A Bit of Silliness, Really

Hourly Comics Day

2012-02-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

While I was checking out some of my favorite artists' blogs yesterday, I discovered via Katie Shanahan that it was Hourly Comics Day, a challenge posed to artists worldwide to document every hour of their day with a comic. Although all I had planned was cleaning and laundry, I decided to accept the challenge! I tweeted the comics as I drew them. Check out the results below!
Whew!

The Polling Has Begun!

2012-02-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

As promised in a previous post, we at Fanartica have begun our poll for our next topic! So please take a moment to vote—it could mean that we illustrate your favorite!

Fans of Fanartica, You Choose!

Image by Mike Rapa

Nibblers & Nabblers, Gibblers & Gobblers

2012-01-27T06:14:00.001-08:00

Nibbler
Colored pencil and watercolor on paper

Happy Friday! You're in for a treat today, 'cause it's a double-post!

Gobbler
Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper

And that's my Beautiful Women series! If you like what you see and you're in the Portsmouth area next Friday, you should come by the Teeny Tiny Art Show! (It's in conjunction with the town's First Friday Art Walk, so there should be a lot of fun stuff to see.)

Teeny Tiny Art Show IX
Opening Reception Friday, Feb 4, 5-8pm
Three Graces Gallery
105 Market Street
Portsmouth, NH

And don't forget about the Cambridge Winter Farmer's Market tomorrow!

She's a Digger

2012-01-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

Riding Up
Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper

While you gaze upon this wedgied rump, I'd like to let you know that for the next two Saturdays I'll be at the Cambridge Winter Farmer's Market selling prints in their art gallery! Where else can you pick up some great art and delicious produce at the same time? Unheard of! Amazing!

Cambridge Winter Farmer's Market
Jan. 28 & Feb. 4, 10am-2pm
Cambridge Community Center
5 Callender Street
Cambridge, MA

Man's Best Friend

2012-01-25T06:24:00.001-08:00

Squeeze, Pal
Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper

As promised, I give you the second poop-themed painting of the series. My favorite of the lot!

Reading on the Toilet

2012-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Number Two

Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper

The second beautiful woman in my series for the Teeny Tiny Show! Some of her clothing details were inspired by Australian fashion designer, Gorman (found via Ruche's blog). I highly recommend clicking on that link to see some of the other looks. It's like chic with a little crazy thrown in!

As it happens, this is not the only painting related to pooping, so stay tuned for number two number two!

Beautiful Women

2012-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, everyone! To kick off this week, I'm excited to inform you that Three Graces' Teeny Tiny Art Show has returned after a brief hiatus and I'll have another series of paintings on display! I always look forward to this show as an opportunity to try different painting techniques (and to pretend to be a fine artist). This time, I'm exploring a series that I call "Beautiful Women."

The Wrong Pipe

Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper

I'm trying out colored pencil as line, and while I adore my brush-and-ink and will never forsake it, I can't help but love the color effects of pencil + watercolor! Content-wise, I wanted to apply what I learned in doing the 30-for-30 project by delving into fashion, while still maintaining that bit of silliness that makes me...me. So this series depicts beautiful, fashionable women in everyday situations that somewhat compromise their beauty. More to come!

Edited to add: This is my 200th post!

Fan's Choice at Fanartica

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! As you know, my hubs and I started a fan art pet project called Fanartica a few months ago. To our delight, by the end of 2011 we had garnered over 500 followers! Whoo! To show our appreciation, all of the Fanartica artists wanted to offer our followers a chance to choose an upcoming topic, and I hoped to spread the word over on A Bit of Silliness!

What's great is that you don't have to have a Tumblr account to participate. You can simply fill out the answer form on the Fanartica post, or you can submit suggestions to us on Twitter (@Fanartica) using the hashtag #FebFan. Then we'll put the top 5 suggestions in a poll where followers can vote for their favorite!

Embrace your inner nerd and send us some suggestions!

Hoppin' Kiwi

2012-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

For the next BYOB, I did a fun little piece illustrating the delicious hops coming out of New Zealand. Surf's up!

Separate, Not Equal

2012-01-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

Today a new issue of Orlando Weekly hit the stands with my illustration gracing its cover! I'm incredibly pleased to be a part of this issue, and I'll tell you why:

As a white, educated, middle-class, straight woman living in a liberal city it's easy to forget that there are folks nearby who don't have it so easy. In particular, I didn't have to break down any walls to marry the person I love, and I don't have to be concerned that the rights I have within my marriage are going to be revoked. In addition, same-sex marriage is becoming lawful in an increasing number of New England states, so it's not even a struggle I see in the people around me. But in Florida, in my home state, this is not the case. Fortunately, certain progressive Florida cities (including Orlando) are adopting domestic partnership registries so that same-sex couples can—at the very least—have the rights to hospital visitation and to make funeral arrangements. In an effort to shed light on this policy, and to protest that same-sex couples can't yet enjoy the numerous other rights available to hetero marriages, Orlando Weekly asked me to illustrate this cover (referencing Norman Rockwell's The Problem We All Live With).

Many thanks to art director Dave Plotkin for inviting me to be a part of OW's statement.

Come Along, Pond

2012-01-10T13:16:00.000-08:00

So I am totally enamored of Zac Gorman's animated comics and illustrations. In an effort to mimic him, I made a simple animated gif of the above fan art...but you'll have to visit Fanartica to see it move!

In the meantime, I just want to say: "Eleven! Shame on you! Quit looking up Amy Pond's skirt!"

The Thinker.

2012-01-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

A character design from something I'm working on at FableVision. She's supposed to be a kindergarten/first grade teacher and I loved the idea of a geeky-chic woman getting all excited about coloring and discovering bugs and playing hopscotch. I admit that Ms. Frizzle popped into my head as I was working on her.

A Christmas Commission

2012-01-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

A couple months ago, I was commissioned to illustrate a quirky little boy named Jackson for his grandparents' Christmas gift. Now that I'm certain they've seen their present, I can share it with you! His mother, Amy, sent me some photos along with a description of Jackson's personality and interests, as well as some inside jokes between him, his Nana, and his Grampy. The key elements I took away:

1. Jackson loves water (the beach, pools, water parks, etc.)
2. Jackson says to Nana: "I love you to the moon and back."
3. Grampy is a prankster: he tosses ice cubes on him when he's in the tub and freaks him out with a "Dracula voice."

Also, I happen to know a particularly funny anecdote involving Jackson, his head, and a toilet seat.

So I got a Wynken, Blynken, and Nod kind of idea in my head and went with it! I hope that the painting made Nana and Grampy's Christmas a little brighter.

Place For People, Part Deux

2011-12-31T07:21:00.000-08:00

Back in September, I showed you a video I worked on with Monitor Group for PlaceForPeople.com, a social campaigning site.

Well, to my delight, PlaceForPeople loved it and wanted more! So Monitor and I teamed up a second time to make another white board animation. Enjoy!

