Illustration Friday: Winter

B is for Binkwee!

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "winter".

To see more of my illustrations, please click here.

To see (twenty five!!!) previous Illustration Friday posts, please click here.

Illustration Friday: Chef

Illustration Friday - Chef

When I first started the blog, I used to participate in the Illustration Friday challenge.  It was always a lot of fun to try and interpret the theme for the week and to see how other artists interpreted it too.

I've been wanting to get back to the blog, so when I saw that the theme for this week's Illustration Friday was "Chef" I knew that I had to participate!  If I'm being totally honest, I already had this illustration spread completed, but I thought it would be the perfect way for me to ease back into 

Illustration Friday AND blogging.

(If you're interested in seeing some Illustration Friday entries 

from many moons ago, you can click here.)

Inside My Sketchbook...

(a page from my sketchbook:  "things with wings")

I created this page in my sketchbook last Thursday.  Then, the very next day, Illustration Friday announced that their weekly topic was "wings"...

I love serendipity!

(She Has A Wild Side)

This is an underpainting (in dioxazine purple) for a fun new project I'm working on.  

And, because of her studious (but sassy!) look, I think she is perfect for Illustration Friday's Teacher theme!

AEDM: Day 2

"Scary"

(mixed media on cardstock and matboard)

It's Day 2 of AEDM.  Yesterday I shared the beginning of a honey badger collage... Today I finished it. 

The original inspiration for this painting was Illustration Friday's "Scary" theme.  On the outside, honey badgers are cute and innocent (even their name is sweet), but looks can be deceiving.  According to The Guinness Book of World Records they are "the world's most fearless creatures"... They are ferocious!

What scares me?  Things that aren't as they seem...  Nastiness with an adorable exterior terrifies me.

I started this painting by using a collage technique Amy shared in her free workshop on Saturday.  She is having another free live workshop tomorrow at 2pm CST and you're invited!

(Click here for more details!)

Paint Party Friday... Bicycle?!?

This is my entry for this week's Illustration Friday theme: "Bicycle".

Wait... What?!?

Let me explain.

When I started thinking about bicycles, I thought about handlebars... Which led to me to thinking about handlebar mustaches.  Handlebar mustaches made me think of disguises.  There was a magazine sitting next to me that was open to a picture of a goldfish... I started thinking about a goldfish in disguise wearing a handlebar mustache...

Which led to this fun little painting in my sketchbook.

Don't be afraid to let your art lead you where it wants to go!

I can't wait to see where my friends over at Paint Party Friday  were led this week...  Please be sure to stop by - It's always lots of fun!

Springtime = Playtime

"Springtime" is the theme for Creative Tuesday at Mr.Toast's blog.  For me, springtime is all about rejuvenation, having fun, and play!  Since I just bought some very cool water soluble oil pastels, I thought this was the perfect opportunity for some studio playtime.  (I also added some prismacolor pencils, and the text was added in picnik.)

Speaking of play...

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "toy".  Even though I have never been much of a girly-girl, I remember enjoying playing with paper dolls at my Grandma Huber's house.  So, this week I've decided to revisit that part of my childhood and do some paper doll drawings (and paintings).

Please be sure to stop back later in the week because I'm planning on combining these two themes for Paint Party Friday.

A Painting For... Paint Party Friday!

"Shaken, Not Stirred"   16x20   acrylic on canvas

(Please excuse the glare on this photo.  The painting is still tacky.)

The phrase "Shaken, not Stirred" (made famous by James Bond, of course) is what immediately popped into my head when I heard that this week's Illustration Friday theme is "Stir".

For this painting I got back to the basics... good old fashioned acrylics (no house paint this time)!  It felt good to take a more traditional approach with my painting for this one.

A few close-ups.

I am very excited to say that this is the painting I am sharing over at the very first Paint Party Friday!  Whee!!!

I will be popping in throughout the day tomorrow (at the Paint Party Friday blog) to chat and see what everyone else is up to!  I'd love it if you would join us... Eva and I can't wait!

