Amy Zaleski Illustration & Lettering

Jersey Girl....

2009-02-24T12:37:00.002-05:00

This goes back a few months, but is a fun one.

Save the Weekend

2008-11-25T10:23:00.002-05:00

This wedding will take place at The Newagen Seaside Inn in Maine. The bride and groom asked that I include their Golden Retriever, Bodhi, in the picture. Watercolor pencils and colored pencils. Digital type.

© 2008 Amy Zaleski

Black and White Map

2008-09-10T14:57:00.002-04:00

Here again is a wedding map, this time just black and white. This is the first map I have completed that was so local as to include streets. Micron pens.

Another Wedding Map

2008-07-30T09:58:00.003-04:00

The latest wedding map in watercolor, gouache, and ink. © Amy Zaleski

A Parody

2008-06-04T16:12:00.003-04:00

This client asked if I could do a Save the Date illustration using her and her fiancee's favorite painting "Boy and Girl Gazing at the Moon" by Norman Rockwell, but replacing the dog in the painting with their own dog, Quigley. I was happy to oblige.

Digital.

Key Largo

2008-04-24T15:35:00.006-04:00

This painting was commissioned for a wedding that took place last weekend in Key Largo. It was based on vintage travel poster art, and was tailored right down to the bride's dress. This was the actual wedding site, and the moon really was full that night.

The original piece was 11" x 17".

Watercolor and gouache.

© 2008 Amy Zaleski

Illustration Friday ~ SAVE

2008-04-05T10:07:00.003-04:00

I just completed this Save the Date map for an October wedding. Sandy Hook is at the northeasternmost corner of New Jersey, and the wedding site overlooks New York City. A lovely place to get married.

Micron pens and watercolor pencils.

© 2008 Amy Zaleski

The Letter U

2008-03-19T09:44:00.002-04:00

The Letter T

2008-03-06T09:44:00.003-05:00

I'm closing in on the end of the alphabet. This May will mark two years since I began this project. Here is a stained glass "T"...a little early Spring.

The Letter S

2008-02-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

This will forever be my Super Bowl (XLII) "S" as I worked on most of it during the now historic game. I'm not much of a football fan, but living so close to New York, the excitement was quite contagious. Honeycombs and grayed pastels.

The Letter R

2008-01-31T10:11:00.000-05:00

A citrus colored pinwheel R to brighten up a winter day....

The Letter Q

2008-01-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

A blue Q. And a color study.

The Letter P

2008-01-09T09:18:00.000-05:00

Happy 2008! This is the year I hope to finish the patterned alphabet, so here is one more. Zig, zag, zig, zag....

House Portrait

2007-12-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

I just finished this house portrait as a Christmas gift. The original is 16" x 11." Watercolor on Arches paper.

Illustration Friday ~ BACKWARDS

2007-12-15T11:40:00.000-05:00

This is my first time participating in Illustration Friday in 8 months, and my first original illustration for the challenge in 10 months. It feels good to be back! I had a lot of fun drawing this last night with Microns, Sharpies, Prismacolors, etc.

Christmas Card

2007-12-14T16:28:00.000-05:00

A bit early perhaps, but Merry Christmas anyway. My holiday card for 2007.

The Letter O

2007-12-11T12:39:00.001-05:00

It's nice to be rolling again on the letter series. I tried to incorporate a little holiday color here.

The usual media.

The Letter N

2007-11-26T10:46:00.000-05:00

Simplicity was the theme here. And pink...lots of pink.

Sharpie markers, Micron pens, watercolor pencils and colored pencils.

The Letter M

2007-11-20T11:18:00.001-05:00

After five months, the letter series continues. This one should be fairly obvious in inspiration.

Micron pens, watercolor pencils, colored pencils.

Another Monogram

2007-10-31T15:05:00.000-04:00

Here's another wedding monogram for a couple tying the knot around Valentine's Day of 2008.

Wedding Monogram

2007-10-21T13:41:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been over four months since I posted a darn thing. I don't have a lot of time for blogging (posting or commenting) these days. But I felt like posting something. In keeping with the "lettering" part of this blog, here is a monogram I recently designed for a couple who just got married.

