Illustration Friday-Mail

Here was my image for the topic. This is oils on illustration board. Working on movement and expression. Fun to do.

Illustration Friday: Mail

Will wonders never cease, I have something to critique!! Ha ha. Anyway, I did this sketch for Illustration Friday but want to paint it (hopefully digitally if I can figure all that out) and would love some pointers on anything it might need.

If - Topic Phenomenon

I did this recently and put it up on the Illustration Friday blog for the topic, phenomenon. This was done in oils on board. I love painting people and animals so this was a lot of fun.

...And another update! Also, great illustration tips series link.

It's about time I checked in here as well... I feel bad for my prolonged absence! Anyway, I wanted to share this in case anyone here doesn't follow Holli Conger's blog -- she's doing an "Illustration Tips" series every day this month of December and it's really good so far:

http://agirlwhocreates.com/

Since getting married in June, my husband and I sold our house and moved across the country to South Dakota! It's been some crazy months, heheh. Oh yes, and I took my husband's name so I'm in the process of re-inventing my art business under Carmen Medlin now instead of Carmen Keys. (Which means my portfolio website has changed to www.carmenmedlin.com!) It just felt better to me to do it that way, even though I know I have to re-market. Hopefully I've made it relatively easy to still find me if searching for my maiden name.
Most of the artwork I've been doing these days has been for licensing or commissions, so I haven't had much to critique lately. I'm not used to not being able to show very much work publicly, at least before it is released. I'm starting to look at doing more and more work digitally, especially since my husband just gave me Painter for a surprise (yay!). I have already transitioned into digital for the licensing work I'm doing and it's really helped with the revisions and such. Now, to learn how to use Painter for my other children's illustrations! I feel optimistic about the new direction and really getting my feet wet working with an art director.

Update

Hi guys, I keep thinking I am going to get more together and get some more samples posted in here and I do have some for the private blog coming very soon...I swear it. LOL

We moved not too long ago (it has been a few months already) and I started a new business in May and I feel like I have been sinking ever since. LOL Mostly in a good way, but my illustrations have turned into portrait-style stamps and not so much into finished illustrations that I would be proud to post. It is quite a dilemnia.

I do have a book coming out soon...or so they say. LOL
Here is the link to Oogle Flip.

Here are some line drawings that have a tiny bit of action, but I need more if I am going to try to get published some more..... LOL  I just haven't had any real finished color work now for almost 6 months, so this is what I have to share...happy to take thoughts on them though. :)

Here are two colored pieces I made just for fun...They are both done digitally in PS.

Thanks for any comments or suggestions. :)

Bobble head

I've been sitting on this for 2-3 weeks now. It started out as an excercise where I don't think ahead and I just draw, but as usual I started overthinking, and ended up experimenting with textures using soft pastels and a brush...And that's where I got stuck because afterwards, it was as if I woke up from a trance and said, "Oh, where was I going with this?" I'm sure you know the feeling :)

 

Close-up so you can see the brushwork.

 

I'm not feeling the blue on our right side of her face, but now that I'm looking at a picture of my drawing (and it doesn't look too bad), I have some ideas about where to go.