INKTOBER2016: Inks 10 - 19

October is two thirds over, which means inktober is too. I'm finding the inking to be going well enough. I'm up to ink number 22. However the scanning or shooting and actually posting it on twitter, never mind then doing a blog recap of them is where I'm tripping up.

10 - Bear & Bunny are frightened of the ghosts in the forest - Biro Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink no. 10: This Biro, ball point pen sketch is the sketch for my illustration for the SCBWI October Draw This prompt, FRIGHT. I will post about it in a later post.

11 - Cupcake - Brush Pen quickie © Diana Ting Delosh

12 - Weedy Bits © Diana Ting Delosh 

13 - Oak Tree © Diana Ting Delosh

14 - Scared Bear ©Diana Ting Delosh

Numbers 12 - 13 are some of the line art for the FRIGHT Illo based on the preliminary Biro Sketch number 10. Promise I'll be show the final color art soon on this blog but it may have to wait until after Inktober.

15 - Girl on the train - Biro Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

16 - Guy on the Train - Biro Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

Ball point pen sketches 15 & 16 were done on the train of actual people who of course had to move.

17 - When in doubt, draw a critter - Biro Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

18 - Side View of critter - Biro Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

19 - Back of Critter - Biro Sketch

Biro sketches 17 - 19 are more critter sketches for a character in a picture book idea I'm working on. Still not sure if this is going to be it. HM-m-m you may be seeing a few more assorted critters and beasties before October is over.

INKTOBER: doing 31 Inks in 31 days and sharing it on social media (my choice is Twitter) is definitely challenging. Even with my lowering the bar by including sketches as long as it's done with an ink bearing implement and saying 31 in 31 vs 1 ink per day for 31 days, is not easy. But I am finding a way to do it as part of my process vs an added activity. And being part of the community doing it is very enjoyable.

Web/Portfolio: dianadelosh.com

Twitter: @dtdelosh

Product Blog: arthareswares.blogspot.com

Group Blog: D2PB

ThumbNailer a book of boxes for your creative process

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

Promo Postcard: Dancing!

Front & Back of 2014 Bear & Hare Dancing Postcard
Front & Back. all art © Diana Ting Delosh

Tah Dah! My first Promo postcard for 2014.  Here's my printed Bear & Hare Dancing Postcard, front & back, Freshly unpacked from the Vistaprint.com box.

For the front, I chose my current fave, an illo from my latest Picture book dummy.

For the back, I have all my contact info plus another illustration, just in case it lands on their desk face down, a sample of my hand lettering from the same book dummy. I don't always pick something from the same project, usually it's another illustration just for variety. There's plenty of space left for the address, stamp and even a bit of room if I need to write a short note.

Now off to update my promo list and get this round of Postcards off.

365 Drawings 2014 - # 8 - 13, Includes a Sneak Peek!

Getting the hang of it. Sketch, doodle, draw, ink, paint, then scan whatever in the morning. Here are 6 more - almost caught up! 

I find drawing for fun first thing in the morning is a very relaxing way to begin my day before the madness ensues. While doodling at night is a nice way to wind down. These am/pm drawings are usually not project driven, no planning, no angst, not even a finished piece at the end. Could be a drawing from life or my imagination.

Needless to say, drawing happens through out the day - but those usually have a purpose whether it's prep for a project or it is the project.

8 - SHRUBBERY
© Diana Ting Delosh
1/8/14
Ball point pen doodle
Inspired by prompt from the book, 642 Things to Draw, Chronicle Books

9 - Ball point pen Study of Skunk coloration for a current project. 
© Diana Ting Delosh
1/9/14

10 - BEAR - Sneak Peek at what's on my drawing board.
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
1/10/14

11 - CABIN
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ball Point Pen Doodle
1/13/14
Inspired by prompt from the book, 642 Things to Draw, Chronicle Books

12 - HEN© Diana Ting Delosh
Ball Point Pen Doodle
1/13/14

13 -  KITTY IN BED
© Diana Ting Delosh
Pencil from life
1/14/14

IF: AHEAD!

Bear Walks in the Woods

© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink & Watercolor

Bunny noticed that when Bear walked in the woods he looked straight ahead. He did not look side to side or behind him . That's because , thought Bunny, He's a bear. And bears don't have to worry about anyone sneaking up on them. They can just march forward. This is my post for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt: AHEAD.

I'd like to be more like Bear. Confidant, looking ahead, going forward. So what's coming up? My HBF Library Show has been extended by popular demand until the end of May. In June, I'll be trying something new as a directed study advisor to 2 grad students. Advising them as an Animal Watercolor expert (AWE). Aside from that - I'm sending out the final balance of my sunflower friends Promo postcards. Always on the prowl for the next assignnment.

To see more of Bear and other animals - see Animals on my website at DianaDelosh.com.

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.

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.

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?