In Case You Missed It... The Art & Fear of Crit Groups

One of the lovely things about finding the right for you crit group is the feeling that you've found your tribe. The right critique group becomes the trusted, safe environment where you can share your creative experiments, revise and edit work, all to the shared goal of not submitting crap.

Whispering, sketch - © Diana Ting Delosh 

 Over at the D2PB group blog I shared some of my art and fears of crit groups. Please click on the following link to take a gander.
Drawn To Picture Books: The Art & Fear of Crit Groups - Diana Ting Delosh
 

  website: dianadelosh.com

twitter: @dtdelosh

Hoppy Easter!

Golden Bunny Green © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink brush pen, watercolor & digital

Wishing everyone a very 

HOPPY EASTER!

Website: dianadelosh.com

twitter: @dtdelosh

Happy 1st Day of Spring!

Purple Crocus © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink Brush, watercolor

Ah-h-h-h Spring. The trees are budding. Crocuses are blooming. The birds are singing and there's even been a bunny sighting in my backyard. What's not to love?

Not sure why they made January 1st, mid winter, the beginning of the New Year. It seems so arbitrary. I think someone was bored and wanted an excuse for a party. The Vernal equinox seems a much more appropriate day for beginnings of any kind.

The first signs of spring always puts me in an optimistic mood. Makes me want to start new things or restart old projects, create and submit because all things feel possible.

Cheers to Spring and all your hopes and endeavors!

Website: dianadelosh.com

twitter: @dtdelosh

In Case you missed it...Groundhog Waltz, Illustration Process

Just in case you missed it, over at my D2PB Group Blog, I shared my illustration process behind my Groundhog Waltz illustration.

My tools from L to R: mechanical pencil, 0.7mm HB black lead, kneaded eraser, Micron  Brush Pen, Higgins Black India Ink, brush, 00 Rapidiograph pen, Black India Rapidiograph Ink Universal waterproof for paper &; film, assorted brushes, paint palette for mixing my colored inks.

Please Click on the link to read all about it on Drawn To Picture Books: Groundhog Waltz, Illustration Process: Diana Ting ...: Here's a peek into my illustration process.

BTW: Notice the rough sketch behind my illustration implements? It's a very sneaky peek at a personal project currently on my drawing board. Sh-h-h-h.

Little Red Postcard Design

I'm aiming for 3 postcard mailings in 2016. Here's the first, featuring a detail from my Little Red illustration on the front and Groundhog Waltz on the back. These are large postcards, roughly 5.5" x 8.5" the better to show off the illustration detail and also hoping that it will help make my card stand out. I use VistaPrint.com to print my postcards.

Front of Postcard -Detail from Little Red - © Diana Ting Delosh

As this is a mailing aimed at the kid lit world, I try and pick illustrations that show off my narrative skills. I use  the  market listings from the SCBWI's The Book as well as the names/companies I've amassed from my own research via networking, conferences, workshops, etc. My mailing list is under 200 contacts.

Back of Postcard - Groundhog Waltz - © Diana Ting Delosh

Lately I've heard a lot of advice to use a small targeted mailing list. True this could save you a bundle in printing and postage. While,  I do make a point to target only those places that publish picture books/kid lit art, it's still a fairly large list comprised of my actual contacts, dream places as well as "sort of why not" possibilities. I have found that it's better not to make it a too narrow list. In the past I've gotten work from those sort of/why not send them something places. When you consider that it's only a 49¢ stamp plus 25¢ per postcard print expense - a total sum of 75¢ per card, it might be worth taking a few chances. 

Happy Year of the Monkey!

Monkey © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink, Brush pen, Watercolor
FYI: this illustration is available as a Year of the Monkey Card at GreetingCardUniverse.com/DianasCards

Wishing ALL a Happy, Creative and Prosperous 2016!

Every January I begin the year with my ambitions, dreams and goals and by the time Chinese New Year, February 8th,  comes around, it's time to re-boot the list. It's about a month into 2016 and I can see what's working, what isn't and what needs to be tweaked.

