The power of Google

I know I haven't posted any new work in awhile. I've been really busy with class work and other things. I hope over the break I can get back into it and I'm really looking forward to my next semester of classes. Anyway, I wanted to post this here at least for my own memory incase I lose it. I received an email a week ago from someone that found me via google.
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Hi There!

My name is Jamie H***** and I am a librarian in Colorado. My library district is going to be celebrating Jack London's Call of the Wild in April 2010 and I was hoping that we may be able to get your permission to us your black and white illustration for Call of the Wild on some of our posters. Unfortunately, we do not have a budget for this, however. Please let me know if you might be open to working something out.

Thanks!
Jamie H*****
Manager
Delta County Libraries
Delta, CO
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Last name x-ed out for privacy. But, I was flabbergasted when I received this. She said she found my illustration typing in 'Call of the Wild'. I love google. And, of course I said yes!

Pals

I'm extremely pleased with how this commission came out. The poodle and the cat were already buddy-buddy like that, I just wanted different expressions on their faces so I stuck on a different photo. It seemed to worked well.

In other news I've been invited as a special guest vendor at Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter's Mutts Mania in NJ! It's a pet expo where they have games, contests, adoption, and tons of vendors selling pet stuff all to help the shelter. I loved it last year and am very happy to return. You should stop by!

Size: 8x10
Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash

Two of a Kind

I love the summer but at times it can take away from my artwork. That's why I'm glad to finally be getting back into the pet portrait business. My latest commission was of two adorable mutts.
Size: 8x10
Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash
CLICK TO VIEW FULL SIZE

Advanced Illustration Project

For my advanced illustration class we were allowed to pick our own project. I chose to illustrate the short story I wrote about my dog Kodi. It's meant to be a children's book, not necessarily a book a young child could read on their own but one with pictures to go along with the words that a parent can read and also an older child can enjoy it. I worked with my enemy, gouache. It's not so much my enemy as I've learned to tame it, most of the time. I'm relatively pleased with how it came out and may continue on this next semester.

This is obviously the part in the book where Kodi is getting a pat on the head.

In Loving Memory: Lucy

One thing pet portraits are great for is soothing that empty place in your heart. It won't fill it but having a portrait of your pet helps keep the memory alive. This commission is in loving memory of a Shih Tzu named Lucy.

Size: 5x7
Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash
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Tanner and Simba: COMPLETE

I finished Tanner and Simba. I am pleased with how it came out. I also enjoyed being able to practice both on a cat and a dog at the same time.
Size: 11x14 [my scanner couldn't fit the whole thing]
Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash
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WIP: Tanner & Simba Part 2

Another update on my latest commission. I've fondly named this Love at First Sight. I forgot to mention before the dog is named Tanner and the cat is Simba.
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And a close up of the heads:

WIP: Tanner & Simba

I haven't been doing much work due to school work piling up. But, I finally had some free time and was able to work on my latest commission. A dog and a cat at the same time! They are adorable. This has been a lot of fun so far. I decided to show a work in progress with this one. It's half way done. I hope to get it done within the next few days.
Size: 11x14
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Rendering Techniques

During my Fall 2008 semester I took Rendering Techniques. Basically the concept was learning to make things look like things. Such as; wood look like real wood, fur look like fur, ect. We worked with Gouache, which I had never used before. It was tough but in the end I can at least appreciate gouache. It certainly isn't my favorite medium but it has it's highs and lows. Below is my project. Both ends were chopped off by my scanner but you still get enough of the image.


From Left to Right [Top]: Wood, wine, handcuffs [metal], dress [fabric]
From Left to Right [Bottom]: Bricks, fur [dog], fur [cat], water [leaf]

Lacey

This is Lacey the Airdale Terrier. It was a challenge getting the curly fur. I think I killed my xacto knife but I've been wanting to get more blades anyway because the blade has been getting dull.

Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash
Size: 5x7

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH:


FINAL RESULTS: View in Full Size

What is...?

I added a "What is...?" paragraph to my website. What is scratchboard? I'm asked that question a lot and thought I'd finally put a little blurb in explaining it before viewing my actual scratchboard examples. I used the easy approach, wikipedia, and got a nice quick sum up.

I hope to one day write a more in depth, with pictures, more personal, 'What is...?" when I have the time.

The Yogster Cat

Happy 2009! I hope everyone had a lovely new year's and will have a great 2009! I'm hoping for a great new year! To start off the new year here is a new commission I finished. I was very excited to do this one, especially considering I know this cat in person. He's a big orange tabby cat named Yogi. One of my favorite nicknames for him is Yogster. He's very friendly, smart but dumb; he'll sit and give paw for treats and yet he has run through a banister and caused himself internal bleeding [he was fine!].

I definitely want to practice cats more and I still have yet to do some experimenting out of the scratchboard realm. I hope that day will come before classes start and my free time is limited. We'll see.

Medium: Scratchboard with watercolor wash
Size: 5x7
VIEW FULL SIZE