It All Starts with a Sketch

It's good to keep a sketch book. I have several. It's even better to sketch everyday. I don't but I'm trying to do more of that. By sketch book  and sketching, I'm referring to the messy kind of sketches not those gorgeous finished looking art pieces being shared online where artists humble brag calling them mere sketches. My sketches are the messy, imperfect barely readable kind. They help me record thoughts and ideas for possible future use. Sometimes it's random scenes in real life - like people waiting for  the train. Sometimes it's photographs that make my heart skip a beat. In this case, I'm going for the heart and not the actual photo details. Other times it's for research as in how many fingers and toes does a possum have.

 

My May #KidLitArtPostcard © Diana Ting Delosh

I keep several sketch books: several for home in various shapes and sizes, a tiny one that fits in my pocket book, one in my tote bag. I like the sketch books with meh paper. I find I'm not afraid to ruin them. Some people like the fancy sketch books with wonderful paper. I love the feel of those BUT I find them inhibiting. I do have a few that have good watercolor paper and have used them but not as much as my "cheap" paper ones. 

 

3 Kids Reading © Diana Ting Delosh

Ball point pen Sketch

Recently I was saved by my sketch booking. I wanted a fresh grey scale illustration to add to my Promo Page and also for the May #KidLitArtPostcard. I happened to flip through one of my sketch books and came across a suitable sketch to work up.

And voila I had a piece I could add to my B&W Promo Page as well as something I could tweak for my portfolio and my digital postcard. I'll be sharing my B&W Promo page at a later date.

 

 3 Kids Reading © Diana Ting Delosh 

Ink,  Grey wash, pencil

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

 

INKTOBER2016: Inks 20 - 31

Whew -I survived INKTOBER2016!!! Yes! I  did 31 illustrations with various inky implements within the 31 days of October. What I learned from this challenge other than I enjoyed it immensely? Found that even though I do a lot of inking, that a lot of days I need to work on pencils or just Paint all day. Needless to say I did Inktober in clusters. The hardest part was posting/tweeting & blogging about it. Hence this blog post wrap up is a few days into November.

20 - Owl Sings © Diana Ting Delosh
Biro, ball point pen preliminary doodles for a project.

21 - Owl Character © Diana Ting Delosh
Biro, Character doodles for a project.

It's just as easy to do preliminary sketches and doodles with a biro as it is to do them with a pencil.

22 - Owl Sings © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen warm up.

23 - Leaves © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen warm up

24 - Hedgehog Bride © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen doodle

It's fun to do quick doodles with a fat brush pen and no underlying pencil sketch.

25 - Peep Sings © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen -Line art 

26 - Village in the woods © Diana Ting Delosh
Radiograph double zero point and some pencil left in for texture.

27 - Lady on the Train © Diana Ting Delosh
Biro - quick sketch on train.

28 - Man on the Train © Diana Ting Delosh
Biro - quick sketch on train.

The problem with sketching people on the train is that sooner or later they have to move or get off. It's also really hard to sketch on crowded trains.

29 - Another Owl Sings © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen -Line art

It's not deja vous numbers 20, 21, 22, and 29 are all related to the same project.

30 - Fall Squirrel © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen -just for fun

31 - Pumpkin Cat © Diana Ting Delosh
Brush pen - just for fun

And that's a wrap for INKTOBER2016! 

If you're interested in seeing the rest of my Inks click on: INKTOBER2016: Inks 1 - 9 and INKTOBER2016: Inks 10 - 19

In case you missed it:

My post on Drawn To Picture Books: The Eleventh Month by Diana Ting Delosh: It's that time to rally one last huge effort before times up. Tick... tick... tick...BOOM! It's November, the eleventh month and a f...

AND

I was also recently interviewed by Dana Carey on the SUB IT CLUB. Take a peek and read   The Postcard Post: Diana Ting Delosh.