What's been working is making a realistic daily list BUT more importantly focusing in on what task on the list MUST be done before I go to sleep.  This actually has helped my chronic insomnia. So far so good.

Making a point to make more finished art has been good as it's helped me get to the point where it's almost as natural as my old style. However is it distracting me from progress in other areas? Must balance making more finished art with my other goals such as making that picture book dummy.  Part of the only so much time in the day dilemma.

On Self-promoting, I've been experimenting with putting up more art on my twitter feed. Yes it will get you more twitter followers etc. and it feels great when it gets LIKED and RTed.  It definitely builds your web presence as an illustrator. Not sure about actually landing you work. For that I still think getting out the postcards and submitting proposals etc. Next up old school postcards and submission packs. 

Hope your Year is as fun and surprising, in a good way, as a barrel full of Monkeys.

Happy Groundhogs Day!

Groundhog Waltz © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink & watercolor

 

HAPPY Groundhogs Day 2016!

I hope spring is on the way.

Hear that Groundhogs in the area? Do your happy dance and bring us an early spring.

Meet the Artist - Self Portrait

Meet the Artist - Self Portrait © Diana Ting Delosh - Brush Pen, indigo wash, Photoshop

I've been meaning to do a Meet the Artist style of self portrait ever since I started spying them online.  I believe some of the art reps were telling their illustrator clients to create these self-portraits, usually full figure, with their likes and dislikes. Ta -Dah! Here's my Meet the Artist, illustrated selfie.

I opted for a head shot and put in fat marker icons of what I like to draw. Originally I was going to write things like: likes animals, nature, chocolate and dislikes creepy crawly things, darkness, evil. Except that I LOVE monsters and murder and mayhem as long as it's all fictional and the good guys win in the end.

Not sure if you'd recognize me from this but it is me in spirit. Hey what can I say, I'm not a portrait artist.

Drawn to Picture Books - Group Blog

Current banner for the DrawnToPictureBooks blog

I'm really honored and happy to be a part of the DrawnToPictureBooks.blogspot.com bloggers. As you can see by the icons in our banner, there are 6 or us (from Left to Right): Barbara DiLorenzo, Mike Ciccotello, Patricia Keeler, Deborah Cuneo, (Me) Diana Ting Delosh, Jason Kirschner.  I hope you'll be joining us on wednesdays as we post from our perspectives in the picture book world.

Our Meet the Artists debut posts.

Diana Ting Delosh: Jan 13, 2016
Barbara DiLorenzo: Jan 20, 2016
Patricia Keeler: Jan 27, 016
Mike Ciccotello: Feb 3, 2016
Jason Kirschner: Feb 10, 2016
Deborah Cuneo: Feb 17, 2016

Make MORE Art

My 2015 #colour_collective illustrations
#MyCC2015
© Diana Ting Delosh

One of my personal challenges every year is to Make MORE Art, MUCH MORE and 2016 is no exception.  To that end, last year I started a Finished Creating list (included my writing as well as art). I had read somewhere that the artist, Vincent Van Gogh made over 200 paintings a year. Now I could have remembered it all wrong, but it got me thinking about how creatively productive I was in a year. No I didn't end up with 200 creations on my list, But I liked keeping the list and some of the art challenges I did to keep me on my toes. And I bet adding to that list motivated me even more. Yup - doing the Finished Creating list again - already have number one done.

Last year I participated in #colour_collective on twitter and above is a compilation of all the art I created for that weekly art challenge. I had started it with the idea that I could use this challenge to try out new techniques, mediums, practice and just explore in general. Wasn't able to do all 53 weeks but it spurred me to make more art than if I hadn't joined in the fun. I'll be doing it again in 2016. This year I'll be doing it, with an eye to practicing and exploring my brush pen technique or even using just the brush or a bamboo pen even. 

Here's to 2016 - and making MORE Art.

