A Painting a Day - Day 77

Today I am thankful for my home. Not just my house, but my community. I have friends and family here who love me and whom I love. It has been a good place to settle down and raise my children. Home Sweet Home.

This little blue bird illustration is available for sale for $25. If you would like to purchase it, please email me at lauraparkhurstillustrator@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting today!

A Painting a Day - Day 43

Today I wanted to get back to telling stories. This is from Aesop's story of the fox and the crow and the price one pays for their vanity. In the case of the crow, she lost her cheese to the flattering fox.

Illustrating for stories has had a special appeal to me since I was in high school. In sophomore English we studied the Odyssey, I drew portraits of the major female characters as well as the main Greek goddesses who lived on Olympus. Drawing pictures for a story helps to make the story feel closer. I think children love illustrated stories because of that. Pictures invite them into a book. Words make the pictures happen. Words in well told stories are like an elegant drawing with a satisfying composition. Illustrations are like color added to the drawing, enriching and enlivening it.

This illustration is my offering for day 43. It is available for sale for $43. If you would like to purchase it please email me at lauraparkhurstillustrator@gmail.com. The first person I hear from can buy it. It is 8 x 10 and ready for a frame. I think it would look lovely in a child's room or any room for that matter!

Thanks so much for coming to see my art today. Hope you can come by again tomorrow for a new painting!

Passing On a Dream

This week I got the opportunity to share my aspirations of becoming a picture book illustrator with some bright young artists at my local library.  I had read Jon Acuff's book Start (which you can find on Amazon) earlier this year.  In it, he talks about giving away our gifts.  To me that meant I needed to find a way to share what I am doing but I wasn't sure what that would look like. Then when the summer activities began at my local library, I thought that might be a good avenue to share what I am doing and what I am learning.

The display case in the foyer of the library is decorated with
 not only the books of some really great illustrators,
but a few of my own illustrations as well!

So November 12th I got to sit down with 4 children, grades 3, 4 and 6 along with their parents.  I shared my own story of how my 8th grade art teacher told me I should be an illustrator.  Looking back, I did not take that idea seriously nor did I really have a clear vision of what I wanted to do in my life.  I had a fuzzy notion about being an artist and had no idea how to go about it.  When I got to college, I had one professor encourage me and advised me to go to New York City then saw I had an engagement ring and said sadly, "I guess you won't be doing that."  She was right.  But, like I told the students Tuesday night, it is never too early or too late to begin to pursue your dream.

I didn't sugar coat it.  Not everyone who is an illustrator gets to do it for a living, but that doesn't mean it can't be a fulfilling way to spend your time and energy.  And the fact that so much illustration is done for the sake of being seen by eyes which are usually 10 and younger, it is an opportunity to touch and educate and inspire children.  Those children need dreams and some of those dreams are to make art to inspire others.  What a great calling!  And I would love to see these young people, if it is their calling, to start now to formulate plans and educate and prepare themselves to pursue those plans.  Even if illustration is not in their futures, I wanted them to know, the future is something we should be looking forward too.  It is not something we waste the present while we wait for the future to happen.  Dreams don't just happen. They need impetuous and perseverance on top of talent.

By the end of our hour together, we had talked about picture books, publishing, the difference between illustration and fine art, and they had made some beautiful sketches based on nursery rhyme titles I had put on slips of paper and placed in a bowl.  They asked if I would do it again and I said I would love to.  Who knows, maybe we could start an illustrators club!  The best part, was being able to share what I have learned over the past 15 months with people who love art and books too.  I get to share my journey and hopefully, I will share more of my journey with more students in the months to come.

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog.  If you are an artist or illustrator or writer or you just enjoy people, I would so appreciate any ideas you may have or things you have done to share your gifts with others.  What's the good of having a gift if you don't give it away?  Please leave a comment.  Love hearing from you!

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!

Book Review of Unspoken by Henry Cole

It's been a long time since I have done a book review.  Not because I haven't been reading, I just haven't spent a lot of time with Children's picture books!  Which is too bad because they are usually easier to get through than a thick tome intended for adults!  A good children's picture book can be like an afternoon break spent in the art museum.

