I'm still here

Hi all, it's been almost a week since I've posted here - sorry :( My grandma (who I take care of) was having some MAJOR problems so I was away from the computer for a while. I have some free time this week & will hopefully be able to create some new art to share. Amy sent me some wonderful art supplies that I am dying to use (I'll post a pic of the stuff later) THANKS AMY! :D

The Hypnotist - ATC2

This is an ATC2 I created specifically for JoE. ATC2 stands for "Artists' Trading Cards: Generation 2". Any art card between 2" & 6" in any direction qualifies as an ATC2. The standard size for ATC2's is 2" x 3.5" (business card size.) JoE is the founder of ATC2, and he & Amy run a private group for artists who create this specific type of artwork. They are both very supportive leaders, and awesome artists. The artwork pictured was part of an ATC2 swap - JoE sent me some of his work, and I sent him some of mine. This swap was really nice because we like each other's work, but usually can't afford to buy from each other. Work in progress pics for this ATC2 are below :D

Title: "The Hypnotist" Date: Feb 6, 2006 Medium: Prismacolor Colored Pencils & some ink Paper: 100lb Smooth Bristol About this Project: This is not meant to be a lesson, I'm just showing a work in progress =) This is an ACEO (2.5"x3.5" artwork).  ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions & Originals.  ACEOs are miniature works of art that are enjoyed by art collectors around the world.   Pic 1: JoE likes unique & interesting things like monsters, so I inked a creature holding a monster in a balloon. The creature is a hypnotist. Pic 2: I lightly shaded the hypnotist, and put some green into the background (looks like yellow in the pic, but it's green). I chose green because I know JoE likes this color. :) Pic 3: I added more color to the creature's face & body. Pic 4: I filled in the rest of the creature's body, & started working on his eye & the background. Pic 5: I worked on the background more. It's more greeny and interesting now Pic 6: Added more detail to the eye and some shadows all around Pic 7: Here's the finished ATC2 again. I cut off the excess paper & scanned the drawing with a dime for size reference.  Finished size: 2"x3.5".  (standard ATC2 Size).

Birthday Doxie

Inspired by ottoblotto. :)

Illustration Friday - "Simple" #2

This project is finished (scroll down to see pics!) THANK YOU EVERYONE who participated, YOU GUYS ROCK. This is one of the most ridiculous drawings I've ever done - and I love it. A lot of you forced me to draw things I'd never drawn before (dachshund, cameo pendant, garlic, marble, milk, decay, safety pin,...) You're all an inspriation. Thanks again! :D

I need 30 different people to request 30 simple things for me to draw on this paper.

This is an experiment of sorts...I am going to do a project similar to this for charity, and this will be a test run. If you could help me out that would be great. Add a comment & leave a simple one-word request for something you want me to draw here. The first 30 requests will be incorporated together in this 2.5" x 3.5" space. I'll update this post and add Work In Progress pics as the requests come in. I'll draw this in a simple manner - just pencil & ink, no color, & little detail. Thanks for playing, please keep your requests G-rated :)

First 5 requests (thank you!): ORANGE, DECAY, DAISY, PANDA, & MARBLE
I drew a panda balancing on a marble while holding a decaying orange with a daisy growing out of it! Sorry the marble looks kind of funky

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Next 5 requests: A LEAF, STAMP, Mt. FUJI, MILK, & A HEART
Now the panda has a heart tattoo on the back of his neck, and he's rolling up Mt Fuji on his marble. In the foreground is a tiny leaf standing in front of a milk carton that has "Grade B" Milk in it (hey, it's more fun than Grade A Milk!) The milk carton has a 1cent stamp on it, perhaps this sour milk was mailed to Mt Fuji...hmmmm..

CLOSE UP
Thank you for the requests, 20 more to go! :)

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Next 5 requests: HUMMINGBIRD, DACHSHUND, PIN, FEATHER, & A CANDLE.
Ok I realized (duh) that the panda's body should've been white so I used white ink to fix him. I added a hummingbird drinking out of the top of Mt Fuji, and a dachsund on the ground holding a feather in his mouth. On the left is a big candle with a safety pin stuck in it. Keep the requests coming!

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Next 5 requests: BIRTHDAY CAKE, LIZARD, BALLOON, CAMEO PENDANT, & STAR.
As if the panda didn't look silly enough, he now has a birthday cake on his head. I added a sneaky lizard on the candle, he's stealing a cameo pendant that the dachshund should probably be guarding... And there's now a ballon with a star on it (not fully inflated) tied to the safety pin. Thanks for all the new requests - I just need 10 more now!

CLOSE UP
10 More Requests to go!

