Illustration Friday: Layer

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

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.

Illustration Friday: Sweater

"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

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

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

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

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?