The Letter L

2007-06-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

Hello out there...I know I have not been around much in awhile, but I'm still making art when I can. The letter "L" marks the halfway point in completing my alphabet. Only 13 more letters to go!

Pens, colored pencils, watercolor pencils.

The Letter K

2007-05-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

K is for keeping the series going....This was done with colored pencils, watercolor pencils and Nexus pens. The red lines were added in Photoshop.

The Letter J

2007-04-14T11:55:00.000-04:00

A Plaid J...

Colored pencils, Micron pens, and Sharpie pens.

Illustration Friday ~ GREEN

2007-04-12T09:11:00.000-04:00

An unfinished watercolor...actually, I kind of liked how the white space looked, so I doubt I'll finish painting this one. This is part of the Wilmington campus of the University of Delaware. The land was originally part of many DuPont family owned farms.

Illustration Friday ~ SNAP

2007-04-05T10:34:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure which one of these people is going to snap first, but it looks like they're both close to losing it. An oldie for a book project. Adobe Illustrator.

The Letter I and Illustration Friday ~ I SPY

2007-03-29T12:53:00.000-04:00

I hope it's not too much of a stretch to double another letter posting with this week's Illustration Friday challenge, "I Spy." This pattern is based on traditional American quilt blocks.

Colored pencils.

The Letter H

2007-03-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

H is for....hello everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts. I didn't realize nearly a month has passed. Here is the latest letter in my alphabet. An "I" is in the works - check very soon for that.

Micron pens, colored pencils, watercolor pencils.

Illustration Friday ~ COMMUNICATION

2007-02-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

Here is something I did for a book project...This young lady is learning the power of communication through the written word - something that seems to be falling by the wayside in the age of email.

Adobe Illustrator.

Valentine

2007-02-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

I designed this for Valentine's Day but never posted it. I think it would be a nice pairing with my "Peace" entry for Illustration Friday.

Micron pens, gel pens, colored pencils and watercolor pencils.

Illustration Friday ~ GRAVITY

2007-02-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

A quick pen and ink drawing for this week's challenge. Background color added in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday ~ SPROUT

2007-02-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

I decided to practice life drawing for this week's challenge: something I don't spend nearly enough time doing. This package of Brussels sprouts was part of my dinner last night. The label is made up.

Colored pencils, Micron pens, and Photoshop.

Illustration Friday ~ RED

2007-02-01T11:22:00.000-05:00

An early Valentine wish...created with numerous pens, watercolors, and red wine. Cheers!

Illustration Friday ~ Super Hero

2007-01-24T13:09:00.000-05:00

This illustration is part of an unpublished book teaching pre-teenage girls the lessons of self-esteem.

Adobe Illustrator.

The Letter G

2007-01-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted a new letter in my series. This pattern was inspired by traditional henna designs, which I also used for my "Peace" post a few weeks back.

Micron pens, Pitt Artist pens, watercolor pencils, and colored pencils.

Illustration Friday ~ 80s

2007-01-12T10:32:00.000-05:00

When I saw this week's topic for Illustration Friday was "80s", I couldn't resist pulling out some of my own drawings from the 1980s. These two drawings were created in the mid 1980s, when I was a teenager. Years later it's funny to look at them and see the influence of popular culture at that time.

I'm thinking these were drawn on copy paper with a number two pencil.

Illustration Friday ~ BUZZ

2007-01-11T11:59:00.000-05:00

Not a bee, but bee colors...
:-) Drawn in my sketchbook using lotsa different pens.

Illustration Friday ~ PEACE

2006-12-27T15:07:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful 2007!

Micron pens and colored pencils.

Illustration Friday ~ HELP

2006-12-19T15:33:00.000-05:00

I have been doing pro-bono work for the Jersey Shore Animal Center for over three years. In addition to their newsletter, I also design pieces for fundraisers, including this program cover for a wine tasting benefit. I'm always glad I can use my skills to help homeless animals.

