Impossibility

I would have said it was an impossibility, that I could scan grass and a flower from my yard and combine them with a scan of a photo of mossy rocks, then throw in a pen & ink gecko, if I had been asked whether this was possible 10 years ago. But today it is not only possible, it is amazing!

Intricate Mobile

An mobile for Illustration Friday's word "intricate." Intricate being something with many interrelated parts in a mobile, or sculpture, where those parts move independently.

Pig's Instinct

Pig's instinct was to just eat the donut. Composite done for Illustration Friday's word "instinct."

Time Slows Down For Insomniacs

Flawed Urn

This charcoal and pencil sketch of an urn is flawed in more ways than one. Besides the fictional flaw superimposed on the finished piece (for Illustration Friday's word "flawed"), the original sketch had its own problems. Then, when I scanned it, the white of the watercolor paper came out like a rainbow so I smudged the whole thing to get rid of the lines.

The original model is quite nice in the gardens of Robson Harrington house - which is now owned by the town of San Anselmo.

Contained Crows

These crows are all contained in boxes for illustration friday's word "contained."

Similar

These gourds are similar and yet, very different.

Pen & ink and marker illustration cut up and manipulated digitally for Illustration Friday's word "similar."

Balloon

Circus clown and dancing dog in the big tent before the crowds arrive. An old digital composite updated for illustration friday's word "balloon."

Having been motivated by both the inspiration behind and the beautiful resulting art piece of Lisa Rivas’s Living Bridges , I thought I’d give credit where credit is due on this picture:

My 88 year old father, E.A. Autrey, at a much younger age, is the face of the clown under the white make-up (although he does not have red hair and was not quite so scary looking). Here’s a photo of him younger (in the middle).

The Circus from Toulouse-Lautrec’s lithograph portfolio (page 22 in the limited edition book I’d love to have except won’t since it costs $1,500) here was the inspiration for the circus setting. When I went to visit my friend in the Philippines a few years ago, the bedroom I stayed in had copies of these circus drawings hanging on the wall and I just loved them.

Finally, I was happy to have figured out how to make balloons using the 3D program in Illustrator and then turned them into a pattern brush in Corel Painter, which partially explains the funny outfit.

Bird Thoughts

"Birds without heads aren't much company. But that's just my opinion."

Bird thoughts for illustration Friday's word "Opinion"

Rabbit in a Vacant Lot

Illustration done for Illustrationfriday.com's word VACANT

Button Scholars

Just for fun! Inspired by Daniel Mackie's illustration (http://www.danielmackie.co.uk/)
for the article "Class action" in the new Wall Street Journal magazine.

Paper Mache Pig

A quick digital painting on the Saatchi website of a paper mache pig done as a project when Amber was very young. The original is a balloon with toilet paper cardboard legs and a plastic easter egg nose covered with newspaper and pink paper glued on top. Her ears are covered with pink yarn to represent hair, she has false eyelashes and painted eyes and nose.

The Vog

"Vog," on the big island of Hawaii, is actually fog generated from the gases spewing out of the active volcano. This "foggy" entry for Illustration Friday is a view of Maui from the big island. The nearby island is seen rising up above the ocean and the Vog. Cardinals were everywhere in Hawaii (usually in pairs) so I added one here.

Baby

Illustration for illustrationfriday.com.

I did this drawing years ago when I was trying to write and illustrate a children's story about a magic ball. Baby wanted to go outside. Because she couldn't talk, she made a wish while holding her little red ball. When baby handed the ball to her mother, her mother got the message and baby got to go outside. Like most of my stories it didn't go anywhere after that.

What, me worry?

Pen & ink & marker illustration of Alfred E. Newman for Illustration Friday's word "Worry."
I wish I could be as carefree as Alfred!

Big Oaks From Little Acorns Grow

Baby oak trees from acorns that fell in my back yard. Pen & ink & marker illustration for Illustration Friday's word "seed"

Wrinkles

My hand gets very WRINKLED working in the garden!
Illustration done in illustrator for illustrationfriday.com

Homage to the Orchid

Orchids in a vase, pen & ink & marker (with some additions in Corel Painter and Photoshop). Done for Illustration Friday's word "Homage."

Pet Peeve

Toothpaste with the lid left off for Illustration Friday's subject "Pet Peeve. "

Garden

"Garden" illustration for Illustration Friday (which is where I should be on this glorious sunny day instead of inside working on my computer).

Hawaiian Happy Face spiders really do look like that!