Sarah Draws Things

Lapins Colorés

2012-03-11T20:24:00.000-04:00

I finished my rabbit set! These will be my last rabbit drawings for a while... I want people to know that I can draw other things too...

I drew these so I'd have something spring/Easter related in my Etsy store. I think they look better as a set than individually.

All of these bunnies were drawn with graphite and watercolor on Rives BFK. Here's a look at some of the details:

It's definitely going to be a warm, spring-like week in Philadelphia... maybe some real bunnies will come out to enjoy the weather.

Work in Progress

2012-03-06T13:14:00.001-05:00

I always like blogs where people show their work process, so I decided to post a little of what I'm currently working on. The rabbit on the left is my preliminary drawing with graphite on canson paper. The one on the right is the finished rabbit with watercolor and graphite on Rives BFK.

This will be a set of five rabbits in different colors...hopefully completed by the weekend! I've been working on my lettering a lot because it's not my strongest skill; I'm liking how it looks so far for this project.

Are you ready for spring?

Illustration Friday: Fluid

2012-02-22T14:23:00.002-05:00

Paper boats, graphite, watercolor & gouche on Rives BFK, 11 x 14", 2012.

This week I experimented with painting on a different type of paper. I used Rives BFK instead of my regular Arches watercolor paper. I like how I had more control over my pencilling, but the paper seemed pretty fragile compared to the heavy duty cold-press block I use. Overall, I liked it, and will have to play with it a little more; I'll definitely try using it for future projects.

Update (2/23):
This image is now available as a mini archival print in my etsy store.

Jackalope Thank You Note

2012-02-17T12:42:00.001-05:00

I just posted some prints on my Etsy store, and I wanted to do something special for people who buy my art. So, I designed this cute jackalope to put on thank you notes for my customers.

If you'd like to visit my Etsy store click here.

Illustration Friday: Suspense

2012-02-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

Suspense, graphite & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2012.

Uh oh... dude doesn't see it coming...

Valentine

2012-02-04T12:28:00.001-05:00

Olive You, pen & marker on marker paper, 7 x 7.5", 2012.

Since it's February, and Illustration Rally is having a Valentine's Day Rally I decided to draw a valentine. It's not pink, and it doesn't have lace trim... but I know that my boyfriend will like it. We both share a love of olives!

Sketchbook Project: The End!!!

2012-01-28T15:46:00.002-05:00

Mermaids, pen. watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 10 x7", 2011.

I just came back from the Post Office; I mailed out my 2012 Sketchbook Project! I'll be nervous until it gets to Brooklyn safely. Philadelphia isn't too far away, so I know it will get there soon. All of the overseas Sketchbook Project participants must get stressed out about shipping their creations.

I ended my "Uncharted Waters" theme the same was I began it...with mermaids!

I really had a great experience with the project, and got to communicate with sketchbookers from all over the world. I can't wait for the tour to start, so I can see everyone's books in person.

I made the very last page a contents page that lists everything in my book. If you would like to see the whole book before the Sketchbook Project tour starts, click below to visit my Flickr page:

Goodbye, Sketchbook Project!!!!

First Aid Kit for Amelia's Mag

2012-01-24T14:05:00.001-05:00

First Aid Kit, graphite, watercolor, & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 11 x 10", 2012.

I worked on another illustration for Amelia's Magazine. This time I drew First Aid Kit, a folk group comprised of two sisters, Johanna and Klara. I hadn't really heard of them before this illustration, but have listened to them a lot since; their voices are incredible!

My illustration was based on the video for their song, Emmylou:

The video had a 70s feeling, and I wanted that to also come through in my illustration. It also felt nice to paint something in warm desert colors when the city turned to ice this past weekend. When I heard this kind of country sounding song I assumed that these girls were from somewhere like Texas... It turns out that I was way wrong. They're from Sweden!

They'll be in Philadelphia at the end of March; it would definitely be nice to see them live. All of the videos of their live performances are very impressive.

To read the review of their album in Amelia's Magazine go here:

Illustration Friday: Prepare

2012-01-15T09:59:00.000-05:00

Smile, micron pen and watercolor on watercolor paper, 8x10",2012.

“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours arebefore me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at allbeings with eyes of compassion.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

I read that quote in a book recently, and think that they're excellent words to prepare you for the rest of your day.

This is my first Illustration Friday of 2012! Happy New Year!

Also, I got a twitter account; I know a lot of Illustration Friday people are already on there. Find me @SarahRyanDraws

Bethan Juliff Knitwear for Amelia's Mag

2012-01-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

Bethan Juliff Detail

This week, I worked on an illustration of a beautiful Bethan Juliff knit gown for Amelia's Magazine. It was a challenge for me because I had one day (Thursday) to complete it. I'm not used to that kind of turn around time, but I figured it would be a good exercise for me.

My original illustration is below. When I resized it for Amelia's mag, I lost a lot of the detail, and cropped the image. I ended up liking the cropped image better than my original!

Bethan Juliff, graphite, watercolor and gouache on watercolor paper, 14 x 11", 2012.

I need to learn to s-i-m-p-l-i-f-y and edit!

See the full Bethan Juliff article here.