Sunday Sketches: Another "Warning"

This page from my sketchbook was my original idea for Illustration Friday's "Warning".  Coal miners used to use canaries as an early warning system (because the canaries would be killed by any toxic gases in the mine before harming the miners). 

It turns out that a pink elephant is more my style, so this idea never made it past this quick sketch... Sometimes that happens.

While I was sketching I couldn't get the song "Canary in a Coalmine" by the Police out of my head, so I decided to add the lyrics to the page.  I've posted the video for this song below in case you haven't heard it before.  But...

Warning:

This song may get stuck in your head!

Please be sure to stop by Sophia's blog to see what my friends have going on in their heads!

A Whimsical Warning in Black, White, and... Pink?!?

"Pink Patchwork Elephant"   10 1/2 x 11   Mixed Media on Wood

Warning:

If you see a pink elephant, you've probably had too much to drink.

Well, this is what mixed-media multi-tasking looks like.  The theme at Illustration Friday is "Warning",  the theme at Inspiration Avenue is "Black White and Pink", and... there are few things more whimsical than a pink elephant, so this is my entry for Whimsical Wednesday (a day early)!

This is another one of my "reverse" paintings (using one of my left-handed elephants from this post) and I had so much fun creating it I wanted to share the process with you:

Don't forget to stop by the Paint Party Friday blog...

  The fun starts on March 18th!

Celestial Swarm

"Celestial Swarm"   16x20   mixed media on canvas

(prints available in my etsy shop)

When I googled the word "swarm" (Illustration Friday's theme) I was amazed at all of the photos of swarming butterflies!  (I had no idea they did that!)  It seemed almost otherworldly, which led me to incorporate Inspiration Avenue's "celestial" theme...  That is how my mixed media painting "Celestial Swarm" was born.

I had lots of fun playing with textures and patterns...

This is how the painting started out.  I am really getting into layers lately...

What are you getting into?

Don't forget to mark your calendar - Paint Party Friday starts on March 18th!

Opposites

I am

pencil lines on 120 lb paper... crayons and fingerpaints on a paper bag

traditionally rendered with careful details... stylized forms loosely drawn

black, white and shades of gray... bright, bold and beautiful colors

soft pastels and watercolor washes... expressive acrylics fearlessly splashed

I am layer upon layer in an ever-changing, ever-evolving collage

I am

still figuring it out.

Today's Sunday Sketch was inspired by February's "opposites" theme over at The Sketchbook Challenge blog.  Have you visited that blog yet?  So, so much inspiration - it's fantastic.

After I drew this self portrait, I discovered that this week's Illustration Friday theme is "layer".  Hmmm... that seems to fit too.  Don't you just love it when that happens?

Don't forget to stop by Sophia's blog to see what my friends have created this week!

Dust Bunny Love

This week's theme over at Illustration Friday is "dusty".  Well, if I'm being completely honest, I probably know more about that topic than I should.  With all of the fun creative projects I'm currently working on (including a super-cool one with EVA), dusting the house is pretty low on the priority list.  Hee hee.

And if there is one thing I know about dust bunnies - When a couple of them get together...

They multiply!

Since I'm choosing to embrace and laugh about the dusty little critters hanging out in the corners of my house, this is also my entry for Whimsical Wednesday.

Charles the Chicken

Standing up on stage, Charles discovered that singing in front of a crowd might not be so easy after all.

It was at that moment he realized he truly was chicken.

Since I am working on multiple projects (including a fun one with EVA), Charles will remain a sketch in my sketchbook for the time being...

Please be sure to stop by the Illustration Friday site for more chicken art!

Sunday Sketches (Mail Edition)

Snail Mail!

This week's sketch was inspired by Illustration Friday's "mail" theme.  It seemed only natural that my snail friend who keeps popping up in my artwork should make another appearance!

