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

Three dragonflies carefully carrying their human babies on a high flying adventure! I want to be the one peeking over the side..why does everyone want to fly?

This is also my first time committing to Inktober..semi committing Likely will only do a few of them. I'm really lame with traditional ink, so went digital. Some might say, nope. Still lame. But giving it a go, mainly to support Inktober this crazy year.

Wow, so much talent at SVS. I wasn't going to participate this month, but then realized it's way more fun if my entry is in the mix. Good luck everyone!

I've been doing little snowmen scenes! Two different skies on the first. I had used a portion of a watercolor painting layered underneath of the darker toned one but it's not working I don't think. So changed it out ..I'm still using a layer of traditional medium for the sky portion, but I think it's more 'opened up' and I kind of prefer it.

and this one:

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.

I'm not going to do every single day, so put together days 6 & 7 and came up with a couple of fancy rodents indulging in afternoon tea!

This really does get more frustrating daily. Maybe I'm naive but I tend to think this may be as simple as professional jealousy! The climate of the world right now is not in Jake's favor either, I think that's another unspoken factor.
I used to work with glass..I made glass beads and at least once a year there would be one artist call out another for copying a design. It's the same sort of thing. There are only so many ways can you design a bead without there being some sameness going on. But the perceived wronged one was so passionately indignant that they would stir up a noisy crowd for several days. Then of course, it would die down until the next time. We all want to be a star. An original star. and the thing is, there really is room for all of us. The success of Jake's book would not hurt the success of Alphonso's book. What a terrible waste of energy and I really hope that Jake can continue to just keep rising above it all.

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!

@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.

@Ari-Sorokin I say go with it. He's proud of you and wants to show his support..that's nothing to feel bad about. Keep working and improving and your customer list will grow far beyond supportive family..but one day that first sale will be a sweet memory. [missing my Dad today he was my biggest fan as well.]

Thanks so much for your thoughts guys..I will lighten and brighten and tighten.

Thank you @Natalie-Lundeen

@erinrew Very sweet Christmas scene..I love the POV! very well done. In my opinion there's a bit of awkwardness with the window placement and the childfox's head. I understand wanting to have the window as part of the scene but I might try it without just for clarity sake. Overall, I think it's a lovely illustration.

I think I've worked that last 10% on this one, which is one of my biggest weaknesses. I'm needing more eyes to show me where this can be improved!

@Annaaronson very sweet image..it has a lot of soul.

@miranda-hoover gosh..just love this one

That's so exciting @Annabishop Can't wait to see where this takes you!

@Braden-Hallett I really like your way of putting things together.. Background done first then line art. I might try this next time!

Fancy Rodents