deep sea life in willie's book

Lately I've been more into watercolors and figurative drawings - mostly animals of course. I was inspired and blown away by the work in Willie's Mole, and some of the sea life, including Aya's octopus and Ellen's two-page spread really inspired me to try some too. Being into things that are freaky and monstery, I went for the stuff that lives miles below the ocean's surface, and learned a lot in the process. That's what I love about these exchanges and drawing in general - they inspire me and cause me to want to learn about things I might otherwise know little about. Anyhow, it was an adjustment, working back in the smaller Mole again, being I've been spoiled by working in my newer A4 watercolor book, which I love to pieces. Still, it was kind of cool trying to draw so small again. I hope to get this journal out into the mail ASAP.

Hippie Collab with Willie

I've got Ellen's book, hooray!

Left side is Willie's work, right side is mine. All I have to say about this is it seemed way more clever in my head than it turned out in the book. I might add some Rastafarian colors to this, but I am not sure yet.

So happy to be working again!

Ash's Book

Collaboration with Michelle:



I'm not really happy with this one. I think it's the long neck bones - I should have found another way to do those. I thought they were good until everything was assembled and glued down and then I hated them but it was too late to change.

Ash's book is going into the mail tomorrow, and in addition to the usual pocket stuffings, I'm including one of my preliminary sketches for the paper collage piece and a test print of the lino block that I did on top of a water-color test for the watercolor piece.

Graveyard

"Completed" collaboration with Mike in Ash's book. I had hoped the lino prints would be more clear, but after the first one was down, there really wasn't any turning back. :)

"Wicked"

I "painted" (drew?) this on my iPad in Omnisketch at the doctor's yesterday--I had an interminable wait--read some, played on the iPad some. It was for the Monday Artday challenge, "Wicked." Then I fooled with it briefly on Photoshop--not to change much--I added the flames in the background, deleting the plain red background and some of my drawn flames. I'm not very good with the iPad. But I'm trying to learn. I made a print of it for Willie's pocket. Oh, and I replaced my spider with an upside down black widow. I just couldn't get a spider on the iPad, the control isn't fine enough (or I'm not). The top one is the one I printed for WIllie, and the bottom, for those inquiring minds who want to know, is the original from the iPad, unchanged.

The Great Delay

Hi All,

Thanks to those of you who weighed in about our log jams.

Ash has mailed the three books she had to Heidi. Heidi, if you can leave some pages for Ash in those books that would be grand. Whoever owns those books can get ahold of Ash at the end of the exchange and communicate about how to get the books back to Ash for her pages, if both parties desire to do so.

Going forward, if you can't make the deadline, please - please - please communicate with the group or at least the person you are scheduled to mail to. Willie has communicated with me that he is still a a bit behind due to his move, but is planning on catching up ASAP.

Also, please be patient with all group members. I know from my experience earlier in the year, when my life was falling apart the last thing on my mind was creating art. We've got things moving again, lets keep up the momentum, patience and communication.

I should have been more on top of those who were behind and should have been urging them to ship books along. I am still piecing my life together and trying to get back into old rhythms and comfort zones myself, so please if there is any blame here, place it where it should be -- on me.

I am interested in keeping all 12 of us in this exchange to the end. I am with Anders I just want my book back with all of your art. I don't care how long it takes to get to me.

Exchanges can be frustrating, life does get in the way, people do fall behind. I was getting books months late in round one and was very frustrated. However, I was able to keep everyone in and going and I truly treasure looking at that book. We are here to share, revel in each others creative endeavors and have a good time. I like getting the books regularly too, but I know that sometimes a sketchbook exchange just isn't top priority.

Hang in there everyone! I am so glad all of you are doing this, passionate about it and devoting the time it takes to contribute. If there are any further issues, please let me know.

Mucho luvo!

hen house

in Heidi's book.

Whistling While I Wait...

Toodle-loo, too, toot-de-dooo! Speaking as a fellow restless native, I've been turning my frequent state of booklessness into other forms of art... while I wait for my share of Moleskines to arrive. I recently joined another art group called Creative Every Day, just for the active experience. And no, we don't have to post every day, have mercy. That would be too much pressure even for me, HA!