Henry Cole's Unspoken , published by Scholastic Press, tells a story with only pictures drawn softly in the gray tones of graphite.  His style reminded me of Brian Selznick's art in his books, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck.  And like Selznick, Cole creates mood, drama and pace without the assistance of words.  Which is perfect because this story needs the viewer to understand how important silence can be to those seeking freedom.

A little girl cautiously hurries across the gold tone pages of the story.  With carefully drawn lines, Mr.Cole tells the story of this little girl's alarming discovery; a runaway slave is hiding in her family's barn under a pile of corn stalks.  No words are spoken by Mr. Cole, the little girl or the runaway, whom we only see as a eye peeking through the cornstalks.  Quietly the little girl makes an important choice between telling her family and the soldiers and bounty hunters who pass by or keeping the runaway's presence a secret so the stranger can continue on the dangerous journey to freedom.

Each illustration draws us into the story, letting us in on the secret and we accompany the girl on her errands of mercy which take her from house to barn and back again as she smuggles food, all the while, her secret stays locked tight behind her lips.  She is as silent as the wordless story, but what she does changes the life of  a mysterious stranger as well as her own.  And we have the privilege of witnessing what her family misses, the emergence of a little girl's courageous compassion which overcomes what the word around her says is right  to embrace higher laws and rights, the right of every human being to be free.

Mr. Cole's illustrations show the girl's emotions; her fear, her worry, her joy, her courage and her peace.  The drawings are able to show us how she even comes to identify with the fugitive, as she literally chooses to break the law to do what is right and good.  This is a touching story about being brave enough to do what is good, embracing a higher morality over the the morality of property.  And even though the girl says no words, the lesson she teaches speaks loudly and will make a wonderfully opportunity for parents and children to discuss the intrinsic value of humanity and the importance of standing up to injustice even if we do it quietly.

Visit Mr. Cole's website by clicking here.  You can also find Unspoken at Amazon or at your local library.

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!

A Brief Trip into Fine Art

Over the month of December I took time away from illustration to work on some gifts for family members. (And to just take a break.  Was starting to feel burned out!  Ridiculous I know!)  So rather than pieces that would accompany text and tell a story that way, I worked on some pieces that are more personal and work more as things of beauty.

The first is a portrait of my daughter and son reading a favorite story book.  I did this for my husband in acrylics.  I haven't done a painted portrait since college (20 years ago!) so I wasn't sure I could accomplish it.  I think it turned out okay.  It does look like them.  I used a photo as reference   The piece took about 20 hours to complete from sketches to finishing touches.  My kids told me  I didn't get the skin tones right.  I agree but I also know getting that color right is REALLY hard.  Crayola might have crayon or two that are close, but it is hard to create that color and make it look natural when our own skin tones are fluctuating and very translucent.  - little critics-

This is a drawing done in graphite.  I used a reference picture from the internet to get all the fine details of the harnesses and the structure of the mules faces and the shadows.  In the original photo they were standing father apart.  So to tighten the composition, I pulled their heads together and focused on that part of the animals.  I think it turned out pretty good.  I wish I would have spent more time on it.  I started it the day before I was going to give it as a gift to my dad.  I started at about 10 am the day before and finished it at 4 pm the following day, just an hour and 15 minutes before I was going to arrive at his home for Christmas dinner!  Cutting it too close there!  But for not having done a detailed pencil study in a while it turned out pretty good.  If you'd like to check out the original photo, click here.

Read This Book: Breaking Into Freelance Illustration

I just finished a great book that I know will be useful to anyone who is trying to start their own illustration business.  Breaking into Freelance Illustration : A Guide for Artist, Designers and Illustrators by Holly Dewolf is packed full of encouragement, inspiration and information.  She has included great interviews with other illustrators and designers along with website information.  Websites that illustrators can participate in are also listed along with other resources.  There is advice on staying motivated, getting organized, self promotion, industry information, accounting tips, copyright information, business management, going after clients, pricing, and really a lot more. Now that I have finished, I intend to go back with a notebook and pen and jot down all that useful information and put it into good use!  Go get this book an read it too!  You can get it at Amazon, of course.  I read it on my kindle, but it could have just as easily arrived in my mailbox!  So there's no excuse not to read it!  Click on Holly's name if you want to check out her web site.