Snail Mail for the Holidays

2011-12-15T09:21:00.001-08:00

Hey, so remember when I said I had something in store for that snowy painting? Well, I made a little holiday mailer!

And I have extras! If you'd like a postcard of your very own, send me your address (etcrenshaw@gmail.com) with "Holiday Mail" in the subject line!

Cookie Construction

2011-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

The next BYOB is about Drew's dog, Cookie, and the reconstructive surgery performed on her wee little back. It was fun doing a quick illustration that played with design rather than setting. A nice departure from the norm, and I got to draw a dog! It's a win-win situation!

Drawn! linked to a FAQ by Jillian Tamaki this morning that was rather inspiring and helpful. It's geared towards students, but as the gap of time grows between my college graduation and today I wonder if an artist is always a student, forever. There's no cap on what to learn or how to grow, after all. Check it out!

Whee, Lettering!

2011-12-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

And I mean it, everyone.

An Ermine and Pink Pants

2011-12-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

The finished painting! I got to make some fun textures on this one using salt and a sponge. A sponge!

And a selection of my color studies, just for funsies:

Study #1 on this sheet (the one I ended up going with, if it wasn't obvious) was actually the 17th color combination I came up with. Never fall in love with your first idea!

I have something in store for this painting. Soon!

A Dream of Snow

2011-11-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! Mine was chock-full of fun, family, and fabulous carbohydrates. We're having an unseasonably warm holiday season in Boston, so I've got an illustration cooking that dreams of snow. Above is a sketch/value study, check back soon for the final illo!

In other news, I'm happy to report that I'll be making an appearance at Boston's Bazaar Bizarre this year! I'm tabling with the Boston Comics Roundtable where I'll have my minicomics and maybe even a few prints! I hope to see you there!

Brand Spankin' New Site

2011-11-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

Big news! My official portfolio website has finally relaunched! My hubs, Matt Boehm, is my hero for setting it up for me. I'm really pleased with the new tidy layout and simple navigation. Thanks, babe!

www.etcillustration.com

He Just Snuck In, I Swear!

2011-11-15T20:50:00.001-08:00

So, the other day I was doing a little of this:

And also a little of this:

So when it came time to do next month's BYOB illustration—about making beer with bread and bread with beer—this happened:

I couldn't help it! That squash-head gets into your brain and stays there, you know? And I gave him glasses, so he's different! He's--he's--he's the Clark Kent of Doctor Who! Nobody will know!

Right?

Portfolio Update and Womanthology Sneak Peeks!

2011-11-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

I've updated my abridged portfolio on Carbonmade, which I highly recommend checking out. Among the new work I have some sneak peeks of my pages in Womanthology!

Worth a gander, I think! Though, admittedly, I think I'm a bit biased.

What are you waiting for?

Doctor Doodle-Who

2011-11-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

After a Doctor Who marathon this afternoon (season 5), I did up a little drawring of the eleventh doctor. He's got a head like a butternut squash, but he's cute as a button anyhow.

Gigi's Loving CS5

2011-11-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

I finally got my hands on Photoshop CS5 and I'm pretty impressed with the default brushes I've been playing around with! I happily used them to make November's Girls Drawin' Girls Facebook profile pic, that is, our pinup girl Gigi:
Thanksgiving theme! I had some fun making her outfit as ridiculous as possible. It is right after Halloween, after all, where I have all the inspiration I need for "sexy [insert profession here]." Why not sexy pilgrim?

Revenge of Freeky Fright Nights

2011-10-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

And don't forget about Space 242's Halloween show! Four days only, it opens this Friday with a costume ball this Saturday! (If you want to say hi to yours truly, I'll be at the costume ball!) Hope to see you at either or both shows!

Collectives Collection

2011-10-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, this is happening! (I'm excellent at self-marketing, aren't I?) The closing reception is this Friday, October 28th and it's a costume ball! Whee! Check it out, y'all!

End of Times

2011-10-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hello on this gorgeous fall morning! To celebrate this beautiful day, I give you...erm...the apocalypse.

It may not look it, but this is for the next BYOB, in which Drew devises a brand new beer in honor of the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 (the supposed end of the world prophesy). For a nice change of page, the AD and I went in a direction that didn't feature the beer at all and instead focused on partying with the Mayans!

My concept sketches:
Have a great Sunday!

I'm Just a Mean Green Mother From Outer Space...

2011-10-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

...and I am BAD!

Check it out, it's the completed painting from my watercolor demo! It debuted on Little Chimp Society yesterday and Fanartica this morning. What better way to herald the coming of Halloween than with 80s movie monsters?

If you like the digital copy, you'll love to see the original watercolor painting at Space 242's REVENGE OF FREAKY FRIGHT NIGHTS Halloween art show! It'll be hanging with the spookiest and scariest art around, from October 28-31 at Fourth Wall Project. Check out the left sidebar for more info!

And full disclosure: I actually restarted this painting since the demos. I felt like it was getting a little overworked and unfocused. I couldn't be happier with the redo!

Dr. Sketchy's of Long Ago

2011-10-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've had these drawings from a Dr. Sketchy's session sitting patiently in my sketchbook for months, just waiting to be scanned and uploaded to the blog. Today is your day, sketches. Today is your day.

Sadly, it was so long ago that I don't remember the model's name and I can't seem to find any record of this session! It's really a shame, because she had such a fun figure to draw and she's even in a sexy pinup book that I wanted to get. Sigh. Way to drop the ball, Crenshaw.

Forgive me, pretty lady!

Oh, and this is what happens when I make a drawing that I don't particularly like:
'Til next time!

Turning Point

2011-10-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

So, I decided to try something quite different for the next BYOB (about paring down intimidating and complicated holiday beer recipes). I gotta say, it wasn't something that came naturally to me and I probably won't work like this again, but I'm happy to have tried something new. Beer Advocate is awesome in that it gives me the freedom and opportunity to experiment, and I'm grateful for it.

I feel like my work has reached a turning point where it needs to be pushed out of its comfort zone, where I need to infuse something new and fresh in my illustration. I'm trying to make sense of how I want to be influenced by what inspires me. Which techniques do I adopt from artists I admire? which do I forgo? How do I ensure growth in my work while still remaining true to myself? It can be a pretty frustrating process, but thank goodness for it--otherwise my artwork runs the risk of becoming stale. I wouldn't want to get bored, now, would I?

After MICE (2011)

2011-09-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a day! I was so jazzed about MICE, I threw so much effort into preparing for it, and it did not disappoint!

As I've mentioned before, I had some brand new merch, including new prints and a 32-page minicomic. In addition, the great Mike Rapa, Barbara Geoghegan, and Renee Kurilla made some freebies to promote our pet project, Fanartica! (If you click on Renee's link, you can see photos of our Fanartica buttons!)

I also had on display the fabulous Girls Drawin' Girls pinup book, The Way Nature Made Her, which Renee had for sale a couple tables down.

My watercolor demo was a surprise hit! At one point there was a shockingly large crowd and I felt a major onset of jitters! There was video taken and if I can get my hands on it I'll make sure I link to it, but in the meantime you can see here that part of my demo included the importance of derp face in watercolor painting. (In fact, you can see a slew of MICE photos here!)