PS: I got with the times and signed up for twitter! Follow me @SarahRyanDraws

Sketchbook Project: Set

2012-01-10T14:47:00.002-05:00

Set, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I'm sooooo close to finishing my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project!

My penultimate creature is the Egyptian god Set. Set was Osiris' brother. He's the god of chaos, conflict, and violence. In some myths he took the form of the deadliest animal in Africa, the hippopotamus!

Sketchbook Project: Encantado

2012-01-05T16:37:00.000-05:00

Encantado, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x10", 2011.

I'm in full getting-the-Sketchbook-Project-done mode. Two more creatures after this and I'll be mailing it to the Brooklyn Art Library!

This time I drew a mythological creature from South America for my "Uncharted Waters" theme. The pink Boto dolphins in the Amazon River look so strange that the Brazilian people automatically assumed that they were magical beings. The Encantado would take human form to enjoy local parties because they love music and dancing. They'd also fall in love and seduce people who lived along the river.

It doesn't seem like a bad life! You're a human for parties, and swimming around as a dolphin during the work day!

What I Wore to Start the New Year

2012-01-03T15:28:00.001-05:00

What I Wore 3, gouache, watercolor & graphite on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2012.

For the "What I Wore Today" flickr group.

What I wore to start 2012:
- crochet back cardigan from my parents
- black tights with little gold triangles from my sister, Anne
- "over the edge" Essie nail polish from my sister, Emily
- twisty bracelet from my sister, Anne
-Gouache...I know that's not clothing, but it's on me!

Happy New Year!!!

I got a great gouache set from my parents for Christmas, and did this quick drawing to try it out. I've never used gouache before, but I think it's going to be a regular medium choice for me now. The colors are awesome!

Sketchbook Project: Capricorn

2012-01-02T11:42:00.001-05:00

Capricorn, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x10", 2011.

Hmmm... this one's kind of rough. I guess I can't like everything in my sketchbook.

This is another page for my "Uncharted Waters" book for the Sketchbook Project. This time the creature I drew was the constellation Capricorn. He's a goat (mine's more like a ram) with a fish's body, and has been depicted in artwork since Babylonian times.

Sketchbook Project: Kraken

2011-12-13T09:50:00.001-05:00

Kraken, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.Add caption

I'm chugging along with my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project! This one was really fun to draw!

This time I drew Krakens; they're giant squid-like sea monsters that attack ships somewhere in the North Atlantic near Norway. Although the line "Release the Kraken!" is the most memorable from "Clash of the Titans", Krakens were not a Greek invention (although they have plenty of sea monsters that might have inspired Kraken stories later).

Rumors of Kraken attacks reached their height in the 17th and 18th centuries, and they were widely accepted as real creatures. Carl Linnaeus even classified them, and gave them a scientific name in his writings (to read about more crazy stuff that he classified, I recommend Naming Nature by Carol Kaesuk Yoon.)

Although these Kraken stories are interesting, I really drew them so I'd get the chance to draw all of the tentacles!!

Illustration Friday: Separated

2011-12-11T18:37:00.001-05:00

Hibernating fox, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

This hibernating fox is separated from the winter weather; he's snuggled up in his warm burrow.

Here's a close up of the fox since it didn't photograph so well:

I hope everyone is staying warm too! It hasn't snowed in Philadelphia since late October, but it's finally gotten cold enough again for some of the white stuff.

Update! (1/6):
Here is a nice scanned version... the colors are much better than my photos:

Look for prints soon!

Sketchbook Project: Uncegila

2011-12-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

Unceglia, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I'm still working on my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project.

This time I picked a creature from Native American mythology. Uncegila was a giant river snake who polluted water (notice my little fish skeletons in the background). She was killed by twin brothers, and when she died it created the badlands in Nebraska.

I love snakes and reptiles... they always seem to get a bad rap in mythology and world religions!

Sketchbook Project: Charybdis & Illustration Friday: Round

2011-11-29T13:17:00.000-05:00

Charybdis, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I'm continuing to work on the Sketchbook Project with my theme, "Uncharted Waters". So far every page has been a water creature from various world mythologies. This time I drew Charybdis, the whirlpool from The Odyssey.

Charybdis was the daughter of Poseidon who was changed into a sea monster by Zeus. The whirlpool is caused by her swallowing water three times a day. She was the downfall of many sailors!

This drawing also works for this week's Illustration Friday because whirlpools go 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round...

PS: I finally got with the times and made a Facebook Page! I know a lot of people who follow this blog have had one for ages. Like my page or post your link in the comments so we can find each other!

RedRock Fashion Illustration

2011-11-22T14:45:00.001-05:00

RedRock, graphite, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 12.5 x 16", 2011.

I took some time to work on Illustration Rally's fashion illustration rally. It's in collaboration with RedRock which is a fashion label from the UK. I really had a lot of fun drawing the clothing on this illustration. They specialize in re-working vintage clothing; I wanted to give the illustration a retro feel, but still look appealing to a modern-day customer.

Here's a close-up:

and a peek at my preliminary drawing:

I don't usually draw fashion illustration, but I saw this as a good opportunity to try something new and maybe expand my portfolio.

Holly Go-Lightning & Illustration Friday: Vanity

2011-11-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

Holly Go-Lightning, graphite, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper , 15 x 15", 2011.

