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Welcome to my blog , The Hare Illustratère. I'll be posting about my art process and journey as an illustrator/author here.

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

HBF Library Show Postcard

Self-Promo Postcard for the general public
© Diana Ting Delosh

Just received the Postcards I created for the HBF Exhibit (see previous post) that I ordered from Vistaprint about 12 days ago. I should have used the 7 day delivery option but I had to be a wise guy. Previously I had used the slow deliver, cheapest option and always received my order within a week. Why pay extra for 7 days if I don't have to - right? Ta-dah... because.. when you most need it in 7 days - they change their delivery methods. Anyhow it's here now. Not too bad. It could've been March 21st which is the original slow delivery date. While it would have been nice to have all my handouts out at once - it's not crucial. I do have an art list flyer with all my website, GCU and IK URLs out and I have also designed a few bookmarks.

Did consider having a "Guest sign in/comment" book until I looked at the featured artist's "book" in the main gallery - I was surprised to see negative comments!?! sprinkled throughout and very few - e-mails - which is the purpose of a guest book. The negative, snarky comments were a bit of a shocker after all who needs that! Incidentally I liked her images. So no guest book for me.

So far my out-of-pocket expenses for this promotion experiment has been the cost of 3 pre-cut mats, 11 frames/hanging wire and 250 Postcards. Luckily I had some hanging wire and enough white mat boards to cut out 9 mats. Thankfully the library is taking care of the art list and bookmarks.

Now I'm off to drop-off my postcards - about 30 should be fine to start with and I'll check back weekly to see if they need to be replenished.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Now Showing at the HBF Library!

Clip from the Harborfields Public Library March 2010 newsletter.

13 of my Spring themed illustrations are now hanging in the children's room gallery at the Harborfields Public Library. They will be on exhibit from March 5 - April 30th - so if you're in the Greenlawn, NY area drop in and take a peek.

Just installed this morning and I must say they look pretty good - hanging up in their white mats and thin black frames. We started installing at 9:30 am and finished before things got too busy at the library. I'm glad I decided to show the originals as nowadays - most people just see the printed or the online versions.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

IF: PROPAGATE

Garden Gaffes
© Diana Ting Delosh
ink & watercolor

The Bunny Family want to hear all the latest news on how to propagate vegetables - especially carrots. Here's my entry for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt - Propagate.

I need to propagate my illustration biz - make it flourish.

Currently I'm prepping for a show of my illustrations at my local library. Hopefully it'll give me some local exposure. A boost in traffic to my website, card store and print gallery can never hurt. Plus you just never know.



Saturday, February 13, 2010

Happy Year of the Tiger!

TIGER!
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
FYI: Tiger is available as print & greeting cards.

Wishing all much success in all their creative endeavors and just a Gr-r-r-r-r-r-eat Year in general!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Happy GroundHog's Day

Groundhog Awakes!
© 2010 Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Wake Up and smell the coffee - it's Groundhog's Day!
Staten Island Chuck has reported that he didn't see his shadow, which means an early spring. Hope he's right. Just the thought of an early spring warms me up.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

IF: CLUMSY

BAKING BUNNIES
© 2006 Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
Illustration available as a print

All it takes is a few errant carrot peels and one clumsy bunny for a kitchen calamity when the bunnies make a carrot cake. Here's an oldie from my portfolio for this week's Illustration Friday prompt - CLUMSY.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Optimistic Starts


SNOWMAN
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
Attended the 1st CBIG meeting of the year. The speaker, SM, an executive editor, from 1 of the Big NYC pubs, was very upbeat and optimistic and gave a lot of really good advice. Here's just a sampling.

1 - Seasonal ideas sell. Book stores do seasonal promos - publishers like that a book can get this boost. As the artist/writer we should just submit the seasonal ideas anytime as publishers sign up the projects way in advance. Show that you can do seasonal art.

2- Strong, quirky, independent, character based stories sell. Think Fancy Nancy, Harry Potter

3 - He's personally not into anthropomorhic animal stories .

4 - 2012 will be a big year for picture books - his opinion based on demographics. Get your manuscripts/dummies submitted now!

5 - Sharpen the text. Keep your picture book word counts around 500. Less is more.

