Now Hanging at the One of Us Exhibit.

My ink & watercolor, Moi at 9, hanging at the One of Us Exhibit at Book Culture, sponsored by Tilbury House. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Book Launch party last Monday night, May 24, but my  friends did. PatriciaKeeler took this photo for me (Thanks!).  Marilyn Pappas reported that there was a good crowd and some people took pictures of my piece. Of course they could've been taking pictures of the art surrounding it but we'll be optimistic.

At any rate, I'll find out soon enough if it sold (for charity) as Tilbury will return my original via my SASE if it didn't. Wonder if it garnered me any notice in the publishing community (I can hope). So was it worth doing even if I couldn't attend and schmooze in person? Yes, if only because it got me to sit my butt in front of my desk, with subject, deadline, size (almost like a real assignment) to create a nice portfolio piece. A people one at that! I now have 32 animals to 12 people illos in my portfolio. More people coming up soon.

For a close up of Moi at 9 art. 
To see my friend's art.
For scenes of the book launch party visit the CBIG Blogzine

  

One Of Us Exhibit

Moi at 9

© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink & Watercolor

Here's my original 6 x 4 postcard sized art for the One of Us Exhibit. A romanticized self portrait of myself at 9 doing one of my favorite activities: drawing in the garden with my cat, Gracie beside me.

Location: Book Culture (536 West 112th Street, NYC, USA)

Date: May 24 - 28, 2010.

The show: Original post card sized art, 6 x 4" by female illustrators. The assignment: a self-portrait - at any age, any media, any style, but must be 2D. The exhibit is sponsored by Tilbury House, Publishers. The launch party is on Monday, May 24th (the night before BookExpo), beginning at 6pm at Book Culture. The exhibit will remain up at Book Culture through the end of the week. Art will be for sale to benefit Powered by Girl.

Not sure if I'll be able to make the opening - so if you go - have fun - take pictures - and look for my painting.

12 Week Challenge - Illo #1

Illo #1 - MOI at 9

FYI: see Zero2Illo.com for more info about the 12 Week Challenge.

My process? It begins with the assignment. In this case the assignment is illo-1 (6 people illustrations). As I also needed to create original art for the One of Us Exhibit (more about this later) - self-portrait, any medium, must be flat and 4" x 6". No problem -fits my 6 people illos parameters. Illo #1 would be me at 9. When I was 9, I loved to draw in the garden with my cat, Gracie beside me. I begin by doodling layout ideas in my sketchbook.

Once I've settled on a layout I rule out my paper and start penciling on tracing paper to size.

I use my lightbox to transfer the sketch to watercolor paper and refine the pencil sketch some more before I begin inking. When I've finished theink I scan it - just in case something goes wrong in the coloring step.

Before I begin to paint I tape the paper to my desk on all 4 sides to prevent my paper from warping. I like to start with my trouble spots like the girls face. There is not a lot of room for error in water color so I want to get past my tricky spots in the beginning. I put in all the shadows using either a bluish gray tone or a warmer brown tone -depends on what color goes on top. And then I keep painting - being careful to let areas dry so nothing bleeds or fuzzes unless that's the desired effect. When I think it's finished -I walk a way -take a breather and then comeback. Look it over and decide if I need to do any overpainting to adjust the color. For this piece I decided that the grass was too yellow & pale so I put a bluer green wash on the grass area. I wait until the piece is fully dry and then cut it off my desk. Scan - TahDah - here it is!

Moi at 9

© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink & Watercolor

Whew -1 down and 5 more people illos coming. Number 2 coming right up.