Rozzie Land

Illustration friday- Legendary

Noah's Ark: Truth or Legend? 

Regardless, it sure is a fun subject to illustrate!

IF: flawed

A flaw in the making.

I worked on this over the weekend for my portfolio. I would love to do a nursery rhyme book. 

I'm sitting here waiting for the Super Bowl to start. Go CARDINALS!!!

IF: climbing

Baby duck likes climbing on mummy to have a chat.

I'm starting to get the hang of cs4. One little nuisance (for me) is that the path's I create with the pen tool are more transparent than in cs2 so sometimes it's hard to see what I'm doing. But I'm getting used to it. I don't have a choice, haha! I don't have any other versions I can revert to on here (mac).

It looks like we are going to get a ton of snow here tonight! Possibly 6 inches by Wednesday. I'm excited. I haven't seen snow like that since I lived in DC several years ago. 

Illustration Friday- Pretend

IF- Punchline

Two children were chatting...

Child 1: My mom's having a new baby. 

Child 2:   Whats wrong with the old one?

HAHHAHA!

 

Illo Friday- Worry

Don't worry, be happy!

Illustration Friday- Homage

I pay homage to the precious babies in our lives.

Still experimenting with digital art. If nothing else, it sure helps with the planning stages of the felt versions.

IF- Heavy

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

~ Irish Blessing

Happy Belated St. Patty's Day!

Contrary Mary

Here is the felt version of the illustration I posted last week.

Illustration Friday- Garden

I have been having so much fun learning Adobe Illustrator. Here is one of my "experiments".
I'm working on a felt version of this for my "March" illustration, keeping with the goal of a new felt illustration per month.

Illustration Friday- Choose

Okay, you choose. Who is more scared, Miss Muffet or the spider?
I know...bit of a stretch on the theme but there you go.

Illustration Friday- Tales and Legends

Here is the finished piece from the sketch I shared last week. It also works well for this weeks I.F. theme, "Tales and Legends".
Here's more on the legend of the mermaid.

Illo Friday- Stitch

I couldn't resist participating this week. This is a commissioned piece I did for a wonderful little girl's bedroom.

IF: I spy...

Land?

Illo Friday- Portrait

This weeks Illustration Friday topic is "portrait". Here is a self portrait I did when I signed on with my rep recently. I think from now on I'll stick to using animals for my self portrait because this look has already changed!

I now have blond hair and no glasses. Yep! I went this week and got blond highlights and about 3 inches chopped off. It's hot here, I had to do something!

Illustration Friday- Spotted

The spotted puppy saves the day!

illo friday- speed

I'm coming in kind of late with my illo friday contribution.(not even going to bother posting it to illo friday site) But I thought this little guy would be appropriate.
"Slow and steady wins the race", as they say.

"Speed" is something I'm always battling. I try to rush and do too much and in the end make myself physically ill and burned out.

I want to slow down and enjoy the process, y'know? Savor the journey regarding all aspects of my life. Really, that's what it's all about isn't it? Enjoying the here and now because who knows what tomorrow will bring.

On the homefront we have been dealing with the shock that a dearly loved family member has been diagnosed with an aggressive , incurable cancer. We're all having a difficult time grasping and accepting the situation. It has only been three years since my husbands mom lost her battle with cancer and now it's his dads turn. 

Here is a picture of my lovely father in law, "pops" with his new bride ,Ms. Sue. She has been such a blessing for all of us. We would appreciate prayers if you feel a prompting to do so.

As my friend snowbear would say..

*Hatu*-- hugs across the universe

illo friday- spring

This piece has recently retired from the ol' portfolio but I think I'd like to redo it at some point with a better quality felt.

Illo friday- MONSTER

Well, there she is again, batting her eye lashes trying to invade your thoughts.

Miss Prissy, Little  Pain In The Bottom, Green Eyed Monster.
She can be a pesky monster that likes to mess with your self esteem, make you question your talent and direction. She even has a clever knack of skewing reality and reeking havoc on your state of mind.

Don't let her do it to you. Tell her to be on her merry way and bother someone else because you have better things to do than spend time with her!

