I Want to Draw Like This

I awoke today to not only the 25+ inches of snow that the BLIZZARD of ’10 left on the ground, but a sweet breakfast tray with birthday cards from my children. How nice! (Although nothing like 3 months of strict bedrest to make one never want to eat breakfast or any meal for that matter in bed again... so downstairs I trotted with my tray. But, I digress.)

I write about this because if I had to pick a favorite card it would be Isabel’s spirited “Birthday Troll” card which sprung from her unique imagination. In addition to being in awe of her little artwork (as we all feel about our children’s artwork), it also leaves me wishing I could do something that fun, spontaneous, and uninhibited with my illustration work.

The purpose of this blog was to occasionally feature the illustrators who inspire me (and at times intimidate me). Alas, I haven’t quite gotten that part of the ground yet. But hurrah! for snow storms that afford me the space and time to work on random to-do list items that always fall prey to dinner prep and school duties. So I shall kick-off that part by featuring Isabel and her Birthday Troll as exhibit #1 in what inspires me.

Scene in Technicolor

This was a fun scene for me to do again in color for my assignment. These little animal characters are really starting to grow on me.

I hope to do more with this crew in the future! First, they are going to need some names and new adventures to go on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A sketch recently completed for an assignment. Somehow, everytime I sat down to compose a scene involving animal characters, they were always in school settings. Can’t possibly be because I feel like I’m living at my kid’s schools these days?

Bonjour, Pascal

Blaise Pascal. French mathematician, physicist and Christian philosopher from the 16o0s. Like so many of his time, he packed a great deal into his short life despite frequent debilitating illnesses and difficulties. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal)

Alas, despite all that we can learn and gain from the study of his life, there are no books about Pascal for children. Tim Keehan, teacher at Lorien Wood School, saught to rectify that by writing a book for the 4th and 5th graders on Pascal’s life and work—designed to complement their study of Europe. As the illustrator of the book, it was great fun for me to research the fashions, styles, cityscapes, and industry of 17th century France.

Pascal’s final words, as he lay dying at age 39, “May God never abandon me.”