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.

A Story to Share: The Lion and the Slave

This story is from Aesop's fables.  I hope you enjoy it.





There was a once a slave who was beaten by his master











That night the slave ran away into the darkness.














He ran and ran, heading for the desert hoping no one would come looking for him there.

As the sun rose, the desert became hot and the slave looked for some place to shelter.  In the cliffs he found a cave.

Just as he closed his eyes to rest, he heard a sound.  His heart nearly stopped as a huge lion entered the cave.  To late, the slave realized this was not a cave, but a lion's den.

Expecting the lion would leap on him and make him a meal, he was so surprised when instead the lion jumped on him and licked his face, pawing at him.

The lion looked up at him with sad eyes and lifted his paw to the slave.

The slave took the huge paw into his hand and saw a large sharp thorn had gotten stuck deep in the lion's paw which had become sore and swollen.

Carefully the slave took the torn from the lion's paw.  The great beast let out a sigh and again licked the slave's face.

They became friends and shared the cave.

After a while the slave began to feel lonely for people.

He decided to return to town and said good bye to the lion.

As he entered the town, he was recognized and arrested.

His master was angry and decided to make an example of the slave so all other slaves would know that running away was a very serious crime.

The slave was bound in chains and taken to the arena.  A large heavy door came open and a great lion stepped out of the shadows.  The slave trembled as he awaited the pain of the terrible claws.

Instead, the lion bounded to him like a friendly dog and rolled over.  The slave realized it was his friend from the cave and the lion had remembered him too.

The crowd was amazed and called for the slave to be spared.  The Governor of the town was so impressed with the loyalty and gratitude of the lion, he gave the slave and the lion their freedom.

Gaining Momemtum

When you have a part time job that doesn't need you as often as you like, it's easy to begin to feel guilty.  I had that problem this past week.  I wanted to go to work and make some extra cash for the family, but at the same time I wanted to stay home and work on illustrations and look for potential markets.  So, I have to remind myself, that even though I didn't get to work much for money now, I did get to work at pursuing my goals which will pay off in the long run.

I went through my art work and found I need to really get focused on creating my portfolio.  So, I got to work making new sketches and plans for pieces that will be good quality.  This is a new experience for me because I have almost always made art as I feel like it, not with great purpose.  Realizing I had so few that suited me was not, I realized, a good excuse to put off setting up a web site where I can display my portfolio.  After all, I need to keep it evolving and changing anyway, so why not start with work I have now?  Not having the quality I think I should have has kept me from go after my dream anyway!  So I now have a domain name of my own and a web site.  Check it out by going to the portfolio link at the top of this page.

Last night I stayed up to get serious about collecting submission information for magazines.  I have a copy of the 2012 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market which is a great place to get started because there is so much information is in one reference. I looked up the listings they have to double check information and get any additional that was left out.  Plus I looked at some of the online samples that some of the magazines have because there is no point in sending a sample pack to a company that wouldn't match up well with my stuff.

I started a sketch with a particular magazine in mind on Thursday evening.  As I have been reading, I get the feeling sending samples that will cater to the magazine's interests might be a better way to get their attention.  Reading, Breaking into Freelance Illustration by Holly DeWolf is so full of great information about branding, marketing, finances and contracts.  I highly recommend reading this book for anyone seeking to become an illustrator.  I am doing the best I can to follow her advice, though I have to say I still feel overwhelmed when I read her book because there is so much to do!

Keeping up with weekly goals is challenging and very distracting, but I'm learning a lot about recognizing when I am stressed, although I have not perfected a method of dealing with it yet!  I'm feeling really excited to be moving forward and I feel like I am nearing a place of action that will allow me to make opportunities to actually do illustration as a job.

I had really mixed feelings about my Illustration Friday entry for this past week's theme, but I know I am still growing as an artist.  I can't let myself get discouraged and quit.  Even if I am not satisfied, which I may never feel satisfied with my work all the time, I have to keep at it.  The momentum is building, so here I go!