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Next 5 requests: FOREST, BEETLE, STRAWBERRY, LOVE, UMBRELLA.
There's now a big beetle laying on top of the balloon, and he's cooking a strawberry over the candle's flame. The beetle's back foot is resting on an umbrella stuck in the decaying orange. The balloon's string has a tag attached to it that says "Love", and that stuff in the lower background is supposed to be a forest.... thanks guys for the requests! Just a few more and I'm done :)

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Last 5 requests: FISH, HAND, GARLIC, BANANA, & WINDOW.
Alrighty now...I added a fish swimming in the background, and one of his back fins is a hand hodling a banana. The fish looks a little confused..maybe he's wondering why he has garlic on his back, or why there's a window in the beetle's body.... This project is now finished....well...I might add color..but I think that's it. THANKS EVERYONE :D

CLOSE UP

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I was originally going to leave this drawing black & white...but could not resist adding color....(the color is unfinished)

Illustration Friday - "Simple"

This is my first time participating in Illustration Friday - a weekly art challenge where you draw/create artwork for a specific theme. The theme this week is "Simple". If you've seen my artwork before, you'll know I like to torture myself by fitting lots of tiny detail into small spaces, and "simple" is not something I'm good at. This little piece of cake is the first thing that came to mind when I heard about the simple theme. I drew it using ink & colored pencil on a simple canvas (cardboard.) The words were photoshopped because I wanted simple, basic text on this one :) The dime is there for size reference. Thank you Alexa for encouraging me to participate in IF...I was too shy to do it before :)

ACEO #23 - [Crow] Queen of Diamonds

This is my Crow Queen of Diamonds ACEO. It's one of my faves. This artwork is reversible - both of the crows have different designs on them. The designs were carefully drawn with ink & then colored & shaded with Prismacolor colored pencils. I wish I had Work In Progress pics for this - but it was drawn before I even thought of showing my WIP stuff :\ This drawing is the size of a standard playing card (2.5"x3.5").

Strange Poison Bottle Guy

CLOSE-UP

I mailed this to a friend yesterday :) I drew this little guy on cardboard using Prismacolor colored pencils & ink. I love the expression on his face - he looks like he might be trying not to laugh, or maybe he is holding poison in his mouth... I'll leave that for JoE to decide :D

ACEO #31 - "The Rattle" (sold)

Title: "The Rattle" Date: Feb 8, 2006 Medium: Prismacolor Colored Pencils & some ink Paper: 100lb Smooth Bristol Work in Progress pics are below :) About this Project: This is inspired by robots, toys, Alice in Wonderland, and outer space... This is not meant to be a lesson, I'm just showing a work in progress =) This is an ACEO (2.5"x3.5" artwork).  ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions & Originals.  ACEOs are miniature works of art that are enjoyed by art collectors around the world.   Pic 1: First I inked the main details Pic 2: Then started working on the kitty's face & body Pic 3: Added more color to the body & started working on the weird boxes attached to cords. Pic 4: Added detail to the rest of the boxes & cords, then colored the heart above kitty's head. Pic 5: Filled in the background...this took a while. Pic 6: Added more details & shading throughout the whole drawing...she's almost finished now! Pic 7: I cut off the excess paper & scanned the drawing with a dime for size reference.  Finished size: 2.5"x3.5".  (ACEO Size).

A2A ACEO - "YinYang Duck"

Title: "Yin Yang Duck" Date: Jan 19, 2006 Medium: Red ball-point pen (aka biro) Paper: 100lb Smooth Bristol About this Project: This artwork will be given away as part of the Art 2 Art "Treasure Hunt" at the Dulwich, London Art Show on Feb 12, 2006. This is not meant to be a lesson, I'm just showing a work in progress =) This is an ACEO (2.5"x3.5" artwork).  ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions & Originals.  ACEOs are miniature works of art that are enjoyed by art collectors around the world.   Pic 1: A simple sketch of a duck. Pic 2: Starting to work on face, added a crown on the duck's head. Pic 3: Added more detail to the head and started working on the wing. Pic 4: Added detail to the wing & body. Pic 5: Completed the wing, working on the rest of the body now... Pic 6: Finished the body & added water. Pic 7: I cut off the excess paper & scanned the drawing with a dime for size reference.  Finished size: 3.5"x2.5".  (ACEO Size). This artwork will be given away for free, as part of the Art 2 Art "Treasure Hunt" at a UK show in Dulwich Park, London.

A2A ACEO - "Freedom"

Title: "Freedom" Date: Jan 19, 2006 Medium: Red ball-point pen (aka biro) Paper: 100lb Smooth Bristol About this Project: This artwork will be given away as part of the Art 2 Art "Treasure Hunt" at the Dulwich, London Art Show on Feb 12, 2006. This is not meant to be a lesson, I'm just showing a work in progress =)  This is an ACEO (2.5"x3.5" artwork).  ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions & Originals.  ACEOs are miniature works of art that are enjoyed by art collectors around the world.   Pic 1: A simple sketch of 3 balloons. Pic 2: Starting to work on the main balloon Pic 3: Added a little birdy on top of the center balloon & started working on the others Pic 4: Added some sky and other balloons in the background. Pic 7: I cut off the excess paper & scanned the drawing with a dime for size reference.  Finished size: 2.5"x3.5".  (ACEO Size). This artwork will be given away for free, as part of the Art 2 Art "Treasure Hunt" at a UK show in Dulwich Park, London.

UK Art Show

If you live in the UK, come see my art in person! Stop by the Pavillion Cafe in Dulwhich Park, London & check out over 100 ACEOs (2.5"x3.5" artwork) by international artists, including Me, Sally Swingewood & Amy Weber. Everyone is welcome to come to the show. There will also be an "Art Treasure Hunt", where you will have a chance to take home free art provided by A2A (Art 2 Art) artists. Art 2 Art is an artistic movement bringing free art to ordinary people just like you and me. To learn more about this amazing project & the artists involved, visit http://a2a2006.com.