We've all been there and it's something we're not proud of admitting. But let's face it , this field gives one ample opportunities to get a little green. I'm a freelance children's book illustrator because ....I want to illustrate children's books. When one of my ever so talented friends gets that "dream assignment" or achieves the goal that I have set for myself yet haven't quite reached...sure it affects me.

But you know what? I don't think "envy" is really the appropriate label for this feeling. I think we're simply experiencing, yearning. A yearning because we too want to be a success at what what we do.

So how do I handle Miss Prissy, Little Pain In The Bottom,Green Eyed Monster?

*Well, first I take a soak in a hot bath and sulk.

*Then,I try to remind myself that we all have a purpose in this world and since I truly feel like this career is where I belong...then the opportunities will come...when it's time.

*And then I try to focus on what I have achieved so far and count my blessings because there are many.

*Then I scold myself for a few minutes when I realize that I should be more grateful and stop comparing myself to others.

*And finally, I work on a plan. What can I work on next? What can I do today to get one step closer towards my goal?

Yes, Miss Prissy ,Little Pain In The Bottom ,Green Eyed Monster I see you there batting your eyelashes at me. Go on now,scoot,I have work to do.

=o)

Illustration Friday - Feet

Remember when you were little and it was so exciting to see how much you had grown in a year?

Illustration Friday~ tea

I love tea, hot and cold! Here is an illustration I did for "Hopscotch Magazine". It accompanied a poem called, "The Picky Eater" about a kangaroo who invites his friend over for tea. Unfortunately the koala would have preferred a bit of eucalyptus instead.

I've been thinking about redoing this with felt. May play with that soon.

Illo Friday- Fresh

"Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever fresh and radiant possibility." ~ Kate Douglas Wiggin

I found another quote, "don't step in a fresh turd on a hot day."

Lucky for you , I didn't have an illustration to go along with it!

Illo Friday- Escape

This weeks Illo Friday theme is "escape".  Here is a  pet show gone awry. I did this illustration a while back for a promotional postcard mailing.

Illo Friday- Roots

"Love is the essence of human experience and emotion. It is at the root of all and everything we, as humans, do. Without love, what do we have to live for?" ~ Anonymous

With everything that has been going  on with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I was so happy to find this quote.

We all want to make a difference and help during this time of tragedy. Through our monetary donations or gifts of our time, we can.

Illo Friday- Dream

 Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.~ Anonymous

I really like this quote.

It's so exciting when we have a dream, isn't it? A vision of something that we want to accomplish that keeps us up at night just thinking about all the possibilities!

Then... the hard part comes, working our dream into a reality. GROAN. It may take weeks, months or even years to reach our goals and often along the way we will encounter discouragement and uncertainty.

One of the most self-sabotaging things we can do is compare ourselves to others.  I have been guilty of this myself and if you want to set yourself off course, well by golly, that's a guaranteed way to do it!

Don't go there. When you see others doing well in an area that you are pursuing, celebrate their accomplishments! One day it will be you. I truly believe that there is a great plan for all of us. More importantly, everyone's journey is unique and often we have to keep our blinders on and stay true to our own path. Timing is everything.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to "pollyanna" you to death with this post! But I do feel I can talk from experience.

I have been illustrating professionally for nearly 6 years.  If I look at it day by day , I've accomplished my goals at a snails pace. But what is important is that I HAVE accomplished goals and achieved things I never would have dreamed starting out! And the same will be true for you once you start stepping out in faith and putting that extra effort towards your goal.

Yes, you will experience rejection. Yes, you will hit roadblocks and detours. But I can tell you with complete certainty that if you embrace the set backs, they will lead you in directions you may not have even considered otherwise.

Here's a good article by fellow illustrator , Amy Moreno. She sat down and reevaluated her goals and shared them this week on her blog.

What are my dreams?

*To have Emma Felt published and in the hands of toddler girls everywhere.

*To have a series of "Felt" books.

*To be illustrating numerous toddler books in my felt collage style.

Okay...time to get to work on making that a reality!

Illo Friday- Reflection

 

As soon as I saw this weeks illo-friday prompt, "reflection", I was reminded of a dummy-book that I worked on several years ago.

It was during Susan Hartungs Illustration Course and I decided to create a dummy around Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, "The Little Land".
You know what...I may have to revisit this dummy. I think it just might have some potential!