Web/Portfolio: dianadelosh.com

Twitter: @dtdelosh

Product Blog: arthareswares.blogspot.com

Group Blog: D2PB

ThumbNailer a book of boxes for your creative process

INKTOBER2016: Inks 1 - 9

INKTOBER: 31 inky illustrations in 31days. Posting on twitter with #inktober #inktober2016

Inktober 2016 started off on a weekend with houseguests and the new scanner had yet to arrive. SO I started late, on October 4, meaning I was already 4 days and 4 inks behind. While a part of me thought of not beginning because it was late, another part decided to just jump in. After all I've been thinking of starting a daily sketch habit. Might as well begin with Inktober! While some of the artists doing Inktober are doing themes, my rules will be very open: as long as the sketch or finished illustration had some ink involved I was counting it. Click on images to enlarge.

1 - Beast Biro Sketch, © DianaTing Delosh

2 - Beast BiroSketch, © Diana Ting Delosh

3 - Beast BiroSketch, © Diana Ting Delosh

Inks number 1 - 3 were quick Biro. ball point pen, sketches for a beastie character for a personal project. My current fave is the 3rd Rhino-Boy beast. On the other hand the 1st sketch has a vulnerable quality to him. Hm-m-m may have to do a few more beasties before I can make a decision on how/what this character will look like. 

4 - Fern Ink Line art detail, Micro Pens © Diana Ting Delosh

5 - Wildflowers Ink Line art detail, Radiograph Pens © Diana Ting Delosh

 Inks number 4 & 5 are details from 2 illustrations from an inky project on my drawing board that I can't show too much of - yet. Taking a page from my fellow illustrators when they're in this situation and just showing a DETAIL from the illustrations. 

6 - Tomato Biro Sketch © Diana Ting Delosh

I find drawing from life first thing in the morning to be very calming. A nice way to begin the day on a positive note.

7 - Bumble Bee, Micron Pen fun © Diana Ting Delosh

8 - Rhododendron, MicronPen Line art detail, © Diana Ting Delosh

9 - Morning Tea & Vitamins, Biro Sketch, © Diana Ting Delosh

Ta Dah! Nine inks in nine days! Think I'm getting the hang of making Inktober part of my daily ritual just like my morning mug of tea & vitamins. 

Web/Portfolio: dianadelosh.com

Twitter: @dtdelosh

Product Blog: arthareswares.blogspot.com

Group Blog: D2PB

ThumbNailer a book of boxes for your creative process

  

#Twoodle - Heron Wizard Shoe

I happened to be on Twitter when I saw a #Twoodle Tweet and as I was in Sketching mode -just had to join in and I'm glad I did. It is so freeing and relaxing to do something nonsensical and for fun's sake. Here's my Twoodle sketch inspired by the words:

Heron, Shoe by @KimieLampers

Wizard by @deuhlig

You can follow me on Twitter @dtdelosh

HeronWizardShoe
© Diana Ting Delosh 5-7-14
Ball Point Pen Doodle #35*

This Heron has found some wizard's hat and wand and has accidentally conjured a shoe much to the delight of his fishy audience.

So what's Twoodle you may ask.
Go here to find out more: http://twoodle.wordpress.com/about-twoodle/ and for this weeks
Twoodle words click here: http://twoodle.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/twoodle-words-for-may-7th-2014/

*I'm counting this doodle as #35 of my 365 Drawings in 2014 exercise. From now on I will be numbering them As I post. I seem to have slacked off with my sketching and posting in April. Have been sketching and have reasons for not posting but will save it for another post.

365 Drawings 2014 #14 Crab Sandwich #Twoodle

Drawing #14 & Twoodle - CRAB SANDWICH 

with words  brought to you by:

Crab - @aliciapadron

Sandwich - @Readitdadday

Feels good to twoodle again -haven't done this in a loooong time!

Crab Sandwich © Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & colored pencil twoodle
1/15/14

A twoodle is a doodle game on twitter. Use #twoodle to find out more.

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.

