A first entry..I'm sure I'll do better next month!

I've been a member for a little while without a post of my own. So I guess today is the day I share. The talent in here is amazing and quite intimidating.

I've been a glass artist [my own glass beads for jewelry] for years but did do watercolors for several years before the glass. Earlier last year, I fell into illustrating [2 so far] childrens books for a brand new publishing company and just enjoyed it so much, the glass is put away for now. One of the books will be out next month and I'm in the midst of working on the other at the moment.
This is a watercolor I did of my grandson scanned into photoshop and worked on very minimally [this is not from either book or even the same style] and although Im not really looking for critiques, Im always wanting to learn and improve so if you feel so inclined, I won't be offended. I know there are many flaws..but it is, at the moment, a personal best.
Im just learning digital art..a brand new language for me and I'm so so so excited to have stumbled upon SVS, a WEALTH of information that I'm trying my best to drink up and apply to my work. I can't seem to sketch right in photoshop..its easier for me to start with a scan. I played with some brushes to see if I could improve upon my little boy..and I think I did. I do love this new to me medium and see where if I can improve upon this now with my extremely limited digital skills, it might get pretty exciting in the future!

Thanks so much for looking and any words of wisdom/advice you might have. I love the vibe at SVS..I feel like I can do this little show and tell without too much anxiety!

I deleted a previous image.. I rushed the submission. I puttered some more which resulted in a better [to my eye]image. Lesson learned. Put it away and look with fresh eyes in the morning before submitting it as 'finished'

Cropped the image and worked some more with the value. Much better and that's it.. Finished, not perfect.

@Gary-Wilkinson ..so well done as always. Sad commentary, but so well done. @rcartwright that just made me laugh..just great.

Ive been working on an illustration which will be given to a writer to come up with a story for it. I can't wait to read it. Illustration and accompanying story will then hang in the library in Albuquerque along with several others for the month of September. The theme is 'Lost and Found' ..I entitled this 'Isla's Pearls'
Dragons are everywhere, I suppose I was influenced.

It's really nice to have confirmation in life that we're doing the right thing or at least headed in the right direction. I enjoyed the podcast.

I think the greatest advantage an older person has is that wonderful gift of time. With less required of us..I'm speaking from a mothers perspective.. more of our time can be devoted to our own pursuits. That's my story.. there are times I do feel I've missed out in many ways, but I try to remember that my only limitations are the ones I put on myself. It may be that I will never be a superstar in the world of illustration [!] but I don't ever feel that the reason for that might be my age! We're very lucky in that, this industry, as Will Terry mentioned, doesn't require muscle so much as it does vivid use of imagination and hard work. You can develop those traits well into your senior years. How fun is that. Thanks for another informative, entertaining podcast guys..you work great together.

She's a remarkable little artist! I think those skills for 3 are quite advanced..the lips on the Mom figure I think it is? that's pretty observant for one so young, and all of those amazing little flying floating creatures are just delightful. You're right..the freedom expressed by such an uninhibited young mind is very inspirational. Great reminder this morning..thanks for posting this.

This book about a bear named Gracie was both fun and torturous to do since I was just learning to draw digitally, so not a really bright move, but I just sort of took the bull by the horns. I cringe now at some of the illustrations.
I've just recently completed another since then that will be out in a few months and I am much prouder of that one. Learning as I go! I plan on working my way more studiously through this new curriculum set up here, so surely the next will be even better.
at Amazon ->> https://tinyurl.com/v47nzhz

Thanks so much for the welcome @Nyrryl-Cadiz and @Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen

Marsha, they asked for a realistic cartoon style without background! This is one of the illustrations..book will be out shortly. I can't wait to see it all pulled together.

I love movement too..it catches my eye as I scroll. I think you have to be careful though..not too fast and not too many images. Although Im not sure we're talking about the same process..that link took me to a slideshow...unless I missed something?
I was a glass artist for several years..[glass beads and jewelry] and once made a gif image of my hands making a glass bead in the flame. It was extremely crude animation and because of that I kind of loved it. I thought it was more interesting than just a video. Anyway, all of this learning and testing out is fun, isn't it.
Link to the pinned image from my website:

Thanks @Andy-Gray and @carriecopa
I was trying to link to just the gif but I'll just link to my website:

http://www.deborahjlambson.com/

This book about a bear named Gracie was both fun and torturous to do since I was just learning to draw digitally, so not a really bright move, but I just sort of took the bull by the horns. I cringe now at some of the illustrations.
I've just recently completed another since then that will be out in a few months and I am much prouder of that one. Learning as I go! I plan on working my way more studiously through this new curriculum set up here, so surely the next will be even better.
at Amazon ->> https://tinyurl.com/v47nzhz

So very sorry to hear such sad news.. My deepest sympathies to you and your loved ones at this very trying time.

I love Pinterest..I've been pinning for some time. I treat it like a virtual scrapbook..pin interesting ideas, music, things that just grab me visually as well as illustrators I admire. There are unending sources of inspiration available to us online. The creative spirit is alive and well and bowls me over daily.
Im not sure what's going on with Pinterest lately though. I had 138K monthly views a couple of weeks ago and then it began to plummet..it is now at 107K monthly views. Since Ive done nothing differently over that period of time I have no clue what's going on. If anyone can fill me in, that would be lovely.

Going to go and follow you @Heather-Boyd I need more artists in my feed!

https://www.pinterest.com/deborahlambson

So fun Marsha..I'll bet the kids do love them!

@kaitlinmakes mine is deborahlambson@gmail.com Looking forward to this!

That sounds like a good plan to me @lmrush Lisa and @kaitlinmakes Kaitlin..I'm not familiar with sparknotes, but always like learning something new. I'll look it up. Time frames would be a problem for me so hopefully we're all good to go at our own pace with this. I'm Deborah by the way.

Its plain to see what music means to all of us! This might be my favorite competition to look at...all of them are pretty outstanding.

@randy-smith Wow..the sky is so well done. Lots of soul and feeling..Love it.

@art-of-b I love this a lot..so much humor and movement. So much great detail to look at ..and I think I can hear that trombone! Nice job.