Productive Procrastination

Concept is like that rare elusive bird you've finally glimpsed  but of course it's gone into the dark forest. Do you dare go after it? Turning that concept into a tangible thing is like stepping into a forest, full of shadows and possibilities. There are no clear paths BUT if you thrash about you may find your way through. 

Where middles are where you've got your bearings. You may even see your path out of the forest to where that rare elusive bird is posing waiting for you to take it's picture. It's just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other until finally, Snap!

If you're like me, you prefer the phase after most of the messy explorations been done. Which is why I did not dive back into my BIG Project or start this other idea, both of which I'd been itching to do while I was trying to finish the important MUST DO NOW life thingy.

Big Project - rough rough roughs - thinking and sketching.

NEW PB Concept - EEEK! All those blank boxes. (See ThumbNailer in side bar)

Instead I worked on something that I put aside a few years ago. This piece just needed some hand lettering and then I could add it to my budding Surface Design Portfolio. But why now? Because it had a clear next step and the end was in sight. Plus I was lured by the idea that it will only take a second and then we'll begin one of the other projects, maybe even do a bit of both. A warm up project. HA! Needless to say it took more than half a day as I needed to change the size, tweak the art and do a bunch of loose hand lettering, to get just the right balance of carefree and legible. Well, at least it was productive procrastination.

Beware the rabbit hole: It'll be quick - just takes a few seconds.

Sip Breathe Repeat, 2 Chawans, Japanese Tea Cups  - © Diana Ting Delosh, Ink,watercolor, pencil, digital - this piece is available for licensing.

You can find me at:

Website: dianadelosh.com

Instagram: @dtdelosh

Post: @dtdelosh

Check out my illustrations on products at:

Greeting Cards: greetingcarduniverse.com/dianascards

Gifts: zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*

Art Prints: wingedrabbit.imagekind.com

MATS February: Kookoo for cuckoo clocks & Drawings 23 - 28

What have I been up to lately? I signed up for Lilla Rogers' Make Art That Sells Boot Camp. What attracted me to this e-course was Lilla's attitude and the "doability" factor. The course is structured as 1 assignment a month, starting in February, with April off and ending in July. 5 assignments designed to help build a more commercial illustration portfolio. Sounds like just what I need.

First day of class, Feb 3 the warm-up: Cuckoo Clocks. A prompt? But I don't know what the end use will be? Find it unsettling to not know what the end game is. We are told to just have fun. So I doodle away. I even make a horrific mess with dip pens and a bottle of ink.  Discover I'm not in love with Cuckoo clocks. I like the leaves, the bird, the pine cones, the rustic, folksey vibe but not the clock.

Feb 10th - The Assignment: design a cellphone cover. OK- Now I have my end use. More doodling - this time trying to think of how it will look on a cell phone cover.  BTW the assignment needs to be handed in by Feb 23, 3pm EST time - IF I want to be part of the MATS February Boot Camp Class Gallery.

#23 - Cuckoos - 2/3/14
© Diana Ting Delosh 

#24 - Our Cuckoo - 2/4/14
© Diana Ting Delosh

#25 - everything but the Cuckoo - 2/5/14
© Diana Ting Delosh

#26 - Squirrel Cuckoo - 2/10/14
© Diana Ting Delosh

#27 - Sunflower Cuckoo - 2/10/14
© Diana Ting Delosh

#28 - Bird Flower Cuckoo - 2/10/14
© Diana Ting Delosh

Having fun with this class, doodling Cuckoo clock cell phone cover ideas. Some of these doodles won't end up on my phone cover BUT I see lots of things I want to explore further. Lilla told us to think of icons. I'm not used to thinking this way. Also not used to doing a product mock up. Have lots to ponder and learn.

So did I finish? YES - and I'll show you in my next MATS post along with the link to the Bootcamp Gallery this Tuesday 2/25! I'm really excited about viewing all my class mates work on the gallery. Can't wait until it goes public.

And whats with the numbers? # 23 -28 refer to my personal drawing challenge of 365 drawings in 2014. Yup I'm falling behind. I admit it. But I think I'll continue to keep tabs for the hell of it. Who knows the year is young and I might just catch up still. On the other hand - theres' a lot of drawing I'm not counting because I'm not able to show them as I do them. So do I feel bad that I'm not current? Nah. 

Sneeze - SCBWI Tomie Illo Contest

Elephant Sneeze © Diana Ting Delosh
Ink watercolor and a smidgen of Photoshop

I couldn't resist, I went for the funny with my illo.

However after Reading Tomie's comments I guess I should have followed my first instincts and gone for the sweet and cuddly.

Whatever  - I entered the contest for the fun of it and I must say painting this illo was a blast. Looking forward to more illustration contests for the challenge and of course the opportunities to show and be seen amongst my fellow illustrators. And I must say they are a very talented and awesome bunch and wonderful company to be amongst.

CAKE+HAT Twoodle

CAKE + HAT - Pen sketch © Diana Ting Delosh

Estella thought her latest creation, the Gateaux-Chapeau was the best thing since sliced bread. (Please excuse her french.) She was sure all eyes would be on her at the spring parade. Best of all, if she got a bit hungry while strutting in the parade she could always have a quick nibble. 

The 2 Twoodle words supplied this week as the inspiration behind the above Tweet/Doodle are:
CAKE by moi. Please follow @dtdelosh
HAT by the amazing illustrator, Anita Solver . Please follow @solver

So what the heck am I chatting about???? Well it's an illustrators weekly game on wednesday. Please read the previous post. If you're on twitter search #Twoodle and see some very amusing and amazing illos and of course join in the fun.