I finished my Audrey Hepburn illustration! It also fits with this week's Illustration Friday. Holly Golightly was certainly vain... although I think that that was just a cover for all sorts of crazy.

I LOVE Audrey Hepburn movies; she's such a classy lady. My favorite is probably Sabrina, but Holly was so fun to draw.

I usually photograph my drawings, but this time it's scanned (and stitched together by my multi-talented boyfriend, Zack). The scan is certainly a lot neater than my usual photography!

If you'd like to see the preliminary drawing go here.

Sketchbook Project: Blue Men of the Minch

2011-11-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Blue Men of the Minch, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I really need to get moving on the Sketchbook Project to finish by the end of January deadline!

My theme is "Uncharted Waters", so I've been drawing mythological water creatures. This time I drew the Blue Men of the Minch. The come from Scottish mythology and are said to cause shipwrecks and storms. They are a little like merpeople .... except they're blue! They can be outsmarted by clever sea captains by either answering a riddle or speaking in rhyme and making sure to have the last word.

I had fun drawing the beards... I guess you can tell!

Illustration Friday: Scary

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Candy Skull, pen, watercolor,graphite & acrylic ink onwatercolor paper, 6.5 x 9",2011.

Happy Halloween!

I've always wanted to decorate a Mexican candy skull, and this week's Illustration Friday gave me a good excuse! It also works well for the Illustration Rally Halloween Rally.

I also needed to paint something to test the watercolor paper I'm using for my Audrey Hepburn illustration. Hopefully that will be posted later this week.

5 Blogs You Should Be Reading!

2011-10-26T11:43:00.000-04:00

I've made it to 50 posts!!!

When I started this blog I figured that it would be read by a few members of my immediate family and my boyfriend. I had no clue how supportive the online illustration community could be. I've been overwhelmed by the great comments and new art I've seen by illustrators I've met through Illustration Friday, the Sketchbook Project, Illustration Rally, and Flickr.

To celebrate my 50th post, I want to share some great art and illustration blogs I've found since starting mine:

1. Victoria Semykina Art

Victoria Semikina is a Russian Illustrator living in Italy. I love how she captures people's expressions and behavior. I especially admire her illustrations of Armenian tales like the first one above. Check out her blog and website for more work.

2. Herbstkind

Julia Humpfer is an illustrator from Germany; I first saw her work through Illustration Friday. I love her line work and use of patterns. She also created illustrations based off one of my favorite fairy tales, Donkeyskin; (the first piece above is one of them). Check out her blog, website, flickr and etsy store!

3. Pretty Little Thieves

I am crazy about the drawings of girls on Pretty Little Thieves! I love their sullen mouths and graphic hair. There are also great etsy treasuries and photography posted for inspiration. Check out the website, blog and etsy shop!

4. Step on Inside / Tipi Thieves

If you want to see super impressive ink work stop by Step On Inside. The subjects vary from rappers to Native Americans to animals and the moon, but they are all impeccably drawn. The drawings are incredibly detailed and the colors are so vibrant. It's one of my favorite blogs to follow.

5. Oana Befort

Oana Befort is an artist from Romania. She paints whimsical watercolor and ink birds and animals. Her paintings always make me smile. She posts photography that is equally beautiful; what a talented lady! Check out her blog, website, and etsy store!

Go ahead! Visit their blogs and hit the follow buttons!

I have been following so many great blogs that I could have made this post ten times longer; I'll have to have another post like this at 75!

Bonus: visit my brother and sister's blogs!

Sketchbook Project: Carcinus

2011-10-23T20:08:00.002-04:00

Carcinus, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I completed another page for the Sketchbook Project. Since my theme is "uncharted waters" I've been drawing mythological water creatures. This time my subject is Carcinus, the crab.

Carcinus is a very minor character in Greek mythology, and a large part of the zodiac. He pestered Hercules while he was busy fighting Hydra, and ended up getting stomped on. Hera appreciated the crab's effort, and put him up in the sky as the constellation, Cancer.

If you still want to participate in the Sketchbook Project, it's not too late! The deadline for registration is October 31st.

Work in Progress: Holly Go-Lightning

2011-10-22T09:19:00.002-04:00

Holly Go-Lightning: Preliminary Drawing, graphite & colored pencil on bristol board, 15 x 15", 2011.

Get it? Holly Golightly... Holly Golightning??? I think I might be the only one entertained by this idea... I've definitely watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" way too many times.

I'm going to be posting a lot more projects in progress because I'm starting longer term drawings that could be considered as potential portfolio pieces. The final version of this one will be scanned, so the lighting won't be as weird and the edges won't looked warped; forgive my photography skills!

The background is based on Tiffany glass designs; I find them far more interesting than the jewelry. Did I put too much effort into the background just to cover it up with lightning? Probably! I'm hoping it will be more visible with some color in the final version.

What do you think?

Illustration Friday: Scattered

2011-10-17T06:29:00.000-04:00

Freckles, pen, watercolor &acrylic ink on watercolor paper,7 x 10", 2011.

It was fun to paint the freckles scattered across her skin.

Work In Progress

2011-10-16T14:31:00.000-04:00

guess who?

Sketchbook Project: Sirens & Illustration Friday: Ferocious

2011-09-26T08:16:00.000-04:00

Sirens, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I was working on another drawing for the Sketchbook Project when I realized it fit with this week's Illustration Friday too. What's more ferocious than a monster who appears as a beautiful lady?

