Happy Halloween!

Here's my Illustration Friday submission for this week. Subject is "Haunt". I was tyrying to tell a story without any words so hopefully I was successful. I had this drawn up awhile ago, but I was so scared to add color to it. I thought I was going to mess it up. It turned out pretty nice though, and I'm happy with myself for finally finishing it.

A rainy Autumn

It seems like the month of October has brought more rain than shine. I was inspired to draw this by my daughter jumping in puddles, much to my dismay.

"Breaking into Freelance Illustration"

If you're just starting out on a creative independence journey and looking for a great resource, look no further than Holly DeWolf's "Breaking into Freelance Illustration". Holly does a wonderful job bringing all aspects of freelance illustration to focus. While highlighting the difficult road ahead, Holly continually encourages the reader to press forward and not give up. This is a must read for any art student planning on making it on their own. I only wish that I had had a resource as amazing as this one when I graduated college. But, here's to second chances!

Do you have an inspirational or freelance business book to share? I'd love to here about it! I'm always looking for something to read. Thanks!
-Amanda

About me...

Wow it's hard to write about oneself. I don't know how many times I rewrote it. Thought I would get a little help from google. But do you know there are 178,000,000 articles related to "How to write a bio"? Yikes. So after writing multiple versions I think I found one I like; at least for now. Here I am!

Illustration Friday submission for the week: Mirror

These two mice are just "mousing" around!

Getting back to doing what I love...

It's been a long time since I sat down with a sketch book and actually drew something on paper, maybe 10 years. I have a BFA in Printmaking but, I'm currently an art director/graphic designer so I feel attached to my desk most of the time. A few weeks ago I sketched a little doodle for my daughter's birthday invitation...and it felt so good! Since then I've spent nearly every night (after the kids go to bed of course) drawing and painting. Feeling very rusty and out of practice, I try not to dwell on everyone else's work. It'll drive me crazy if I do and I won't want to keep going.

I started a blog to help me keep focused on my goal of becoming a children's illustrator. I'm so excited at the possabilities! I'm currently working on a portfolio before I start getting really serious. Here's the link to my current work. My ultimate goal is children's books, but one step at a time.