This painting was created using watercolor crayons, prismacolor pencils and a micron pen on a distressed envelope.

After I finished this silly little painting I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny to actually send someone some 'snail mail'?!?"  So I created blank notecards with this image printed on them.  (They are now available in my etsy shop if you're interested in sending some good old fashioned 'snail mail' too!)

Don't forget to visit Sophia's blog to see what my friends have been up to this week!

Illustration Friday: Prehistoric

Eye   Love   Ewe

A "prehistoric" love note.

xo

Kristin

Day 30!!! (30 in 30 for 30)

"Margarita"  8x10  acrylic on canvas

available here

After a month of finished paintings every day, I need a drink!  Just kidding... for today's painting I am toasting all of my fellow AEDM creatives (and all of the people who have supported and encouraged us) as we celebrate day 30!  Congratulations - this one's for you!

Since I am going to "savour" this feeling of accomplishment, this painting also serves as my entry for this week's Illustration Friday challenge.

A lot of people have been asking me if I will continue in December.  Well as the expression goes, "No rest for the wicked."  I will be taking tomorrow to recover from my painting hangover, then it's right back to creating for me...

December will be my Sketchbook Project month (since it is still in pieces from changing the paper I have my work cut out for me).  It's okay though - as much as I love to paint, I really miss drawing.  Not quick, put your ideas to paper sketches (I've been doing that all along), but take your time, finish, shade, and possibly even color drawings.

Stay tuned...  December is going to be busy!

Day 24 (30 in 30 for 30)

"Sneaky"  8x10  acrylic on canvas

Today's painting was inspired by Illustration Friday's "Sneaky" theme.  It is also my contribution to this week's Whimsical Wednesday.

It has been quite a day!  Early this morning I went into my studio to prime my canvas for today's painting.  The lid was stuck so I did what I always do - I started banging it against the side of my art table.  Unfortunately, the lid wasn't as stuck as I originally thought... it went flying and my jug of gesso spilled and sprayed all over my art table and the surrounding area.  I should also explain that since I do a lot of painting I don't buy the small bottles of gesso, I buy economy sized jugs!  Oh what a mess!

As I cleaned it up I remembered the children's book by James Stevenson - "Could be Worse!".   It's all over the wood floor I lovingly refinished 2 years ago ("could be worse" - it could be carpet).  It's all over my pajama pants and in between my toes ("could be worse" - I could have been wearing a favorite pair of pants or my sock monkey slippers).  It's on my shelves and my blank sketchbook project pages ("could be worse" - it could have gotten on the cover that I already finished)... I'm sure you get the idea.  Even though it was reminiscent of a crime scene, remembering that it "could be worse" helped me get through the hour of clean-up!

Be sure to stop by the Creative Every Day blog to see more day 24 art!  

Day 15 (30 in 30 for 30) Burning Love!

"Burning Love"  8x10  Acrylic on Canvas

Burning Love

As things started to heat up, their love quickly went from raw sienna to burnt umber...

Isn't that always the case with a couple of crazy painted cookies in love?!? 

Today's painting was inspired by Illustration Friday's theme:  "Burning".

Do you remember my buffalo painting from day 11?  Well, the original buffalo sketches were created for my illustrated Buffalo Wing Dip recipe.  If you would like to see the larger version (and try the recipe - yum!) you can head over to They Draw and Cook because they posted it today.

I found out that my "Picasso Dog" was featured in dolphinlady's treasury today... cool.

Now that I've opened my etsy shop I am working hard to try and regain my balance (not that I was all that balanced before!)...  I would love to hear any tips you may have for how you manage your time to get things done!

And... Don't forget to check out Day 15 over at the Creative Every Day blog!

Day 8 (30 in 30 for 30)

"Afterward" 8x10 acrylic on canvas

I created today's painting with Illustration Friday's theme ("afterward") in mind.

It's Day 8 (wow - time is flying!) over at the Creative Every Day blog... Don't forget to stop by!