My theme for the Sketchbook Project is "Uncharted Waters", so I've been drawing mythological water creatures (do I sound like a broken record yet? I think I've written that in every sketchbook post). This time I drew sirens. Most people have had to read the Odyssey at some point in their lives, so you're probably familiar with them. Their songs lure sailors to their deaths. Some stories describe them with bird bodies ...I obviously skipped that part.

This sketchbook has been a pretty good exercise for me so far. All of the drawings have been done without any real plan, so there's a spontaneous feeling to them. They're also in pen, so there's no erasing for me! I've got to stick with my mistakes.

Sketchbook Project: Shen

2011-09-25T14:50:00.001-04:00

Shen, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I didn't complete the project I was working on for Illustration Rally, so I worked on a page of my Sketchbook Project sketchbook. That way I'd feel like I finished something this weekend!

My theme is "Uncharted Waters", so I've been drawing mythological water creatures. This one is new to me; I had never heard of it before I started researching different water myths. A shen is a giant clam kind of thing that creates mirages. It comes from Chinese legends, and is supposed to really be a dragon disguised as a mollusk... pretty tricky! The mirages were never specifically described in anything I read. I decided that since desert mirages show water, underwater mirages must show something with land.

People who pick up this sketchbook when it's on tour are going to be super confused because it won't come with an explanation! I'm going to look like a crazy person who draws space-forest-clam things... which I guess is true...

In Progress: Baba Yaga

2011-09-16T07:14:00.001-04:00

I have been working on the Children's Book Rally for Illustration Rally. The challenge is to complete two double page spreads for a children's story by the end of September. I'm going to have to work like crazy because I'll be away for the last week of September.

This is a peek at my preliminary drawing for one of the spreads. You could either choose to illustrate a classic or an original story; I'm illustrating a traditional Russian Baba Yaga story. The crows will look better in the final... they were a last minute addition.

I have so much to do...yikes!!!

Illustration Friday: Mysterious

2011-09-05T10:20:00.002-04:00

Mysterious, graphite & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 9 x 10.5", 2011.

I'm supposed to be working on another project, but I liked the word for this week's Illustration Friday. So, I took a little break to do this drawing.

I was inspired by the Mystery! theme animated by Edward Gorey... especially the lady on 0:13-0:16 and the roses at the end.

I used to love watching the animation, but I don't think I've ever watched the actual show!

This is totally unrelated to Illustration Friday, but two blogs posted my Sketchbook Project work last week. I really appreciated it, so I want to mention their blogs here too:
- Sketches & Jottings is an awesome site that posts sketchbook pages for inspiration.
- Concertina Press is a blog kept by Ruth, who designs beautiful nautical themed stationary.

Thanks, guys!

Sketchbook Project: Leviathans

2011-08-31T09:19:00.002-04:00

Leviathans, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

Here's another finished page for the Sketchbook Project! I still have tons to complete, but I feel like I'm making some progress. I chose to draw leviathans as the mythological creature on these pages... AND I got to use my new green micron pens. (Woo! I'm guessing that's one of those things that's only exciting to me)

Leviathans are giant sea monsters usually depicted as whales. I based mine on angler fish because they look way more monstrous than whales... even the really scary one in Pinocchio. Angler fish aren't huge in real life, so I added the buildings for scale.

I'm still painting the ink over wet watercolor on all of the pages, so they don't get too stiff looking. I actually like how the ink bleed on top of the fish to the right's head; it looks like a leviathan crown!

Sketchbook Project: Selkies

2011-08-30T10:25:00.004-04:00

Selkies, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I've been on vacation in Sea Isle, and worked on some Sketchbook Project pages there. Since my theme is "Uncharted Waters" drawing there seemed appropriate. I continued with mythological creatures and drew selkies.

Selkies are seals that can transform into people by shedding their skin. They are found in Irish and Scottish stories, and they are usual depicted as beautiful women. I can definitely say that I wouldn't mind being a seal sometimes... especially this one.

Illustration Friday: Obsession

2011-07-31T16:11:00.000-04:00

Bibliophile. graphite, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

It's another little drawing! Before I started this blog I was very uncomfortable with working on a smaller scale... I guess that's changed.

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "obsession". I work at a library, so I see absolutely no problem with someone who has an obsession with books.

Illustration Friday: Perennial

2011-07-24T09:35:00.001-04:00

Jackalope & Cactus study. graphite, watercolor & ink on watercolor paper, 8 x 9", 2011.

This week's theme for Illustration Friday was perennial. I've drawn (and am still drawing) so many flowers this year, so I went for a different sort of perennial. I think cacti are really interesting. Why did I draw a jackalope? I know it has nothing to do with the theme; I'm using jackalopes for something in the future, and I thought this was a good opportunity to practice.

Last week I used a circle frame for my drawing, and liked how it turned out, so I decided to try an oval frame this time. The photography came out a little better too, but still not as well as I would have liked... I guess I have to keep practicing!

Illustration Friday: Gesture

2011-07-19T10:25:00.000-04:00

Gesture. watercolor & graphite on watercolor paper, 8 x 11, 2011.

Here's this week's Illustration Friday; it was a lot of fun to draw.

