To - do - list 


Yes  I have been making a to-do-list. Not one of my usual ones - Ironing, pay school trip money, cat food, haircut, etc. but one to help with my art career. So I thought I'd share it:

On going to - do - list

Daily
Find 3 new addresses for promo (2 publishers 1 gallery)
Draw in my sketch book
Updates on Facebook as needed

Weekly
Contact at least two publishers (illustration ) and 1 gallery (fine art)
Add new work to Etsy
Update my  Website – if needed
Illustration Friday
One illustration (portfolio quality)
Look at freelance job listing sites

Monthly
Press Release
Blog entry
Update portfolio

and now all I've got to do is stick to it....

New Illustration for book portfolio

Catching Butterflies


I have been trying to be a little more disciplined. Tricky as that is, I have managed with some success, to paint on my two days off. I pretty much ignored the washing pile - (which would have made Edmund Hillary, hang up his climbing ropes). I took no notice of the washing up, I thought about cleaning the bathroom  - and then decided that it could wait. Instead I went to the local artshop and bought myself some watercolour paper large enough to start a double page spread illustration on. 

I worked on this for two to three days - and I'm happy with the results. It will be another piece for my portfolio - which is bulking out nicely now. 
I wanted to show potential publishers that I understood the limitations of designing a full spread illustration and take into account the positioning of the gutter, creating a scene which moves the readers eyes naturally  across the two pages from left to right.

The Windy Day  - Update


As some of you may know I am working on a portfolio, focusing on the children's book market.
I have finished (finally) the painting I started a couple of posts ago - The Windy Day.
It has been rather slow progress - I am blaming this on the school holidays. The school holidays finish this week - boo! We have had such a lovely summer;  it hasn't left much time for painting - translate as.....   many pyjama mornings and fun days out with the kids - sshhh - dont tell anyone!



Anyway, sometime soon normal work had to commence so I  picked up my brushes and finished this painting. Thought you'd like to see.....

Daily Sketchbook...

15th July 2012

"After the Game.."

Illustration Friday


"Lost"

I drew this illustration last week as a bit of sketchbook practice. One little lost tortoise has found some friends.

The Windy Day

A while ago I made this rough painting in my sketchbook. I thought I would do a series of photos to show how the idea has progressed. 

My partner, Matt and I  are lucky enough to live near the New Forest in Hampshire, UK. Nothing beats a long walk in wellies, under the canopy of trees, climbing the fallen tree trunks, finding rope swings, jumping in the streams, and  building dams. I suppose it is these happy days which inspired this initial sketch. What do you take from your life that inspires you to create?

The painting changes a little in composition and colour palette. I wanted to capture a hint of "something about to happen" - the little child, unbeknown to mum is day dreaming at the back, the feel of the day is colder and more wintery. 

It's still a work in progress, but I think it's slowly emerging.

I am building up a portfolio of work to show children's book publishers and am thinking of including this once it's finished - what do you think? I'll post the final piece once it's completed. Hope you enjoyed looking.