Makeover: Asphalt Andy

Well, it's been a while, but I'm still working!  I made these back in December (yes, that's how behind I am) for a construction company.  Their old "character" was rather dated and I enjoyed giving him some new life.

I would like to introduce you to Asphalt Andy—Before and After!

(My illustration—the "after"—is on the right)

I also needed to illustrate how roads fall apart from the bottom up (above).  I was so sick of drawing rocks after this! oye

Oh Hey, Christmas Tree

So, Christmas was a while ago... but obviously if you follow my blog you will see that I'm very behind lately.  I have had trouble keeping up with everything that has happened—all blessings, but busy ones :)

Anyway, here are some pictures from our very first Christmas tree!

 And, of course, a picture of my wonderful hubs and me with our tree:

Merry ...er... Christmas

Still Competing

About two weeks ago I received an Email from the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History about a portrait show that I had entered in the spring.  Though I haven't thought about it much, I am starting to get excited about it now that the opening day for the show is coming closer!

I entered 3 portraits and 2 were accepted into the competition.  I'm pretty content that I have had 2 pieces excepted, but it will be exciting to see everything hung up on January 12th.  Though I doubt that I will receive any awards, I thought I would share what pieces actually made it into the show with you:

"Tell Me I'm Pretty" and "The Rewards of Time", an old piece from Drawing 3, that period of time where I feared that art and all the love that I have for it might just be sucked out of me.  Thus, no post about it from the past—however, this piece was in the end of semester show that year, and it even made an additional appearance in my senior show (seen among photos here).

"Tell Me I'm Pretty"

"Rewards of Time" (originally known by it's pet-name: "Botox")

Though I never really cared about names before, my final show at the Arborshire taught me to consider them more carefully (the judge put a lot of weight on the titles! So for the future... it can't hurt to have better names, right?)

Still Working

Here is a recent illustration that I did for one of my freelance clients.  There is an event commemorating the last Liberty Tree that fell in 1999, and I was asked to design the bookmarks that they are handing out as gifts at the event.  I felt an illustration fit the subject best (and I honestly was itching to get the good ol' colored pencils out again!

This design is directly taken from the final tree that fell (something that the client appreciated, so that was nice) and then further enhanced by the addition of the roots and the liberty bell mock among them.  "Rooted Deep in Liberty" is what keeps running through my mind as I was creating this.  Also works well because the top of the bell itself is created from "Liberty Tree" wood. The client is now considering buying the rights to the piece to use for other events, or to even buy the original drawing!  Fun stuff, we'll see if anything comes of it.

It was great to break out this style again—it is really developing into my default for hand illustration and I am loving the fact that I can be literal, but can break the rules of nature to play around with my ideas.

The teaching hasn't kept me from creating!  I am enjoying both my days with the students and my days at home, surrounded with little house-work things and with graphic design / illustration.  More to come shortly—I am currently working on a new personal identity system—now that I have a new name to play around with :)