Kelly's Illustration Blog

Pony For Sale

2010-09-17T06:59:00.006-05:00

Very fancy 12.2 hh pony! Oreo is 11 years old and has a show history, but needs a trainer to bring her back to her full potential - she will definitely be worth it! Video to be posted soon.

Kid Art

2008-03-26T07:57:00.002-05:00

This is my daughter's new book that she is writing and illustrating. The title is "My Friend Lydia" and it describes all the activities that they like to do. My daughter is 6 and is creating this book without help - thus the creative spelling.
Since I have been unable to complete any art myself lately (too busy!) I thought this would qualify as appropriate for this blog!

Awards!

2008-02-25T10:09:00.005-05:00

While I have been so busy this month, I was just showered with awards!

How unbelievably sweet that Monica Carnesi and KStyles both gave me the "You make my day" Award! There are two more awards on KStyles' blog that she passed on to me also! Wow!
I know that I'm supposed to pass them on to new people, but Monica and Katrice are on the very top of my list of illustrators that make me smile. Monica's watercolor animals are just wonderful (and those of you who know me, know how much I love animals) and Katrice is fabulously creative! Please check out their blogs.
Other artist bloggers that make my day are:
Emila Yusof
Friday Frog
I think they have both received this award already!

Finished

2008-02-19T21:13:00.003-05:00

I finally finished this painting - hooray! Let me know what you think. See the work-in-progress for this piece below.
I also got some blog awards that I will post soon - I just have not had time!

Tales and Legends - Illustration Friday

2008-01-31T12:21:00.000-05:00

Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen

Since I will not have time to complete this by deadline tonight (LOST is on TV!) I am posting this work-in-progress. From the story of Thumbelina (or Thumbykin as she is referred to in my copy) when the swallow takes her to live in a garden. Obviously I have a lot of detail left to do - and I will post the final when completed, hopefully by Monday. The original is 6"x9" in gouache.

Plain - Illustration Friday

2008-01-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

Girl brushing a plain bay horse.

I thought this would work with the topic, then I realized that I goofed - can any horse-y people catch my goof? Anyway - this is gouache on Arches paper.

Do you think this would work as a postcard to publishers, or should I make more samples?

Let me know what you think, again since I don't paint people very often!

Stitch - Illustration Friday

2008-01-14T11:13:00.000-05:00

The sea lion is not wearing a stitch of clothing! Who would in the shower?

I had to post something since I have not posted in months! First post of the year - another one for my portfolio - from something that I am writing. Let me know what you think, as I don't draw people very often.

I also completed my web page! It is fairly amateur-ish,but it is there!

Happy New Year and cheers to everyone!

Scale - Illustration Friday

2007-11-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

The Ugly Duckling marveled at the size and scale of the beautiful Swans.

Yeah, okay, I'm stretching the topic - but I just finished this and thought it would fit. This is the third painting in my portfolio series - yay! I am hoping to do one more piece for my portfolio (not in this series) before I send it out! (Aaaaahhh! Scary!) See the other two series illos here.

Please let me know what you think. Gouache on illustration board 12x18"

Portfolio Part Deux

2007-10-23T14:33:00.000-05:00

Ugly Duckling part 1

After receiving wonderful critiques on this painting, I made some modifications and I hope it is better (not worse! Click here to compare ) It is still difficult to see the details and it is still a little blurry when enlarged as it is a digital photo. I will have it scanned soon, then it will be on my new website (hopefully up soon!)

THANK YOU sooooo much for the wonderful people who made comments! I need to find a local critique group, but until then (and even after) you all are invaluable!

Ugly Duckling part 2

This is the final of this painting also, although now that it is posted I see some things I want to fix... Let me know what you think of both!

Hopefully they work well as a series - I will start the third one soon!
Thanks for looking - and I would always appreciate comments!

Grow - Illustration Friday

2007-10-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

Grow some Watermelon Hippos

This is from my old book dummy, which at some point will be transformed into my new book dummy - after I finish revisions. This is a scan of a scan, so the color is a little off - the original is not so blue! The revisions are put on hold until I finish my portfolio stuff, which due to circumstances beyond my control - is taking waaaayyyy longer then I hoped.

