Everyone got a little nervous...

    I started this illustration a while ago and thought maybe Sally Spider was

a little too creepy with all the eyes, but after some positive feedback I decided 

to finish it.  (I was going to change the spider to a snake, but if you notice, the 

rug has a spider web look.)  The Pentel refillable cartridge color brush is fun to

use, but you have to be careful.  If you put in color after creating outlines it 

washes out.  I had to go over the lines several times to get the darkness I wanted.

Pretty happy with the results.  Some of the creatures in the circle are a little hard 

to figure out, that is, what sort they are.  I like to create ambiguous animals. 

It adds a little more mystery.

Everyone got a little nervous as Sally Spider told her story.

                        It was a small nightmare updating my website so please make my day

                                 and check it out *=* http://raradesig3.wix.com/rachelbollman

Vision

    I obligated myself on twitter by giving a sneak peek of this digital illustration
so here it is!  Doing that forced me to finish it this evening.  I am glad I pushed
myself.  Sorry if there was any confusion today, should have explained when
posting earlier that it wasn't finished yet.
   This work was inspired by the #twoodle game on twitter, with the words
Siren and Vision.  I work in Illustrator, creating patterns as I did for textile
prints.  I love Illustrator but do realize there are limitations to it and am getting
slowly tempted by the shiny allure of Photoshop.
    Saw a video by https://twitter.com/TracyBishopArt demonstrating Manga Studio 5,
which looks interesting.  It was posted on her blog which she shares with other great
illustrators, so check them out!  http://www.simplymessingabout.com/search/label/video
Checked it out on Amazon and it is quite reasonable
yet similar to Photoshop so I may try it.  Now you may be remembering a little
rant I went on about how I was getting into traditional methods.  How imperfections
are nice, so many people are doing digital, etc.  I think it's fun to use both,
besides the fact that some of my work  seems better for digital
and vice versa.  Sometimes I even scan in hand sketched or painted elements and use
within digital as many other artists are doing.
    As I obsess over learning the business of children's book
illustration I know I may seem a little all over the place.  Learning is like that
for me.  Immersed in it is the only way to go, just have got to be organized,
set goals, stay focused and keep...my vision ;)

Getting it Together

    Here are a couple more little (5"x 5")  Aquabord watercolors painted recently.
The process was like the one used for the previous post.  I transferred the deer and
the circles and shapes were added organically.  I wanted a holiday feel without being
too "Christmasy" and designed elements as I felt were needed.  Pull Pony was kept
sweet and simple.  I have been working on these and some needle felted chicks,
birds and owls.  I will tweet pics of the tweeters later this week.
(Follow me https://twitter.com/RachelBollman so you don't miss!)
 

     

    Although it's fun to do craft shows and I could use a little cash I fear I am just

getting distracted from children's book illustration.  My focus is on kid or kid-like

art, it's all related.  I am inspired by crafty works.  Time is being divided between

both worlds, and in doing so I know it will all make sense one day.  It's just the way

I work right now.  My art style is versatile, and I am embracing that.

    I am very happy that I finalized my book Buggie Boo, What Can You Do

At The Circus?  yesterday.  I am working on my website and will post my revised

(based on comments from conferences) pages by Friday.  Set some crazy goals the

other night, but I did manage to sketch, and have a digital illustration for my website

(http://raradesig3.wix.com/rachelbollman almost completed.   Decided to work on the website this

week.

    Please visit your local library!   Humans need books!  (I am reading Humans by

http://twitter.com/matthaig1 and highly recommend you and your alien clone friends check it out.)

First Steps

                           
                            Earlier this week I painted this baby bear based on a rough sketch.

I used the Aquabord I mentioned on an earlier post.  The surface is great

to work on and I highly recommend it.  It lends itself to the washy look and 

luminous feeling that I wanted to achieve in this piece.  I wish I had 

kept some of the rough lines and looseness of the sketch, which sometimes 

happens when transferring your sketch.  Try to loosen up by sketching

before preparing a drawing to be painted, this may help.

 If you are interested, following below is my process...

First I transferred my sketch with tracing paper onto the Aquabord.   

(Do this by first tracing the image with a softer pencil, such as 2B.  

Turn over the tracing paper and trace image onto the back.  

Then turn tracing paper right side up and tape down with removable tape.  

Retrace the image onto the paper or Aquabord.)  

The little guy looked lonely. 

I had scribbled "I'm all wibbley wobbly!" next to him which made me 

think of a baby's first steps.  I added Mamma and the wash tub and 

ducky to help tell the story of a baby's first steps.

 This is one of a small series I am doing for a show coming up

in November.  Artwork for children's rooms is another way 

for adults and children to enjoy your work!   

Window Shopping

    Here is a painting I completed yesterday in my landscape watercolor class.  I learned valuable
lessons about color theory that over the years I forgot.  Cool colors receed, warm colors jump
forward, and contrast draws the eye.  Notice the mountains and trees are cool colors,
and they blend into the background and draw the eye back through the scene.  The warm colors
of the building and street invite the viewer into the work.  The street lamp is the star of the show,
or maybe the car is, but the lamp directs the focus.  

 
    I had fun doing this, and learning how to create a scene with depth.  Of course it's not what I typically do, but skills I learned are helping with my art for children's books.


   This illustration I painted on Thursday.  While working on this I was thought about how my children's fashion experience influenced it.  It wasn't just that though, it was more
thinking that everything I have done up until this point has lead me to here.  What I wished all along to be, (a children's book illustrator) has finally come to fruition.  If you are an
artist or writer who is feeling frustrated with your career, remember the struggle is part of the puzzle.
It makes us stronger to be who we really are.
Nothing beats that.