Inspired by my two year old rascal who gets into EVERYTHING, and her companion in crime (that would be the furry sidekick in these sketches) I thought I would do a little sketch story to commemorate her and her antics. Although no cake has been stolen (as of yet) she has managed a whole stick of butter, an entire plate of food and a number of cooling cookies, all without being able to reach the counter yet. So I can only imagine what will come next…
The finished product for my beautiful red snappers. After working so hard on the little scared fishy faces I don’t think I’ll be eating fish for a little while.
Recently while I was in New York city for the SCBWI conference I spent some free time wandering through the Marketplace in Grand Central Terminal. I came across a vendor selling fresh fish—the type where the whole fish are laid out in decorative rows for potential buyers to peruse. I found myself drawn to a beautiful red and silver fish displayed on the ice. The vendor, always looking for a sale, asked if I wanted to purchase the Red Snapper. Now, I’ve never been much of a fish girl myself. I’ve eaten a few fish—filets all thoroughly doused in sauce and crab meat (the only proper way to eat fish as far as I am concerned. I can’t seem to enjoy food that still has eyes and stares at me while I eat it). I’ve even caught a few as a girl, with leftover pancakes and a homemade soda can reel. But I made my father do most of the fish-touching and hook-removing once the minuscule sunnies were pulled from the water. I’ve never had the opportunity to admire their beautiful colors without the barrier of glass and water. It got me thinking of a painting I had seen of goldfish, and that of course got me sketching fish…
“Write a blog? Who, me?” was my reaction at the latest SCBWI conference when the speaking Art Director suggested that we all have blogs. It was quickly followed by my second reaction: “But I’m an illustrator, not a writer!” Sure I have dreams of being a famous writer/illustrator (don’t we all?), but let’s face it, ART is my strong suit, NOT spelling or grammar or sentence structure. I tell stories with pictures, not words. I’m one of those strange people who carries a sketchbook in her purse and whips it out anytime I’m standing still to capture the expressions of the people unaware around me; one of those people who can be found on a park bench with a giant notebook during the warm weather drawing pictures of trees. THAT is me. And yet here I am, blogging my little heart out to anyone and everyone who wants to hear. So hopefully you’re listening…
Here are a few quick sketches from my moleskine to whet your appetite.
This week’s Illustration Friday theme is “Forward”. My idea was inspired the other day when my oldest daughter was giving her little sister a piggy-back ride. They looked so funny flying through our living room. She reminded me of a little monkey clinging to her sister’s back and screaming “GO!” Then she tried riding her brother’s back, but this time they didn’t so much fly as creep through the rooms with her still yelling “GOOOO!” and giggling uncontrollably. Somehow, when I sat down to draw it became a tortoise with little mice riding on his back yelling…. FORWARD! Gooooo!