Thanks to everyone for making MICE an enormous success! Can't wait until next year!

(Top two photos courtesy of Renee Kurilla.)

Minicomics!

2011-09-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

Eeeeee! Minis!

These bad boys will debut at MICE on Saturday! 32 pages of bears and mustaches!

And a banjo. There will also be a banjo.

Demo!

2011-09-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I did a watercolor demo at Dick Blick's new store in Cambridge. My pal, Kate, kept me company and photo-documented the event!

It was a pleasure to share my process with people, and learn a few tricks myself from other watercolorists!

I began a new piece that will be unveiled closer to Halloween. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a peak at my homage to the world's favorite evil singing plant!

(Kate and I got a kick out of the swirly shapes mirrored in my hair and the tentacles.)

If any of this looks appealing, I'll be doing another watercolor demo at MICE this Saturday!

MICE, The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo

September 24, 2011 10am - 6pm

1815 Mass Ave., Cambridge MA (Porter Square)
Illustration by Jerel Dye

I'll be tabling with AIB alumni Scott Murry, Keith Zulawnik, Renee Kurilla, Julia Denos, Amanda Atkins, Barbara Geoghegan, Valerie Arruda, Chris O'Neill, and Keith Maclelland. I'm pretty excited because I'm going to have brand new prints to sell as well as A MINICOMIC! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Some Musical Theatre, Anyone?

2011-09-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Matt and I saw Candide: The Musical at the Huntington Theatre last night (tickets c/o my freaking awesome sister-in-law, Caryn, with seats so close to the stage we could see the spit flying from the actors' mouths) and it was so brain-pukingly amazing that I had to post about it. Consistent readers of my blog will know that I made some Candide-inspired pieces a while back, so it was all too perfect to get the chance to see the stage production.

I was completely mesmerized by the show--it was so well-acted by every single cast member, the music was great, the set was stunning, and the way they handled the source material was so clever! The video is almost kind of sad, because there's so much more going on in the background--little details that subtly cover bits of the book, like the sly glances between Pangloss and Paquette. Throughout the whole play it was like an episode of Arrested Development: jokes and foreshadowing and main plot all happening at once so there's no way to catch it all the first time around.

So I may have to catch it a second time around.

Place For People

2011-09-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

A very different project I did for a new client, Monitor Group! Their client was PlaceForPeople.com, who wanted a "white board animation" to promote their site. I filmed myself drawing cartoons on a dry erase board (the text/logo at the beginning and the end is someone else), Monitor took over the editing/animation, et voila!

It was quite challenging to draw at an angle on dry erase board--I kept having to reshoot because my head would come into view on the camera! I never knew what the drawing really looked like until it was done and filmed. Definitely a learning experience!

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

2011-09-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Art supply store Dick Blick is currently hosting an art show featuring AIB alumni! The show opened with Blick's ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week in celebration of its new location in Cambridge. For the next two weeks, Blick is hosting a series of grand opening activities, including a watercolor demo by me on Saturday, September 17th!*

So if you pop by the store you can see the above pieces by me, as well as work by Keith Zulawnik, Renee Kurilla, Barbara Geoghegan, Valerie Arruda, Scott Murry, and Amanda Atkins! And it just so happens that all of these artists will also be exhibiting at this year's Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE)**!

It's in a brand-spanking-new location, and I'll be there with brand-spanking-new merch, along with the coolest kids Boston comics has to offer.*

And, hey, if you're simply bursting with a need for comics and can't wait until the expo, MICE has debuted Comic Art New England, an exhibition of original comics! I have on display the original ink and digital color of the fourth page of my comic for Womanthology. Because I'd hate to give everything away, you only get to see it if you come to the show!*

...Oh, fine, I can't leave you totally hanging like that. Because I love you, here's a peek at page 2:
So many comics, so little time! This month is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

*Check out the left sidebar under CURRENT AND UPCOMING for dates, times, and locations of events
**Poster art by Jerel Dye

Converting the Wicked

2011-08-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

Next month's BYOB, about converting drinkers of Bud Lite to craft beer!

Speaking of next month, September is going to be a doozy for events. Check out the left sidebar for upcoming art shows, expos, and demos! (And there's even MORE to come! Can't wait to share all the news!)

Pink Elephants: A Sneak Peak!

2011-08-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've been very hard at work for the last few weeks on my submission to the upcoming Womanthology. It's one of a handful of comics in the book that is written, penciled, inked, and colored by one person and I'm very proud and excited about it! The story, Pink Elephants, is important to me because it heavily draws from personal experience--the main character, a studious seven-year-old named Lyddie, has such anxiety about not being able to sleep that she worries herself into...well, not sleeping. Her mom takes her from doctor to doctor in an attempt to end her insomnia. The theme of Womanthology is "heroic," and the conclusion of Pink Elephants reveals who slips into the role of hero and gets Lyddie to sleep again.

Above is part of an inked panel, in which Lyddie visits a psychologist. (His character design is based on Peter Lorre.) Next it's onto color and the comic will be complete!

Overwhelmed By Awesomeness

2011-08-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, you know that little tumblr Matt and I started featuring fan art by our group of amazing friends? Well, it has been getting an enormous following which grows every day and I'm totally overwhelmed by the awesomeness. Maybe a few hundred followers is small potatoes to some people, but I'm super-stoked and so grateful for the support we're getting from the tumblr community. I especially love seeing the little captions people are adding when they reblog; things like, "oh jesus christ i fucking love this" and "Yaaaaaaaaas!" and "what. is. this. It is beautiful."

Our first topic was 90s Nickelodeon and it was SO COOL to see so many people relate to what we were posting, remembering that they, too, were super-annoyed when those dumb kids couldn't put the g-d monkey together on Legends of the Hidden Temple.

Now we're doing a double topic, Studio Ghibli & Wes Anderson. It's only the third day and already Fanartica is filling up with beautiful things. Check it out! And since you're checking out this blog, you might be interested in my artwork...so you can see all my contributions to Fanartica here.

Days 27-30: Home Stretch

2011-08-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

And that's it! I know it took me longer than expected, but I hope you enjoyed my 30-for-30!

From left to right:

Necklace, shirt: Anthropologie
Pants: Gap
Shoes: Payless

Hat: Goorin
Shirt: Anthropologie
Shorts: Forever 21
Shoes: Payless

Necklace: Forever 21
Vest: Urban Outfitters
Dress: Anthropologie
Shoes: Payless

Shirt: Gap
Shorts: Forever 21
Belt: Target
Shoes: Payless

Day 26: Taciturn

2011-08-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Four more to go!

Button-up shirt, skirt, shoes: Urban Outfitters
Tank top: J. Crew
Belt: Old Navy

Day 25: Accio Harry!

