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Something not quite right with this

Hi, everyone! So I've been getting my Masters and this is for a Graphic Design Project due soon.
Basically we have to use Illustrator and create an illustrated page as if from a book. This one is heavily influenced by one artist from dA, btw.

It's not finished yet, but there is something off that I can't put my finger on. I'd really appreciate your help! (The house is an eyesore, I know.)

New E-BOOK IS OUT! animals MUST BE is now available.

I just finished and placed the book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. This one has been a long time in the making, and is all in oils.
I love that there are apps on the sites to be able to put it on other devices. Diving into this area has been an adventure, and I am still learning a lot. Very exciting and changing times.
I have the details on my blog. http://pattigay.blogspot.com/

Web site home page final

Thanks for the wonderful comments on my earlier post. Here's the final look for the web site. I am creating the new body of work now. Some of it has even found it's way into my galleries.

I am very excited with my progress on several projects. A few of which I can share soon.

The biggest thing going on is I am creating collections for art licensing. Between that and dealing with elderly relatives, I don't seem to do much else these days.

If you have a moment, stop by my blog and check out my daily doodles and upcycled clothing creations. Leave a comment and I'll visit your blogs, too. :D


This is my most recent coloring page. I hope to send out once a week. Ramping up my artistic output is the plan for the year. Can you tell I have big dreams?

New e-book Amanda and Max, Friends

I recently did my first e-book. It is about a big orange tabby cat and a little dachshund pup and what it means to be a friend. There is a really great article about it on Kate Harper's Design blog.http://kateharperblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-publish-childrens-e-book-one.html

I also created a blog for kids in the character's voices to go along with it. http://amandaandmax.blogspot.com/

Illustration Friday-reverse

Wondering if the scooter goes in reverse. This was just a character study that I happened to do in watercolor.

New web art

I'm in the process of completely revamping my web site. This is the new masthead art. Once I get all the pages converted, then I will be jumping in with both feet to create a new body of work.

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.

My NEW book ships tomorrow

So after the success of my first book, Drawing Animals With Numbers I was able to use the money I made on that book to print Drawing Monsters With Letters. I am really excited about this book. After learning so much about self publishing I was able to loosen up and have more fun with this book. The other nice thing was getting orders for the book a month before it came out. People really liked the first book and that only makes it easier to sell the next book. I have had a blast promoting the books all over the Mid West and talking to so many kids and sharing my love of drawing with them.

My iPad drawings

I created these on my iPad in Sketchbook Pro on Thanksgiving Day.
The iPad is not an easy thing to draw on. It's like drawing on glass with a marshmallow tipped pencil. But Sketchbook Pro is the bomb! For iPad it works great and on my computer it's the closest thing to drawing on paper.

staying fresh

i painted this gal before (you can see the acrylic version on my personal blog) but wanted to see how she would look utilizing some of the more gestural painting techniques i've been employing lately. its faster, messier, and riskier (for me, anyways) - but i enjoy it!

color continues to be a challenge. i want to get to a point where i'm developing shadows from other hues, rather than the standard darker version of the local color. back to the drawing board!

lions, tigers, and bears...oh my!

the wizard of oz reference in this painting was completely inadvertent but really funny when i made the connection! and, yes, i live in kansas, so maybe its something ingrained...

anyway, here's part 3. i'm currently trying to figure out how to get these three on the mailer. i'm very guilty of not having the card design in mind first, but oh well.

hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!

Illustration Friday Topic-Burning

I just added this image to Illustration Friday's blog for the topic, Burning. This is in oils on a gessoed board.

what's wrong with this turtle?

I went ahead and colored it - and I really like how it turned out!  It might be the bg color and sky that's a little more colorful than my usual blue/white...I think the turtle looks more turtly when done.

I'm working with a writer who's coming up with a concept for the square animals...and she suggested a turtle character, so I thought I'd work one out to add to the list of characters I already have.  I'm still open to suggestions, if you have any things that might make it a stronger character...and now Ill even take color suggestions!

Finished Color

First pass at color

what could possibly happen next?

one more to painting to go...then it's mailer time yet again! thanks go to steve for suggesting the 3 part illo on the next postcard. any and all crits welcome!

thank a vet today!