So I'm taking this class...

I signed up for Childrens Book Illustration, a night class offered at the community college, and there is A LOT of homework.  Which is good, because it forces me to draw.  Want to see?  Good, let's go!

* * * * *

This was the first assignment I handed in.  We had to draw children in three different age ranges; and in three different states (standing, sitting, in motion).  I used reference photos from the internet, and the bottom two are in pencil, various lead hardnesses.  The flying kid was sketched out in pencil, and then I used a manga set of markers to shade him in.  Sorry about the demon eyes.  I got a little carried away with the marker.

Sketchbook - we're supposed to fill three pages in our sketchbook every week.  Doesn't sound like much, does it?  (ha.)

Again these are all from reference photos.  I wish I had the imagination to make up stuff like this on my own, but nope.  This was all done with a red Col-Erase pencil.  It's a pencil crayon but erasable.  Allegedly.  I was sitting on the couch and was too lazy to get up and look for an eraser, so I just scribbled harder to go over the parts I didn't like.

The cow went on some outgoing mail; I found her by doing a google image search for "cow" and she came up as "curious cow".  She was outlined in a Micron pen and then coloured in with Copic markers, kind of a quick-and-dirty job since I'm really not great with markers (YET).  Then I found a website that is all about character development, (visual, not like working hard and never telling a lie) and it's not in English, but there are a ton of great reference photos.  All the hamster drawings are in pencil.  I love this little guy.  From the website it looks like he's in the Disney movie "Bolt," which I haven't seen.  I figured I'd better start working on some kind of stuff that kids would like, since the final project is to illustrate a 16-page kids' book.  I'm sweating a little just thinking about it.  Then again, being challenged like this is sure to make me grow. Or have a nervous breakdown - one of those two things.

This big momma is a work in progress.  I just got started on her last night.  I hope to finish her tonight, because I still have to complete two more sketchbook pages for Monday, PLUS my assignment.  Yikes.  Anyway, this is from a  reference photo from a National Geographic book I snagged at Value Village.  So far I've only used a 4H pencil and a Palomino Blackwing.  I  might add more values with different pencils, but I'm not very good at that yet.  Since I used to just cross my fingers and hope you could tell what it was supposed to be, I think I've made some progress.  HA!  (Oh, and if I haven't, it's an elephant.)

I have a LOT more work on the go for this class.   I'll post pics as I go along. I'm hoping to see some real improvement between now and the end of  March when it's over.  Critiques welcome - you might see something I don't, so let me have it.

Love Shelley!

Dear Sarah...

 Would you believe that I have not one, not TWO, but THREE pen pals named Sarah?

Well believe it, baby.  Look:

This is for the first and closest Sarah.  She sent me the Most Amazing Package last time she wrote.  And this time I didn't have any treats to send her but I did use a plastic clamshell to at least make it interesting to receive.  I remembered to snap a pic of it JUST before I slipped it into the mailbox.  I wrapped the actual letter in some other paper to keep the mailman from being able to read it.  Since part of it was about the difficulty of getting a chicken to hold still so I could practice giving it stitches, I thought that was for the best.

Sarah Red?  Totally different personality.  Also fiercely intelligent, down to earth, and a ton of fun to talk to in letters.  This time I picked a clear plastic envelope and used some paper out of a notebook to give it a nice background.  And to keep the mailman from seeing what I wrote.  Since part of it was about French beauty pageants and taking purses into football games… wait.  That's not that bad!  Next time I might just let it intrigue the people whose hands it passes through.

Sarah in the UK is the newest and bravest Sarah.  She had to write me a letter and basically knew nothing about me, so she went out on a limb to tell me a little about herself in the hopes that we would get along and I would write back.  Mission accomplished!  She left out enough intriguing details that she tweaked my curiosity and I had to find out more.  MY letter is full of nosy questions.  This one actually went out this very morning.  Strangely, the mail to and from the UK is faster than to the US.  So I'm sure I'll be hearing from her soon.

That's all I have to show you for today.  I have to go find that chicken… talk to you soon!

xo
Shelley

Something creative that ISN'T mail!

Here's an ATC (artist trading card) I made yesterday... it's a car.

(I specified that because I can't remember what kind of car it is.  Old.  I don't know.)

Pretty simple supplies: a piece of Canson artist paper, a 0.05 Copic liner pen, and three colours of Inktense pencil.  

In hindsight, I should have used a heavier paper because the water did make it buckle a little.  But eh, learning experience.  

First I sketched it out lightly in pencil; then drew it out a little better with the liner pen.  I was working from a photo in a book.