Colored pencil drawing with digital type and background.

Illustration Friday ~ MASK

2006-12-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

As much as I would like to create something new for this week's challenge, I know it is unrealistic to think it will happen. So, before it's Thursday night again and I have posted nothing at all, here is an oldie created for a book project. Just a reminder to everyone to make some relaxing time for yourselves this holiday season!

Adobe Illustrator.

Illustration Friday ~ MIGHT

2006-12-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

I completely missed the deadline on this one, but the drawing was finished a couple of days ago. So here it is...for "Might," a great quote by Satchel Paige. Drawn in my sketchbook with Micron pens, Gel markers and colored pencils.

Illustration Friday ~ INVENTION

2006-11-30T16:23:00.000-05:00

The first mechanical slot machine was the Liberty Bell, invented in 1895 by Charles Fey, a San Francisco car mechanic. Fey's slot machine had three spinning reels, with diamonds, spades, hearts and one cracked Liberty Bell painted around each reel. Three bells in a row produced the biggest payoff, a grand total of fifty cents or ten nickels. The original Liberty Bell slot machine can be found at the Liberty Belle Saloon & Restaurant on 4250 S. Virginia, Reno Nevada. Source "Mark Pilarski's Gambling Column"

Adobe Illustrator. Information from inventors.about.com

Illustration Friday ~ THANKSGIVING

2006-11-21T12:50:00.000-05:00

Nothing fancy this week. I mainly just wanted to give a big thank you to everyone who visits and comments on my blog - especially the regulars (you know who you are :-)) Your encouragement truly means a lot to me.

Illustration Friday ~ CLEAR

2006-11-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

"Spring Lake"

Watercolor.

Illustration Friday ~ SMOKE

2006-11-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

What a terrific topic this week with lots of possibilities! I chose the route of a label for a made-up pipe tobacco brand.

Created in Adobe Illustrator.

Illustration Friday ~ WIND

2006-11-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

Very late...and using an older image...but I just couldn't stand the thought of missing an Illustration Friday challenge for the first time this year. This is part of my "Four Elements" illustration, which I used for the Illustration Friday topic "Reflection" lin August of 2005. Since she is the element Air, I thought I could use her for this week's theme. Hoping to have time for something new next week...

Watercolors and Micron pens.

Illustration Friday ~ GHOST

2006-10-22T22:19:00.000-04:00

"O Death, rock me asleep, Bring me to quiet rest, Let pass my weary guiltless ghost Out of my careful breast."

Once I found this Anne Boleyn quote for "Ghost," the rest sort of fell into place. Anne was notorious not only for being Queen Consort of King Henry VIII (and mother of Queen Elizabeth I), but also for her beheading on charges of adultery and treason on 19 May 1536. Once I nailed down this concept for my "Ghost" entry, it all felt creepy and very Halloween-appropriate.

Anne's ghost was created with Micron pens and colored pencils.

SMITTEN

2006-10-16T19:47:00.000-04:00

Another really busy week...no time for a new one, folks, sorry....here's one I thought would work for "Smitten." This is part of a book project I illustrated last year. The only one not smitten is the girlfriend at the table. I think she's quite pissed.

Adobe Illustrator.

TROUBLE

2006-10-10T14:58:00.000-04:00

No time this week...here's another old one from the Delaware Humane Association's Annual Fashion Show program cover. (I also used a program cover for the Illustration Friday theme "Rain.") The song of the same name was everywhere back then (2001) and the committee thought it would make a good title for the fashion show. I think this illustration fits the "trouble" theme quite well.

Adobe Illustrator.

QUIET

2006-10-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

For all of you who find solace in needle and thread....

Number two pencil with color added in Photoshop.

PHOBIA

2006-09-23T20:57:00.000-04:00

I'm wondering if anyone else was as surprised as I was to find SO many named phobias....wow! This was actually a pretty educational topic. Lots of phobias from which to derive an idea for this week's challenge, but I was fascinated by color phobias. So intrigued that I took the secondary color wheel and made those color phobias my art. Simple, I know, but I tried to make it a little more interesting with some lettering.

