Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What I'm working on...


Finally finishing up the illustrations for "The Christmas Mouse", to be published by WinePress for a self-publisher. Here's one of them...

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

What I'm Working On


Another Younger Hidden Picture submission for Highlights...

Monday, November 22, 2010

New Book!


"ParaPup Reports for Duty" has just been released by Pleasant Word Kids, a division of WinePress Publishing. Written by Elisa Vertuli and illustrated by myself, this book should be a comfort to all kids who have parents serving overseas in the military. I also designed the plush doll that goes along with the book. It's a great concept and a cute set that I hope might be marketed to stores on military bases nationwide.

ParaPup plush doll


Friday, November 5, 2010

One more Christmas card...

I should have started these back in July! Anyway, this is the last new one for this year. I have to work on Thanksgiving dinner for my whole extended family now!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Halloween to ... Christmas already!!


I'm working on Christmas cards already... actually, I should have started on them in July. Seems like Christmas comes faster and faster every year!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Saturday, October 2, 2010

What I'm working on...


A new story by a self-publisher about a stuffed mouse sent to a US soldier in Afghanistan for Christmas. Here's a first sketch of one of the illustrations.

Monday, September 13, 2010

New promo art


Here's the new image I'm sending out on my fall promo postcards...

Saturday, August 21, 2010

New Book!



I just received copies of my latest book published by Sterling: "Animal Friends", a Hide and Seek Puzzle Book. These are fun scenes of different pets, farm animals, and wild animals, with all kinds of objects hidden throughout.



My favorite puzzle: the Slithering Snakes one, because I used my daughter Laura and her pet snake, Phil, as models!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

And finished!


Cover art from Daisy's Fall Festival, available January 2011 through Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Publishing Group. (http://www.abdopublishing.com/)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

What I'm Working On




More sketches from the "Growing Up Daisy" series, available January 2011 through Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Group. This book: Daisy's Fall Festival - fun to work on!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

What I'm Working On




Some more sketches from the "Growing Up Daisy" series I'm working on, available January 2011 through Magic Wagon, a division of the ABDO group.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

First tries at oil pastel


A few weeks ago I took an Oil Pastel workshop with Maureen McKee at the DuPage Art League. I'm looking for a new creative outlet, something completely different from my usual pencil/pen/ink/watercolor illustration... something to force me to loosen up. Well, it IS completely different! Just figuring out how color and value work is completely different. I have a lot to learn and I'm going to have to keep working with it, but here's one early attempt.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

New portfolio sample


A portfolio peice I've been working on... actually, the cover art from my unpublished picture book, "Becka's Birthday Balloon".

Sunday, May 30, 2010

New art


Inside illustration from "The Best Mother's Day Ever", published by Kane Press.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

What I'm working on...


A new series for ABDO Publishing: "Growing Up Daisy", about a ten year old Latin girl named Daisy Martinez, her family and friends. This is a sketch from "Daisy's Summer Essay", the first book.

Monday, May 3, 2010

New Book


Also, just in time for Mother's Day, here's the lastest book I've illustrated for Kane Press: "The Best Mother's Day Ever", a very funny and clever story written by Eleanor May.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Mother's Day


Just in time for Mother's Day, I posted a new card on Greeting Card Universe. (http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com) Brings back memories!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Old Art



Sorting through some old art, I came across a poster I did years ago... This is a printed sample from the publisher. Unfortunately, they "photoshopped" it on me - squeezed it hoizontally to fit. It doesn't look too bad, but the art is more elongated than it was originally drawn. Fortunately, I haven't had such problems since... knock on wood.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Monday, March 22, 2010

Back to greeting cards...


... and back to Christmas. (It will be here again before we know it!)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Finished Art


... but I always like my sketches better.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

New Art


A finished art sample for a new book dummy I'm working on...

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Back to Greeting Cards


Well, again, it's been a while since my last post... I was swamped trying to finish up that big Hidden Picture Book for Sterling - quite a job. But now I'm back to generating more work for myself - and that means back to coming up with greeting card concepts to submit. This is one for a juvenile birthday card.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Looking back


The new year is always a good time to sort out old art. I came across these concept sketches, done over 20 years ago, for a company that produced tops for candy containers. I always keep all my old sketches - never throw anything out! You never know when you might need them again. I'm thinking I'll recyle some of these characters and reuse them for greeting cards or puzzles.