Still Under Construction! Work in progress:

This is the second illustration for my portfolio from the Ugly Duckling. See the earlier draft here. Before I complete it I was hoping for comments, I got some really great comments on the first illustration (which I will be modifying a bit also). I will post it again when it is really done! This is a digital photo (original is 12x18" too big for my scanner) which is why it may be blurry when enlarged.

Thanks for looking!

Extremes - Illustration Friday

2007-10-15T09:04:00.000-05:00

Extreme Closeup

This is also my post for Blog Action Day - when bloggers around the world are posting about the environment. I was planning to do a drawing of a polar bear, even had all my reference photos ready, but then I thought about the not-so-cuddly animals. In order to keep all the residents on our planet healthy, what better way than to start in your own backyard! Care for and learn more about your immediate environment and encourage others to do so.

Visit the National Wildlife Federation to find out about creating a wildlife habitat in your backyard.

Explore and learn more about the plants and animals found in your own neighborhood.

Reduce reuse recycle!

Support cleanup efforts in your area, and support national and international organizations dedicated to animals and our planet.

National Wildlife Federation

World Wildlife Fund

The Nature Conservancy

I love teaching my kids about animals and exploring our yard with them. At the top of the post (blogger is having issues and won't let me move the photo...) is a photo of the mantis we found a few weeks ago held by my daughter - it is huge!

Open - Illustration Friday

2007-10-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

Open your wings to the open sky

This topic actually had me quite stumped. Usually I have a few ideas and one just stands out, but this time nothing jumped out at me - I even asked for ideas from multiple friends and family members! Perhaps it is because this week's challenge is a contest - see Illustration Friday for details on voting. Since I have been painting a lot of birds lately, here are some more! Gouache on Arches paper.

I put my portfolio stuff aside this week to work on this - so hopefully I can finish my second piece by next week!

The Blues - Illustration Friday

2007-10-04T09:23:00.000-05:00

Work in Progress! This is for my portfolio, the second illustration of a series of 3 that I'm doing from "The Ugly Duckling". In this situation the ugly duckling has the blues when confronted with a bossy hen and cat.
Please see the first illustration below. I will post this finished painting hopefully by next week. This is a digital photo (which is why it is a bit blurry enlarged) of gouache on illustration board.
I would appreciate any comments!

Changes

2007-09-27T15:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, I was bothered by how the ugly duckling's face turned out (I am never 100% satisfied with any of the art I do!) but I decided to try to change it and this is how it turned out.
Is the first one better or the second?

Portfolio

2007-09-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got more done to add to my portfolio - this is the first in what will be a series of 3 illustrations from "The Ugly Duckling" by the wonderful Hans Christian Andersen. This is a digital photo of the original as it is 12"x18" (a spread for a 9x12 "book" - too big for my scanner) gouache on illustration board. I would really appreciate comments as I have yet to join a critique group locally!

Wedding - Illustration Friday

2007-09-14T14:57:00.000-05:00

I actually did this for the SCBWI contest of "wacky wedding". I thought I had a cute idea, but I did not spend enough time on it so this is what I ended up with. I'm glad to be able to post it for IF! I'm currently working on portfolio stuff so I'll post those as I finish them and hopefully get some feedback. Thanks for looking!

Blog Action Day

2007-09-11T19:53:00.000-05:00

Emila Yusof had this wonderful link posted on her blog. It is a way to call attention to issues that affect us all by having bloggers post something on October 15 relating to the environment. Please visit the site and register to participate in this international event!

Alphabet - Illustration Friday

2007-08-31T19:12:00.000-05:00

Trees

From the archives - I think this was a school assignment from a million years ago - I did the alphabet in trees. I only scanned this part, because the rest is on 6 pages which I would have to split up to scan as the pages are too big.

I did sketches last week for "visitors" but never got any further, so hopefully I will be able to do something original next week when both kids will be in school!

