Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, or a happy whatever-you-celebrate. :) Good tidings to all!
Many a watercolor painting to come! 

Awesome Newness!

I received this awesome sketchbook cover for Christmas. The design was created in illustrator, and laser engraved on a leather cover for my sketchbook. It's awesome and I'm sooo excited to have it on my new moleskin. I<3Vultures.and<3thisdesign.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! Here's my Christmas card this year, and I hope you all enjoy!! Done in watercolor, special for my mom this holiday season.  :) This really is the best time of the year....

Endangered Birds

Endangered birds of North America done in watercolor:

Food Torture

Here's my photography series on food torture.

Be the Stylist of Champions

A job description illustration. I did a dog groomer. My favorite so far, I'm planning on adding type this weekend, so I should have an update up soon. Until then, enjoy.

The Fox and the Ram

Here's another piece, for a children's book. Children's illustration is something I would love to do, it's just so open and fun. Anyway, this is a double page spread for a story titled "The Fox and The Ram" where a fox is stuck in a well and convinces a passing ram to jump down for the delicious water. Once the ram realizes there's no way out, the fox jumps on the ram's horns and out of the well leaving the ram to fend for himself.

Here's my illustration of the fox scheming for a way to get the thirsty ram into the well. I would like to eventually get back into the fox and fix up his colors. He's a little too closely colored to the walls of the well.

Twins

Finally! I've been able to use the scanner that's available to us students! Here is the rescan of my "Twins" piece that I promised. The colors are much better here. Also, I threw in my tight sketch which is the line drawing I work from before starting a final piece.

Enjoy.

Three Doggies

I really love animals, dogs especially. I think they are the best companions and make great friends. So, I donated three small pieces to the Purrcasso 2009 Arts and Craft Gala which was a lovely fund raiser for the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society in Berkeley, CA. I really wish I could have contributed more and the artwork submitted was amazing and super inspiring.

Bull Terrier (pencil):
Smooth Fox Terrier (pencil):

Beagle (watercolor and ink):

PS- I promise I'll scan and upload more from now on.

For illustration, we were given a random book title to which we had to come up with our own story idea, then the cover illustration. I was given the title "Twins" and in my story, a pair of conjoined twins are born, but both parents die leaving the girls alone to wander away into a circus. Needless to say, they join the circus and live there. Long story short, the ringleader wants to force them into marrying him until they plot a secret way to kill him (during his magic show, where they let him burn alive) without being a suspect.
The following is my cover.
I apologize for the god awful photograph of this, I have tried so many different things to get this to reproduce well, but so far I am having a terrible time with it. Hopefully I will be able to get some tips and be able to photograph my work in the photo labs. Anyway, the colors are brighter and the skin isn't so dead in person. Oh well, I'll post when I get a better copy.
For now, enjoy.

Portraits

So, for my Studio Lighting class we worked on portrait "Hollywood Lighting" photography. I worked with the lovely Erica, who I hope enjoys her photos.
I will be uploading new illustration work very very soon.
Until then, enjoy!

Paintings, more

So, quick post before I go back to school. I did a couple of quick oil paintings, probably about 20-30 minutes each start to finish. I am missing one....a lime...I guess it didn't make it home from vacation in a timely manor. I don't really like the quality of the images, but I don't have time to reshoot at the moment. Anyway, enjoy.

Tomato:

Green Tomato (which is delicious fried, yum):

Banana:

Some Designs...

So, my cousin asked me to create a business card for her. She is a hairstylist in Chicago (don't bother calling the number, I scrambled it all up for this posting ;) ).
The back originally had the scissor design repeated, however, she loves bows and requested I change it to a pink bow instead. I was happy to comply. I think I'll make a full business identity for her...hmm...I'll update with those designs later.

Front:

Back:

Paintings!

Hello! Long time no update.
WELL - now that my allergy to oil paint has been cleared up, I am back and painting. It came at an opportune time now that I'm on vacation in South Carolina.
Below is a landscape painting of an island in Costa Rica, then below that is a landscape of South Carolina. Enjoy!

Lillentine

So, I've been dying to work in plain pencil. Do a classic graphite drawing. So I did one of my pup's friend.
Anyway, how I missed you graphite. Also, sorry for the crappy scan. I'm hoping to get a better one soon.
Enjoy.

Random Sketches and Doodles

Random sketches and doodles:
I love tigers, and most big cats. I thought this little guy was too cool lookin' to not draw. I love tiger's big floppy paws, they're so fun to draw!
Snow leopards are just one animal on my long long list of favorite animals. Their faces are so simple in shape, but they are difficult to capture (I think).

I was bored and watching tv while my puppy slept on the floor. I love her long legs and she just was too fun looking not to doodle out. I have no idea where the random lady came from here, but I just doodled her out.

Marco and Mia. My aunt's two five year old Spanish Water Dogs.

A lady. I love her lips.

I love koi fish. Drawn when I was missing my two boys, Toby and Mr. Pancakes. Both koi who guard my dorm room.

I'm planning on adding watercolor to him to give him that Chameleon feel.

Trip to the Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and also a doodle of my Koi, Toby.

Figures

So, sketchbook is full so before I hide it away to my closet I figured I'd scan some junk. Here are very few select figure drawings from it.
Done in micron pen or pencil. Pretty easy to tell which is which.

Elle

This is a quick snapshot of my six month old Welsh Terrier, Elle. Just something I was able to get when the light hit her just right. I hope to paint it soon...I just love the little ball of energy she is.

It's been a while...

Woah, summer is FLYING by. I can't believe it's already almost July!

I haven't updated in a while, which is a little pathetic on my part...but here it is...

So, I've started my new internship with LifeTime Media in New York City. I am their design department haha. Just me. And I am no true graphic designer. However, it's been fun and for the most part, my boss likes my stuff.

Also, working here gives me great opportunity to shamelessly exploit small illustrations and photographs. My biggest project at the moment, is a cook book. Called "Chosen Food" here's one of a few photos being included. It's a very rough copy, and I need to touch it up in photoshop some but there's just so much to do here and no time! And my hands are tied at home with a six month old Welsh Terrier (who, I have been having a blast photographing...I'll put those up soon).

The cake, by the way, was delicious. : )

Magazine Layout

This is my magazine layout for graphic design. I redid an article in the Smithsonian. I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out. Critiques are always welcomed.

12x12

For painting class, we had to do 12 12x12 paintings. My original idea was an illustrated story of my old dog's life. However, being that I did not have good reference, I switched it to houses around Sarasota, 6 big expensive, 6 small and not so expensive. I think these were great practice for me. I definitely needed to sit and paint. I was able to do one a day for, well, 12 days. For the most part, I like how they came out. I appologize for the not so great quality, but it's all I have for now.
Happy art-ing.

More Image Clicking

Some really simple photographs taken ages ago, I'm considering throwing them into CS3 and tweaking them up a bit. They seem a little lackluster to me. I believe now, from this point, I will be painting for the rest of the summer. Although, I plan to make a day trip somewhere to flex my photography skills soon. Enjoy.