Illo friday- wisdom

Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child."

~ Ron Wild quotes

Illo friday- Empty

We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled but as candles to be lit.

~ Robert Shaffer

With all the tidying we've been doing to get ready for our move, I came across this. It was done a few years ago when I started trying to create a unique style for myself. Painted fabric with thread embellishments came before the felt. This little picture had me pulling my hair out! Looking at it with fresh eyes I can see some things that I'd like to incorporate into the work I do now. Such as the frayed fabric for the dog. hmm...

tranquility

"It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation, which give happiness."~ Thomas Jefferson

All is right with the world when I really get in to a piece I'm working on.

Illo Friday- Sport

This little guy is gazing at the stars after a fun filled day of playing football.
Actually this is a portion of a portfolio reject. He's actually looking at a moon wearing a nightcap but the moon is awwwwful.
It's a shame when you finish a piece and it doesn't come out the way you had hoped, isn't it?

lllo Friday- Hero

"King Frog" is the hero of this story that I illustrated for Perfection Learning last summer.  The cat does not like the frog and thinks he is a show off. That is, until one day when she falls in the river and can't get out. She finds he's not so bad after all. =o)

Illo Friday- Summer

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

~ Ada Louise Huxtable

IF-aquatic

This weeks Illustration Friday theme is "aquatic". This is an illustration from an internet song book "barnyard babies" that I did some time ago. I may take this one and redo it in felt one day to see how it turns out!

Illo Friday- Reinvent

"Children reinvent your world for you."~ Susan Sarandon

I'm way behind with this. It's a very rough idea sketch for my next felt piece which will be going along with a poem I've written. I Plan on submitting it to magazine publishers when it's finished. I'll show it to you when it's done.

Illo Friday- Alone

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. " ~ Calvin Coolidge

Oh, I love this quote. I have relied heavily on persistence and determination to help me move forward in children's publishing. I have seen some very talented illustrators (and authors) give up way too soon and it saddens me. This is a tough business but it IS possible if we don't give up.
The illustration above is one that I did quite some years ago as an assignment for the Susan Hartung illustration course I took. One of my favorite activities as a child was spending time "alone" reading. Funny, we don't change very much as we age, do we?

Illo Friday- Travel

Another image from "Luke & Duke" published by Perfection Learning.

Illustration Friday theme is "travel" this week.

Illo Friday- Crowded

  This is the cover page for a 'sing a long e-book' I did a few years ago. It was really fun but was a 'royalty only' set up with www.mightybook.com.

( I just noticed that they have the book I did on the home page to view!)

It might be different now, I don't know. If you are looking to get a publishing credit, may be something to consider. I do actually receive royalty payments but it's just enough to pay for a few art supplies here and there.  Still, It was a lot of fun to work on and a very positive experience. Great people.

Illo friday- Bloom

"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."~ Thich Nhat Hanh

This weeks theme for illustration Friday is "bloom".  I don't know if I'll have this done by Friday so I thought I'd share the sketch I'm working on just in case. This will be created with felt  & embellishments. I need to send a postcard to places that have me on file and this will be the image I use. "Felt Like Spring".

And it sure does feel like spring here today in Texas. Beauteeful!

illo friday- Fragile

"Friendships are fragile things, and require as much handling as any other fragile and precious thing." ~Randolph S. Bourne

One week, I promise i'm going to take time to create a fresh piece. Not going to happen this week, though, kiddos are home for spring break!

Illo Friday- Ancient

" Ancient lovers believed a kiss would literally unite their souls, because the spirit was said to be carried in one's breath."~ Eve Glicksman quotes.

This illustration was done for an online magazine called "Wee Ones" a couple of years ago. It went with a story about a little girl that has allergies and sneezes a lot. Here, she is supposed to be kissing the prince in the school play. teehee.   

Illo Friday-Jazz

Hi all, Coming in a bit early with my illo friday again this week. The theme is "jazz".
This is another illustration taken from "Luke & Duke", a first grade reader for "Perfection Learning".

Illo Friday- SORROW

"I can't think of any sorrow in the world that a hot bath wouldn't help, just a little bit." ~ Susan Glasee

I had an entirely different image in mind until I came across this quote.  I can really identify with this!

