Cover to Cover

Happy Tuesday to you! I am very excited about today’s posting because I get to tell you about a project that has been on the backburner for a little while now, but it is now something I can share…to a degree. I will be illustrating and formatting a children’s book!

The author is local and this is her first book. The book will be a self-published, 32-page, hardcover, children’s picture book.

Since this is the first book that the author has published, we have been learning about publishing together. Because this is a totally new endeavor for me, I thought I would share the research and process involved in illustrating, laying-out, and publishing a children’s picture book… Starting with my next posting = )

At this time, I would like to thank the individuals who have offered great advice on how to approach this project. Deb Festa, for introducing me to the author of the manuscript, Fay Sirkis, for teaching me how to paint digitally, and for sharing your layout, design and illustration experience; Susan Harrison-Tustain, for teaching me how to paint watercolor portraits and for the advice about how to approach the project and publishing; Karen Sperling, for your advice about self-publishing; Stephanie Roth Sisson, for your advice about illustrating books and publishers; David, Mom and Dad, for your unconditional love and support – THANK YOU!

And now, What’s on my easel…

I have completed the dog portrait. I mentioned before that it ended up being a digital portrait, but I printed it out onto Arches 100% cotton rag watercolor paper and added watercolor paint to it. It is the first time I have attempted this, and I must say, I like it! It added that special touch that makes this a one of a kind portrait!

The Tribute to Francis painting is coming right along. The yellow flower is there, but still needs refinement and finishing touches – these will be done AFTER the purple flower is completed. The purple Iris is started and here are a couple of photos showing the progression…



From the Jewelry Box…

In my last post I mentioned a necklace idea that was inhabiting my brain. Well I must confess, the picture in my brain is not at all how the necklace turned out. I don’t have a photo of it (in it’s current state), but suffice it to say that it WILL be remade!

So as not to leave you wondering if I accomplished anything in the jewelry-making area, I did throw together a pair of black and white earrings to go with another black and white outfit.



I’m not thrilled with the design, but as Thomas Edison once said…

Quote of the day…
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ~Thomas Edison

Give me an "E"...Give me a "T...S...Y"

Yes, I have set up shop and am now on ETSY. For those of you who are unfamiliar with ETSY, it is a website which provides small business entrepreneurs with a way to buy and sell handmade items, including art, photography, clothing, etc. If it is handmade…or vintage, it is eligible for sale on ETSY.

My shop is located at http://www.debjeffrey.etsy.com/ -- Please note that I still have much work to do to my shop – resize photos, add items, etc., but I imagine it will be an ever-evolving site. So, please stop by and let me know what you think – Thank you!

What’s on My Easel…

Well, the dog portrait has become a digital painting. I am almost done and hope to complete it tonight. If I do get permission to share the painting with you, I will include with my next post.

I worked a bit on the The Tribute to Francis. It is still slow going, but I’ll keep you informed of the process nonetheless.

This is where we left off…

And this is where we are now. The flower has been developed a bit more.

Once the basic shading and highlights are added, I will go back and add the veins and other detail.

From the Jewelry Box…

My last posting included a photo of a bracelet I made to help encourage my 11 year-old jewelry-designing niece. Well, we delivered the bracelet, some jewelry making supplies and the following business cards this weekend…
I have blurred her blog and email address -- As soon as she provides me with some photos and details about her jewely, I will provide you with the details about Jewelry Designs by Drina.

I have a necklace design occupying my brain, so by next Tuesday, I hope to have a new necklace to share with you.

Today’s Quote…
“I really have a lot of stuff in my head; if only there were insurance companies for that as there are for so many things.” -Edgar Degas

Create!

From the Jewelry Box…

I made a pair of shell bead earrings to wear with today’s work outfit, so I thought I would share. I took the photos with my cell phone, so they are not the highest quality, but I think you’ll get the idea…

Also, I completed the bracelet for my great-niece, Drina. Drina is 11 years old and a jewelry designer in her own right. I hope she is encouraged to reach for the stars and “create” jewelry to her heart’s content!

