In the land of Whimsy where life is so strange...people and animals like to ride trains...bad, really bad!

This comes from a line in my first "Whimsy poem" In a series of poems that began with "In the land of  Whimsy..." On the other hand, along with that line came one of my all time favorite illustrations.

The completed pic with the help of Photoshop

I searched around to see if I could find a hard copy of that poem, but no such luck. I know it lives on my old mac, but I didn't really feel the need to boot that up since it takes forever and a day to get it up and running.

The original with the fish

There's another line in the poem that goes something like..."Children wear rainbows and fish like to run" That line I kinda like.

A couple of roughs

Writing poems has always been something I've enjoyed.  In high school creative writing was one of my favorite classes, and one of the few that I did really well in.

I remember when I did this illustration, Annie (my daughter) kept asking me "When is it gonna be done!" And it did take a while. I really worked at it!

The original line work on the train

I think about the process in writing my poems, compared to doing an illustration. When I get an idea, or an opening line stirs about. I can't let it go! I can't relax and just let it come to me. It keeps gnawing at me, and I stay obsessed until the last line.

There's a different kind of obsession with illustrating, it's quieter, more of a slow burn. I find myself purposely letting it ride out longer, in order to see it better. I've learned that if I rush an illustration, more than likely I will over-work it, or miss something.

Having kids has slowed me down, whether I want to be or not. Yet all the stops and goes can help the process too. Looking at a piece with "fresh eyes" usually works to my advantage. I might look at the art one day and think this looks great! Only to come back to it again, and see it might need more contrast, a color might be off,  or maybe there's two elements sharing the same space? Whatever it is, seeing it with fresh eyes never hurts.

As for the poem...for now it will remain on my old mac, maybe someday I'll rework it?  As for the illustration, well you can see the original never was completed. The train itself did get new life in Photoshop and turned out to be a nice addition to my portfolio and website.

Just a little side note on trains: I've been reading "The Road to Grace" by Richard Paul Evans. In it he talks about the difference between Hobos and Tramps. Hobos panhandle and ride trains, Tramps do not panhandle and they hitchhike. Apparently Hobos give Tramps a bad name.

I thought that was kinda funny~

So long for now...Make art, have fun :)

 They danced a wild dance of celebration as these two spirits finally hooked up!

This is why a sketch book comes in handy-- things you've done in the past as a doodle can often come back to you later on and shake up your muse.

http://marylourosatocaineillustrator.blogspot.com/2012/12/thanks-mark-sometimes-good-kick-in.html

I did this piece two, maybe three years ago. Originally intended for my sister-in-law who is a collector of pretty much anything that has to do with wolves. This was one of those projects that sat in the back of my mind for a good amount of years before I actually put pen to paper. Then when I did, this is what came out. I didn't give this picture to her because I didn't really like it at first. I ended up making her another piece, and framing it up. Anyway this one has kind of grown on me through the years. It's now on the move along with a few of my other pieces waiting to be displayed in the next coffee house show in Lakewood Ohio. Much thanks to my cousin/art rep Marie, who believes in me and my art.

For Illustration Friday I felt like playing around with type this week. The background was created for another piece I did for IF which still seems to be one of my most popular posts according to my stats. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out. (IF~Proverb)

http://marylourosatocaineillustrator.blogspot.com/2010/09/blog-post.html

Art: watercolor pencils
type and layout in photoshop

Thanks for stopping by :)

I've always been a loner. I value my solitude. People who know me may not view me this way. I'm friendly, easy going, a high energy kind of person. Introvert is not a word that would be used to describe me, yet that is a part of me. Maybe it's the part that makes me the creative that I am. I was a shy, quiet child. Losing my mother very young, I spent countless hours alone; painting, drawing, writing, playing make believe with my dolls and stuffed animals. I sometimes wonder, would I still be the artist I am today, had I not lost her? Maybe I would have been more so? Maybe she would have pushed me more? Maybe I would I have done better in school? Then again, losing her may have made me the creative I am. Throughout my life there have been these unanswered questions. I never talked about my mother when I was a kid, especially in school. I didn't want any pity from my friends. As I get older it seems more important to keep her close. And in my solitude I sometimes find her.

This week's challenge word is "Snow" and since I am a bit rushed this week with the holidays, I decided to dig out an older piece from my files. The snowman design was done especially for my uncle Ralph. He was a big supporter of my art. He and my aunt Lily, bought me my first art table, light and chair when I started out. It was quite the surprised! They stopped by one day and dropped everything off! It's moments like this in your life you just don't forget. I miss him dearly! My uncle had a large collection of hats, so this particular Christmas I thought I'd make him up is own special hat. At the time I made this design, I was working at a company where they made heat transfers. I also made tee-shirts, and sweatshirts for the rest of the clan that year. We have a BIG family dinner every Christmas Eve, there's about 25 of us in my aunt's basement. It's been going on, as of this coming Christmas, 29 years!

Today I'm missing my Island...


To be silent, to sit by a lake with the morning dew sparking in the sunshine-
To explore in the woods, only to find the ruins of an old winery-
To make new friends and hope your paths cross again-
To take a bike ride and feel how great it feels to just peddle along and not feel worried-
To just live in the moment...