KidLitArtPostcard 2023, Jan - April

 The first trimester of 2023 is behind us and so far I've kept my promise to myself to have a "New" #KidLitArtPostcard for each month.  Although I must say the first Thursday of each month keeps coming by faster and faster and I have almost been caught short.  Here they are in order:

January: A Panda Panda illustration from my picture book dummy that I had not used for a previous KidLitArtPostcard. Whew!

February: My spread from Elinor Glad to be Together Family by Susan Layne. Coming out later this year. Thankfully, I had asked the publisher if it would be OK to share some of the art ahead of the actual publication date and they agreed.

March: An illustration sparked by the February SCBWI #DrawThis prompt, Worm's View. I didn't finish this illustration for February 20, BUT I finished it in time to Post as my March KidLitArtPostcard.

April: This one was a doozy as my brain was on other things and I found myself a few days before KidLitArtPostcard day without anything. EEEK! But I was able to come up with something and squeak it in to post on the day! When in doubt put wings on it: A Winged Lion and his Boy. But it was nerve wracking!

So what's the fuss you ask? It keeps me on my toes as far as always creating goes. It gives me something new to feed the social media beasts. Another benefit is that I have a selection of digital postcards that I can send out to prospective art directors/editors. If they're looking for greyscale chapter book fantasy art - got it. Whimsical bug world art -got that too. And the arts ready to send - it already has all my details on them.

Hm-m-m Thursday May 4 is coming up. I better start thinking about my next KidLitArt Postcard.

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

 

  

Illo 2 - A Boy & His Wolf

A BOY & HIS WOLF

© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink & Watercolor

Well here it is Illo #2* - now this piece was a long time coming. Too many interuptions, obstacles both personal and professional -but here it is finally and I'm fairly happy with the finish.

I wanted to work on Book Jacket type art.  Several art buyers have looked over my portfolio and have stated that I should add more full color Jacket and B & W interior art for middle grade/YA books to my portfolio. Why - because midgrade/YA books are big sellers and the picture book market is slow right now. I should add that doing so has been on my to do list for awhile but it's the 12 Week Challenge that's galvinized this thought into concrete action.

The idea/assignment - Bk jacket art - I decided to redo an old piece that's been languishing in my flat files. There are somethings about it that I still like: the wolf and the dreamy forest. As for the rest - it's over wrought/overdone and what's with the boy's outfit? 

Decided to  loose the heavy distracting border, whale , eagle, etc. Stared at a lot of book jackets and noted that most titles were on the top third.

Used photoshop to isolate and enlarge what I wanted to keep in my new illo. Pencil now shows boy & wolf fills the jacket bottom two thirds. Note also that the boy is wearing a contemporary sweat jacket. Research and find good reference for clothes, wolf, boys haircuts etc.

 After the pencil, comes the inking and finally we're in the last stages -  the coloring. As usual I lay in my color. Work on the boy - paint in the wolf - now with more detail and depth then my older version. Paint in the background.  

Here is where it went awry. In the new version I put in a big tree in the mid ground. The tree top is where I envision the type. BUT I end up hating the tree top! Would probably look fine with type but as it stood - I just wasn't happy.  I am happy with the boy and I love the wolf. Now what? Feed my trash monster? Banish it to my flatfile? What? As this is watercolor, a transparent media, I can't just paint over the offending parts. I can paint the background on another piece of paper and splice it in via photoshop. OK that's a thought but wait this is a personal piece and there is no real size for me to stick to just as there is no deadline or client. There is only me to please. So what's my solution? Crop it! Yay! and I even like it now. 

Yes, yes one day I'll paint dreamy forests and splice in with photoshop but that can wait. Now I hear illo 3, Sandcastle Summer,  calling me as well as Ripple Sketches and gazillion other things to do.  Illo 4, 5, 6 will be randomly: The Reluctant Dragon, black & white, and TBD. 

*Refers to the Zero2illo 12 week challenge. Weeks 4 - 6: create 6 portfolio worthy illustrations. My personal challenge - create 6 people illos as my website is underpopulated with people.  

IF: SLITHER!

Snake Runner

© Diana Ting Delosh

Ink

The Boy fantasized that the carpet pattern was made of snakes and before he had reached the end of the runner his daydream had slithered to life. Here's my entry for Illustration Friday's prompt: Slither.

Can't believe it's already June! I have to remember to stay focused on my goals or my dreams will slither away.

IF: DIP!

Boy's Koi Pond

Diana Ting Delosh

ink & Watercolor

© 2007 Harcourt Achieve

The boy and his Koi are good friends. All he had to do was dip his finger in the pond and all the koi would come and play with him. Here's my entry for this weeks IF prompt: DIP. Better late then never - right?