CHLOROPHOBIA = fear of the color green
XANTHOPHOBIA = fear of the color yellow
CHRYSOPHOBIA = fear of the color orange
RHODOPHOBIA = fear of the color red
PORPHYROPHOBIA = fear of the color purple
CYANOPHOBIA = fear of the color blue

There is also, not included in my art:
LEUKOPHOBIA = fear of the color white
MELANOPHOBIA = fear of the color black

Adobe Illustrator

CHANGE

2006-09-21T14:17:00.000-04:00

This Saturday is the Autumn Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator, causing day and night to be of equal length. This day marks the coming of winter, when days are shorter and nights are longer. The Equinox is a symbol of balance, but also one of change.

On a somewhat related note, I found this quote about change, which I like very much:

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another."
~ Anatole France

Created using Adobe Illustrator.

The Letter F

2006-09-15T09:56:00.000-04:00

The alphabet continues....

Micron pens, watercolor pencils, colored pencils.

FARM

2006-09-12T12:22:00.000-04:00

This is a watercolor painting of a farm in southwestern Virginia. For many years, my grandparents had their own small farm just a few miles from this one. When my grandfather passed away five years ago, I returned to Virginia and took my camera to capture the beauty of the rural area. This is one of the farms that I photographed. I thought the sign was especially neat, and had a lot of fun painting it and the barn.

SAFE

2006-09-02T23:05:00.000-04:00

I always thought that Joeys had a neat way to travel...and a safe place to hang out.

Watercolor pencils, colored pencils and Micron pens.

Inspire Me Thursday ~ Paints

2006-08-29T16:13:00.000-04:00

Inspire Me Thursday's challenge this week was "Paints." This is part of a flower series I'm working on. I know several people who garden, quite successfully (I'm not one of them: I'm afraid I've a black thumb), and I'm photographing and painting their beautiful flowers.

Watercolors.

RUN

2006-08-29T12:45:00.000-04:00

I hope this isn't too much of a stretch for this week's topic, but I'm posting another older illustration for "Run." This was a t-shirt design for a 5K Run Walk to benefit the Delaware-based Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. All of the birds represented here were native to the tri-state (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey) area. I love doing work for non-profit agencies. I usually have creative freedom which makes the projects more fun, if you ask me!

Adobe Illustrator.

Tri-State Bird Rescue is a wonderful organization marking its 30 year anniversary. For more information, take a look at their website:

Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research

MATCH

2006-08-21T09:54:00.000-04:00

One thing my sketchbooks are full of are made-up characters. I liked this matching trendsetter so much that I recreated her digitally.

Sketch ~ colored pencils & Micron pens. Digital version ~ Adobe Illustrator.

PLAY

2006-08-15T13:21:00.000-04:00

This illustration of Robert Johnson playing guitar is part of a much larger project of mine that's been on the backburner for quite some time now. Someday I hope to finish the entire project, but for now it's still on hold. Oh well....that's what I get for having too many open projects at once!

Robert Johnson was an influential Mississippi blues singer and songwriter who supposedly sold his soul to Satan "at the crossroads" in exchange for his remarkable talent on the guitar. Born and raised in Mississippi, he started playing blues guitar in the late 1920s. His wife and child died in childbirth around 1930 and he is said to have devoted himself to the guitar. Part of the crossroads story stems from a report that he dropped out of sight for a while in the early 1930s and returned a much-improved guitarist. In 1936-37 he recorded at least 29 songs in Texas (San Antonio and Dallas), then returned to Mississippi to play and sing in clubs and bars. His mysterious death at the age of 27 added to the legend: on the night of 13 August 1938 something happened to Johnson in a bar in Greenwood, Mississippi and he died three days later. Maybe he was stabbed, maybe he was poisoned or maybe the devil collected on his debt -- nobody knows for sure. In 1986 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influence, and his songs have been covered by several rock stars, including Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. His songs include "Crossroad Blues," "Me and the Devil Blues" and "Terraplane Blues."