Illo friday- Flight

As you can see , I'm posting a pretty old illustration but It was what came to mind when I read this weeks challenge. This was done for a children's magazine and the story was about a little boy that didn't like eating brussel sprouts because they looked like little aliens to him. hahaha Cute story and was really fun to work on. Happy ending to the story , his mom talks him into eating the veggies. Will never happen in this household but I keep trying.    =O)

Illo Friday- Year of the Rooster

Happy Illo Friday everyone! I didn't realize it until this week that I was born in the year of the rooster. Interesting!

My interpretation of the rooster was inspired by the polish art of paper cutting called wycinanki (vee-chee-non-kee). I love the vibrant colors they use with black customarily used in the background to make the colors pop. It was a bit tricky trying to create with felt instead of paper but fun nonetheless!

Illo Friday- Friendship

"But most of all, Luke liked Duke. And Duke liked Luke!"

From the book I illustrated for Perfection Learning, "Luke & Duke".

It was such a fun story to work on.

Illo Friday- GLUTTONY

This is the artist,then,life's hungry man, the glutton of eternity, beauty's miser, glory's slave. ~ Thomas Wolfe

Illo Friday- SEASONS

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ~ Galatians 6:9

Illo Friday - BALANCE

  Okay, I've caved. I had promised myself that I would really wait this time 'til Friday to post my illustration but I didn't. 

The theme this week is "balance". This one has two meanings. 1) If you balance just right, you just might get it to say the number that you want.

2) Eating balanced meals help, Roz!!

CURSE YOU PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE AND EGGNOG.

Illo Friday- Disaster Relief

This weeks topic for "illustration friday" Is "disaster relief". I wasn't a bit surprised to see this theme pop up.  I think the entire world is devastated by the tsunami disaster. When it came to creating an image though, I'm afraid I took a different route than my fellow illustrators. While they created powerful and moving images , I decided on a picture of me cleaning.  gulp. Why ?  After two weeks of holiday visitors and children being home from school ...the house turned into a disaster area in and of itself. As I pickup , dust, grumble and groan ,I'm reminded of how very fortunate I am to have a home to clean, children to clear up after and a family still alive/safe to come visit. Tragedy does that to you.

For those interested in donating to the tsunami relief, here are some links to some reliable charities:

Unicef

Red Cross via Amazon.com

Oxfam America

Illustration Friday- MAGIC

Illustration Friday is here again and the theme is "magic" I thought I'd show you a piece that I did several years ago that I thought was appropriate. This was created when I first got interested in illustration. I took an on line course by Susan Hartung and this was one of the assignments....to create a magical scene from a story passage she provided.  I would highly recommend this class if you are interested in becoming an illustrator. Be warned, she is a tough cookie but boy is she spot on. I learned so much from her and probably the best thing was the experience of having someone evaluate my pieces and critique. That was one of the hardest things for me initially...to show my work and have it judged.

This piece for instance....I was in a crit group and I got the thumbs up from all of the members. They absolutely loved it and couldn't wait for me to submit and see what she (susan) had to say.  I was so proud...one of the best pieces I'd done so far! (did any of you watch "a christmas story" and how proud Ralphie was with his term paper about the rifle he wants to get?? That was me, imagining a glowing report . A+ A+ A+ !!)

NOT...she absolutely butchered it to pieces.  She really hated it, it was obvious.  I was gutted to say the least.  You want to know what she said, right? Okay, it's been a few years so I'll paraphrase...

The doorway to the hole , definitely didn't read well to her. muddy colors of the hole (yes it's supposed to be a cave) would have been better in blues and purples. Box colors overworked. mass of frogs disappearing into the background , not effective. And the scarf flying out of the box was terrible...looked more like a flying carpet.

That tough critique helped me in so many ways, I can't tell you. I hadn't had a "real" assignment from a publisher yet and this really helped prepare me. No matter how wonderful you may think a piece is, there are going to be people that don't. You can't please everyone  all of the time and the trick is  to detach yourself enough from a piece and remember that you are providing a service.

Just recently I finished a book for an educational publisher and the AD drew right over the top of each frog that I had drawn. That was a tough one to swallow but again has helped me grow as an illustrator.  ( I still like my froggies better but that's not the point).

Happy illustrating!