Emergency - Illustration Friday

2007-08-12T19:59:00.001-05:00

Global Emergency

Just a quick little painting this week. Last week ("missing" which I didn't have time to do) and this week all the ideas I had were so painful to think about - I liked the more fun ideas that others had on the topics.

Did not have a lot of time this week, so I painted a simple idea that I had after reading an article about how few tigers there are left in the wild; there was a recent survey done in India showing there are likely fewer than they thought.
Gouache on arches paper.

Moon - Illustration Friday

2007-07-30T12:39:00.001-05:00

Walter was never sure why he felt funny during a full moon.

This is colored pencil on black paper. The scanning made it look weird, so maybe I'll have to fix it, but hopefully you get the idea of what it really looks like.

I put some work in a community art show that runs Aug 6-Oct25th at the Hemphill Library in Greensboro, NC. Just an opportunity for my stuff to be seen.

Geeky - Illustration Friday

2007-07-08T20:09:00.000-05:00

Book Worm

I had a hard time with this week's theme because the first thing I thought of was myself! Apparently so did some other IF'ers (they didn't think of me - they thought of themselves!! Maybe now they'll think of me...) I figure one of the geeky things I used to do was read alot. I mean, ALL the time. When my best friend used to come over to play I would be reading - so she would pick up a book and read too! So I thought of the "bookworm" and that is what I painted today - gouache on illustration board.

I suppose that might be more nerdy than geeky? Let me know what you think:)

Twist - Illustration Friday

2007-06-30T16:12:00.000-05:00

You know how dogs can just twist up their leashes when they greet each other?
This was a really quick drawing - about an hour (with my 5 year old wanting me to look at her drawings every 5 minutes). Maybe I'll try something else if I have time this week.

Camouflage - Illustration Friday

2007-06-23T19:39:00.000-05:00

Fawns are great at camouflage; they have virtually no scent and they are capable of lying perfectly still all day until their mother comes to get them.
This painting took me just about all day. There is a community art show soon in which I am hoping to enter something, so I figured I should try to do some stuff that might be worthy. Please let me know what you think. Original is 9"x12", gouache on watercolor paper.

Rejection - Illustration Friday

2007-06-18T15:30:00.000-05:00

Food Rejection - something I assume all parents know. When you hear yourself say things like "but you LIKE tomatoes!" My 5yr old said there should be tomatoes and beans on the plate. This was the first thing I thought of when I saw the topic as it had just happened the night before when I made stir-fry and the 3yr old wailed "Noodles! I want some NOODLES!" Hmmmm, I think I would like to borrow Mike R. Baker's "rejection seat" - right up to their rooms! (or to grandma's house)

This is colored pencil and gouache on watercolor paper - still fooling around with different paints and stuff.

Suit - Illustration Friday

2007-06-12T18:54:00.000-05:00

Chameleon chooses his suit.

I really can't take credit for this idea, my best friend suggested it and I did my best to make it happen. We'll see what she thinks of it. I got some new gouache paints so I was fooling around with those on watercolor paper with color pencil. As usual I was rushing to finish, so I'm not completely happy with the background and some other stuff.

Paradise - Illustration Friday

2007-06-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

My interpretation of Paradise; kind of a la Madeleine L'Engle "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" which was my favorite book as a kid. When I used to write stories in school they would always involve some sort of fantasy animal, usually a horse (pegasus/unicorn). I guess paradise for me is not just a place, but the feeling you have when you disappear into a book or a movie, or see (or hopefully create!) something beautiful. Our whole planet is a paradise and we need to take care of it!
This is verithin pencils and watercolor on bristol board. Not sure about the swirly things, those were an afterthought. Let me know what you think.

Signs - Illustration Friday

2007-05-21T14:30:00.001-05:00

I have a painting that I am dying to do that would have fit for this topic, however I have no time to do it this week. So I thought I would post an actual sign that I did when I was in college. I painted the school mascot - a catamount- on the hockey locker room door (hockey is BIG at the University of Vermont). It is no longer there because they changed the mascot design! This is acrylic on posterboard that I did (a long time ago) as a sample of what I actually painted on the door. Actual size is about 2 feet diameter.