FYI: #colour_collective  @Clr_Collective is a weekly Twitter Art challenge started by @PennyNevilleLee. A color is announced on saturdays and everyone posts the following friday at 19:30 GMT.  The first color announcement of 2016 will be on saturday January 16, 2016. In the meanwhile some of the colour collective artists will be participating in the #MeetTheArtist challenge to be posted this Friday at 19:00 GMT. Will I be one of them? Perhaps.

And follow me at @dtdelosh

Looking forward to 2016

Winter Raccoon
© Diana Ting Delosh
ink watercolor digital

Here's to 2016 and all the hopes and promises of a shiny New Year. 

Wishing All a Happy and Creatively Productive, Prolific and Prosperous New Year

As for me I have my 2016 planner and my lists of things I hope to accomplish and how I plan to do it.  The how, I feel is actually more important than the end game. I could say I want to have picture book contract with a major traditional publisher in 2016. However it would be unrealistic as there are quite a few factors out of my control. I'm much better having as goals: 

• a few picture book dummies and /or manuscripts that have gone through the vetting process of my trusted illustrator crit group and/or my writer's group. One of my resolutions is to only submit my best. Which is why I really need the eyes and ears of my beta readers.

• Making a list of publishers/agents/editors that I feel would be most receptive to my projects.

• Submitting to the above. 

• Working on multiple projects/proposals at a time as I can't afford to put all my eggs in 1 basket.

• Revamping my website/portfolio dianadelosh.com so that it's as enticing as possible.

Instead of a "where I want to be by the end of the year" dream list. I'm making a list of specific projects and tasks that are steps towards my dreams and hopes for 2016.

Happy Holidays!

Peace Dove
© Diana Ting Delosh
Marker, watercolor, digital
some hand lettering fun.

Merry Christmas

and a

Happy, Healthy, Creative and Prosperous

2016 to all!

 

Little Red - Illustration Process Post

Little Red
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink Watercolor Digital

2015 has been the year of experimenting with different mediums. To create Little Red I used  a Micron Brush Pen and assorted Rapidiographs for the finer lines on watercolor paper. The Rapidiographs are filled with Black India Rapidiograph Brand Ink: Universal 3080-F.BLA Waterproof for Paper & Film. Previously I had tried other brands of brush pens and found them not as waterproof as they claimed they were. The Microns are truly waterproof and I was able to paint right over my line art as soon as the ink was dry. I'm quite happy with the results.

Ink Line Detail for Little Red
©Diana Ting Delosh
Assorted pens

I used the Brush pen mainly on the Little Red and the Wolf as I wanted them to be the focal paint. Most of the finer details were put in with a double zero pen as well as some pencil. This way I could have my thick and thin lines and my details too. The background  forest is done in pencil as I wanted it to be very soft and fade. As you can see they were so fine they barely scanned in.

Gobble Gobble

Chicken Little
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & watercolor

Gobble! Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody.

Flying Squirrel for Illustration Friday - Animal

Thought I'd share this illo I did with Brush pen, watercolors and digital for Illustration Friday. I mean how could I not do IF this week as the prompt is ANIMAL! So here you go: my Flying Squirrel gliding on a starry night.

Flying Squirrel by Diana Ting Delosh
ink & watercolor & digital

Just like this flying squirrel the weeks have been zooming by. I can't believe it's a week before Thanksgiving. Which means Christmas is right around the corner and 2015 might as well be over. Hold on there, there's still lots that can happen and things to do before the years up.  There's still lots to paint and experiment and create with. Not to mention the mess to clean up after all the experimenting and creating but later for all that. Right now I'm enjoying messing with my brush pen. It seems to have a lot of possibilities with it's ability to go from thick to thin in one stroke. So I'll try to be more like my gliding friend and enjoy the moment of being and doing.