What a great meeting to start off 2010. Now to use that positive energy to keep me moving though the months ahead! Quick send that tailored art sample pack ASAP.

Friday, January 8, 2010

2010 Creative Goals Simplified

Aside from the usual be organized, prosperous, productive, prolific, creative - And how I plan to do all this in a routine & balanced manner. Specifically I want to:

• Finish my mid grade Mystery Manuscript/art & Sub
• Bunny & Bear Picturebook Manuscript/dummy & Sub.
• Create proposals /sub to other markets.
• Create mid grade/YA illustration portfolio samples: jacket & interior art. - approach these markets
• 3 Mass Postcard Mailings: 1 - Jan/feb_, 2 - before May8!_, 3 - Aug/sept_
Greetingcarduniverse: Reach 1000 cards in store mark (Ended 2009 with 505 cards in store. This was 1 of my few bright spots last year. Hope it continues to improve and shine in 2010)

Must Keep mind and all 4 limbs in motion and moving towards the finish line! In 2009, I felt like I was stuck in a hamster wheel! Sure I was very busy - but most paths seemed to deadend. Must break free of the wheel!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

FRUIT PUNCH, Greeting Card
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Whew - 2009 is finally over - Cheers to 2010!
Wishing all a wonderful, creative, productive and prosperous New Year!

Monday, December 21, 2009

IF: UNDONE!

NOEL DANCERS
DianaTing Delosh
Ink & Watercolor Christmas Card


All the weeks of rehearsing their perfectly choreographed routine had come UNDONE with one misstep. Here's my entry for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt.

Hope you're all having happy holidays.
We were walloped with 2 feet of snow yesterday - needless to say - love the look, hate the shoveling.


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

IF: HATCH!

With Egg
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor Greeting card

Pappa Rooster and Moma Hen can't wait for their egg to HATCH! They are so in love and happy together. Here's my illustration for this week's Illustration Friday's prompt.

I need to hatch a plan to make oodles of money with my art. And since we're just playing around, let's make it fool proof, quick, easy and fun.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Christmas Polar Bears

Christmas Polar Bears & Wreath
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Christmas Card available at Diana's Cards

Thought I'd share my latest Christmas Card art on GCU and the 1 I'm using as
my personal Christmas card. Now I'm anxiously waiting for my cards to arrive by Fedex. My address labels are ready to go -just need to buy stamps -and it looks like this year my cards will be out on time. So far it looks like Happy Holidays vs. Merry X-mess.

Wishing all Happy Holidays now in case I get get bamboozled by too much garland later.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Support your local NYC Artists!

If you're in the NYC area and looking for affordable unique gifts please check out The Degenerate Craft Fair. A sort of anti-art-fair, The Degenerate Craft Fair features over 20 artists, designers and their work - in time for Holiday shopping - most items are less than $50.

The fair will take place in 3 separate locations over 3 weeks in December., bringing the artists and their work to very different venues: a DIY performance space, a storefront and a Chelsea art gallery.

For addresses, directions and a complete list of events go to: www.degeneratecraftfair.com
For a PDF of the press release click HERE!
Organised by Amy Wilson and Shannon Broder

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Fall Bear Postcard, CBIG Review, etc.

Bear Walks in the Woods
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor, portfolio & used as fall 209 postcard.
This is the illustration I used for my latest postcard self-promo campaign - just sent off aproximately 220 postcards. Needless to say I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will land me a nice juicy assignment or two.

I can't believe it's already December! Yikes where did the time go? What have I been up to? I meant to be better at blogging but it seems November has gone by with nary a peep from me. Well I've been busy with CBIG - specifically the November review and getting the above postcard campaign out - not to mention the usual art biz and family/Thanksgiving stuff. So now that I've fully digested November -I guess it's time to dish.

My CBIG Portfolio reviews with 2 art directors. I'm only using initials out of respect for their privacy and because this is proprietary CBIG info. I opted to see MR from HC a giant publishing house, whose Children's division published infant to YA books and RP from SP, a mid sized publisher whose juvenile division only published picture books. In general the reviews went well - both liked my animals. I also showed 2 dummies but as art only.

