Guinea Pigs and Sketchbooks

I may have mentioned before that I draw quite a lot while watching television in the evenings. I do find it a useful exercise as I have to observe and draw quickly. 

I have a lovely brush pen which is fun to use for this and it makes me work more loosely.

I watched a film about James Brown called Get On Up and it was very good. This is one of the sketches I did while watching:

I also started work on this and also finished it. So here are some progress pictures:

Working with a limited palette:

Another sketch I want to use for something:

Chickpea has had a very short temper recently:

I'm working on some new designs for my Etsy shop and fairs. I have two definites and another possible one or two before Christmas - check my Facebook page for information:

https://www.facebook.com/tsillustrator

I am very much enjoying drawing guinea pigs at the moment:

I have a lot to do and with a commission and working with a school too that should keep me busy!

Thanks for reading my blog,

Teri

Summer Holidays and a Competition

It's the summer holidays and Chickpea is off school and keeping me very busy. We've been painting and drawing and currently Chickpea is enjoying making some of the crafts from the Usbourne 365 Things to Make book:

Inspired by Indian elephant photos we let loose with the gel pens decorating this! 

What you can't see is Chickpea has drawn a happy face on one side and a sad lion face on the other!

This is a giraffe!

Then I invented my own and made an owl:

It is tricky trying to balance work while also being primary carer during holidays and the summer holiday is so long! It means I end up doing a lot of preparation work and also experimenting. Here's what's been happening in my sketchbook - also details about a competition are right at the end of this post:

I got a new pen. It's a Pentel Brush pen with permanent ink (I have tried to see how permenant it is yet - it's on my list) and replaceable cartridges. Lots of fun and so the first part of my sketchbook is covered in mark making and sketches to see how it works and how I can use it:

I did go back to a story I've half written and drew this with the new pen:

Some quick expressions

Another story idea

Showing my age with this song:

Working on my next big piece:

I've been drawing some dragons too:

Chickpea was busking in our lounge (and demanding money!)

Part of another idea

I started with this piece and...

Added a friend (or is that fiend?)

I love pangolins

While watching James Bond:

For @Daily_Doodle a bear on a chair:

John Cleese's cat:

Amusing myself:

More sketching

A germ of an idea in this one:

New dipper pen nibs and handle meant I had to do more experimenting:

Thanks for getting this far!

Here's the link for a competition, to win a print from my Etsy shop, which is over on my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/tsillustrator/posts/980184745366776

Competition closes Sunday 30th August 2015!

Good luck and thanks for reading my blog,

Teri

July, Summer Sun and Fun

It's been a busy month and I find myself in July already.

Chickpea turned 5 last month so it got a bit crazy with organising birthday parties (yes, more than one) and baking cakes! 

Chickpea had requested a mermaid cake which had me stumped for a while but the final idea turned out okay:

And we were pirates (and there were mermaids too) for the day of her class party. Hurrah! Everyone had a good time.

I've been updating my website with new artwork and artwork that is more in keeping with the same style. Have a look here:

http://www.terismyth.com

Also after lots of people asking I've printed some of my illustrations and I am selling them as A3 prints and greeting cards in my Etsy shop here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PlayfulStories

Here's a peek at a few of the items that are currently available:

I've been doing some sketching too. I had to sit at an airport for a little while and it's fascinating watching all the people wandering about. Here's something from my sketchbook:

I've also been sketching while watching TV:

I loved Mr Norrell and Mr Strange! 

Amazing Spiderman 2

From The TV series Penny Dreadful.

Also some other sketches:

Ninja Nana

And without her disguise 

All is till very busy here and I'm also counting down to the school holidays as well!

Thanks for reading my blog,

Teri

Family Pirate Portrait

A while ago I said I'd been working on a family portrait and it was all hush-hush as it was a surprise birthday present. 

The portrait was to include lots of different things that they enjoyed doing together, places that meant something special to them, as well as pirates, farms and princesses.

The family are happy for me to share their portrait and here it is.

I was so pleased at the reaction it received. It's always good when the reaction is so happy!

Thank you to the Malloys. It was fun working on this project with them.

Thanks for stopping by,

Teri