#NerdyChickDraws Contest Winner

Nerdy Chick Draws
Ink & Watercolor
© Diana Ting Delosh

I'm Happy to announce that my entry for the #NerdyChickDraws illustration contest won Honorable mention! Woo Hoo! You can read the post and see the other winning entries over at NerdyChicksWrite

Click HERE to see all the other entries

The 2015 CBIG Illustration Directories are Live!

YAY - the 2015 CBIG Illustration Directories are now up on the CBIG website. I am so proud to be amongst so many amazing illustrators. Please click on ILLUSTRATOR DIRECTORY to flip through the pages and see for yourself.  Go take a peek. Did you find my promo pages in both directories?

I'm honored to say that my  Bear & Hare illustration made the cover of the 2015 CBIG Color Illustration Directory The cover images were picked via a vote by the CBIG membership. By the way, my  promo is on page 10. 

Did you spot my promo on page 7 and my spot illustration on page 31 of the 2015 CBIG Black & White Illustration Directory?

FYI - The individual pages are also being posted on the CBIG blog.

Happy viewing.

In case you are wondering. Yes, I did design both directories. Just like any other other CBIG member, I could submit a cover for each book that I had a page in. And just like any member I could vote for the 8 illustrations I felt deserved a place on the covers. Yes, we were allowed to vote for our own art. No, I did not tally the votes.

Illustration for Lucky 2 B Quilting Logo

Lucky 2B Quilting Logo illustration - signage

This summer, I was hired to create Clover, the logo mascot for the Lucky 2B Quilting store. Originally, Cassie the new owner of the shop had inquired about usage of one of my dancing bunnies but I pointed out that my original art for that piece was barely 3" tall. For her store signage she needed something sharp at 14 inches high. Furthermore and perhaps even more importantly, I am using my dancing bunnies for all sort of things and was not planning on stopping. The  solution was to create a bunny dancing with a lucky 4-leaf clover in her mouth just for her store signage. Note I only created the Clover illustration. The logotype and quilt background is someone else's handiwork.

The challenge for this job was that the line had to be sharp and crisp at about 14" high and still clear when reduced for use on a business card or letterhead. Since I work in traditional ink & watercolor vs digital vector art, I had to make sure my ink line would maintain its integrity at both ends of the  spectrum. To figure this out, I enlarged my 3" bunny to 14" and matched pen widths to the blurry outline. Than I reduced the test lines to business card size to see which looked best. 

This was a fun commission and Cassie was a pleasure to work with. If you're into quilting and other fabric arts, please visit Cassie and Clover online or at the store:

Lucky 2B Quilting

421 Main Street

Pecatonica, IL 61063

2015 Color Illustration Promo Page

All Art © Diana Ting Delosh
Bear hugs Hare illustration
Bearish  Fuzzy Initial Caps: D T D
ink & watercolor

Here's my Promo Page in the soon to be released 2015 CBIG Color Illustration Directory. One of the reasons why I've taken on the Directory project for our group is that I believe a group of talented illustrators makes a louder  noise than an individual artist.  More immediately, being part of a group project means that I have to create my promo pages  by a real deadline. Of course you should still promote yourself as an individual illustrator every chance you get.

One of the problems I have with creating my promo pages is deciding on the art. For 2015, I finally decided to showcase my new fat ink style and my hand lettering. I chose my Bear hugs Hare illustration, from my picture book dummy, Bear and Hare, for it's emotional heart. Which in turn led me to design bearish fuzzy initial caps for my name.

The objective of any promo piece is to intrigue the targeted viewer to take a gander at your website. Hope this page does the trick and  leads them to: dianadelosh.com

In case you missed it, click 2015 Black & White Promo Page to view my page.

Note: When the CBIG Directories go live they can be viewed at cbig-nyc.com and cbig-nyc.blogspot.com

Happy Labor Day!

PENGUIN BEACH
Ink & Watercolors
© Diana Ting Delosh

Here's to the last Hurrah of summer!

For me, Labor Day has always signaled the end of summer and the start of the fall. Even if it still reaches 90º - autumn is in my head along with all the promises of a new fresh season.