2011-08-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

Thought I forgot about 30x30, didya? Well, don't worry, I'm going to plow through the rest of these outfits if it kills me! I wore the above to see Harry Potter 7 Part 2 with the hubs and it was a geeky girl's dream. And also nightmare. (I have some strong opinions about the movie, don't ask.)

Headband: self-made
Glasses: SEE
Dress: Forever 21
Shirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

In other news, I recently posted some Stick Stickly fan art over at Fanartica yesterday...

...and it was featured on Tumblr's Illustration tag! It seems to be getting passed around the blogosphere, which is very exciting. Make sure to check out Fanartica for other amazing contributions!

Finally, this weekend is the Girls Drawin' Girls show in L.A.! If you're in the area you should take a peek! My "Orange" pinup with be among the awesome artwork on display:

The Way Nature Made Her

8pm - 12am
Vlad the Retailer
704 Heliotrope Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90029

Beer and Fan Art: What More Could You Ask For?

2011-08-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, what a bum I was last week! Do you ever fall into a rut of complete unmotivation? Luckily, I remedied my bum-itude this weekend with a new BYOB illustration and a group project! The next BYOB column is about using your kegging equipment to make some refreshing soda water. I've been totally diving into summer this year, so I wanted to take the illo in a celebratory, summery direction!

Also, Matt and I launched a tumblr this weekend that gets our best illustrator buddies together to celebrate pop culture! It's called FANARTICA, and we'll be filling it up with fan art of our favorite books, movies, tv shows, and video games! It's a nerd paradise, so check out our first topic: 90s Nickelodeon!

Days 23 & 24: JUMP!

2011-07-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

Having a little more fun with the poses. I think I'm getting impatient, though, with backgrounds. (Read: impatient = lazy.)

Also, FYI, I didn't show my underpants off in real life. I'm not that kind of girl!

Left
Headband: Self-made
Shirt: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Forever 21
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Right
Shirt, belt: Anthropologie
Dress: LOFT
Shoes: Payless

Days 21 & 22: They're Gonna Getcha!

2011-07-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little more dynamic today. Watch out, ladies! They're coming for you!

Left
Shirt, shorts: Forever 21
Belt: Target
Shoes: Payless

Right
Hat: Goorin
Shirt: Gap
Dress: Forever 21
Shoes: Payless

Day 20: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

2011-07-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

She makes me think of a brown Katharine Hepburn.

Necklace: Anthropologie
Undershirt: Banana Republic
Shirt: Urban Outfitters
Shorts: Forever 21
Shoes: Payless

Day 19: Thank You, May I Have Another?

2011-07-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Eh, why don't I throw another one your way to make up for my week of silence? This one is loosely based on my sister-in-law, who was caught by photo in this pose and I couldn't NOT draw it.

Hat: Goorin
Top: Old Navy
Belt: Target
Skirt: Forever 21
Shoes: Payless

Day 18: What the Doodle?

2011-07-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

I killed two birds with one stone today by simultaneously doing an outfit illo AND an entry for FableVision Creative Juices' What the Doodle! Today's topic via random word generator: scent. I didn't intend to do another self-portrait, but I was reluctant to force smelly pits on someone else. Because I care about people. Even if they're fictional.

Check out FableVision's other entries here!

Top, belt: Forever 21
Pants: Gap
Shoes: Payless

Day 17: Doofus

2011-07-14T08:21:00.001-07:00

Wow, kind of slacked off there for a bit, huh? Sorry for the unscheduled absence; if it's any consolation I feel kind of doofy about it, as I have no good reason for not drawing my characters. See, I even illustrated how I imagine myself right now:
Buck teeth, blank stare, empty smile, slouch: a regular Cletus the slack-jawed yokel, that's me. In real life, I'm on day 25 of the 30-for-30 challenge. Just have to play a little catch-up!

Hat: Goorin (husband's)
Sunglasses: Ray Ban Clubmaster
Necklace: Forever 21
Undershirt: Old Navy
Tank top: J. Crew
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Payless

After All This Time?

2011-07-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

First, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the Womanthology kickstarter campaign. I am completely flabbergasted (in a good way) that in less than 24 hours we exceeded our goal! And it's still going! Totally amazing, I can hardly believe it.

Second...
...I wanted to share with you some of the research I've been doing for a personal project. I was inspired by Gallery Nucleus's Harry Potter Tribute Exhibition, so I decided to do a Harry Potter painting of my own. I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't read the books, but I was so touched by a particular chapter in The Deathly Hallows that I instantly staged an image in my head of the scene. I jumped right in and started doing some visual research before laying down a sketch.

[Caution: spoiler in the image below. Don't read that taped page if you don't want to know things!]

A lot of times when I'm in research-mode I don't draw very much. I'm mostly gathering reference images and information. I started by thinking about the environment and the things that would fill it. (Thank goodness there are some thorough Harry Potter wikis out there to ensure accuracy!) I admit that I'm a little concerned about those delicate silver instruments...I'm not much for drawing machinery, so these will prove to be difficult for me. I'm kind of avoiding them at the moment.

Character designs! Dumbledore seemed to come to me quite easily, whereas I'm not happy with Snape. I realized, however, that the pose I'm thinking of obscures most of his face, so I don't really have to worry about that! Instead, I gave a little more thought to his wardrobe. I liked the idea of him wearing a sort of Victorian-style opera cloak, in contrast to more modern, fitted uniform. I want his clothes to highlight his stance, since I'm almost solely relying on his body language to convey emotion. Still working on getting that wand hand right. I like the shape of the smaller Snape's hand, but there's more strength and drama in the larger version.

I hope you enjoyed crawling inside my head a little bit. More to come!

Womanthology Kickstarter Launches!

2011-07-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hi, all! So, you see that little nugget of info on the left, in the Current and Upcoming section? The one called, "Womanthology?" Yeah, so that's something awesome, but I haven't really told y'all about it yet! Allow me to remedy that...

Womanthology is an upcoming book, a collection of comics created by women from all professional backgrounds--novices, seasoned pros, and everyone in-between. The idea is to raise money for charity while at the same time highlight women in an industry that is primarily dominated by men (comics). I'm very excited and honored to have been asked to take part in the project!

Tonight we launched a kickstarter campaign to raise funds for publication. Please help support us by donating and/or spreading the word about the project! There are some really killer rewards for certain pledges, such as comic cameos and original art, so make sure to check it out!

*Image by Renae De Liz

Days 13-16: Instant Remix

2011-07-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, I wore the same shirt two days in a row. I slept in it too, whatcha' got to say about it?

Also: take that, fear of knee socks!

Day 13
Shirt: Urban Outfitters
Shorts: Forever 21
Shoes: Seychelles

Day 14
Shirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Forever 21
Shorts: Gap
Socks: Target
Shoes: Seychelles

Day 15
Hat: Goorin (husband's)
Shirt: Anthropologie
Necklace: Forever 21
Jeans: Gap

Day 16
Hat: Goorin
Undershirt: Banana Republic
Dress: Forever 21
Belt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Payless

Day 12: Beachy

2011-07-03T08:39:00.001-07:00

While most of you suckers were at work last Monday, I was soaking up some sun at the beach. Don't hate.

