Tag Archives: illustration

Professor Tortoise and Druid Cat, Illustration Friday

Professor Tortoise, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, white gel pen

Professor Tortoise is a meditation instructor. Now, maybe you think that’s just a dodgy way to slip in under the Illustration Friday topic, “Teacher”. And maybe you’re right! But I did have two days of horrible unable-to-draw-anything funk, and the Professor – Henry to his friends – taught me that if I kept at it, I would eventually draw another thing I liked. (There were many wretched and frustrated hours spent thinking otherwise. It is a poor strategy for art or anything else.)

A few days earlier I finished a certain druidic cat:

Druidic Cat, 3.5″ x 2.5″ Copics

Liam is a Tree Tending Instructor in the Many Wonders Woods. That’s right, another teacher! He teaches tree healing to young cat druids as well as forest sprites. Liam and Professor Tortoise were traded at illustratedatcs.com.

Thank you for stopping in! And here’s a progress slideshow!

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Romani Maiden and Spook the Cat, ATCs

Romani Maiden, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Her family discovered Nadya had the gift of fortune-telling at age nine when she convinced them not to take a ship that was lost in a violent storm two weeks after leaving port. But she always preferred horses to people, and by sixteen she discovered a gift for training horses.  Nadya is number 14 in the 100 Maidens Project and was made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com

The topic I chose from the ATC preference list for this trade was “gypsy or bohemian woman”, and in reading about “gypsies” I was reminded that some Roma consider this an insult. My imperfect understanding suggests “Romani” is the feminine adjective, and I hope anyone reading this post who knows otherwise will correct me.

Spook, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics and fine liners

Spook’s mother was the goddess Bastet and his sire a powerful Sphynx cat, companion to a ruling pharoah. Every October, this ancient and magical creature rises from a deep slumber and begins his search for thirteen worthy black kittens on which to bestow the magic of All Hallow’s Eve. Made for a Halloween swap at illustratedatcs.com.

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Reference photo.  Cat reference photo.

Hooray, you visited again! Or potentially for the first time! Thank you. ;)

Ice Maiden and a Magical Fish for IF

Kuura the Ice Maiden, 4×6 Copics, fine liners, gel pen

In an attempt to dovetail Illustration Friday with my 100 Maidens Project, an Ice Maiden with a bit of a steampunk twist. (The eyepiece was initially supposed to be more snowflake-like. Alas!) If you look at the progress slideshow you’ll see how much I messed with this. To death. Particularly with the gel pen. On the other hand, I kind of like her in the end. For the topic “Freeze” at Illustration Friday.

Kuura* is a Maiden of Ice who lives in a frozen palace at the bottom of the sea. Her favorite companion is a  magical fish called Phylliss who delivers messages across the world. Phylliss likes to play racing games with young dolphins and manta rays when she’s not working. She was made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com.

Phyllis in the Deep, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

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Thanks for visiting!

*Kuura means frost in Finnish.

 

Fancy Goldfish are Fancy. Also, Sheep.

Maureen, A Goldfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

This is Maureen. She is best friends with a starfish named Dinky. This is my favorite ATC to date. I don’t know what happened, it just flowed. :)

Emilio, Another Goldfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Then, another fish. Emilio wanted to be a seahorse when he grew up. Once he learned it was never going to happen, his expression turned into a scowl which has been with him ever since. Much too heavy-handed compared to the first one. Must stick to the tiniest nibs. Arrrgh! But still happy with him.

Then, after Maureen and Emilio, I did several new cards that I was not happy with. I panicked a bit. Have you ever done something you really liked and then worried you would never do anything good again? Well, I did that. I mentioned it to Leigh of Colorfulleigh and she said the same thing happens to her. So, I guess it’s a thing that happens but we keep pushing forward. ;)

I seem to be doing lots of sheep. Here is another.

Blue Swirl Sheep, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Grant the blue sheep was born in Hawaii. But he is allergic to macadamia nuts. Speaking of nuts, I’ve gone a bit nutty with the white gel pen! I think it’s an interesting effect for this sheep, and I think it also repaired a few ugly spots, but I probably need to lay off the gel pen a bit. Or just practice more. I thought it would be cool to see all the sheep together:

Five Sheep ATCs, oh my! From left to right: Pinky Mae, Patrick O’Keefe, Deeba, Grant, Arwen

Thanks for visiting! I totally skipped an Illustration Friday but plan to do “Freeze” this week. Probably!

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Adventures in Color, More Copic ATCs

Orange Tapestry Sheep, 2.5″ x 3.5″
They call her Deeba because her wool is magically silky. She was born to normal Chokla sheep parents two days after a mysterious shaman passed through the village.

Earth Elemental Maiden, 2.5″ x 3.5″
This daughter of Gaia has a magical chameleon familiar who delivers messages and sometimes heals small animals.

Strange Chameleon Five, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics
Ari is a Wish Lizard. If you catch him (nicely), and know to feed him figs and dandelion, he will grant you a wish.

Strange Chameleon Four, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic
Her name is Julie Goolie and she is an insect archeology hobbyist.

More Artist Trading cards for various trades at illustratedatcs.com (where my handle is CindyD). These are some of my favorites, though I do think I am still overworking them somewhat. I may need to do another pair of complementary chameleons so I can make a print with all four. But I’ve also got to finish more sheep and foxes and maidens. Oh my. Oh! And I’m up to ten on the 100 Maidens project.

