Michelle Jackson

They’re done and they’re snailing their way to their new owners!  This theme brought back a lot of memories from when I was a kid who had nothing else to do but doodle.  I went through a phase where I would create calligraphic illustrations/graphics of my friends name’s or initials, which was about the same time I was really getting into hip-hop and their graphic and artistic styles back in the late 80’s, which was a huge influence in my style at the time.  This theme also forced me to take a closer look into the world of typography and its art form.  I think I have three to four pages worth of font sketches and ideas, but struggled with the execution for some reason.  I originally wanted to create a series with the theme, but was running out of time, so decided that since random is what I do best, I’ll do whatever comes to mind.

DoodleSwap #5 Flickr Set

Hope you enjoyed this set!

Cheers!!!

Here is my latest sketch for the ATC Monday Artday Sketchbook Swap. It was a quickie since the past month or so have been insanely busy at work and am catching up on personal projects. Now I’m off to doodle for the doodle swap! Enjoy!

It’s been awhile since I’ve participated with Illustration Friday by posting something. Every week for almost a year or so that I haven’t participated, I’ve always illustrated typographically the topic of the week. This week I thought this would be a fun topic to do, and wanted to share!

This was sketched in a Moleskine with pencil.  The mud was created with watercolor pencils and brushed with water, outlined with a blue 05 Micron and colored the other parts of the lettering with a white pencil.

Cheers!

Think I’m still waiting on a few more doodles to come in, but wanted to share what I’ve received so far!   I love doing swaps!  I get to flex my creative muscles and wait anxiously at the mailbox for little packages of doodliciousness!

If you want to participate, head on over to http://doodleswap.blogspot.com!

There’s also a doodle flickr group  called ‘The Doodle Swap Project’ if you wanted to check out all the fun stuff everyone’s done!

Cheers,

Michelle!

I meant to share these sketches done in the second and third sketchbooks.

The sketch of the balloon has a little story behind it.  My husband and I were in our front yard cleaning up last spring, and as we were talking and enjoying the weather, my husband tells me to turn around.  I turn and as I’m doing that a balloon that had been riding a gentle breeze, and had floated right into my arms.  I was so amused, but even more amused when looked at the balloon to find that someone had drawn a smiley face on it.  I still smile to myself when I think about it!

Cheers! M

Been a busy doodler lately!  Kind of nice to feel productive and post something here to share.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I am participating in a sketchbook swap with some of the members of Monday Art Day.   I received Bearuh’s and Michelle Lana’s sketchbooks a few weeks ago, and here are the sketches I did in them.

This one was done in Bearuh’s sketchbook…

…and this is one was done in Michelle Lana’s sketchbook.

I signed up for the Doodle Swap #4 in the fall, and met the deadline today to send them all out! Kinda like how these turned. Hope everyone that gets them enjoys them too!

I’m participating in the Monday Art Day Sketchbook Swap, and wanted to share my first sketch.

Monday Art Day Fall 2009 Sketchbook Swap

Found this quick digital painting I did quite a few months ago that I meant to share on here, so I’ll do it now!   This was done entirely in Photoshop, with several different types of brushes (some you may recognize I’m sure!)  to practice using different textures, tones and colors.

Bunny in a field

This past September I lovingly placed 2.5 x3.5 hand-cut cards into handmade envelopes, placed inside a larger envelope shared with a note to the receiver, hoping that they would enjoy the contents.  On the cards were doodles done for a Doodle Swap hosted by Mary of Diversion Design.  I saw her open invitation via the HOW Design forum, and had to sign up!  It was so much fun to use every second of my day to think creatively.  I used this opportunity to really let my mind go.. which is the reason why the doodles are so random in style and technique.  Here are my doodles!

The last four were extras, and one I couldn’t quite part with yet.

Last winter a friend asked if I would help her with stage design for her Little Mermaid ballet. Me being in a complete design funk, could not refuse this opportunity to be creative.

This was my first attempt at stage design, and learned a LOT from this experience. We were on a limited budget, and did what I could with paper and limited resources. These were some of the sea creatures created for the set.

Just a quick freehand ink doodle for this weeks IF theme: Contained.  Before I dozed off I had to get one more drawing in and without forcing myself to think I came up with this doodle using a prisma pen, and nothing else.  I cleaned it up the edges, and added a tiny splash of color in PS.  To balance the odd shape, I duplicated the image a few times and placed them around the original, using the white space as a border.  

Just a few sketches done for Illustration Friday’s 11.28.08 theme, Balloons!  This didn’t quite turn out the way I had it in my head, but am pleased with it being a preliminary sketch.

I have also added a few more balloon sketches, one quickly done while I waited for my husband to leave work (sorry for the bad photo) and the other done almost a year ago.  Here’s a link to a recent balloon related post!

Glorified Beet

This is Mitsie the Glorified Beet. She’s having an awesome day!

This was sketched onto a aceo sized bristol board, colored with watercolor pencils, watered, and then outlined with a gel ink. I’m sad that I over-saturated the edges causing some separation, so I’ll have to redo this on a watercolor paper.  My scanner is having a sick day, so I had to take a photograph, which isn’t showing the artwork in all of its glorified beetly glory, but wanted to share.

Cheers!

This is just a rough sketch-up, but I have been slowly working on a personal illustrative story, being inspired by Hayao Miyazaki, and his animations.  The sketch introduces you to the main character, and her enchanting ride!  Her kitty companion is sitting just inside the ‘teacup’ on the countertop.  Mr. Fisherson’s, the Balloon Fish,  almost always has a good sense of direction, but has always found the smell of apple pies to divert his attention, causing them to make some unexpected landings along their voyage.

Cheers!

I finally have a place to call my own. As I learn more about wordpress and designing my own theme for the wordpress, I have used a theme called ‘Scruffy’ by a Cobus Bester, that seems to be fitting for the time being. Keep visiting since I’ll be updating my blog frequently, and changing the site around as I get cozy in my new place. Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy!

Cheers!

Save Sayama Forest, also known as Totoro’s Forest. The endangered Totoro’s forest lies just on the outskirts of Tokyo, and is what inspired Hayao Miyazaki to create the loving character ‘Totoro.’
In an effort to help save this forest, one of Japan’s greatest animation directors, Hayao Miyazaki, established the national trust called “Totoro’s Forest Foundation.” To support the cause a group of Pixar artists organized the Totoro’s Forest Project, which is an exhibition/auction event featuring 200 internationally acclaimed artist’s in the field of animation, comic books, and illustration. Each artists work is up for auction where all proceeds go toward the fund. The fun part is seeing how they were inspired by the movie ‘My Neighbor Totoro.’ And let me tell you, the gallery of artwork really grasps the spirit that Hayao Miyazaki works so passionately to expose in all of his great work.

I urge you to take a peek, learn more about the cause these lucky and super talented artists worked so hard to contribute too and maybe participate in the auction.

Enjoy!!

This is somewhat belated, due to moving and settling in, but here are the ACEO’s I recieved from the Swap!!! This was a lot of fun, not only to do for, but to wait for too! Here are the one’s I recieved.
Thank you so much to Esmeralda for hosting the swap and for a lovely “Singing by the Moonlight aceo, and thank you to Robin, Katz, and to the artist who created the ‘Collage Cat Print!’

My three submissions for the ACEO trio cat trade. They’re Kokeshi Kitties!

New ACEO up on Monday Art Day! Check the site out, and start creating your own ACEO’s to trade with other artists! doooo eeet..