Hat, swimsuit: Urban Outfitters
Dress: LOFT

Do All Kitties Go To Heaven, Too?

2011-07-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

Let's take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to check out the next BYOB! Next month's column touched a special place in my heart, as it's about the making of a brew in memoriam of the author's recently passed feline friend. My precious boy, seen below...

...is as close to being family as a cat can get, so if he died and I brewed beer I would TOTALLY make, like, eight recipes in honor of my little man. Who's my good boy? You are! Mama loves you!

Day 11: Tiny Feet!

2011-06-29T12:41:00.001-07:00

I, decidedly, do not have tiny feet. Certainly, they're on the bigger side. In reference to my feet, I love to think of Thumper's rhyme from Bambi, in which big feet are, by association to greens, a special treat!

But that, my friends, is what's so fun about illustrating my 30-for-30: I can put my big ol' shoes on whatever size foot I want! So please enjoy today's pretty lady with teeny tiny feet.

Dress, necklace, belt: Anthropologie
Bag: Target
Shoes: Payless

Day 10: Hot For Teacher

2011-06-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

I have yet to master the knee socks. I want to wear them, but every time I put them on I feel like I'm wearing a school girl costume. For this outfit, I just kind of went the costume route, which of course makes for an excellent character to illustrate, but in real life I felt a bit uncomfortable. Are there any (grown-up) ladies out there who proudly wear knee socks and have suggestions?

Cardigan: Forever 21
Shirt, skirt, shoes: Urban Outfitters
Belt: Old Navy
Socks: Target

Days 8-9: Rain, Rain, Go Away

2011-06-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

It must be a universal law that when I bring an umbrella with me and wear rainboots, it doesn't rain. And yet, when I forget those things...BUCKETS.

Left
Umbrella: 7-11
Shirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Forever 21
Bag: Target
Shorts: Gap
Boots: J. Crew

Right
Necklace: Gift
Cardigan, dress: LOFT
Shoes: Payless

Day 7: Go, Yellow Jackets!

2011-06-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

While I was drawing this, I was reminded of my first elementary school's mascot, the Yellow Jacket. That name makes it sound so friendly, doesn't it? And yet the insect is a freaking messenger from hell. Doesn't stop me from loving the combination of yellow and black, though.

Side note: this is the first drawing of the series that actually resembles me. Don't worry, I won't make a habit out of it.

Hat, shoes: Urban Outfitters
Shirt: Old Navy
Pants: Gap

THE LIST

2011-06-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

As promised, I give you my list of 30 items, which will henceforth be remixed into 30 unique combinations! That's five pairs of shoes, twelve tops, six bottoms, three dresses, and four outerwear-type-things. (I beg you to click to enlarge, 'cause there's a lot going on in there.) Work it, models!

Edited to add: If you want to see the character designs sans clothing items, check out my post on the Girls Drawin' Girls blog!

Day 6: Girls Day Out

2011-06-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

I wore this for a lovely girls day out with my dear friend, Kate Castelli. Full disclosure: I cheated on the shoes. Knowing that I'd be doing a lot of walking, I snagged some flats that aren't actually on my list (not that you would know that yet...I promise I'll unveil the list soon!) I think the 30-for-30 spirits were watching me, because I got blisters anyway.

Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Top: Anthropologie
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Bag: Target
Shoes (that I didn't really wear today): Payless

Days 3-4-5: Summer Arrives

2011-06-19T20:02:00.001-07:00

I know summer technically isn't here until Tuesday, but the past few days made it feel like it's come early. The hot weather clothes are busting out!

These three ladies are wearing what I wore on days 3, 4, and 5 of my 30-for-30. I probably won't do this for all of 'em, but I kind of like the idea of letting the outfits interact. Just pretend you don't notice the fact that two of these women are wearing the same shoes (I wore those sandals two days in a row).

Left
Cardigan, dress: Forever 21
Necklace: Anthropologie
Belt: Target
Shoes: Payless

Center
Hat, skirt: Urban Outfitters
Shirt: Gap
Shoes: Payless

Right
Shirt: Gap
Necklace: gift
Shorts: Forever 21
Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Payless

Side note: What do you think is on that polaroid?

Day 2: Remixing Already

2011-06-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

It's only my second outfit and already I've remixed one of my items! Yesterday and today I worked on a freelance project in which my drawing arm was on camera, so I had to wear the same shirt both days of filming. As I did not do laundry, I'm hoping that the shirt wasn't...er...ripe, if you get what I'm saying.

Shirt: Anthropologie
Jacket: Laws of General Economy Blog
Skirt: Forever 21
Boots: J. Crew
Umbrella: 7-11

Oh Dear Oh Dear

2011-06-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

So, I pulled a "me" and bit off more than I could chew in proper time.

Either that, or I'm too impatient to simply wait until I'm done to post some goodies for you.

Allow me to expound. I'm participating in spring 2011's 30-for-30 remix challenge, and those of you who followed along this past winter may be familiar with it. However, as explained at the latter link location, I removed all the photograph posts because I didn't like them cluttering up the drawing space. This time, instead of documenting myself in my clothes, I'll be drawing my clothes on some lady characters. Above is a model I'm toying with (obviously sans an outfit), and I'll be unveiling my 30 items soon. In the meantime, and forgive me if this seems out of order, here is outfit #1:

Scarf: Forever 21
Shirt: Anthropologie
Jeans: Gap
Oxfords: Urban Outfitters

Stay tuned! I think you'll like this new approach!

Girls Drawin' Girls Vol IV PRESALE!

2011-06-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Girls Drawin' Girls newest pinup collection is almost here! Vol IV: The Way Nature Made Her is now available for pre-order, and with that pre-order comes an extra something special--a unique bookplate!

The book is hard-bound for the first time, with 84 ladies and 174 pages of full color awesomeness! It's also self-published by the group, so there's a lot of love and pride on every page.

My contribution to the book:

I'm in the edible stuff section with Orange. It made me think of being home in Florida, with the brilliant sun shining down as I slurped and sucked on fresh orange pieces straight from the tree in my backyard. (I definitely took this piece to a warm place, but in fact our oranges ripened in December! Still warm by New England standards, of course, but cool by south Florida standards.) It was great to get a little nostalgic while working on this piece.

So if you're a fan of sexy drawings featuring sexy women made by sexy women, grab a copy of The Way Nature Made Her, get a free bookplate, and support some artists all at once!

A Little Something...

2011-06-08T14:48:00.001-07:00

Just a little doodle between illustrations today. (I am obsessed with hats at the moment, particularly these.)

Silver Lining and All That

2011-06-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I kind of like it when a FableVision client rejects an illustration...

...because then I get to share it with you!

Ruh Roh, Reorge

2011-06-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

Another day, another Beer Advocate! Next month's BYOB is about amazing automated beer brewing inventions--ROBOTS!--and so go the sketches:

My AD chose #3, the sort of Jetsons-themed, Rosie-like, beer serving robot. I delivered this...