MR/HC: wanted to see more angles, varied perspective, view points etc. I sat opposite her as she reviewed my portfolio and as I viewed my work upside down - this flaw was obvious to me. Note to self - look at my portfolio upside down more frequently. Luckily for me 1 of my recent dummies demonstrated the varied persoectives and viewpoints she craved - whew. She also wanted me to create more oomph, drama with my illustrations. Yes - she liked my latest Bear series (the above is 1 of 3 new bear illustrations) YAY they were worth working on late into the night!

RP/SP: liked my animals a lot as well as my dummies. Unfortunately it is just a matter of everything aligning: right story/right art/right time. She also liked my B&W work and some of my book cover samples in my portfolio - she thought this might be something I could develop further. Her company is only doing picture books but many other publishing houses have middle grade & YA dept (and mid-grade/YA market is doing very well right now - maybe more opportunities).

Yup - got some work to do. Make sure my portfolio reflects the fact that I do different perspectives and view points, shows narrative, drama, etc. Create more Jacket & interior spot art to go after the mid grade/YA market. Lastly, write a wonderful picture book manuscript for my animals so next year I can show a dummy as both art and story.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

IF: UNBALANCED!

BIG BEAR LITTLE BUNNY
© DIANA TING DELOSH
INK & WATERCOLOR

Here is my entry for this week's Illustration Friday prompt - UNBALANCED. this is the 3rd in a series of 3 illustrations of these 2 characters. Visit my website to see more of Bear and Bunny.

To the casual observer Bear and Bunny's friendship may seem lopsided, unbalanced even. A small bunny may gain a lot from having a large gruff bear as a friend, but what does a bear gain other than a loyal friend? Hm-m-m is there a story somewhere?


Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!

The Pumpkin Pickers
© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink & Watercolor,
self promotion postcard and greeting card
Tabby Cat looks quite dashing in his pirate costume. Owl is also ready for halloween trick or treats all dressed up as a wizard. As for myself, the Jack o'lantern is sitting on my stoop and the candy bowl is filled. Come on over: Tabby Cat and Owl, pirates and wizards.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

IF: Flying

GRYPHON/DRAGON
© Diana Ting Delosh
Bic Pen

Here's my entry for this week's Illustration Friday Prompt - FLYING. Gryphon and Dragon are flying. In the spirit of Halloween fun I thought I'd do a scary beast or two versus my usual cute whimsical art. Gryphon isn't as fierce as I had hoped he'd turn out but I think Dragon has a nice fantasy feel. It's fun to pretend to be someone/something else.

I've been on a Bic Kick lately - find it relaxing. I guess because I think of it as doodling it short circuits my inner critic and I can let out an inner beast or 2.

BTW Gryphon and Dragon are also the 2 featured creatures on Game 16 on my Which Would You Rather Be? blog.



Monday, October 5, 2009

IF: GERMS

SICK BEAR
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink and Watercolor

"Germs," said Dr. Crow.
"You have a temperture," said Nurse Bunny.
"One big spoonful of our special medicine and you'll be cured!" said the mice assistants.
Bear didn't like the smell of the medicine and he was sure it would taste horrible.

Here's my entry for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt - GERMS!

This image is available as a card at Diana's Cards or click on the store widget in my sidebar. Title: Get Well Bear - product ID: 88484

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Not My Usual

Car on the Road • © 2009 Diana Ting Delosh
• Ink & Watercolor Illustration for Safety Driver's Program.

Recently I took on an assignment for a local business, Paultec Graphics to provide an illustration for a 4-Color flyer for Safety Driver's Program to advertise the debut of their new NY State DMV approved online defensive driving program - easternsafetycourse.com.

The assignment was to create an illustration that was reminiscent of the art on the online site but with more pop. Now, if you've ever taken a gander at my portfolio you'd know that automobile art is not part of my repetoire, however as I've created all types of art for Paultec in the past he trusted me to come through. I accepted the challenge to find a way to meet the client's specs while remaining true to my style. I'm happy to report that both myself and the client are happy with the results.

Now I'm not embarking on a portfolio filled with machines and urban scapes but it was nice to venture out of my comfort zone and explore new territory.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

IF: STRONG!

ANT & SNAIL
• © Diana Ting Delosh • Marker and Watercolor


Ant is very strong for her size. She likes to show off to anyone who comes along. Snail is quite impressed. Here is my illustration for this weeks Illustration Fridays' challenge.