... but not so fun to photograph. I love working with pencils, but I can never get them to photograph as well as pen. If anyone has any secret techniques I'd love to hear them. If I win the lottery I'm buying a large format scanner!

Sketchbook Project: Kappas

2011-07-15T06:53:00.003-04:00

Kappas, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I worked on another page in my "uncharted waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. This time I drew kappas.

Kappas come from Japanese folklore. They're pretty strange... they like cucumbers, pranks, and politeness. They have a bowl-thing on the top of their head that carries waters, and it has to be full when they leave water or they can't move. Kappas also seem to like drowning children and horses, and there are still warning signs about them all over Japan. They're also supposed to be the inspiration for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles... but the Turtles eat pizza... and don't drown stuff.

When I started this drawing I didn't have a clear picture in my head of what my kappas would look like, so they kind of evolved with the drawing. It's weird how some things come out without being planned. For every drawing so far in the sketchbook project I've painted ink on top of wet watercolor, so it bleeds and comes out very loose looking. This one is especially out of control, but I guess it's a sketchbook, and I shouldn't obsess about it!

Illustration Friday: Stay

2011-07-10T13:57:00.001-04:00

Leone Study, micron pen & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Stay". If I were told I had to stay in one place forever (and I couldn't pick Philadelphia) I would pick Venice. I've been lucky enough to visit Venice twice, and I'm in love with the whole city.

My illustration is a study of my favorite lion statue in Venice. You can find winged lions throughout the city; this one is on the base of a monument for Manin. The orange shapes in the background are elements found on the Doge's Palace.

Where would you stay?

Illustration Friday: Remedy

2011-07-03T16:51:00.003-04:00

Garlic & Citronella, graphite & acrylic ink on bristol, 10 x 16", 2011.

Mosquitoes are the worst! Luckily this girl prepared a remedy!

I've been working a lot with micron pen, so it felt good to loosen up with some pencils for this week's Illustration Friday. Unfortunately, I'm not so good at photographing pencil, so I included a few close up photos. I think I definitely had more fun drawing this one than you'll have looking at it... especially the garlic! The girl looks like she's having some sort of mosquito seance... definitely weird!

Garlic really is a great home-remedy if you have a mosquito problem. My dad makes a garlic spray for his entire lawn... my mom says it makes their house smell like caesar dressing, but it works! If you live in the eastern United States be prepared for a super buggy summer; we have fewer bats to eat them.

Sketchbook Project: Hippocampus

2011-06-30T23:10:00.000-04:00

Hippocampus, pen. watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

I just finished another page of my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. I'm using this theme to draw mythological water creatures. I've already drawn mermaids, so I guess this hippocampus isn't branching out that far... next time I'll try something weirder.

My past few posts have been small scale drawings; I think it's time for me to get moving on some bigger projects...

Illustration Friday: Midsummer Night

2011-06-25T19:18:00.000-04:00

Midsummer Night, micron pen & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

So... Hot.... Can't.... Sleep....

What I Wore #2

2011-06-23T19:26:00.002-04:00

What I Wore 2, pen & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2011.

Here is my second drawing for the "What I Wore Today" flickr group!

I wish my hair was really that color... the summer sun faded it to a semi-normal looking color.
I was going to put nail polish and other stuff on the side like I did for my first drawing, but I liked the empty space too much. I don't think that this drawing looks as much like me, but I like the clothes better.

What I'm wearing in this drawing:
- Kimchi & Blue dress
- Oh Deer! shoes
- Vera Wang tights (I think... I couldn't find the tag)
- Poketo bag (my favorite!)

What I Wore #1

2011-06-23T15:12:00.002-04:00

What I Wore 1, pen and acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2011.

The "What I Wore Today" flickr group put out a call for submissions for a book based on their group and blog. I thought I'd give it a try because I like to draw and I wear pretty crazy things.

It also gave me an excuse to use my new inks and red micron pens!

What I'm wearing in this drawing:
-sequin oxfords from forever 21
-cut-off denim skirt
-blue tights
-chevron top from Old Navy a billion years ago
-blue feather earrings
-Revlon nail polish, color: minted
-leather Phillies bracelet (I wear this almost every day!)

I want to try to complete one more of these drawings today, so check back tonight for another post (maybe!).

Sketchbook Project: Mermaids

2011-06-18T18:12:00.000-04:00

Oops! I haven't updated the blog nearly all month!

Mermaids, pen. watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 5 x 7", 2011.

I rebound my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project and finished the first page. I was very nervous because I don't think I've ever drawn on such a small scale before. My own personal sketchbook is 11 x 14". I know that doesn't sound much bigger than 5 x 7", but the difference seemed huge to me!

My theme for the sketchbook is "Uncharted Waters"; I'm focusing on mythological creatures starting with the most obvious, mermaids!

I really like how the colors in this drawing contrast with the bright red-orange design on the inside cover:

I arranged the drawing so the mermaid's face would show through the cut-out part of the cover:

If anyone's looking for instruction on rebinding their sketchbook this video was pretty helpful (but long).

Sketchbook Project: Inside Cover

2011-06-02T13:39:00.002-04:00

Inside cover, acrylic & marker on cardboard, 7 x 10", 2011.

