from the archives

Today's post is from the archives, because I'm feeling a bit under the weather (or maybe that could be called an understatement but I just don't want to admit that to myself). At least for blogging I don't need to talk; my voice made way for some sort of a grinding noise...

This is still one of my favorite drawings. When I drew this picture a few years ago, it made me feel absolutely confident about my love for drawing and I knew I needed to start and listen to the need to use pencils and papers instead of a camera to create.

Illustrated recipe - waldorf salad

I made this waldorf salad last week. It's not an 'original' recipe, I just made it up as I went through the fridge and the kitchen cupboards, and found the ingredients.

After illustrating the christmas recipe for the quarterly staff magazine of the company where I'm a part time employee, I was asked to illustrate the recipe for the next issue too. 

While I was at it, I made one to submint on the website They Draw And Cook as well:

Illustration Friday - Twirl

This week's topic on Illustration Friday is Twirl.

I've just started character sketches for my new project: I was asked to illustrate The Three Little Pigs for Flying Books. This is an app for Ipad; books for children:

Your children can experience you reading to them, even when you can’t be there – create a profile record you reading to your children (or grandchildren.)

So: for Illustration Friday, I combined sketching with this week's topic. 
I sketched it with bic pen on butcher's paper, scanned it and then digitally colored the sketch. I hope you like it :)

bic-pen sketches

three little pigs character sketches

hummus!

Nicole, who I met through the Creative Courage e-course (by Stephany Levy), has a great project for 2012. She asks for recipes from everyone she knows, then makes these recipes and publishes them on her blog with a photo of the result. She made my hummus recipe that I illustrated for They Draw And Cook and you can find it on her blog chaosandcherries.blogspot.com

  

Journal page

The Sketchbook Project - the real thing 5

All done! If you want to have a look at the pages without clicking through the previous posts, then just click here for The Sketchbook Project

The Sketchbook Project - The real thing 4

My sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project is almost finished!!

page 18-19

page 20-21

Journal page - last sunday

On sunday afternoons, when I don't need to get out of the house, It's so nice to hang around in a fluffy pair of old jogging pants and a shirt or sweater. So that'a exactly what I did last sunday. Then I made a little drawing of it in my journal, too.

illustration friday - 'prepare'

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is 'Prepare'. For this I started a different drawing in black pen, but  found I should make something a bit more colorful after all these black-pen-sketchbook-posts I did lately. I happen to like making lists and that's why I made this small illustration in my journal. There you go: making lists can be a real help to prepare for... anything actually :)

The Sketchbook Project, the real thing 3

Here is a new update on my progress for The Sketchbook Project. I'm pretty excited by it actually, because it's becoming a real storybook.

I need your help though... What could the title of this story be? I was thinking of 'Millies Monsters', but perhaps that's a bit too simple or easy.

The theme of the sketchbook is 'fill me with stories'. Any idea or suggestion for the title is very welcome! After all, this is also the way how Millie got her name, thanks to Timothy Hodge!

So... if you have any suggestions: leave a comment below!

If you'd like to see the first pages of the sketchbook, you'll find them here and here.

page 12-13

page 14-15

page 16-17

The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour

The Sketchbook Project is a constantly evolving library of artists' sketchbooks from across the globe.

This year thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at art spaces in 14 cities. After the tour, they will join the collection of the Brooklyn Art Library and made available to the public seven days a week.

All books must be postmarked by Jan. 31st.

Illustration Friday - Grounded

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is 'Grounded'. This was the first image that popped into my mind...

The Sketchbook Project, The real thing 2

As you can see, I've been busy on The Sketchbook Project . 

Stay tuned for more pages of my sketchbook to be posted here very soon!

page 6-7

page 8-9

page 10-11

journal page

The Sketchbook Project, The real thing 1

The deadline for The Sketchbook Project is coming closer and I am happily working on the final pages in bic-pen.

Here are the first finished pages. I might do a little touch-ups here and there, but for now I am quite happy about them. 

What do you think?

All sketchbooks must be sent to arthouse co-op before the end of the month, so stay tuned for more pages of my sketchbook to be posted here very soon!

Page 1

page 2-3

page 4-5

.... how about that for a cliff hanger?!

Illustration Friday - highlight

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is 'highlight.

Here's my submission:

 

Creative Courage e-course: a few spaces left!

The Creative Courage e-course will be starting on Monday, January 9th.

This e-course by Stephanie Levy is a unique, uplifting experience for all participants. Trust me, I know. I participated in Stephanie's very first e-course and I liked it so much, that I decided to participate again.

 
There are still a few spaces left for new participants in the e-course that will start next week. We can all use some extra encouragement and positive connections when we are working on our creative dreams. If you think so too, I'd say: go for it! Stephanie will give you a creative boost at the start of this new year.

I know I am looking forward to it. Maybe i'll see you as a classmate there?

You can read everything about the course and participating right here

dragon lino prints - colour

here are some of the results of my colour lino prints I made last tuesday

I also took out this  lino cut I made a while ago and reprinted it on a coloured background

The year of the dragon, linoprint

It's The year of the dragon in Chinese astrology, so on the first day of this year, while recovering of the party we organized the night before, I decided to make a lino. Here's the result.

printed on white drawing paper, and below on brownish sketching paper printed area 15x21cm

 

I started sketching and soon 'found my dragon

Then I drew it on a piece of lino

when I finished cutting out the dragon in the lino, I started printing right away. I didn't think about it being mirrored when printed, so I had to take out the '2012' bit that I cut out the wrong way (is going to bed early in the morning after a new year's eve party a good excuse for not thinking things through?). Actually, now itt's even better because I could print '2012' apart from the rest and also print a 'plain' dragon without the digits in it.

Today I made more prints, with colour printed backgrounds. They are drying as we speak.