7 things about me

2007-05-17T13:16:00.000-05:00

I've been "tagged" by Mike R. Baker, so apparently I have to list 7 things about myself and then tag more people.
7 Random Facts:
1. At right is a photo of me winning a coloring contest when I was 4 in 1976. What is up with the hair?
2. I am a huge movie buff and I used to watch (almost) all the Oscar nominated films and have contests with my coworkers. (Disclaimer: I have not done this since I had kids!!!)
3. I used to be a teacher in a youth correctional facility.
4. I eat 5 hershey kisses (or other available chocolate) every day while I surf the internet looking at everyone else's illustration sites.
5. Only one piece of my art is displayed in my house - I put it up last week.
6. I have an elderly cat (age 16) and two guinea pigs. I can't wait to get a horse!
7. I am working on several possible picture book manuscripts and illustration portfolio. I hope to attend the SCBWI Carolinas conference this fall.

I am apologetic ahead of time to those that I tag - although for me it was a fun way to procrastinate doing the dishes and laundry.

Citrus - Illustration Friday

2007-05-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

Fresh Lemon Fish

This is based on a book dummy that I am continuing to work on (it has been rejected once, so I am taking the opportunity to work on it more!) This is an original piece I did for this IF topic, but it is similar to the ideas from the picture book I wrote. Let me know what you think.

I missed doing a piece for "neighbor" as my sister was in town - but I did look at lots of everyone else's work!

Remember - Illustration Friday

2007-04-29T12:38:00.000-05:00

Remember your Mother!

Especially on Mother's Day, May 13th.

I think the puppy on the left is representing the manner in which my children have been behaving the last few days. I will be "remembering" my Mom since she took them away for a few hours so that I could finish this illustration!

Please also take a look at my post below for "fortune" since I did not post it on IF in time.

Fortune - finally

2007-04-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

Goose got the feeling that her fortune had changed

I really did do a illo for "fortune" but was unable to post it in time. We are (still) in the process of redoing our floors, so the computer was upstairs and the scanner downstairs and even if they had been on the same floor I was unable to get on the internet! I know, excuses, excuses. I hope someone has the chance to take a look at it as I thought it came out pretty well. I like this "new" technique of color pencil and watercolors so I think it will be a style I'll continue to work on.

Lucky Ducks

2007-04-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

This is the mother duck that inspired my "total" illustration. She is back this year with 13 (count them!) babies, that I think were born on the 13th. They like to hang out at our bird feeders in the back yard every year. Today she had them all under her wings (as in my illo) but I could not photograph her because it was pouring rain.

Green - Illustration Friday

2007-04-09T20:05:00.000-05:00

I did not have time to do something original to this week's theme of "Green" but I had a few other pieces that I thought would fit and my husband likes this one so here it is. This is colored pencil on bristol board. Thanks for comments - I love looking at all your work too!

Snap! - Illustration Friday

2007-04-02T18:53:00.000-05:00

Squirrel realized too late that he chose the wrong branch - SNAP!

This is colored pencil on regular old drawing paper. I was on my first childless vacation (with my husband!) this weekend and was not going to post at all, but I ended up having some time today. So here it is!
Last week's post I had to take a digital photo of, and I was not happy with the result. I decided that I will try not to do illustrations for IF that are too big for my scanner!

Illustration Friday- I spy

2007-03-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

Illustration Friday- I spy

I actually had time 2 weeks in a row to do some artwork for IF! This is acrylic on illustration board. I really appreciate anyone who leaves comments as I am attempting to get work in children's illustrating and I would love feedback.

2007-03-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

I looked up the definition for "total" when I was trying to think of ideas of what to draw - a sum greater than it's parts seemed to me to be a family. The ducks is an idea I had a while ago and decided to do it for this post. I tried out a different technique (for me) of colored pencil and watercolors.