An Eyeball, a Poem, and Purple Things (in Copics)

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The Eyeball Jellyfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, gel pen, Prismacolor pencil

My first little art card to inspire a poem! (Don’t worry, it’s quite short):

The eyeball could not recall when, or how, it had ended up 
on the floor and in this quiet corner, away from the worst of 
the hard light of the sun. 

As the years passed, its bottom gently 
flattened and inside, the twin jellyfish circled
lazily, much as they had always done.

For a monochromatic swap at illustratedatcs.com, and a prompt with the ambiguous phrase “eyeball jellyfish” – which led to this card and this poem. Here’s the rest of the set!

The Mysterious Girl; Cat, Hat, Owl; and Purple Octi
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ pen and ink, Copics

I’m not sure it’s strictly monochromatic, what with the red-violets (verging on pink!) and the blue-violets, as well as black and white. But limiting colors is always a fun challenge! The prompts for these three were, “masquerade”, “owls in hats and/or cats in hats” and “octopus”. Thanks for stopping in! (No progress pics – but I’ll have some next time.) :)

A Woodland Book Club for Illustration Friday

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Josey & Ivan at the Woodland Book Club
8″ x 9″ Pen and ink, Copics, digital sky

For the topic “Eye Glasses” at Illustration Friday.

The Woodland Book Club meets once a month to discuss a book chosen by popular vote. This week it’s Tailchaser’s Song, by Tad Williams. Every member of the Book Club wears eye glasses which is great business for Josey, an ophthalmologist. Some members don’t even need a corrective prescription – they just like to wear them as a token of membership.

Josey and Ivan always get to the Book Club early. They like to try to guess who has finished the book as each member arrives.

I was going to finish the tree more but decided to leave it. Thanks for stopping in! I’m really trying to get back to two posts a week.

A Story That Was

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This is a story I wrote once about two roommates and their cat.  [Technically not a story at all. Would not even qualify as a short short. But that's ok.] These are the two roommates:

Dean, a steampunk goat and Chaz, a steampunk llama
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ pen and ink, circa approximately October 2011

DEAN:

Dean starting inventing eyepieces in seventh grade. The first had a rudimentary long-focus device which he made in order to better see Eliza, a popular and adorable Nubian, across the playground. Yes, of course they had a playground in seventh grade. These are farmyard type creatures, after all. Need their sunshine. Just like people actually, but that’s another story, isn’t it?

It is many years later now, and in that funny way life has of going in circles, Dean and Eliza are now dating. She doesn’t even remember him from seventh grade. Which he couldn’t be happier about.

Dean is also Chaz’s roommate (Chaz is an inventor and a llama). They have a blue and green cat named Phil who has about as much interest in their inventions as he has in other cats, which is to say, absolutely none.

CHAZ:

Chaz the blue llama is an inventor, first. The bird shaped device he is wearing over one eye is made of leather, brass and various metals. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, he is particularly proud of the tiny wing fashioned from an orange washer. The mechanism, with a cable connected to a power source in his front pocket, has both long-focus and enhanced night vision capabilities.

And this is the cat:

Phil the Cat
2.5″ x 3.5″ Art Card, pen and ink

PHIL:

This is Phil, a serious, colorful cat with one green eye and one golden eye . He lives with a llama (Chaz) and a goat (Dean). Phil is interested in tin foil and the mythology of the cat goddess Bast. Phil’s theory is that Bast was a space traveler whose ship experienced a major electrical malfunction that not only forced her landing in the Nile Valley, but caused her to bestow upon humans the scientific advances that she intended to give to cats.

Phil does not like other cats, believing they squander their superior intellect in the misguided pursuit of the perfect sun spot.

I was going through some older Etsy sales recently (in the case of Dean, above  - October 2012) and ran across my little tale about Dan, the steampunk goat, and Chaz, a steampunk llama. And their cat, Phil. And I realized I had forgotten it. So part of the reason for this post is to remember! But I thought you might like to read it, too.