Today’s Quote: It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ~Frederick Douglass

Another Blast from the Past...

I needed a Mom and Dad fix and spent a part of the weekend down in Southern California visiting my parents and sister. The visit was short, but sweet.

Once again my Mom sent me away with something from my past, but I’ll get to that after I share an update on…

What’s on My Easel…

First, the dog commission I have been working on is going rather slowly. There were some revisions made to the basic drawing, and I’m at the point where it will either be completed as a digital painting, or I will have to begin again to make it a traditional watercolor portrait…

I didn’t spend much time on the Tribute to Francis painting, so the progress is going very S-L-O-W-L-Y. I hid the purple flower, in order to work on the yellow one, and this is where I am.

I hope to have more to report on this painting soon!

From the Hope Chest…

I have no idea when I made these clay masterpieces = ) My Mom says there was a kiln at the elementary school I went to, so she is pretty sure I made them at some point during my K-6 years.

I have no idea why I made a dauschund…unless it was a beagle gone wrong. The turtle, I’m pretty sure was influenced by our ever present land turtle named General Patton. He hung out in our backyard and ate hibiscus flowers.

From the Jewelry Box...

It is hard to believe, but I have nothing to report today. I purchased the beads, but I just haven't made the next project yet. It is a bracelet for my great-niece, Drina. I learned that she makes bracelets, so I wanted to make one for her using her favorite light aqua color, and include one or more of the encouraging word beads that are so popular right now. I need to finish it by this weekend, so I'll be sure and post a photo next Tuesday.

Today’s Quote: “It took me four years to paint like raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” – Pablo Picasso

I Like to Steal Away…

Well, I thought I did, until I looked up the “proper” definition of Steal Away and found that it means to, “Leave furtively and stealthily - slip away, sneak away, sneak off, sneak out.”

I’m not actually sneaking off – just trying to get away during my lunch hour and read or paint. Anyway, since I just finished my most recent “read,” I decided to take my field painting kit and start a miniature painting.

My kit consists of a small plastic basket that I picked up at the dollar store. It is filled with a set of Watercolor Pencils, a miniature watercolor paint set (filled with my favorite paints), a collapsible brush, two bottles of water (one “clean” and one “dirty”), painter’s tape, a 4x6 pad of watercolor paper, a rag, pencils and waterproof pens, and business cards…(because you never know who you will run in to).

I thought the following tree in one of our local parks was beautiful,

So I sketched out a portion of it and will continue to work on it during my lunch hours until it is finished.
This painting is small, but will probably take awhile to finish – after all, I only have an hour to “steal away”, grab a bite, paint, and get back to the office.

Today’s Quote: “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” -- Pablo Picasso

"A Tribute To Francis" update

What is on my easel...
The acrylic painting, “A Tribute to Francis” is coming right along. Last Thursday’s post showed the background colors being added and blended, the next step is to start building the leaf layers. The leaves are painted onto a separate layer in a flat wash.

Highlight and shadow colors are then added in and all are blended together.

The above technique is used to add the various layers of leaves…

Once the leaves are in, I add a flat wash where the flowers will go…


This is today’s stopping point. Next time I will begin defining the flowers by adding the highlight, shadow and midtone areas.


From the Jewelry box ...

My friend Karen celebrated her ##nd Birthday on Saturday. I put my newly acquired wire-wrap skills into use and made her a sterling silver, Peridot and Apatite necklace. It's funny -- I picked out the stones for her necklace based on the "natural" color clothing she wears. I learned later that Peridot is her birthstone -- I love it when things like that happen!


Okay, by now you should know that I didn't stop there. I made two bracelet and earring sets -- each made with shells and other stones and findings...



Today's Quote: “Painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realizing one’s sensations.” – Paul Cezanne