Illustration Friday 8/1/14 - Peace

That magic moment after you are done reading stories before bed and a child falls asleep. That is "peace". (The hardest part is trying to figure out how to leave the room without waking them up!)

#dailydoodlers/IF-Eye Glasses

© Kelli Thrasher-Brooks

This was an Illustration that I just did last night for @danidraws Daily Doodlers Challenge. The word was "Fairytale", but it also applies to today's word "Eye Glasses". I am in the process of adding colors today and fixing it up some but I still like the raw original lines.

(You can view more amazing artists work by searching hashtag #dailydoodlers on Twitter, Instagram & Tumblr.)

HoHoDooDa #18

Snow Angel

© Kelli Thrasher-Brooks

IF- "Stretch"

IF "Whiskers"/SkADaMo ...#23

Illustration Friday is "Whiskers" A lot of people were submitting cats, so I thought we'd take a sharp right and add a Walrus :)

SkADaMo #2/ IF-Shy

This was last night's sketch (November 2nd)... working on one tonight still. This sketch is also for the Illustration Friday word Shy.

This little shy puppy sitting outside in the mud, is just shy... one full bowl of food. (Kind of worked for both meanings of the word.)

IF- Haunt

Illustration Friday word "Haunt"

Been a while since I have had a chance to finish a new piece. Felt great but I crammed two drawings into one short evening. We've been waiting to lose power since early afternoon, but we are high enough elevation that I don't think Hurricane Sandy will effect us too bad after all. Still early, so we'll see.

Anyway I started this doodle last week one night and wanted to finish it before the power went out... maybe I can get ONE more piece done tonight :)

Have a safe & Happy Halloween!

IF-Book / Sweet Square #24

Here is another new creation. I have been drawing like crazy in my sketchBOOK in the evenings after the kids are asleep. Tonight my husband and I watched the ballgame and I decided to fine tune and color this sketch in. Here is what I came up with...

Sweet Square #19

Great weekend. Worked on a new idea of sketching out first and then going in with detail. Have not finished the entire piece, but here is the initial concept sketch.

I think I like working this way better because it helps get you to create the entire scene and out of the rut of just creating a vignette. Really takes me back to the days of creating storyboards for commercials too...

Sweet Square #17 and IF- "Crooked"

Beautiful Friday, and what a fun word to play with!!

Decided to use today's Illustration Friday word for my Sweet Square for Diandra Mae's fun 30 day exercise: http://diandramae.blogspot.com/

Sweet Square #13/Illustration Friday "Burst"

I've been working on this idea in my head ever since I saw this little kid get smashed in the face by his big brother's ball. I have been studying the face and how it morphs what something elastic smashes into it. You see some pretty funny faces!!!

So this idea transformed into a quick sketch for the Illustration word burst. I my try to use this concept in more detailed future sketch, and try to fine tune it a little more. In the meantime this was a really fun to study...

IF-Imagination

Just got back from the Advanced Illustrator Workshop at Highlights this past weekend and one of the things I learned is that in order to really speak to the children you have to open your imagination and play more!

Melissa Sweet has a great explanation in the back of her book Balloons Over Broadway and we got to learn how to play 1st hand with stuffed animals during an exercise with Ruth Sanderson. Lots of people can draw, but in Children's Book Illustration we need to push our imagination a little further... and have fun!

I created this Illustration in 2010 when I designed the Logo for the Eastern PA SCBWI Pocono Retreat. They went with the owl logo, but this picture represented children's imagination in the world of books.

IF- Suspense

One thing to keep in mind when developing pages in a story, it's important to keep your reader interested.

Suspense is a great thing that you can create to make the reader eager to find out what happens on the next page...


Here are the other two pages that take place Before & After the main page...

IF-Forward

"Forward" seemed fitting for this image. I had to redraw it twice. This has been my biggest obstacle in drawing, but have found the ability to let go of the original design for the sake of making the overall illustration better... One more foot "forward" on this adventurous path of Children's Book Illustration, learning & growing.

IF-Highlight 2

Earlier today I posted about all of the highlights happening recently, then I started playing around with a new program that I got for Christmas and it turned into this woman with highlights. Literal I know, but so much fun drawing... :)

IF- Remedy

A good remedy for the common cold, headache, or just about any illness cured by over the counter asprin... is just good old fashioned REST! Accompanied by a good book, and tall glass of pink lemonade of course.

If you are the more dramatic type throw in an ice pack too, if it makes you feel better. No matter what you do, make sure you unplug for one full day, keep a note book handy for new ideas, but leave the iphone, nook & laptop OFF! :)

IF-Rescue

Illustration Friday- "Rescue"

It's sad to see some Manatees at the Aquarium, but then you quickly realize that most of them have been RESCUED & nursed back to health rather than left in the harbor to be run over by powerboats, and tourists. Such sweet animals!

IF- Expired

This weeks word is expired. Which is just about how I feel right now :) Long day...

IF- Perspective

Sometimes it just takes one look at your children to get all the perspective you need...

IF- Propagate

Illustration Friday: "Propagate"
which does not mean "to Prop a Gate"...
I know dumb joke, but it has been a long week :)