The Inspiration of Having a Job

Let's get practical today.  I know there are those hopeless romantics out there who are offended by the notion of making art to make money and believe that art should be pure and created by the artist to express himself to the world in order to change it.  They imagine an artist who is tucked away in some dingy apartment in the part of town where all the "creatives" hang out, suffering for his art, living painting to painting, not sure when he'll have money to buy his next meal.  So he writes his brother who has a real job asking for some money, cuts off his ear over some dame and then because he is despondent and misunderstood by a world to hard to recognize his great talent and unique soul, he kills himself, making his art insanely valuable when sold at auction 100 years later.

Okay, that was a little about Van Gogh, who I love and who was really a very troubled man.  I can relate to emotional turmoil.  I've had my share.  But couldn't he have been just as productive if he had not had to deal with that turmoil?  Some one like Michelangelo had his emotional junk too, but he was always gainfully employed and I bet that gave him more inspiration than his inner angst.

I mean, as a creative person, it always helps to get us moving in the productive direction when we have a direction to go in.  Song writers and singers don't just sing to themselves in the shower, they want people to hear them and it sure is nice to have some cash at the end of a gig to pay for gas, a meal and have a little left over for a bank account.  And with times being what they are, we are all feeling a little lean and motivated lately.

When my kids went to school, I had a dilemma   It was time to get a job!  And a full time job is not always readily available at this time in history.  So part time is helping out, but I also realized that a couple of part time jobs can be cobbled together to get closer to a full time job.  Not only that, this extra alone time is a great opportunity.  Needing to pay the bills just adds the fuel.

Pursuing a dream for the dream's sake could have been my motivation, but realistically, I know that I have put off the dream because I always had something else, like a payed by the hour job or children who need my attention.  I can truthfully say I have more responsibilities now and have to schedule my time more carefully than I did pre-kids, so I can't say I am doing this now because of the free time.  There is always stuff to fill the minutes with.  And I am finding I use my evenings more consistently than any other time.  Day time is for my jobs.  So, I want to add another job to my daily to do list.

That makes me feel overwhelmed!  But I keep going back to one thing... I want to have a career as an illustrator.  I want to make cool stuff AND get paid for it.  If I just wanted to make cool stuff, that could wait until I'm retired.  But right now I've got to plan for the expenses of life.  I'm doing illustration because I love it, but I'm going to be honest and say I'm making progress toward that dream because I want to make some money.

Oh no, that totally takes the innocent glow off of the dream.  Makes it sound seamy and greedy.  Yuck.
I love a song by a local singer named, Danny Flanigan, (check out his website by clicking on his name.) where he says, "Money gets me down.  Down because I need it.  What a stupid thing to need!"  I so agree with that and I'm not going to let the lack of money get me down, but I'm going to keep working with the hope of filling that need.

I would love to know how you feel about all of this having a job and needing money thing.  I bet it gets you out of bed in the morning!  Please leave a comment!  Thanks for stopping by!

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!

A Story to Share: Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood walked along the wooded path, on the way to Grandma's house.  She was enjoying the cool breeze and the bird song.  Every word of caution her parents had given her about not talking to strangers before she left the house had drifted from her mind like the leaves that drifted to the ground.

She did not see the wolf until he stood before her at the edge of a small clearing.  He smiled and she stopped.  "Where are you headed, Little Red Riding Hood?"

"I'm going to my Grandma's with a basket of treats.  She's taken ill and is in her bed," Little Red Riding Hood replied.

"That's too bad!" the wolf replied.  "I'd like to see if I can be a comfort to your Grandma.  Can you tell me the way to her house?" he asked.

"Through the woods, across the creek and over the hill," she replied.  "I have to go now, before the rolls get cold."  She skipped away.  The wolf disappeared into the woods.  He knew a short cut to Grandma's house.

 The wolf knocked at Grandma's door.  "Who is it?"  called Grandma from her bed.

"It's me, Grandma, Little Red Riding Hood!" the wolf called back, disguising his voice.

"Come in dear!" Grandma said.  The wolf crept in.  Grandma didn't even know what happened when he pounced upon her and gobbled her up.