Robert Johson information from Answers.com.

Colored pencil drawing.

The Letter E

2006-08-10T15:34:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I posted a letter for my alphabet. I just finished this "E" which was inspired by a Mexican tile table on my porch.

Watercolor pencils, Micron pens and colored pencils.

CAPTURE

2006-08-09T13:54:00.000-04:00

Chameleons, along with being able to adapt and blend with their environments, also have long, sticky tongues with which they capture their prey. This can happen at up to 16 feet per second. Yikes!

Mostly played around this week, and experimented with ink, watercolors, gouache and Photoshop.

CLEAN

2006-07-31T08:17:00.000-04:00

It's too hot to think! This is a T-shirt design I did ten years ago for Delmarva's annual Coastal Cleanup. Volunteers receive a shirt when they help clean up the waterways around the DELaware MARyland VirginiA peninsula. I created the "fishy" font for the shirt itself.

Adobe Illustrator.

OPPOSITES

2006-07-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

Pulling from the sketchbooks again....this one's about a year old. These folks looked pretty opposite from one another in every way. If time permits I may do a new illustration for the topic, but for now I give you: "Sketchbook Subway Riders."

Inspire Me Thursday ~ Numeral Art

2006-07-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

Inspire Me Thursday's challenge was "Numeral Art" focusing on numbers that have meaning in your life.

Microns and colored pencils.

SACRIFICE

2006-07-20T11:53:00.000-04:00

I struggled with this week's theme, and finally found this quote by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton was a pioneer of women's rights in the United States, and worked with Susan B. Anthony to gain voting rights for women. They founded the National Woman Suffrage Association and Stanton served as president.

While Stanton is best known for her long contribution to the woman suffrage struggle, she was also active and effective in winning property rights for married women, equal guardianship of children, and liberalized divorce laws so that women could leave marriages that were often abusive of the wife, the children, and the economic health of the family.

Information from womenshistory.about.com

Black Micron pens and colored pencil.

SKYLINE

2006-07-12T07:41:00.000-04:00

A travel poster for a fictional airline.

Micron pen, colored pencil and Photoshop.

The Art Blog Challenge ~ Summer

2006-07-07T10:43:00.001-04:00

" A Day at the Beach?"

The beach here in town is officially crowded with tourists. Just finding an open spot for my towel can be a challenge! But I do take my sketchbook and capture a slice of life here and there. Sometimes I have no choice but to hear parts of conversations (sound carries easily and people just seem to talk louder on the beach). For example, these two women sat nearby and couldn't seem to leave the corporate world behind. I didn't fabricate the list...it's part of an actual conversation!

Illustration Friday ~ STICKY and Inspire Me Thursday ~ Body Parts

2006-07-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

A little patriotic color for the day....Happy 4th!

Adobe Illustrator.

RAIN

2006-06-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

A bit busy this week, so I must recycle an old illustration. This one goes back about four years. It was a program cover design for Delaware Humane Association's 5th Annual Fashion Show benefit.

Adobe Illustrator.

Inspire Me Thursday ~ In Good Time

2006-06-21T09:34:00.000-04:00

This was actually a challenge for me. While drawing I tend to get lost in the details, and before I know it, MANY hours have passed. This took about 45 minutes from sketch to final.

Happy Summer, everyone!

Yellow Pitt Artist pen, black Micron pen and Prismacolor pencils

DANCE

2006-06-20T16:13:00.000-04:00

Wow, there are almost as many types of dances as there are cakes! Anyone else have a difficult time narrowing it down this week? Well, I finally chose the Lindy Hop, one of the earliest forms of swing dancing.

Created in Adobe Illustrator.

The Letter D & Inspire Me Thursday ~ Show and Tell Art

2006-06-17T12:39:00.000-04:00

Here is the next in my letters series, the letter "D." I think I was inspired by candy corn colors. When beginning a letter, I usually sketch pages of possible styles of letters and then decide on one. I wanted to use colors in the orange family, since letters A-C (and the Zs I completed) weren't mostly orange. I also picked a star as the predominant pattern for the same reason ~ to try something different. I sketched this "D" and divided it into bars of various weights. Then I just had fun with the stars!