...early the morning it was due, not realizing that I had completely forgotten the whole space thing. So I quickly threw some planets and stars together:

And there you have it! This weekend is the American Craft Beer Fest in Boston, so it's perfectly appropriate that I would hone my beer appreciation right before the event. Happy drinking!

OMFGHorsies!

2011-06-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't love horses? Or what artist, for that matter. When you think about it, they're the most peculiar creatures, but so majestic and beautiful. (I'd prefer not to think about that Freudian psychobabble in relation to women and horses. They're just pretty, okay?)

Recently I had the pleasure of working with SmartPak, a local company that specializes in horse supplements and supplies. They wanted something a little more on the realistic side, so it's a tiny bit less cartoony than usual. I did two versions of a rider with her horse--English and Western. Here's the English version:

And the Western in context of the catalog (the only difference is in her pants and boots):

AND that top image happens to be a FableVision illo. I'm drawing horses all over the place!

MeCAF Recap!

2011-05-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

My first Maine Comics Arts Fest was a blast! I'd never even been to Maine before, so it was an all-around brand-new adventure for me. The night before the con, Matt and I spent some time putzing around Portland, later meeting up with Bob Flynn and some other exhibitors at Shipyard Brewery.

More importantly, we got coconut-almond-chocolate-chip ice cream!

The next morning, we got up bright and early for MeCAF! Rick of Casablanca Comics and the organizer of the event is a total peach and rearranged the table assignments so we could sit near Bob and the Boston Comics Roundtable.

MeCAF in full swing!

Our neighbors, with their Heeby Jeebys!

To entice potential buyers, I offered free watercolor portraits with any purchase. It was a lot of work, but a total blast! (And a great exercise.) I can't believe what patient models these kids were. I brain-farted again and didn't take photos of everyone, so if you got a portrait from me and I didn't get your snapshot, send me a pic and I'll put you on the blog!

Hard at work, paintin' portraits.

Little lady detective!

I will absolutely be back next year if MeCAF will have me. Thanks to everybody who made it an awesome experience!

I Want You and Me at MECAF

2011-05-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

Woah, things have been quiet here at Chez Silliness! I promise it's not for lack of work--it's been a crazy month!--and I'll have some lovelies to show you soon. To continue the craziness, this weekend is Maine Comics Arts Festival (MECAF), so if you're in the Portland area I'd love for you to visit! I'll be tabling with Chad King, selling prints and doing more portraits. I hope hope hope to see you there!

Sunday, May 22, 2011
10am - 5pm
Ocean Gateway, Portland

A Free Comic Book Day Flamingo

2011-05-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Free Comic Book Day, and I made a guest appearance at New England Comics in Norwood, MA to do some drawings for comics enthusiasts! I went with the idea that I would do watercolor portraits a la Nathan Stapely, but with kids things never go as expected... With plaintive eyes, they asked, "Can you do superheroes?" How could I say no? So on the spot I learned how to draw Wonder Woman, Thor, and Han Solo, among others. For my efforts, I got my own piece of original art!

Thank you, sweet girl who drew me a flamingo with one of my stickers for its wing! If only you knew the extent of the flamingo paraphernalia in my apartment.

I have a favor to ask of those who got a painting from me: I didn't have the presence of mind to take pictures of the art plus their new owners, so if any of you happen to see this I'd love it if you could email me a snapshot! (Just click on the "About Me" section for my email address.)

And thanks for making my Free Comic Book Day an awesome one!

Dunce Dunce Revolution

2011-05-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

I give you the next BYOB! This article was a tricky one because it's very brew-technical and not as visual, BUT I happily took the opportunity to apply some new Photoshop magic tricks I learned from Renee Kurilla! I've become a sucker for texture, especially in digital illustration.

Until next time!

Face-Melter

2011-05-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but sneak you guys a peak of something I did recently for FableVision. (Yes, it's true: this drawing is for kids.) I referenced Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for that face-melting zombie up there.

Sexy.

Kindergarten

2011-04-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is something I did for FableVision that won't end up being used, so I have the pleasure of showing you! It illustrates the end of a school day in kindergarten. Sometimes I draw people with clothes I wish I had; you see that girl with the curly pigtails? I want her sweater and her coat. Right now. (She can keep her backpack.)

This weekend is a big one for art openings! Don't forget that this Friday--one day only!--is the Creative Juices show, "Outside the Box: A Visionary Art Show," in which I have three pieces all hanging for the first time--My Girl, Mad Zombies, and BYOB #51!

Also, the AIB/Glovebox show, "The Second Dimension," at Yes Oui Si gallery, hangs this Wednesday with a reception on Saturday. Vintage Superhero will make her second appearance in public, and for the first time BYOB #50--the digital print paired with its original drawing! (Also, "The Second Dimension's" reception is sponsored by PBR, so...do with that what you will.)

Hope to see you there times two!

My Girl

2011-04-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to present my submission for Outside the Box - A Visionary Art Show, FableVision's second annual art exhibition! If your childhood was anything like mine, you watched the movie My Girl with Macaulay Culkin and you LOVED IT, the fact that you didn't understand half the jokes notwithstanding, and you cried your eyes out when Thomas J. **SPOILER ALERT** died young without his glasses in search of a mood ring. The above illustrates their narrow escape from angry bees...that weren't actually following them at that point.

There are a lot of reasons why I particularly like this piece. First, it's sort of appropriate for a FableVision show because Macaulay Culkin is a frequent topic of conversation at lunch. Second, um, My Girl is awesome. Third, I seldom take advantage of the wet-on-wet aspect of watercolor, and for the first time in a while I let the paint do its thing. It was pretty fun to let loose and I think I'll experiment with that a little more in the future. (Inspiration: Alina Chau's watercolor landscape sketches.)

Under Construction

2011-04-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

My official website, for the first time since its inception in 2007, is getting a design facelift! The hubs and I--er, mostly the hubs--are planning something a bit cleaner and easier to update, so my poor portfolio doesn't go untouched for months. I'm very excited! In the meantime, you can see a comprehensive selection of my work at Carbonmade. Or you can simply stick around the blog, I do love to see you.

Speaking of updates and facelifts, my brain got a facelift when I finally joined Twitter. I never found a use for it for so long, but after I signed up it took me .02 seconds to appreciate its benefits. So, if you're into that sort of thing, you can check out my tweets.

Also make sure to take a peek at the Current and Upcoming section to the left, there. I've added an appearance at New England Comics for Free Comic Book Day and another AIB illustration show with Glovebox! The fun never stops!

Area BYOB 51

2011-04-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

The title of next month's BYOB is "Yeast of Eden." I think that's all you need to know to get where I'm coming from.

It made me feel a heckuva lot better as a vastly imperfect artist when I parodied Michelangelo and noticed all his imperfections. For instance, his women look like dudes.

Just sayin'.

You're still one of the best, Mikey.

Organized Sound?