Thanks for reading this far! You’re the best. ;)

 

The Messenger, for Illustration Friday

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The Messenger
5″ x 7″ pen and ink, digital sky

For the topic “Talent” at Illustration Friday. He is the very best at delivering messages. The truth is, I originally envisioned a pile of creatures atop this old-fashioned bicycle, a circus-style balancing act. But that is not what happened!

Children sometimes see the messenger, but rarely adults. He is one of five sprites of the faerie realm who run important missions between our two worlds. This messenger carries just one message at a time. Often very grave or urgent messages! But  it is not for me to share his secrets.

Apologies to those who find such things as faeries and fairies and sprites and magic, entirely preposterous and beneath the interests of mature and intelligent folk. We will have to agree to disagree. I certainly prefer them to political scandals and sports dynasties!

A few notes: I believe this fellow would have fared better if the plain inked version had been colored in Photoshop. But I do not have Photoshop, nor am I a digital artist. But I do use paint.NET for touch-ups and for clouds. Saves on markers; makes nice clouds.

Thanks for visiting! Have a great March. :)

A Dogs and Ponies Show, in Copics

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Niles with Fez, and Greta Dog
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ ATCs, Copics on Bristol

Like many of you these past weeks, I got sick! I think it is a nasty cold and not the flu. Still – arrrgh! I have been trying through the kleenex to complete some ATCs, including these two silly canines – one or both of which may join my Art Card Dogs project!

Niles is a bit of a hipster dog. He doesn’t even mind the label. The fez was a joke from a friend, and Niles thinks it’s an even better joke to keep wearing it!

Greta is a big fan of 80′s metal hair bands like Cinderella and Nelson. She doesn’t like the music much – she just likes the hair! She has recently dyed her ears purple.

I’ve also completed a couple horses for my first hosted swap at illustratedatcs.com – horses! Holy cow, have I had trouble with the horses. Many sketches went awry. So far I’ve come up with these slightly less realistic ponies. One day perhaps I’ll share the ones who did not make it. ;)

Luanne & Nelson ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics on Bristol

LuAnne is a bit shy but very sweet. Nelson is a bit of  modest prankster and also a big hit at black light parties.

And one more thing! I was recently interviewed by a brand new ATC site for kids, atcsjr.com. Maybe you know some young folks who would enjoy it! The interview is here. Thanks for stopping by!

Two Woolly Sheep for Illustration Friday

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Two Woolly Sheep
5″ x 7″ Copic markers with digital frame

For the topic “Wool” at Illustration Friday. Did not manage an entry for Wheel or Storm but hope to be back in the saddle with these crazy sheep. My intention recently is to cut back on the thick black outlines. I did a bit of that, but could have done more! Still, I think the woolly parts are rather neatly colorful.

And here’s the last cat ATC for the cat swap I was working on:

Peach and Banana
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic markers

Peach (the cat) and Banana (the bird) were named by a three-year old. Banana seems to think Peach is her mother. Peach tolerates this with as much dignity as possible.

Thanks for stopping in! New dogs posted at the Art Card Dogs project, if you’re following that thing. (Might be cats after that, who knows!)

Sheep reference photos one and two.

Three Copic Art Cards, a Fae and Two Cats

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Post #150. Where does the time go?!

Amy Fae
2.5″ x 3.5″ markers, pen and ink

Amy belongs to the Northern River Pixie Clan. The Northerners can speak to more of the animals than any of the other clans, though they are poorer at gardening and plant speak. Amy has a particular affinity for small wildcats. And she is Maiden #67.

Next, more cats! For a cat swap at illustratedatcs.com. (I may even do an art card cat project after the dogs. Or maybe it will be sheep. Or llamas. Or farm animals. Oh dear.)

The Patron Cat of Saints, and Ed Cat
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copic markers.

