Here’s what inspired my newest children’s illustration…
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators hosts a monthly contest for illustrators called Draw This! Each month a prompt word is chosen and illustrators are tasked with creating a children’s illustration based on that word prompt. Since joining the Society back in September, I haven’t missed a Draw This! contest yet. In fact, I find myself looking forward to creating each new illustration. Not only do I enjoy drawing children, but I also like the challenge of working with a theme that someone else has chosen.
The theme…
This month was “alone.” Initially, my thoughts turned more to the sad connotations of the word (like feeling lonely or abandoned). However, the more I thought about the word, the more I realized the potential humor in focusing on the imagination of a child left alone to his or her own devices.
The first sketch…
Was done on our balcony. After all, there really isn’t a better use for alone time than sketching outdoors on a beautiful afternoon!
(The darker version in the foreground is a reprint of the initial pencil sketch after I had tweaked some details in my photo editing program.)
The finished illustration…
Was completed using watercolor on Bristol board. Here’s proof that with an active imagination you’ll never feel…
ALONE
P.S…
You can see my entry in last month’s SCBWI Draw This! contest here. To purchase the illustration above, please visit my shop at Etsy.
Let me know if this will be available for sale—love it.
Hi Jennifer, Ooh, I’m so glad you like my newest little violinist illustration! I will be offering it for sale in my shop at Etsy. As soon as I have listed it, I will send you the link in case you are still interested. I’m lucky to have a lighter week schedule-wise this week (I play all the shows at the ballet, but the orchestra is only required for partial programs) so I plan to set up my new printer and do lots more illustration work (as well as getting out to enjoy the sunshine, too!) Is the weather nice in Indiana now? Lots of love, Joana
Hi Jennifer,
I finally had a moment to create the listing for the little violinist illustration in my shop at Etsy. If you’re still interested, here’s the link to see the listing:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/709131263/violin-art-watercolor-illustration?ref=shop_home_feat_1&frs=1
(I’ll also update the blog post with this information.)
I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend! I’ve got 2 more shows to play at the ballet before Monday, but I AM looking forward to enjoying the day off on Monday.
A big hug,
Joana
This is sooo darling. It should win, because I said so. Also, I just submitted my entry for the Etsy design competition, so you’re off the hook. I ended up posting a shop link on facebook, and asking people to pick their favorites. Almost no two first choices were the same, so we did instant runoff voting. The thistle got the nod 4 times, so that’s my entry.
Hi Helen, I wish YOU were the judge for all of my entries. 🙂 I have neglected Etsy of late so I didn’t even know about the design competition. Is your thistle listed somewhere on Etsy where I can see it? Andy leaves tomorrow for Milwaukee. He’ll be there 10 days (Midsummer Night’s Dream), but I’ll be here slaving away at the ballet. However, in August I’ll probably travel out with him for the opening of the new ballet theater. We plan to tackle our storage unit at that time, too….the hope being that we can empty it and move the stuff back here. “Hope” is the operative word – we have no extra space in our NY apartment..;-)
Hope you have a great week! xox – Joana
Oh this is ADORABLE!
Thank you, Mm!!!! I’m glad you like my latest. I lurve you!!
J