I’ve included some progression pics below (though I’m not doing a whole set for each and every card). And now I must get to work on my “Bounce” entry, for Illustration Friday. Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit! I think I have a pretty good rate of visiting back – but I can only do that if you leave your address.

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Maidens and Foxes in Copics, Oh My!

Water Elemental Maiden Voda, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Fire Elemental Maiden, The Flame Queen, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Air Elemental Maiden, Whisper the Wind Walker, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Elemental Maidens for the Elementals swap at illustratedatcs.com. Haven’t quite worked out “Earth” yet. Tree Nymph or Rock Golem? Mix of the two? Hm.

That makes eight maidens complete for the 100 Maidens Project. Not quite impressive yet, but working on it. The excellent artist Richard Ewing at Visual Cogitations has recently suggested I add bodies to these maidens. To which I say, “One step at a time, sir!” (Check again about number 40.)

And next, a pair of red foxes, made by request for trades. I think I can do better and I expect to, because foxes are seriously popular and more have been requested! The smaller fellow is Sydney, a rare non-mischievous fox. While the other foxes steal things, Sydney naps. But then he will sing to them for a share of the loot.

Red Fox One, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Chelsea is the second fox. She was raised with cats and thinks she is a cat. Except that whole tree climbing thing. And dang, has she tried! (She climbs trees better than other foxes, at any rate.)  Reference photo.

Red Fox Two, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Thanks for visiting! I hope you aren’t sick of the tiny art cards yet!

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100 Maidens Project and Illustration Friday

Celestial Maiden Fara, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Celestial Maiden Deia, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

 

The topic this week at Illustration Friday is “Lonely” and there are few lonelier than the Celestial Maidens. Whether walking the stars or talking to planets, they walk the heavens and rarely meet. These are the final two in a group of four created for a swap at illustratedatcs.com. The first two can be found in my last post.

I joined that swap as a challenge because I so rarely do people of any kind. But I had so much fun I decided to embark on a new project called 100 Maidens. I figure after 100 I will be much better at drawing women, at any rate! It’s not 100 in 100 days or any madness like that. Just 100 in the next year or so, hopefully a really nice variety (and not 100 young, beautiful blondes, for instance). I’ve got a Flickr set created to collect them.

The one below was created for a trade by someone who liked the second maiden and wanted a version with warm colors. Thanks for visiting!

Maiden Number 5, Pharandra, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

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King Charles Cavalier and Celestial Maidens

So, it’s not just that making tiny works of art is immediately gratifying, it really teaches you things. In this installment I do a specific dog breed (rather than a cartoonish mutt):

King Charles Cavalier, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

And it didn’t go as terribly as expected! I used this reference photo. His name is Vincent and he is a snack fiend (just like my dog Wilson,  a King Charles mix)! I experimented a bit with a white gel pen outline.

Celestial Maiden 1, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

I also did some people! I never do people. For one thing, too many other people do it so well. And I didn’t take enough life drawing classes. And I haven’t practiced much. Lots of excuses! I bet you have excuses for something you should just go ahead and do. Really.

The impetus for the people was joining a trading card swap (at illustratedatcs.com) with the subject Celestial Maidens. And guess what? Not as terrible as expected! The one on the right is Rona, who creates the night sky for dreaming children.

The second is Jin, a starwalker.  (I got a bit frustrated with the hair so threw a big scarf on it, which turned out to be the perfect place for some swirly things.) I can see a lot of flaws but mostly I am happy they are not terrible! I still need to do two more for the swap.

Celestial Maiden 2, 2.5″ x 3.5″, Copics

Thanks for stopping in! You folks have all been so damn nice!

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Steampunk Elephant with Cat, Copics

Steampunk Elephant with Cat, 8.5″ x 11″ Copics with digital background

The topic is “Carry” at Illustration Friday. Another blue cat, this time a lovely creature called Delilah. As the eldest daughter, she will be inheriting the ancient elephant vehicle and the title Elephant Princess when her mother retires. She is both excited by, and dreading, the entire affair. Excited by the thought of riding the elephant in the parades, but dreading the procession of merchant cats and their tedious complaints about one another.

So glad I stopped before filling in the cat, because I think she makes a nice contrast with the very busy elephant. A bit too heavy on the outlines, but overall I think the steampunk elephant makes a worthy companion to the Cat Ship and Llama Genie Airship.

And one more thing. I’ve been listening to a great podcast while doing art over the last few weeks. It’s called The Dork Forest and is the podcast of comedian Jackie Kashian. She  talks to other comics and comic book people and movie people and loads of others about whatever it is they are really enthusiastic about. Very entertaining.  If you need a new thing, go see! Thanks for visiting!

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Elephant photo reference;  Siamese Cat Hybrid photo reference

Chameleon, Wombat, and Kettle in Copics

Strange Chameleon Two, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Edgar Wombat 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

 

 

Perhaps you are shocked to see more ATCs. For those of us joining for the first time, I started doing Artist Trading Cards about three weeks ago, and I’ve done about 20 now. Which is crazy. And I must mention illustratedatcs.com again because they are to blame. I mean, to thank. :) (They also have a bigger site, atcsforall.com.)

The thing about tiny cards is: instant gratification, nearly instant satisfaction and practically instant feedback. Ah, internet, you have reduced our attention spans to approximately 45 seconds. But I will try to work with you.

Edgar the wombat is a huge fan of the movie My Neighbor Totoro. Wombats rock.

Gnome Portal Kettle 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Slideshows for all three! If anyone wants to see. Thank you so much for visiting. :)

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Chameleon photo reference, wombat photo reference.