First scrapped title: Enigmati-cat. Second scrapped title: Saint Gretchen.They call her Gretchen though none know her true name. She has been depicted in holy ancient artworks spanning two centuries and sightings continue to this day, usually near a site of religious significance.

The grey cat with the fancy tie is Ed Cat. He does not like you. Or rather, he wants you to think he does not like you, to retain his haughty cat street cred. But really he does like you, and he will sneak onto your lap (or possibly your head), if you ignore him properly.

I really must get back to Illustration Friday! I don’t know the word yet but I will definitely do the next one! Thanks for stopping in!

And the Dogs Played On, More Copic ATCs

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I know you didn’t think I was done with dogs yet!

Clockwise from top left:
Blue Sebastian, Lizzie, Booda, Harrington
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards, Copics.

Since being told he is a “mixed breed”, Sebastian has taken to wearing archaic accessories of the landed gentry. In fact, he will be more than happy to provide you with many peculiar facts about the fashion choices of the upper crust from ages past. He makes a lot of it up, I think.

Lizzie is about 10 months old. We’re not sure where she found this little monocle and leather cap, but she won’t give them up. Her favorite book is “Harriet the Spy”.

Booda is a quiet, reflective fellow who teaches meditation to dogs with aggressive tendencies, to great effect. He lived for a time in the Northern California foothills with a small group of Tibetan monks.

Harrington comes from old money, all the way down the line. Or at least, that’s what he’s been telling everyone. He’s also been watching Downton Abbey with something approaching religious fervor. He does look smart with an ascot!

I also did a cute little cat today, intentionally leaving off the thick black outlines I usually add.  She is part of a cat ATC swap:

Agatha with Toy
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, Microns, gel pen

Thanks for visiting! I hope to join Illustration Friday this week, but “Storm” hasn’t inspired me quite yet. Not as many progress shots this time, but it’s just an anomaly, not a trend!

Oh! And one more thing. I have been told I have fans in the form of a 9th grade class in Canada. Thank you so much for the lovely note! If you let me know what you’ve been working on, maybe I can join in.

More Goofy Art Card Dogs in Copics

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Clockwise from top left: Beatnik Bruce, Flower the Environmentalist, Eddison, Professor Gabriel Each 2.5" x 3.5" art cards. Copic markers on smooth Bristol.

Clockwise from top left:
Beatnik Bruce, Flower the Environmentalist, Eddison, Professor Gabriel
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copic markers on smooth Bristol.

Bruce started off as a hipster (in the sketch) but his Beat credentials have won out. He’s published three chapbooks of poetry and is a canine lit professor at a tiny liberal bark school.

Flower is an older student working towards a Masters in Environmental Law, and Gabriel was her Sociology 1200 professor. After completing the class, they began meeting socially for coffee.  I understand they are quite smitten with each other at this point.

Eddison is a bit of a mystery because he doesn’t say much. He keeps a beautiful garden however, and is rumored to have a slight crush on the local librarian.

Four new pups for my 30 Art Card dogs project. I am slowly replacing some of the older dogs with newer dogs that better reflect my current ability (and include more detail/accessories). Many of the pups are available in my shop, or possibly visiting for a while in my personal stash before they make it to the shop. ;)

Speaking of current ability, I thought I’d post some dogs from the very first art cards I did about two years ago, having just gotten back into drawing after many years away. Apparently I was quite fond of green backgrounds then!

Three Early Dog ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″, markers, pen and ink.

I’d say it’s quite a striking difference! Practicing does pay off people, so don’t give up! Lots of progress pics below. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Spirit of the Forest for Illustration Friday

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Spirit of the Forest, Autumn
8 x 10 Copic Markers

For the topic “Wings” at Illustration Friday. The Autumn Spirit has one brother – the Spring Spirit, and they have two sisters, Summer and Winter.

I was afraid to color this because I really liked the sketch. This is a problem digital artists do not face! Also, the solid green in the background was not the best move. Arrgh.

Thanks for visiting!

Fox reference photo.