2011-04-01T06:14:00.001-07:00

My alma mater, the Art Institute of Boston, has begun hosting weekly figure drawing sessions for AIB students, alumni and faculty. I couldn't be more thrilled!

Some 1-2 minute sketches.

10-20 minute drawings.

The moderator had asked the model if he was okay with listening to music. "Music? You mean, organized sound?" he replied. I think he was joking. God, I hope he was joking.

Dr. Sketchy's On a New Night!

2011-03-28T06:24:00.001-07:00

Truth Serum Productions, who organizes the Boston chapter of Dr. Sketchy's, has added an additional monthly session! I was stoked to hear this because I had to miss this month's regular session. Our model was Malice in Wonderland (who, sadly, does not yet have a page I can link to).

I happily got the chance to play with my Valentine's Day gift from Matt - a gray ink brush pen!

Last week was a figure drawing extravaganza, so check back soon for more naked people!

The Beehive State

2011-03-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, I feel a bit sheepish having only found out about this now: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah is hosting their annual auction of painted bowling pins! And...er...today is the last day of the auction. (She said at 9:30pm, EST.) I painted this during my obsession with Pushing Daisies, in case that wasn't apparent.

So go! Quick! Check out some awesome bowling pin art! While there's still time!

Edited to add: The auction has actually ended, but you can still view the pin art! Especially check out Lucha 4 Life by my buddy, Scott Murry; Ocean Spray by my other buddy, Jana Schipper; and Jelly Fish by my other-other buddy, Taylor Seidler.

Not my buddy, but I'm also kind of in love with The Art of Adoration by Blain Hefner. He took bowling pin painting to a new level.

Happy Cow

2011-03-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a little nugget from something I'm working on at FableVision. Aw, happy wittle cow wuvs you!

I'd like to draw your attention to the "Current and Upcoming" section on the left of the blog, because it has filled up fast, my friends. First, Girls Drawin' Girls is going to be at Wondercon in San Francisco, April 1-3, and I'm going to have some merch for sale at their table! AND it'll be the print debut of Vintage Superhero! In case you forgot what she looks like...

...I'll be putting her in my Etsy shop after Wondercon is over. I won't be able to be there in person, so if you're going to Wondercon say hi to Girls Drawin' Girls for me and be the first to own this print!

Second, FableVision is having its second studio-wide art show ever at the end of April, and I get to participate this time! (I hadn't started freelancing until after their first show.) I'm pretty excited, although I haven't come up with a piece yet. Hmmm, any ideas?

Third, I'll be tabling (in person) at Maine Comics Arts Festival in May, alongside Jorge Lacera and Chad King! These guys are artists at Irrational Games and I'm stoked to share a table with them (although you may look at our art and think, "One of these things is not like the other..."). Our similarities lie in our awesomeness.

Finally, Girls Drawin' Girls will be publishing their fourth pin-up anthology this year and I am honored to be a part of it! I'll have more details as the release date (TBD) approaches.

Whew! That was a doozy! Keep your eyes peeled for more updates!

Back to Normal, With a Lesson

2011-03-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Now that we're back to this being an art blog, I'm happy to give you an advance peak at the next BYOB! I have to say that the creation of this illustration was a lesson in sucking-it-up-and-doing-the-best-job-you-can-even-if-you'd-rather-draw-something-else (is there no word for that?). In this issue, Drew Beechum writes as though he's telling a fairy tale and I got myself all psyched up to draw something fantastical. My thumbnails:

Can you tell which one I really wanted to draw? But, knowing the audience and what was more appropriate to the article, my AD chose #3. And I was bummed. I had planned #1 all out in my head and I was looking forward to tackling the illustration in a different way than I usually do, mixing traditional with digital, flexing my creative muscles. Oh, and this issue is going glossy, so I wanted the chance to really throw my heart into this illo.

But #3? I didn't have any grandiose ideas for #3. Even worse is that I--ahem--procrastinated and I worried that I wouldn't even have time to paint it traditionally! A glossy issue, and I'm wasting it on digital?! Horrors!

But I got some new brushes in Photoshop. I was recently inspired by techniques used by Vera Brosgol on this blog. So I said screw it and plugged along, filling in the blanks, grumpily and mindlessly coloring.

And then I got into it.

I was switching up brushes for different textures, I was noodling, I was setting a mood, playing with lighting, wondering who these characters were, what kind of bar this was, imagining what city it was in and whether or not it had Deer Hunter. I was lovingly painting and not just coloring. And I love how it turned out:

I'm not saying that #1 wouldn't have been effing awesome. It would have. But it's not about me, it's about what's best for the column. Sometimes you have to make yourself love what you do. (Or, at least you have to make yourself start and remember that you love what you do.) Besides, some of my best work was created in anger!

Thanks for reading my after school special. Maybe some disgruntled art student out there will find this helpful. Until next time!

BOGO

2011-03-01T06:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome to March! It's my birthday month, and I want to celebrate it with you. Blog and Facebook followers are the first to know that all month it's BUY ONE GET ONE FREE at my Etsy shop! Simply leave me a message at checkout of which additional item you'd like (of equal or lesser value).

Hopefully that will ease the pain of lousy Smarch weather!

A Drawing, What?

2011-02-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

It feels like it's been a million years since I last posted, you know, a drawing. I'm busy with an exciting project at the moment, and I thought I'd share a page of concept sketches! (I know the fish looks a bit non sequitur, but I promise it'll make sense when the project goes public.)

More exciting news and projects to come! Eight more days of 30-for-30!

Happy Birthday, Caryn!

2011-02-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law's birthday was two days ago. I belatedly gave her this:

Happy 25th, Caryn! May you have cotton candy dreams.

Happy V-Day! Here Are Some Boobs.

2011-02-14T07:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending another session of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and drawing from two awesome models, Lolli Hoops and Juicy! Their costumes were adorably Valentine's-themed and so fun!
For more drawings from this session (including my favorite of the two girls together), check out my post on Girls Drawin' Girls blog. And thanks to Lolli and Juicy for a great figure drawing session!

Satisfyingly Mathematical?

2011-02-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

Unbeknownst To Kitty Pimms, AKA Charlotte Charles...
ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper

The final piece I did for Teeny Tiny #8. After that series, I must say that I've acquired a real love of pattern. There's something so satisfyingly mathematical about it, which I admit seems strange because I have a triangle of hate-love-hate with math, so you see that hate usually wins. I guess the love-point of my triangle is a bit sharper at the moment. Would that make it an isosceles?

Not the Bees!

2011-02-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

Bumblebee Surveillance #1 and #2
ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper

A couple more pieces that are hanging in the Teeny Tiny show right now!

Is anybody else reminded of Nicholas Cage in that awful movie when thinking about bees? (Maybe the better question is, do people think about bees?)

If I May Interject, I Love the Effects

2011-02-05T14:51:00.001-08:00

Inspired by my friend, Renee Kurilla, and per her instruction, I decided to try playing around with texture in Photoshop for this month's BYOB (about giving your beer a good name). As with any first-time endeavor, I think I was a little too timid, making the brush textures too subtle and not using them very efficiently, but I think I can have some fun with this in the future. Nothing beats traditional paint, of course, but it's nice to play with a new tool! Thanks for the tip, Renee!