Here's a link to my past week's artistic venture, if anyone's curious. I see some of you submit to Illustration Friday on occasion. I may try that soon, just for a kick. To those who are bookless, I feel your pain. To those who have books piling up, I feel your pain. I'm sure this isn't the way any of us had planned it, empty-handers & bottleneckers alike. I'm trying to roll with it, as best I can. Posters for everyone, HA!

Where oh where is Ellen's book?

"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
Buddha

Just wondering if my Moley is still out there. I haven't seen posts lately...and with the recent "log jams" and missing Moleys I am getting a bit nervous it may be MIA!

Willies Moley in Mail to Steve.

This is my collab with Steve. I try to be challenging...good luck Steve.

Mexican style art..."Feathered Serpant." Metallic pens by Sakura and a small amount of Prismacolor watercolor.Peruvian "Feline Sky Animal" completed in Metallic pens by Sakura and a small amount of Prismacolor watercolor. I think it is Ash that does the pen and ink with the watercolor backgrounds...I am in awe of that style! I attempted to do something similiar here. Pen and ink (Sakura Micron .005) and Prismacolor watercolor again.
Here we have "Online Poker" aa contrast in styles from Anders detailed pen and ink on the left to my 'Heckle and Jeckle' style cartoon on the right. I just couldn't resist.
Here they are! Since I didn't receive a book until yesterday I figured I would take advantage and add more detail to these additions to Willie's book.
Steve, Willie's book should arrive Monday!
I now have Michelle- "Milo's" book (arrived Friday) to work in. Your work is AWESOME Milo!!

Ash's in progress

Nothing much to report except that I'm working on Ash's book. I think I'll wrap it up this weekend. I'm a little slow on this one for a really dumb reason. I know there's a big lag coming up before I'll see the last couple of books, and not much seems to be shifting*, so I sort of got a little down and thought, oh why hurry? But then I realized I didn't want to be "that guy" ;) and got to work.



*But I absolutely LOVE LOVE all the work I have been seeing in the books that are out there.

octopus

in the mail :)

bird house

for Aya

milo's book

garden spot

Songbird Cutouts for Ruth

I'm killing time between books with other creative projects, so to prove I'm not idle (HA!), here's a tease. Recent bird drawings from other artists in this group, plus an influx of real nests around my home lately, have me obsessing about my feathered friends.

I have a friend in the hospital indefinitely, so I am sending her these birds to decorate her room. Here's a link showing all 6 birds, some real nests & the story on this project. Whew, snapping & uploading pics & writing posts takes longer than doing the art! Weary sigh :-)

Collaboration with Steve (And Steve's Wife): A Swelling of Sound

This is not a splotch monster, but it is a collaboration with Steve. When I looked at the string splotch as shown by Steve in the post below, all I could see was a naked woman or two people embracing, but when I turned it on its side, I saw a conductor.

All the lines in this piece are directly from the original shown below (Or you can see it on Steve's post, a little further below). I used the clone tool to clone lines in the original into new positions.

I will print this and place it in Willie's pocket when Willie's pocket arrives.

1)My collaboration with Steve and his wife

2)a crop of the original area

3)The original string print turned to show the conductor. I could have used the whole area, showing the sound washing over him, which I considered doing, but decided on the crop. Partly because I just returned from a trip and have much to do to get caught up! We were camping in the Pinery in Ontario Canada. Lovely spot.

For some reason, this looks much less saturated on here than it does on PS.

splotch monster collaborations

Hi all! I guess since some of us are waiting around for some sketchbooks to arrive, I was wondering if anyone here might be interested in trying out some collaborations using some of my paint splotches posted here at my new blog, A Splotch Monster A Day. You can print out paint splotches and draw directly on them, or work on them using software like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. Above is an example of some various possibilities and a collab between me, my wife and artist Pixohammer. If you do try some, let me know and I'll post 'em at the blog, along with any links you want me to include to you blogs/sites.

So, no book

And not even one in the far horizon. Still wondering where all those books are...

In the meantime, I'm super busy with preparing for my first big craft fair on the weekend. I'm still making things to sell, ordering shopping bags, and getting new buniess cards and promo postcards.

After looking at different designs for the postcards, eventually I picked the one I like the most which was the octopus from Willie's book from acouple of months back.