Then I started adding layers of Inktense.  I love these pencils because they behave like watercolour pencils... until they dry.  Then the colour becomes permanent.  So you can layer over it and it doesn't move!  <>  I probably came back to it ten times over the course of the afternoon, waiting for it to dry, then adding more layers.  In between I was baking sugar cookies, so all in all, a pretty pleasant day.

I'm pretty happy with the finished product.  It looks REALLY good if you take a super-quick glance, and don't start at it too long and start to notice flaws.

Okay, that's all I've got for now.  Back later.

Love Shelley!

Sunday Mail!

Nah, we don't really get mail on Sundays.  Wouldn't that be AWESOME though?!

But.  Of course you can still send mail.  All you need is to know where a handy mailbox is; and have some free time to make something.  And some extra-loud music to drown out any fighting kids who may be nearby trying to drive you bonkers by fighting non-stop and calling each other names and wanting you to referee.*

Anyway, in the urgency to escape the madness in the kitchen, I suddenly remembered that you don't have to actually use REAL ENVELOPES to send mail - you can make a mail-containing-thing out of whatever you want.  Just tape it up good** so those little holes don't get stuck in one of the mail-sorting machines, and bob's your uncle***.

I have to go now.  There's a massive mess in the garage from the honey extraction we started yesterday.  And the bees found us, so there are about 800 of them buzzing around in the driveway, and they're frankly still kind of pissed that we robbed them yesterday.  So if you know a way to politely escort them back to their hive, I'd be happy to hear it.  My plan right now is to wait until they all go home at dark, then bring the empty frames back for them to clean up.  And I'll put up a 'No Loitering' sign in the driveway too.  That should fix the problem.

Ok bye.

Love Shelley!

____________________________________________________________________
*Your experience may vary.
**Yes, I know.
***No, I don't know what this means, either.  But I can't ALWAYS yell "ta-daaaah!"

Fancy Nancy

This afternoon I got pretty sick of working, so I busted out the el cheapo pencil crayons at my desk, and what do you know - my muse decided to join me for a few minutes!  It probably helps that I'm deliriously tired and my guard is way down.  She's sneaky; she likes to wait until I've given up on her, then she blows back into my life like a bad boyfriend fresh out of jail.  That's probably the worst metaphor I've used yet on this blog, too, so you're welcome for that.

I have a second one in the works - completely different, yet exactly the same.  (Don't ask, I'm even confusing myself right now.)

Stay tuned.

Love Shelley!

Mail - Still on a roll!

Here's the one lone piece of mail that's going out today:

BRAND-NEW PEN PAL - hopefully she has a high tolerance level for silliness, because the 5-pager in this innocent-looking envelope is kind of out-there.  That's the hard part about starting a new pen-friend relationship: the one-sided delivery of enough information - in a conversational format - to intrigue them and make them want to write back; without over-sharing too much and letting them see your crazy.  Not right away, anyway!  I like to save the Real Me for at least the third letter.

Oh, who am I kidding, it probably shines through in the first paragraph.

Wait - didn't I promise something inappropriate?  Yes, I did!

Okay, so I have another relatively-new pen pal.  He* was recommended to me through another friend.  So I threw together a letter and fired it off, and sure enough, back came an equally bizarre and offensive missive.  I might have some real competition here!  Check out the rating page he sent:

I don't remember using the word "virgin" but I'm proud anyway.  Also you have to like a guy who opens with a story about his 187-lb dog's anal leakage problem.

*Yes, "he".  I haven't had a boy pen pal before, mainly because most of the dudes that are looking for pen pals are writing from prison.  But I'm, like, 90% sure this guy isn't.  In prison, that is.  I'm willing to accept that he's a dude, based on his description of his ear-hair grooming habits.

I'm going to go check the mail.  Think happy thoughts for me!

xo
Shelley

Friday's outgoing mail

Still slightly lame, but getting marginally better:

I especially like the 7cent Pierre Laporte stamp, because it's got a ton of texture on it.  I don't know if it was letterpressed or what, but it is AWESOME.  Now the stamps are smooth and plasticky, and just not as official-feeling.  Anyway, it's gone now, but at least I still have the memory of it.  (deep, nostalgic, nerdy sigh).

And this one is just a sneak peek, because otherwise it will ruin the fun for the lovely lady who's going to be receiving this in the next week or two.  Once she gets it, I'll let you see the rest.  Deal?

I didn't make as much mail this weekend as I would have liked.  Instead I kept busy making salsa and tomato soup and getting a bunch of canning done.  I was going to make pickled beets too, but thankfully SADLY the beets are tiny this year and so it wouldn't be worthwhile to go to all that trouble.  I'm still looking into canning pumpkin for holiday pies, though.

Tomorrow I might have something a bit more entertaining for you, if you don't offend easily.  If you do... maybe skip a day.  I'll be back with good clean fun later in the week.

And now... back to work!

Love Shelley!