I recently signed up for the Sketchbook Project, and chose the theme "uncharted waters". I took my book apart so I could bind it with heavier paper. This is my design for the inside cover; the outside cover design can be seen here.

I LOVE seahorses... they're one of my favorite animals, so I knew I wanted to incorporate them into my cover design somehow. I also wanted to use a bright bright red-orange because the outside of the cover was so muted. Now I wish I had a red dress with white polka dots and seahorses...

If you would like to participate in the Sketchbook Project there's still plenty of time to sign up! You can register up to October 31st. If you sign up find my profile here and follow me! I'll follow you too... I'm really curious to see how other people are completing their sketchbooks.

Illustration Friday: Asleep

2011-05-28T20:30:00.001-04:00

Sunburn, watercolor, marker, pen & acrylic paint on watercolor paper, 9 x 12", 2011.

Don't fall asleep at the beach, or you're gonna need a lot of aloe!!

I know a lot of people are heading to the shore for the Memorial Day holiday; this is just a friendly reminder to pack sunscreen:)

Illustration Friday: Soaked

2011-05-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

Downpour, watercolor, graphite& marker, 6 x 12", 2011.

I kept things super simple this time. I feel like this is more of a composition or color study than complete illustration, but I like it that way.

It rained almost all week here. That's the only thing I could think of when I heard this week's word was soaked. I definitely got soaked a few times because I can never remember an umbrella!

Sketchbook Project: The Cover

2011-05-19T20:31:00.001-04:00

I signed up for the 2012 Sketchbook Project, and received my sketchbook in the mail.

The first thing I did was take it apart...

Cover, acrylic, watercolor & graphite on cardboard, 7 x 10", 2011.

I plan to rebind the book with heavier paper, so I can paint in it without the marks bleeding through to the other side of the page. I figured it was easier to design the cover while the pages aren't inside.

When I signed up for the project there was a list of themes to choose from; all of them sounded fun, but I ended up choosing "Uncharted Waters". I love drawing things that are ocean related. I haven't put much thought into the inside yet, but I may do a lot of drawings related to ocean mythology.

I designed the cover with cut outs, so my drawings on the first and last page will show through. I didn't have a real plan for the cover... i just started painting. I didn't want it too feel like a portfolio piece; it's a sketchbook. I also discovered that cardboard is not an ideal surface to paint!

If you want to sign up for the Sketchbook Project, they're accepting new sign-ups until the end of October. All of the completed sketchbooks received by January 31st will go on a world tour, and then be cataloged in the Brooklyn Art Library.

Illustration Friday: Safari

2011-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Safari, watercolor, pen & marker on paper, 9 x 12", 2011.

You know how on nature shows you always see birds on elephants' backs? Zoologists would tell you it's because they have some sort of symbiotic relationship, but it's really because elephants are excellent tour guides. They never forget! Birds are the most knowledgeable tourists because they migrate all the time, so they've figured out this secret.

I think this is the most children's book-like illustration I've posted.

Be sure to notice that the elephant's trunk is up... it's good luck!

Illustration Friday: Beginner

2011-05-11T10:03:00.000-04:00

Ciao, pen and watercolor on watercolor paper, 9 x 9", 2011.

I skipped two Illustration Fridays in a row! Although, this one could really count as two; this week's theme is "beginner", and last week's was "lesson". See? I got it covered!

I am definitely a beginner when it comes to learning languages. I am always impressed by the artists from other countries who participate in Illustration Friday and can comment on everyone's posts in whatever language the poster speaks. I comment in English every time... sooo unsophisticated.

The girl in my illustration is taking one of those audio beginner lessons in Italian. I'm trying (slowly) to learn Italian too with a program from the library called Mango. It works for about a month, and then I forget everything and have to start again!

Lush Knot Wrap Competition

2011-04-30T21:45:00.003-04:00

Mermaids & Coral, acrylic & marker on paper, 20 x 20", 2011.

Lush recently announced a competition to design one of their knot wraps. I'm a big fan of the store, so I definitely knew I wanted to enter.

Right around the time I heard about the competition a friend e-mailed me this link:

http://tomandlorenzo2.blogspot.com/2011/04/pulp-fashion-by-isabelle-de-borchgrave.html

I loved the idea of hand painted print. It seemed appropriate because all of Lush's products are also handmade. I started this project with a lot of inspiration and ambition; by the time I finished today I was tired!!! Hand painted design is really tedious and a lot of work, but I do like how it turned out.

When I was coming up with ideas for the design I wanted to stay away from a botanical print because Lush has already had knot wraps with florals. I picked an ocean theme because Lush's products are very environmentally friendly, so gross stuff won't go down the drain and into our water... their bath bombs also make you feel like a mermaid!

Here's a close up of some of the mermaids:

I'm including a picture of the sketch; it's blurry in some parts because I used layers of tracing paper to create the design:

Now I want to take a bubble bath!

One Minute Creatures

2011-04-21T16:28:00.001-04:00

I drew some creatures for Creaturemag's 1 minute creature project.

I just moved, and still haven't unpacked everything; I haven't had time to complete projects or update my blog. However, I could definitely spare a couple minutes! One minute was a lot shorter that I realized for drawing; I had to seriously edit my ideas. They came out pretty funny anyway, so I decided to post them.