Colored pencils and Micron pens.

JUNGLE

2006-06-12T11:05:00.000-04:00

I've been into patterns lately, and what more unique and fun patterns are there than those of jungle animals?!

Colored pencil and black Micron pens.

PORTRAIT

2006-06-05T20:44:00.000-04:00

This is my great grandmother, Lena Worrell, at her quilting table. She was incredibly skilled at fabric arts, and taught me how to crochet and do needlework. My mother claims that my attention to and patience for detail came from spending time with "Granny," who always encouraged my creativity.

Ebony pencil, colored pencils and Micron pens.

CAKE and Inspire Me Thursday ~ Word Art

2006-05-30T13:39:00.000-04:00

When I saw "Cake" as this week's topic, I thought about just how many different types of cakes there are, and felt drawing just one kind wouldn't be too exciting. So I tried to come up with a way to incorporate multiple cakes, and wound up not drawing even one (unless you count the one being made).

Thanks to Carla at Anonyrrie for giving me the idea to use this illustration for both "Cake" and Inspire Me Thursday's "Word Art" challenge. More often than not, I incorporate typography/lettering into my designs, and it seemed appropriate that I participate.

Colored pencils and Microns.

The Letter C

2006-05-25T08:08:00.000-04:00

Working my way through the alphabet...

SORRY

2006-05-22T12:06:00.000-04:00

I just went with the first thing that came to mind...

Microns and colored pencils.

Insprire Me Thursday ~ Journaling

2006-05-19T09:28:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit late on this one, but thought it a too good topic to miss. Here is peek into my "journal" or sketchbook.

Micron pens and colored pencils, of course.

Angels & Devils

2006-05-18T13:12:00.000-04:00

Not my best work, but time was a factor. Had I had more time, I might have done a real lettering solution and actually found out the names of the fish. Oh, well ~ better late than never!

Micron pens, watercolor pencils and colored pencils.

The Letter B

2006-05-18T09:32:00.000-04:00

I am fascinated with textile patterns, particularly those of Navajo blankets. I love the three-dimensional quality of the graphics, so I decided to have some fun with this "B." Enjoy!

Micron pens and colored pencils.

FAT

2006-05-09T16:27:00.000-04:00

For many hundreds of years, rendered beef fat, called "tallow," and leftover meat greases from the kitchen were the fats of choice for soapmaking, a guided task performed only once or twice a year in the home, or more often by a town soapmaker, who collected fats from homemakers in exchange for finished soaps and tallow candles. Lye was usually obtained by leaching water through wood ashes and collecting it in a pail under the ash box.

While I myself have never made soap using this method or recipe, I do remember it being around my grandparents' farmhouse when I was a small child. My roots are in Appalachia, and making soap was one of many skills passed down through generations.

Adobe Illustrator.

The Letter A

2006-05-06T09:52:00.000-04:00

I had a couple of requests for an "A" (plus it rounds out my own initials), so here it is...

Micron pens and colored pencils.

UNDER THE SEA

2006-05-03T14:00:00.000-04:00

This drawing evolved from a sketch I did about two years ago. Originally, this was the "Aloha Dance." For this week's Illustration Friday theme, I blatantly ripped off the name of the dance in "Back to the Future." I couldn't resist!

Unfortunately, since the original is 17" wide, the scan is showing up really small when I post it (even when I click for a larger version), so I'm including some detail shots. If anyone knows how to get larger (or wider) posts to come out close to the real size on Blogger, I'm interested to know how it's done.

Micron pens and colored pencils.

Z Fever

2006-04-28T10:23:00.000-04:00

Having a lot of fun with the Zs. Considering doing other letters as well. Stay tuned!

Microns & colored pencils.

Letters, Letters, Letters

2006-04-26T11:16:00.000-04:00

I guess I've been into drawing letterforms for longer than I remembered. While doing some spring cleaning, I came across this sketch. I think I did this in the 7th grade?