Apologies to those looking for day 5 of 30-for-30. I hibernated today to get rid of this cold and have yet to change out of my pajamas. You've had those days, right? I do want to thank everyone for being so supportive and encouraging of my take on the project; I'm so glad I decided to do it and I'm thrilled with being introduced to a new blog community! "Yay!" I think best sums it up.

"Sent Him Home With the Scoots..."

2011-02-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

It's Not Stalking, It's Good Old-Fashioned Chivalry

ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper

The Teeny Tiny opening is tonight! Unfortunately I'm still a sicky and I have to stay home, so please go so you can tell me all about it!

Girls Drawin' Girls!

2011-02-02T07:03:00.001-08:00

Bee Girls Newspaper Ad

ink on paper

And now for my big art news: I've been accepted into Girls Drawin' Girls! GDG is a club for lady illustrators to show off their lady-illustrating skills! I'm very honored and excited to be accepted, and I'm looking forward to future girly drawings!

In honor of the occasion, above is a pin-up-ish piece I did for the Teeny Tiny Art Show! The opening is this Friday; I hope you can make it! If not, the work is for sale on Three Graces' website and there's free shipping until March! Exclamation point!

30 for 30

2011-02-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! For the next month things are going to be a little different on the blog. Given my growing interest in fashion, I've decided to participate in Winter 2011's 30 for 30 remix challenge, devised by Kendi Everyday. In a nutshell, the challenge is to wear 30 different outfits for 30 days using a maximum of 30 pieces of clothing (including tops, bottoms, shoes, and jackets/coats). I thought it would be kind of fun to do and document here.

The idea is to post an outfit daily; I have to be honest with you, it's a busy time for me, art-wise, and I may not be able to do that. But I will photograph every outfit and you'll see them posted sooner or later! Pinky-swear!

So above is a sketch I did of my 30 pieces. Most of it is stuff I wear all the time anyway, but I threw a few wild cards in there, things that I hardly wear but I'd like to work back into my wardrobe. Hopefully this whole exercise will not only broaden the way I think about dressing myself, but also how I think about dressing my characters. Here's to the next 30 days!

Edit, 05/09/2011:
For the sake of historical documentation, I want to ensure you readers that I did, in fact, complete the challenge. However, I found that 30 posts showing photos of myself with no art didn't belong on this blog after all. So I took them down. Thanks to everyone who left awesome, supportive comments during the challenge! The fashion blogging community is truly a warm, inviting one and it was nice to be a part of it for a little while.

The Little Bee Mermaid

2011-01-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

Kitty Pimms Investigates Betty Bee

ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper

Every time I paint a redhead I think of The Little Mermaid, this particular redhead especially because I gave her almost precisely Ariel's hue. So if you know nothing about Pushing Daisies, or if you couldn't care less about it, just imagine this as a painting of Ariel decorating a wing of her palace. Eric is busy governing whatever-the-heck country he's supposed to be prince of, giving Ariel a chance to enjoy her brightly-lit study. Hexagons make her think of coral.

And if you also couldn't care less about The Little Mermaid, that means you're either (a) a boy, in which case you're simply going to have to enjoy the painting based only on its artistic merit (bummer); or (b) not worth my time. Seriously, a girl who doesn't like The Little Mermaid? Get out of my sight!

Just kidding, I can forgive you. This time.

Shiny Happy Frames

2011-01-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

Chuck Kept a Cool Head and an Open Mouth

ink, watercolor and gouache on paper

Howdy, y'all! Just wanted to give you a glimpse at what I'm scrambling to finish for the Teeny Tiny show! I had to show you how it looked framed because I feel the frame totally makes the piece. I snagged a bunch of different frames from Goodwill and painted all but one gold (the last one has blue flowers with gold trim; it was so pretty I couldn't paint over it--you'll see soon enough).

More to come!

And don't forget to RSVP for this Friday's opening, Good Vs. EEEEvil! Superheroes vs. Villains Smackdown at 242!

Bzzzzzzzz!

2011-01-23T19:52:00.001-08:00

I don't think I've ever planned so many pieces around a single episode of a tv show. Season 2, Episode 1 of Pushing Daisies, titled "Bzzzzzzz," is so visually stunning that I couldn't help but go a little nuts for hexagons!

I mean, look at this! Couldn't you just die?!

These sketches are storms of my brain. I'm looking forward to seeing how the final pieces unfold!

Screen shot from answers.com.

Stickety-Stickers!

2011-01-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

My goodies have arrived! Fancy vinyl custom stickers courtesy of Stickermule! Aren't they purty?

So remember that if you entered the giveaway, I want to send you one of these babies. I still need some addresses, so send 'em on over to me (etcrenshaw@gmail.com) or Amanda (amandaatkinsart@aol.com) and you'll get a wee present in the mail!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-01-17T15:36:00.001-08:00

Amanda has just announced the winner of my print giveaway on her blog! Congrats to Bea Modisett, I'll mail out your prize as soon as I get your address from Amanda!

I want to say a big "THANK YOU!" to everyone who entered! I'm expecting a delivery of my very first stickers ever, and when I get them I'd love to send one to everyone who took the time to enter the giveaway. Please send your mailing address either to me (etcrenshaw@gmail.com) or Amanda (amandaatkinsart@aol.com) so you can get your present (or presentS in Bea's case)!

In other news, I'll be participating in Three Graces' Teeny Tiny Art Show VIII! This is my third Teeny Tiny show and each one is a blast, so I'm really looking forward to the opening in February.

Until next time!

Bondage!

2011-01-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Matt and I joined some friends at Great Scott in Allston for another round of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School! We had the pleasure of drawing from Persephone's Playhouse, a burlesque model who also practices bondage. It made for a very interesting figure drawing session!

Thanks, Persephone and Dr. Sketchy's!

Vintage Superhero

2011-01-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

I give you my first painting of 2011, created for the upcoming Good vs. EEEEvil! exhibition at Space 242 (opening Jan. 28)! Unsurprisingly, when I first showed it to my husband he was struck by the unusual-for-me color palette. I'm usually drawn to bright colors, but I wanted this piece to have an antique look to it. I based my palette on sepia-toned photographs that were later colorized, and I'm very happy with the results!

I also wanted to mention that her costume was devised while I was watching Easy Virtue. The wardrobe in that movie is to die for!

Don't forget about the giveaway, there's still plenty of time to enter!

Giveaway!

2011-01-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

The very lovely and talented Amanda Atkins is hosting a giveaway for me on her blog! The print above is the prize; simply follow my blog or "like" my Facebook page (or do both and be entered twice!) and comment on Amanda's blog that you did so to be considered. (If you're doing one of those things already, just comment on Amanda's blog that you're a follower and/or a liker!)

A winner will be chosen in one week (Monday, Jan 17th)! Have at it!