New ideas for Spring…

Kicking it old school.. what do you think? Should I do more handpainted patterns?

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Sketch to finish..

Want to see how I do my vector doodles?

First I start with a doodle, then I re-draw the doodle with my fancy art pens, then I scan the image and auto trace the image in Illustrator. After I clean it up and add some color it still looks hand drawn, but it’s vector! Neat, huh?
Okay.. the art pens aren’t that fancy.

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Holiday Fun in the Sun

Ahh! June.. the best time to get outside, enjoy the sun, and work on some Holiday prints!
Getting ready for Printsource August! Simply the best time of year to be in NYC. I’m looking forward to it already! Didn’t I just get back?

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Warm and fuzzy

A new sketch for a New Years and Holiday theme. Never a good reason to not paint bunnies, swirls and stars. So far this autumn has been suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder but it’s not hard to think about the coming holidays with the crisp nights and their deep, clear skies. The smell of fireplaces and wood stoves somehow make my stomach rumble and I dream of coffee and pie as I pass the farms on my way home at night.

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Fall Fox sketch

Not too late in the fall to start painting this lil’ guy!
For those of you who are coming across this site by googling ‘acrylic paint in my hair’ in order to see if you can give yourself a homemade dye job for upcoming Halloween parties using plastic based paints… I assure you it’s not a good idea. As I do it accidentally every time I sit at my desk I can testify that cutting it out is inevitable. And even if  you do wash it out before it dries the split-ends are not worth you squirting Liquitex onto your head. Grab some Manic Panic at your local Hot Topic and enjoy your night.

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Happy Fluffy Uni-Love!

Here is a sketch that is actually almost finished being painted by now, but why not show it anyhow.  I need more happy, light pieces so I started this lovely lil’ fella.

Lots of bright blues and yellows so far… I didn’t use any Phthalo blue at all in this one ans so far the result is a much cleaner day-time moment. Well… you’ll see in a few anyways.

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More sketchin’ and trekin’ through September

Lots going on in the next couple weeks!  Very cool!  Already got my tickets to King Richards Fair (“Spartains!!” )
Plus I’ve sent out the invites for my annual fall party (Equinox already?? Good Golly!)
And of course some illo stuff. (Hooray!)
Moms moving to a new house, Teague is turning 30 and Steph got a new job! (Whew!)
Here is a link to the first Micah Rd story.
I wish I could share the fun dog collars and patterns I’ve been doing for PetEdge 😦 Soon!!

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Sketchin’ n’ Trekin’

I know Netflix has had a bad rep these last few days, but I tell you what…
over 300 episodes of Star Trek = Geeky Bliss.

Here is the next sketch for Micah Rd. and I’ve been working on a few more sketches of personal work the past few days which I’ll post soon.
Warning: The Following is Gross
It’s so hot in my studio! Did you know that if an air conditioner is not properly tilted it will accumulate water? And in the right temperature and location that water can attract mosquitoes?  And the mosquitoes can access the interior of said air conditioner and lay their disgusting eggs? And did you also know that that can cause what is know as a ‘Swamp Effect’ inside the air conditioner in which a few days later millions of mosquitoes will come out of the air conditioner vent and into your studio as well as your living room and bedroom?

Oh yeah… it’s actually really common as I later figured out.  I will never forget that horrible night as long as I live.
It also stinks like swamp like you wouldn’t believe.

A few more days of letting the bleach dry and then maybe I’ll turn it back on.

I hate mosquitoes!

But Star Trek is still pretty cool.

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All rain and no spray make Tiffy a dull girl

One more thing I miss about art school: Spray Booths. When it rains it holds up my production. It also slows down my internet connection grrr.
Here is a sketch for the next painting I’m working on for a mystery story in SHINE brightly. I’m so happy the picked it because I’ve been totally into faces this year (if you couldn’t tell) and I’ve been looking for an excuse to do something similar to the ‘Runaway Step-shoes’ piece I did almost a year ago. I was listening to ‘Escape From Illustration Island’ in which Marshall Arisman is interviewed and I got a shiver when he talked about doing work you love. People say that all the time but there is something in the way this guys hits it home.

Thing have been painting over and over again
1) Faces
2) Girls (pre-teens especially)
3) Mysterious things
4) Horses (and their mythical kin)
5) The moon
6) Trees
7) Dogs
8) Rabbits
9) Fields and meadows lined with pine trees

hmm… that’s quite an odd lil’ list there.

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The Cat and the Cake

Well, I got a few dozen postcards out in the mail this week and I ordered 400 more that are on the way. I go through these phases that I actually enjoy writing and sending samples to my favorite publishers just as much as sketching and painting. Isn’t that odd? Most commercial artist don’t like the promoting stage but I find it very fulfilling. Just like working the soil in a garden before you can grow flowers.
In the meantime I have the weekend to enjoy creating. I’m excited that I get to have most of tomorrow to paint! I have another little sketch for a spot of my little Nautical Kitty that I’d like to start tomorrow (if not tonight!) I think this one will be in black and white to match the other I did some time ago.
Also, here is a painting I did for my friend Jesse’s wedding program. It was a nice break to do something soft and pearly-pink. I have this great iridescent white acrylic I got from Winsor & Newton back while I was a student at Montserrat and it’s still almost full. I love to do smoke and steam with it usually, but you can just see it the bright pink background.

I’m almost done listening to the Brain Burps about Books archive!! Does anyone have any other podcast recommendations besides that and Just One More Book?

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