Looks like a No. 2 standardized testing pencil to me.

ROBOT

2006-04-24T15:58:00.000-04:00

"As soon as she laid eyes on her Luvonline.com date, Jennifer could see that his profile had been greatly exaggerated."

Adobe Illustrator.

ANOTHER Z

2006-04-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

While thumbing through old sketchbooks, I recently found this "Z" that I drew about 5 years ago.

Micron pens and colored pencils.

SPOTTED

2006-04-17T10:01:00.000-04:00

I think I was looking for an excuse to doodle this week...or making a new "Z" for my logo? Either way, this was a fun topic.

Micron pens, brush pens and colored pencils.

SPEED

2006-04-13T13:26:00.002-04:00

Baseball season is well underway, and I thought the record for pitching speed would make a decent entry this week.

I mostly used Adobe Illustrator to create this illustration.

SPRING

2006-04-06T12:37:00.000-04:00

We had our first real spring rain storm last weekend. I suppose it could have inspired this illustration? Happy Spring!

Watercolors, marker (outlines), Uniball pen (Microns don't like to write on watercolor paper!) and colored pencil on Arches paper.

MONSTER

2006-03-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

In Celtic legend, Black Annis was a witch-like monster who dwelled in the moors and hillsides of the Scottish Highlands. She was said to have hidden in a giant oak tree, from where she would leap out and capture, then eat, her prey, usually young children. Black Annis is described as immensely strong, with blue skin, long claws, and sharp teeth. She had one piercing eye, as the other was sewn shut, and sat upon a pile of her victims' bones.

Micron pens and watercolor pencils, with digital type and border.

FEET

2006-03-20T16:58:00.000-05:00

Reflexology is the practice of stimulating points on the feet, hands, or ears, in the hopes that it will have a beneficial effect on some other parts of the body, or will improve general health. The most common form is foot reflexology, in which the reflexologist applies pressure to points on a person's foot. The foot is believed by practitioners and participants to be divided into a number of reflex zones corresponding to all parts of the body.

(Short/partial definition from Wikipedia.com)

Micron pen drawing, colored in Adobe Illustrator.

TATTOO

2006-03-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

As far as tattoos go, the old pin-up style is one of my favorites. Here's a pin-up design with a modern surfer girl twist.

Created in Adobe Illustrator.

INSECT

2006-03-09T12:48:00.000-05:00

Maybe I still have tea on the brain...

Here is a fictional honey label I created using Adobe Illustrator.

TEA

2006-03-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

I was happy to see "Tea" as the topic, and I had lots of ideas. However, I kept coming back to the same idea: my morning tea ritual with my cat, Maggie.

Created in Adobe Illustrator.

SONG FINAL

2006-02-23T15:31:00.001-05:00

Here's the finished version! The Golden Ages of both songwriting and illustration were beautifully married in sheet music art. I tried to pay homage to the many wonderful artists who created these underappreciated works of art during the first part of the twentieth century.

And the song....here's an excerpt, just in case it isn't ringing a bell:

Heaven, I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

Created in Adobe Illustrator.

SONG

2006-02-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Really late this week....here is the initial sketch for my "Song" entry. Working on the color version and hope to have it posted tomorrow.

SIMPLE

2006-02-12T22:42:00.000-05:00

In the age of XBox, PlayStation and everything digital, it's amazing to think that once, such simple toys as these could keep a child occupied and happy....

Micron pens, watercolor pencils and colored pencils.

CHAIR

2006-02-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

I live very close to the beach, and when summer arrives, I try to walk up as often as possible. I usually have my sketchbook in tow, as there are plenty of things worth capturing - either the scenery or the tourists. Here is a page from last July.

I apologize for posting something old this week....I didn't find this subject particularly inspiring.

Micron Pens and colored pencils.

GLAMOUR

2006-01-31T14:28:00.001-05:00

I believe that Hollywood glamour peaked in the 1940s. Ava Gardner had not only natural beauty but a mystique that I think equals true glamour.

Ebony pencil drawing.