Part of the project is to pass it on to other people. If you want to draw your own one minute creatures the information's all below:

Illustration Friday: Bottled

2011-04-10T17:28:00.001-04:00

Perfume Bottle Genies, pen & watercolor on watercolor paper, 7 x 14", 2011.

I'm working on some other things, so this week's Illustration Friday was super quick and simple.
I guess you could call it more a doodle than an illustration. It was fun anyway!

More Bunnies!

2011-04-08T12:49:00.002-04:00

Here are the rest of my rabbit pieces for Art of the Garden:

Daffodil, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on paper, 8 x 10", 2011.

Daffodil Detail

Hydrangea, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on paper, 8 x 10", 2011.

Hydrangea Detail

Tulip, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on paper, 8 x 10", 2011.

Tulip Detail

The hydrangea one is my favorite.

I hope one person buys them together because they look really cute as a group:

If the don't sell at the show, I'll put them up on etsy.

Bunnies!

2011-04-07T20:38:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow night is the opening reception for The Art of the Garden. All artists participating were invited to bring five additional small pieces for a bin of work for sale during the reception night.

Since my favorite piece is my rabbits, I decided to paint some more for the bin. Here are two of the five:

Marigold, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on paper, 8 x 10", 2011.

Marigold Detail

Hyacinth, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on paper, 8 x 10", 2011.

Hyacinth Detail

The purples are a lot lighter on the second one in person...

If you want to see the others, come to the reception and support public libraries!
Or just wait a day or two until I post them...

Illustration Friday: Toy

2011-03-29T15:15:00.001-04:00

ViewMaster, graphite, watercolor & acrylic on paper, 9 x 12", 2011.

I really liked this Illustration Friday topic. It was fun to draw!

Here's a close-up (I still need to work on my camera skills...)

Illustration Friday: Cultivate

2011-03-20T19:32:00.002-04:00

Cultivate, acrylic & graphite on bristol, 7 x 14", 2011.

As soon as I saw the theme for this week's Illustration Friday I couldn't stop thinking about second grade. I had a teacher, Miss Drew, who would take my class outside to work in a garden. It was fantastic! I always wanted to use the cultivator; I'm not sure why... We planted daffodil bulbs in front of the school. Miss Drew was one of the best teachers I ever had.

I've been thinking a lot about teachers lately; especially since they've seem to be verbally attacked by politicians and news anchors. My sister's a teacher, and so are some of my cousins and friends. They work harder than most people I know.

I was never the best student, but I am very thankful for all of the work my teachers did for me every day.
Teachers are important.
Public schools are important.
Education funding is important.

This drawing ended up looking far more retro than I intended...

Corinne Bailey Rae

2011-03-19T23:43:00.000-04:00

Corinne Bailey Rae, pen, watercolor & acrylic on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2011.

I've decided to try to submit art to a new site. Illustration Rally is a site that calls for illustrated work on a specific theme; if you submit to them, and they accept it, they post your stuff on their site. This month is a portrait rally. The first week was ideal dinner guests, the second was science fiction, and the last week is British music.

I drew for the British music week. I wanted to portray someone who wasn't as obvious as any of the Beatles (although I love them). Originally I thought about Lily Allen, but she looked completely different in every picture! I really like Corinne Bailey Rae; her voice is so emotional and beautiful.

You may be wondering why there's coral and fish all over. Her last album was called "The Sea", but, honestly, it has nothing to do with fish... I just wanted to draw them. My plan in the beginning was to make the coral super detailed, but there's already too much going on here.

Hopefully you'll see this up on Illustration Rally too; cross your fingers for me!

Here's a close-up:

PS: Illustration Rally also has a great appeal and art sale going on for Japan. You should take a look!

Illustration Friday: Stir

2011-03-12T17:37:00.001-05:00

Coffee Stirrer, pen, watercolor & colored pencil on watercolor paper, 10 x 11", 2011.

I thought those little red straw things were called coffee stirs. My boyfriend, Zack, told me I was wrong and they're called coffee stirrers. I googled it; he was right. It's still close enough to the topic, right?

I haven't done a self portrait in a loooong time. I learned some things from it:
1. I need a hair cut
2. Drawing with pen takes forever! I think I prefer pencil; it has a "messier" look that I like.

Now I'll have a picture to put in my "About" section!

Here's a close-up:

Pests III: Chicory & Snails

2011-03-10T21:21:00.000-05:00

Here's my third submission for the Art of the Garden exhibition at Haverford Public Library.

Pests III : Chicory & Snails, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on wood, 12 x 12", 2011.

Pests II: Clover Flower & Japanese Beetles

2011-03-05T17:03:00.001-05:00

This is my second submission for the Art of the Garden exhibition at Haverford Public Library. A percentage of all artwork sales goes to library funding.

Pests II : Clover Flower and Japanese Beetles, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on wood, 12 x 12", 2011.

The theme of this whole project for me is to make something that is often overlooked or even hated seem beautiful. I really liked the way the wood stained on this one, so I left a lot of empty space for it to show through.

Read more »

Vespertina - Promotional Art

2011-03-04T14:57:00.004-05:00

Vespertina, watercolor & graphite on paper, 30 x 17.5", 2011.

