors are so pale in this scan, so I'm disappointed.  But I'm happy with the original!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my art.  Let me know what you think!

Leaping From the Edge

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "edge".

Reggie stood at the edge of the pool.  The water looked deep.  Reggie felt scared.  Mommy was right there.  He took a deep breath.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my art work. I'm having fun getting back to graphite.  Please leave a comment.  I'd love to know what you think of it and if you have an suggestions!

New Baby to Love

It has been a few weeks since I posted a drawing for Illustration Friday.  This week's theme is "New".  New year, new life.  I thought I'd spend some time working in black and white and this seems like a good place to start.  I didn't expect to create a heart shape with the mother and child.  It just worked out that way!  But I like it.  It's charming.  I've seen necklace pendants that have a similar form.  I guess is just works!  Thanks for stopping by to check out my drawing.  Happy New Year!

Stretch

This week's theme on Illustration Friday is "Stretch".  It made me think of little child trying to get into his clothing, which is not always the right size or the neck opening is a little bit too small.

I remember my own kids being this age and the struggle with clothing as they learned to dress themselves. I enjoyed drawing  those proportions of a little child.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my drawing for this week.  I decide to go with black and white this week.  Graphite is still such a comfortable medium for me.  I love it.

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Whiskers

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Whiskers".

This kitty has a problem with his whiskers.  He's got his head stuck and a mouse just out of reach causing pain in the mean time!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my art work.  Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Zoom!

"Tony zoomed past his mom and grandma when he realized the bus was in front of his house."

"Zoom" is this week's Illustration Friday theme.  Wow, and it has really sucked the life out of me!  I don't know why but I feel so unhappy with aspects of this picture.  I don't know if it is the colors or the perspective.  I feel like the figures are awkward somehow.  Or this could all be just me being so self critical!!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my art and read my rant!  Sorry :)  Anyway, I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

You're awesome!

The Tree Swing

This week's theme on Illustration Friday is "Tree".  When I was a kid, my sister and I would spend hours swinging from the tire swing my dad had hung from an old walnut tree in the back yard.  It stood at the top of a gentle slope and so when you swung out on that tire, it felt like you were so far above the ground.  We would take turns spinning the swing until we were dizzy.  We would pretend we were flying on the swing.

I miss those days.  The tree is gone now.  But I have memories that are sweet and fun to recall.  Maybe I'll have a tire swing again some day.  Don't know if my joints and bones will like it, but it would be fun to fly and spin.

This week I kept the sketch looser than I usually do.  I wasn't sure I could get the foliage right.  But I think the implied leaves and shadows and light passing through comes out.  Trees are hard to draw.  I think I got this one close to right.

A Shy Kitty Hiding Under the Bed

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Shy".  It made me think of a kitty cat I used to have whose name was Ringo.  She was the cat of a friend and he could no longer care for her, so we took her in.  She was a sweet cat, but she spent alot of time under the bed, especially when guests visited.

This picture takes place in a little girl's room, just because I think every little girl ought to have the chance to love a cat sometime during her childhood.

Thanks for stopping by.  I would love for you to leave a comment and tell me what you think!

The Sky is Falling!

This week's Illustration Friday theme was "Sky".  I thought of Chicken Little as a good illustration not only for a picture but because it is a fable told many time over and I decided to tell it too.  I posted my version of the story with sketches yesterday if you want to check it out.

I think my colored pencil drawings are actually improving so I feel pretty good about that.  I'd love a comment if you care to leave one.  Thanks for checking out my illustration!

In the Water

"Water" is the theme for this week at Illustration Friday.  Dogs love water, so I thought a swimming Labrador Retriever would fit nicely.  This is Max.  I've given him a little story to practice at matching a story to an illustration.

Max loved to swim in the lake.  His owner showed Max his favorite orange rubber ball and threw it across the lake with all his might.  Max jumped from the bank before the ball left his owner's hand, leaping high and far like he had wings.  With a huge splash, he landed in the cool water.  

He paddled and paddled, sure of the direction his ball had gone.  There it was!  Bright, wet and bobbing on the blue surface.  Max plunged toward it with excitement and energy.

In the Mirror

I started this drawing a long time ago after an evening of putting curlers in my hair and my daughter's hair.  We felt like twins and it was fun.  I imagined how it must have looked to an onlooker and it seemed like such a sweet moment.  I am submitting it as this week's entry for Illustration Friday's theme of "Mirror".  It was a good opportunity to practice with colored pencils, which I love.  Unfortunately, because I had never planned to scan this picture, it turns out it is too big for my scanner and I had to photograph it.  I did not have the best lighting so the colors are a little dim.  But, I really like the drawing.  I think it tells a story of the closeness between a mom and daughter, as well as the fascination of a child, discovering her own beauty in a private moment.

Thanks for checking out my work.  I'd love for you to leave a comment!