If all fails, a good twirl will liven things up!
Have a “twirled-filled” week friends!

“Mom, I’m sweating.”
“Well, one can never be too prepared, dear.”
“That’s what you said three layers ago.”

So, it is quite possible I have football on my brain because I have no idea where this idea came from. On an ironic note, I will give you two guesses what kind-of sweatshirt I am wearing as I type this… Ha ha, I worry about this brain of mine!
Happy week to all,
Em

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Hello all!

I was going to skip this week’s post due to my state of “busy”. I have been emerged in an illustration project and just felt tackling another project while also entertaining my kids was a bit much. That being said, I was still curious what the word was and visited Illustration Friday to investigate and see what others were doing. You know what they say about what curiosity does to a cat, yup, it serves me right!  After I plunked out the web address, and the webpage came into sight the word chosen was the very word I had submitted. (Oi’!) So I felt it was only right that I take part. After all,  I had supplied the word for the week. So here I am with my little ditty. I wanted to represent the artists who have influenced me and my artwork over the years as well as practice other styles in the process. So, this is what I came up with. (I love feedback, so bring it!

Little did I know while beginning this, that it would take a heap of time and be a true test for my patience. The portrait for “Chris Van Allsburg” (Jamanji) was the ultimate hair pulling, expletive uttering, throw my computer across the room experience! I seriously don’t know how the man does it and still is not sitting and drooling on himself! The layers AND LAYERS (did I mention layers?) of crosshatching, lines and dots took 4 EVER!!!! (This also coming from someone who did the ONE drawing on my computer where I could cheat a bit using the ‘cloning’ tool to duplicate every layer.) So needless to say, he has earned another “I’m not worry” bow in his regard. (If you haven’t read and looked at the illustrations in “The Garden of Abdul Gasazi”, DO IT! The book is completely brilliant!)

It was one year ago today where I took the plunge and quit my job as a special education teacher to live my dream as an illustrator and stay-at-home mom. As I reflect I am kind-of taken back by how great the year went. When I made the decision initially I made the goal of spending my first year focused on and building my portfolio. I was able to do this, and was surprised when jobs found me via my webpage or someone finding me on ifreelance.com. The year has brought card, glass beads, and “Urban Inspiration” sales, murals, T-shirt designs, posters, powerpoint backgrounds, education worksheets, 20 illustrations for my blog, a cookbook cover and education flashcards. Every project was a nice surprise and a great way to add to my work experience and portfolio. The hardest thing about this past year is finding my rhythm as I balance illustration work with kids, house, husband, social life, etc. I think the balance of it all is an art in itself and is still something I am working on. (If you have figured it out please share!) I am excited for this next year as I will be more diligent building my business contacts and making connections with children’s book publishers and other illustrators. Since I am well aware that it takes years and years to get published I have decided to have different goals each year so I continue growing as an artist while continuing to ‘enjoy the ride’ along the way. Right now, despite the constant juggling, I LOVE what I do! I get paid to draw, people!!!!! How could I possibly complain about that!!!!!?
Hugs to all,
Emily

My children would tell you that they are completely deprived of any ounce of fun. For them, a perfect day would allow eating pancakes for every meal, color with markers on the walls, never brushing their teeth (after all “it’s not like they keep their baby teeth anyway”) and “attempting flying” from our bedroom loft.  Instead, their perfect day is foiled by a potpourri of “No!” “Absolutely NOT!”,  and “Are you kidding me?!”   So when my boys started playing “David and Goliath” by throwing rocks at each other, you may foresee my response. (GRRRR) One thing is for sure, my moments of mayhem act as job security! They are living, breathing, inspiration (maple syrup kisses and all). Only true tales here, I’m afraid. After all, no one could make this sh-tuff up! LOL

                                                                                                                                                                 ”This just isn’t my day.” Kate groaned as she slumped into the couch.
“Awww, it can’t be that bad!” Her father said while Kate scowled back.
“You try smiling after your little brother hacked off the hair of your favorite doll, then stub your toe on the couch leg and have to eat fish sticks for dinner!” Kate grumbled.
“That does sound rough.” He said while beginning to stand. “Tell ya what, I think I may have a remedy for your bad day and perhaps even your grumpies.”
He led Kate outside into the dark backyard and with a flip of a switch a rainbow of light surrounded Kate.
“Happy Fourth of July, Kate.” He said kneeling down to her.
“Thanks Dad!” Kate said in awe with the new world around her. “I can’t for the life of me remember why I was so grumpy.”

You gotta love the first big plunge of the summer! 

After what seems like FORRRREVER I think I may be back to my illustration blog. Between motherhood, my new illustration job and keeping this house up to speed I have neglected this little beaut! But I think I am back- FULL FORCE! (If I go missing call for help. The dust bunnies have taken me hostage.)