Early last month I worked on a project for Vespertina. Vespertina is a new Philadelphia/New York based band featuring the talents of Stoupe The Enemy of Mankind and Lorrie Doriza. Oh yeah, and some other guy. I forget his name....
Just kidding! z.gillespie!

This drawing was originally intended for use as a website background, but they ended up going for a more minimal design. Their website is up, and everyone should put their e-mail address in for updates! You'll be thankful you did! Go here: http://www.vespertinamusic.com/

It is in a super wide format so it could be cropped and adapted for different uses like a background of their website, flyers, etc. The blank rectangle on the bottom leaves space to put photos of the album, merchandise, the release date, or gig dates.

Read more »

Illustration Friday: Layer

2011-02-22T09:49:00.002-05:00

Coffee Break, graphite & marker on bristol, 12 x 19", 2011.

Nothing keeps you warmer than dressing in lots of layers and having coffee (or hot chocolate!) with friends. This one was fun to draw!

This illustration was inspired by the photos in street-style blogs. My very favorite blogger is Garance Dore (I don't know how to make the accent over the e...). She's hilarious, and she's also an illustrator; her illustrations are a lot of fun!

I had a hard time photographing this one; details are hard to see, so here's a close-up:

Pests I : Dandelion & Rabbits

2011-02-19T22:48:00.005-05:00

This is one of three paintings I'm going to submit for the "Art of the Garden" exhibition at Haverford Public Library.

Pests I : Dandelion and Rabbits, watercolor, acrylic & graphite on wood, 12 x 12", 2011.

The exhibition is a fundraiser for the library which is such a great idea because libraries definitely need extra funding!

If you're interested in being in a juried show and helping libraries out go here for information. It looks like the deadline's been moved to March 10th.

Read more »

Illustration Friday: Sweater

2011-02-13T16:38:00.001-05:00

"The best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time!"

Knitter, watercolor, marker, & graphite on watercolor paper, 10 x 14", 2011.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the topic for this week's Illustration Friday was my suggestion!

I've had this idea in my head for a while, so it was nice to get it down on paper even if it is a little rough. I'm probably going to revisit it some time in the future with a larger format, more detail, and maybe acrylics... hmmmm...

PS: If you know what the quote in the beginning of the post is (without googling it... cheaters!) you're my new best friend!

Illustration Friday: Reverse

2011-02-05T20:52:00.002-05:00

Pink Skunks, pen & marker on marker paper, 9 x 12", 2011.

Why are the skunks pink? Just because.

I had a bad drawing day today; nothing turned out how I wanted. My original idea had to do with zebras, but they wouldn't cooperate.

Illustration Friday: Surrender

2011-02-01T22:49:00.000-05:00

Salt Girl Surrender, pen & marker, 8 x 12", 2011.

Everyone loves the Morton Salt Girl; well, almost everyone...

I got a late start on this one...

I'm obviously in a very silly mood.

PBR Contest Entry

2011-01-31T15:06:00.001-05:00

Pabst Curlers, acrylic, graphite, & colored pencil, 18 x 28", 2011.

This is the completed version of my Pabst Blue Ribbon art contest entry.

I was inspired by turn of the century poster artists like Theophile Steinlen.

Illustration Friday: Dusty

2011-01-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

Dusty Miller, acrylic & colored pencil, 6 x 12.5", 2011.

This week's theme for Illustration Friday was "dusty". I work in a library; I see dust all the time. I definitely didn't want to draw plain old dust, so I decided to draw the plant, Dusty Miller.

My original idea for this was to have a lot of detailed pencil work, and to make it look like an old fashioned bookplate. Once I drew the outline of the leaves it reminded me of batik fabric designs, so I ended up going in an entirely different direction.

The whole thing looks almost abstract, which is not at all my usual style. It's Dusty Miller, but I could also get away with saying that it's an illustration of dust under a microscope. Whatever it is, I think it's kind of interesting looking. What do you think?

In Progress: PBR Contest Entry

2011-01-21T08:51:00.001-05:00


Pabst Curlers, graphite on paper, 18 x 23.5, 2011.

Pabst Blue Ribbon has an annual art contest, and the deadline is January 31st. I'm trying it out this year; this is a first look at my entry.

Check back soon for the completed version!

Illustration Friday: Chicken

2011-01-15T12:49:00.002-05:00

William Morris Chickens, watercolor, graphite, & color pencil on watercolor paper, 13 x 5.5", 2011.

Illustration Friday is a site that posts weekly topics for illustrators to explore. I've decided to use it as a kind of weekly warm-up exercise.

The theme posted yesterday was "Chicken". Fun, right?

I challenged myself to work within a much shorter time frame than I usually have, and also to work on a much, much smaller scale than is normal for me. I tend to get caught up in little details like every single individual feather, and this forced me to just get an idea down without fussing over it.

My inspiration came from a book of William Morris prints that I got for Christmas (thanks mom!)

PS: If anyone has any tips on photographing artwork, let me know. I definitely could use some guidance there.

Welcome!

2011-01-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start a blog to post drawings and artwork, and talk about my work process.

I tend to reject and abandon ideas before they are seen by anybody, so I thought that starting a blog would be a great exercise for me to get my work out there and finally seen.

I am definitely open to any critiques, even criticism, so I can continue to grow as an artist and illustrator.

Thank you for looking!