Quickly he dressed in one of Grandma's robes and tied one of her handkerchiefs around his shaggy head.  Then he leapt into her bed and snuggled into the covers to wait for the little girl.

In no time, she arrived and knocked at the door.  The wolf again disguised his voice, "Who is it?"

"It's Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma!  I have treats for you!" the girl called back.

"Come in!" said the wolf.  Red Riding Hood came in and entered her grandmother's room.  She sat her basket down and approached the bed.  Her eyes grew wide as she gazed at the person lying there.

"What big ears you have, Grandma," the girl said, bewildered.

"The better to hear you with my dear," replied the wolf.

"Grandma, what big eyes you have," said Red Riding Hood, becoming more alarmed.

"The better to see you with my dear," replied the wolf.

Red Riding Hood gulped and said, her heart in her throat, "What big teeth you have, Grandma!"

The wolf smiled.  "The better to eat you with, my dear!" He threw off the covers and gown and the girl let out a shriek that sent the birds of the meadow flying.  The wolf gathered himself up to pounce on her, his full focus upon his intended victim.  But just as he rose from the bed, something came down from above his head and he fell to the floor with a thud.  Blood oozed from his head.  He was dead.

Red Riding Hood looked up in shock to see a tall man standing over the body of the wolf.  "Who are you?" she whimpered 

"I am a wood cutter.  I saw you walking in the woods and when I saw that you stopped to talk to the wolf, I decided to follow you because I was afraid for you.  I know the nature of wolves and I had a feeling you might be in danger", he replied, putting his hand on her shoulder and walking her quickly to the door.  "We need to get you home, to your mother and father, where you will be safe."

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!

Little Steps on a Long Journey

Last week I posted that I have a dream of becoming a published author/illustrator.  I know I need accountability and I am going to start posting weekly how I have taken new steps toward that goal.  I started this blog at the beginning of September and that has been such a huge move.  I have had so much positive feed back from these first endevours.   It feels like there are so many things coming together.  When I first got out of college, I had no idea how to go about becoming an illustrator other than the advice of a professor which was to move to New York.  My path didn't move in that direction at that time.  But I have had the chance to get some life experience, meet friends who love me enough to encourage me, and explore other avenues that were not there 20 years ago.

So, this week, I wrote my goals out.  I had done this before but this time it was in a more concise list.  I then posted it above my work space which itself was a big step in the direction of achieving my goal that I made back in August.  Now I can see that list every time I sit down to work and remind myself of what exactly I am looking forward to.

I also established a schedule for blogging.  Everything I am reading is insisting that having an online presence is vital to finding a door into the publishing world.  I am also recognizing that this is a wonderful format to practice the art of writing as well as a kind of gallery to show my art work and receive some feed back.  Being part of a community here online can only help me to grow as an artist, and I hope the journey I take along that path can help someone else to have hope and not give up like I did when I was younger.  Having said all of that, I intend to post Monday through Friday about art, goals, writing, inspiration and leaning on my Lord God through all of this.

Something I have been doing for a while, though with no real direction, is visiting the library and collecting books on the above topics.  Now I know that educating myself in a regular and purposeful way is necessary for me to have quality posts here but also for me to become a skillful illustrator and author.  I know I need to have knowledge about the industry and find ways to hone my craft.  I am not a college student anymore, with abundant free time and few responsibilities   I am a mother and wife, with a household to care for, two part time jobs and other commitments.  Over the years I have mistreated my talents and left them to atrophy with too many excuses.  Now I know that this is not only cheating myself, but my children as well because I want them to see that their mom has talent and vibrancy which they can be proud of, even if I never have the kind of success I dream of.  When all is said and done, I want to have at least TRIED.

These steps are not new or really particular to this past week, but I have had the opportunity to stop and say, yes I am  taking steps.  I am not doing nothing.  So to take an accounting of what I have done can only give me more strength to keep moving forward.  As I take these steps, I will continue to pray for wisdom and strength, because I don't know where the path will lead and I do know I do not have the strength on my own to climb this mountain, but I know the Lord will provide for me.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you will take a moment to comment.  I would love to know about your own journey toward your goals.

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.