Blessings to you, you faithful followers! OXOX
Emily

One thing that I still need to include into my schedule is reading. I have books from Spring Break that I haven’t touched since our plane landed and the real world began again. (Pout) I think that I will have to take the “bulls by the horns” and figure something. I simply can’t watch another day go by while adding yet another layer of dust to that abandoned story. (Not cool, Emily. Not cool.) But as I tackle that next, take a minute to enjoy this illustration for the week, and be blessed.
Emily

PS I love my job!

                                                        TIME FOR A COOKING LESSON!

Hello all! This week I was working on a cookbook cover for Coffee Break (a women’s bible study that I am apart of). Our group compiled favorite recipes to share with one another to have new meals to offer our families. The book was a fun idea that sparked my interest in creating a cover for it. After all, I book needs a cover!

I really enjoyed working on this and choosing colorful foods to create a bright bold cover. I wanted to create a fresh, creative and humorous cover since our bible study is much of the same. Creating it not only made me hungry but VERY EAGER to tackle some of the recipes it! So much for my waist size!

P.S HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MOM(S)!!!!!

Hello all!
Well, this week I was inspired to look through a collection of doodles to use for this week’s assignment. I found this one, and wanted to build off of the characters and overall idea for this piece. I had drawn the original while I was in high school and used coloring pencils on watercolor paper. (I know, I don’t get it either.) I never liked the look of the final product, yet liked the expressions and feeling of the characters so I held onto it (something I don’t do very well).

I also am in the process of sending some drawings to other businesses who only want grayscale illustrations. Knowing this, I thought while altering this one I would fiddle with the grayscale pallet to get my feet wet for the illustrations that await me.  As you know I LOVE playing with light, contrasts and shadows so I had a GRAND OL’ time with this one! Using a limited pallet allows me to play even further with lighting affects, so I really felt like I was in my element! It was also fun to build off of the illustration that I completed in high school and put my own take on it now. It was equally rewarding to see it remade and far from the watercolor paper that it started from. I have to wonder what that high school mind was thinking!? Have a safe and blessed holiday and week!

Danger, sea sickness, ship wrecks and epic battles are all in a days work!                                                                                                                                                                       ARG!!!!!!

While just returning from a week in Sanibel Island, I have to say that my mind and body is still on ‘Island Time’.  I am not afraid to tell you, that as I write this I am secretly fantasizing that my feet are up, I am drenched from head to toe in sunscreen while my one responsibility is  holding down a chair by the pool. All that to say, I could not help but include a bit of the island with this week’s illustration. Perhaps I made a stretch while orchestrating this week’s word, yet I like how the idea ran its course. You are probably wondering how a kissing dolphin is linked, am I right? If you were kissed by a bottlenose dolphin, you’ve been “bottled” my friend! (I know it’s a stretch. Don’t judge me) LOL

Here’s to the little child in all of us!

I have to say, I had a BALL doing this illustration for you this week. Some weeks it is hard to get started, so after a weekend of fighting what I thought would be the ‘cold that would kill me’ it was such a breath of fresh air sitting down and seeing my assignment for the week! I loved working with the lighting (like I always do) yet this week I tried a more ‘painterly’ approach. I felt that it was not important what was behind the little girl (let’s call her Tess) and wanted your attention only on Tess and her soon, new BFF. I felt the painterly look helped to allude a background without using detail yet allowed a bit of interest so if your eye looked at the background you didn’t find yourself snoring. Hope you are all having a spectacular week and are all germ free. After all, that’s the way to roll!
Hugs!

I have always wanted my own garden. We can’t keep veggies in stock at our house so having some at arms reach would be stellar. But I wouldn’t stop there folks. Oh no! With my love for cooking a girl NEEDS an herb garden jam packed with all of the best (and heavy on the rosemary, you can never have too much Rosemary)! So, if I want all of that what’s holding me back, right? Well, it’s the little detail that I HATE gardening! Really, I blame my mom for this since she is Green Thumb extraordinaire and had my sister and I help her with her craft by pulling weeds. For a Tom-boy like myself, I didn’t mind getting dirty or that I was poked and prodded by thorns and what-not. What bothered me was that one frog who not only surprised me but jumped outright on the only person in the world terrified of frogs. Since then, I have been traumatized and any weeding I do is full with over-reactions of any critter I come across. Yes, I do think THAT frog and his buddies are secretly plotting an ambush reunion and because of that, refuse to give them THAT satisfaction. After typing about it I think that I need to first grow a money tree, THAN hire a gardener AND landscapers so I can have my cake and eat it too (without frogs). Sometimes, I think I may be a freaking genius!