#Twoodle - Carrot+Custard

Bunny has made a big bowl of her fave dessert - carrot custard. She can't wait to dig in. M-m-m-m-m.
This is an quick pen sketch digitally colored in Photoshop. © Diana Ting Delosh

Here's my 1st Twoodle using the words; CARROT @DiandraMae and CUSTARD @johnlechner.

So what's a twoodle? A twoodle is a tweet/doodle. More specifically it's a fun Twitter activity started by the illustrator, Alicia Padron last wednesday. Please read more HERE to find out more and to particpate. And if you're on Twitter please go to #Twoodle to see all the wonderful twoodles being posted today.

So what's the purpose - none other then the best reason - for fun.

W-I-P: Mr & Mrs. P. Pumpkin Eater

It's been awhile since I last posted on this blog. I've been busy with commissioned illustrations this spring (YAY!) but of course that means I can't blog about it - yet (Sigh). However I can share the Work-in-Progress of some personal work. I'm working on a series of Mother Goose images for an upcoming CBIG Group show.

Sketch for the 1st illo - for the Mother Goose nursery rhyme: Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater. 

Here's the ink for Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater.

Yup - I'm depicting Peter and wife as mice. What else eats pumpkins and can live very well in one? I know: chipmunks, snails, perhaps a small bird or even a toad, etc. but this is my illo so I'm doing Mice.  Next question - to dress or not dress the mice? Well if they can get married and set-up house in a  pumpkin shell they can wear clothes. 

 ... And the finished watercolored version will be coming soon.

Dragons - 1 Sketch to Several Dragons

Dragon  Sketch - © Diana Ting Delosh

I doodled this  dragon with my trusty ball point pen during a TV commercial. The commercials and time limit provide enough distraction so I can ignore any inner critic. I find that I can get started on a few of my back burner projects this way. Helps me get more done without the burnout. This sketch then had to wait it's turn until I had time between assigned work to transfer to paper, ink and paint, but at least the sketch stage was done.

As this Dragon illustration usage was for my Year of the Dragon/Chinese New Year cards as well as a decorative motif on various products I chose not to draw/paint in a back ground. I could add these on with Photoshop, giving me more design options. Leave it plain for a decorative look -great on a T-shirt or a card. Add to the tail to make it longer to wrap around a mug for example. Plop it on a solid background for a card or even my painted starry moonlit scene for a more narrative look. 

Asian Dragon- © Diana Ting Delosh

Long Curlicue Tailed Dragon - © diana Ting Delosh

Starry Night Dragon - © Diana Ting Delosh

You can find my dragons inhabiting my shops at:

www.gcuniverse.com/dianascards

www.zazzle.com/deloshdesigns* - DRAGON

HAPPY YEAR OF THE DRAGON!

FYI the Dragon  is supposed to be the luckiest of all the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days. 2 weeks plus 1 day for good luck. The 2012 Dragon Year is celebrated from Jan 23rd to Feb 5th.

IF: LESSON!

BEAVER SWIMMING LESSONS
Medium Point BIC® Pen Sketch
© Diana Ting Delosh

Here's my take on this week's IllustrationFriday.com prompt - LESSON.

Beavers are perfectly suited for their semi-aquatic lifestyle. The kits can float soon after birth. When they get a little bigger they take advanced swimming and diving lessons from their parents and older siblings. They will also take lessons in Dam building and logging. They really don't need floaties or goggles as they have an extra set of transparent eyelids that slide over their eyes. I was just taking some artistic license. 

I love learning new things but I hate it when experiences become just another lesson in life.

Happy Howling Halloween!

Wolfman and Wolfie

© Diana Ting Delosh

Med Point Bic® Pen Sketch

Wishing all a Howling Good Halloween!

Pip & Squeak!

Down the Hill
© Diana Ting Delosh
1 of 6 original sketches for Pip & Squeak. (not submitted to High Five)

Highlights/High5 magazine just accepted my pre-school verse Pip & Squeak for publication. YAY!

I had originally submitted Pip & Squeak with sketches to Babybug magazine. Recently decided it was time to have it make the rounds again... this time without suggested art to High Five.