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Welcome to my blog , The Hare Illustratère. I'll be posting about my art process and journey as an illustrator/author here.

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Friday, July 29, 2011

IF: OBSESSION

ANTICIPATION
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Here's my entry for this weeks IllustrationFriday.com prompt - OBSESSION.

Kitten has an OBSESSION with cupcakes. He can't wait until they're baked, frosted and ready to eat. YUM. This is another scene from my CUPCAKE, story. Still working on the project between jobs & life. I can't wait until my half-baked Picture book dummy is fully realized. 

For another illustration from my CUPCAKE PB dummy see my June 16, 2011 post.  OR visit my website at DianaDelosh.com.

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Art Hare's Wares: 1 Year Zazzle Anniversary Salebration

The Art Hare's Wares: 1 Year Zazzle Anniversary Salebration: "About a year ago, June 2010 I opened my Zazzle Shop DeloshDesigns* because I thought it would be fun to see what my illustrations looked lik..."

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

IF: MIDSUMMER NIGHT

Arabian Night © Diana Ting Delosh
Ink and Watercolor
Here's my ILLO entry for this week's IllustrationFriday Prompt - MIDSUMMER NIGHT.

Can't believe that the midpoint of this summer and 2011 is fast approaching. What happened to my year?

FYI: this illo is available as a:
Giclée Print
Blank Note Card
Ramadan Greeting Card at GCU and CardGnomes
Postcard

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Twitter Effect on my PBDummy

Detail from an illustration from my soon to be finished picture book dummy, CUPCAKES
I usually try and do a Picture Book Dummy a year. My standing Deadline is Halloween. Doesn't always work out, but I try. This year with the help of TWITTER I'm ahead of myself.

It all began Nov of 2010 when I signed up to do PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month. See cute monster badge in side bar). A challenge I found on Twitter to come up with 30 picture book ideas in 30 days. Which lead to the #PBDummy challenge on Twitter - brought to you by KidLitArt in January 2011. This last challenge was to complete a picture book dummy by well - NOW. Wish I could say I've victoriously crossed the finish line but I concede I have not. This is by no means an admission of failure or defeat because having accepted the challenge I am that much closer to completing my PB Dummy whereas if I hadn't I might not have even begun the project. Which is what these creative challenges are all about. Helping you to achieve or grow as a creative, while having fun and even possibly interacting with other like minded artists.

So how far do I have to go? Well the dummy is all roughed out and the text, is pretty set. I actually continue to tweak both art and text throughout the whole process as I suspect do most of my fellow illustrator/writers. My "finished" dummy will comprise of 3 colored finished illustrations and 13 spreads of ink sketches. The illustration above is a detail from one of the finished spreads. I've even created some fun hand lettering for the cover. Well to answer the question I've still haven't reached the halfway point but I'm getting a bit done every week between jobs and sundry other art biz activities. Taking part in this challenge has helped me stay motivated despite all the interruptions and distractions. I see myself finishing way before my self-imposed Halloween deadline. In fact, I may even try and squeeze in this other PB dummy idea or at least begin it. Well, we'll see.

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Art Hare's Wares: Father's Day Cards and New Store Promotion!

The Art Hare's Wares: Father's Day Cards and New Store Promotion!: "Howdy all just wanted to announce that I've opened a new POD Store DELOSH CARDS and currently there is a special 20% Discount on FATHER'S..."

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Illustration Friday: ASLEEP

Violet Dreams of Planting Seeds
Ink & Watercolor illustration from 1 of my picture book ideas.

Here's my illustration for this week IllustrationFriday.com prompt: Asleep.

Sometimes I try and dream up solutions to my art, writing or life. I ask myself specific questions about something I'm working on as I'm falling asleep. It doesn't always work but it's great when it does.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Illustration Friday: SOAKED

Rain Cloud Bunny
Pen Sketch

Bunny's having a Bad Hare Day. You know the kind - where you feel like there's a dark rain cloud following you wherever you go. And you know you're going to get soaked.

Bunny's Getting Soaked Here's my illustration for this week's Illustration Friday prompt. When times are tight and I have an idea, I like to do a quick ball point pen Sketch. Maybe  one day I'll make a finished illustration from this sketch but until then -this is it.

The thing with finished art is that it needs a purpose (at least for me).  This way I know what size/shape it will be. For example if this idea was to be a greeting card I would make it into 5 x7 or a size that would fit proportionally. On the other hand if this were to be a calendar page - April. I might want it to be a horizontal and fit 12 x 9 dimensions. This is probably why sketching is my only true personal art. All my finished art has a purpose and sometimes even an agenda.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Illustration Friday: SAFARI

Cheetah Stretches
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

I would love to go on a Safari on the African Savanna to see the cheetahs, and capture them with my camera and sketches. Here's my take on the IllustrationFriday.com word of the week.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

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.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Art Biz sites: tried & results to date

OK time to  review the new things I've tried since January 2011 to beef up my illustration biz and any results to date.  Sort of a  review - that I hope you may find useful, keeping in mind that what works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

www.illustrationboard.com  - Free site, created by an illustrator friend. Nice because it just links to my website - dianadelosh.com and I don't have to spend time loading and updating art for  this site. It also has a FaceBook page so you can post news or share new work. Nice and laid back. However this site itself just began in January and to date it has just sent some traffic to my website, but hey, it's FREE and friendly.

arthareswares.blogspot.com - Started a new blog to hawk my functional and wearable art wares. In hopes of boosting traffic and sales at my stores: www.gcuniverse.com/dianascards,    www.zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*, wingedrabbit.imagekind.com. So far the results for this venture have been very interesting and unexpected. Yes, it has boosted traffic to my stores and I believe sales. The interesting news is that this blog, according to Google Traffic Analytic, has been my number 1 referrer to my illustration website since it began! That's going on 3 months in the number 1 spot. It has also made me aware of any weak spots in my stores that need to be addressed. If you don't already blog, definitely begin one and if you do, blog more. 

www.behance.net - FREE site. OK I was invited (anyone can join) but what made me sign up was their job board. They actually had jobs listed under illustration & drawing and not just jobs for someone who knows Adobe Illustrator. YAY. However this is one of those communtiy networking sites where you have to be social and friend other members and join groups etc. and load art etc. Personally between: LI, FB, Twitter, forums, etc. I'm a little overwhelmed by all this socializing and underwhelmed by the results. However you can follow me at: www.behance.net/dtdelosh and I promise I'll do likewise for you.
The Job Listings have been mainly for surface designs for functional ware: water bottles, iPhone cases etc. Which sound like fun. So I've added more florals to my portfolio and plan on expanding my illustration repetoire... and of course applied for a few listings.

hireanillustrator.com - $7 per week or annual fee. HAI gives you opportunities to stand out by submitting news, which they may feature on the home page (prestigious assignment, awards, etc.) or  just posted with thumbnail on the side bar. HAI also puts out a newsletter (monthly?) with some of the submitted news and of course their FB fan page etc.  Plus your item may also get picked up by their related site the thelittlechimpsociety.com. Meanwhile, I'm still figuring out what constitutes illustration news - is my new promo postcard newsworthy? Noticed that some artists announce their POD/Etsey news. Sure I could do this weekly but I'd rather not. I'm probably over analyzing this. Did submit my "Lucky Cat for Japan Aid" news item and I can even attribute a few sales to that. It is referring people to my website. No assignments yet, but it's only been 2 months.  Find me on HAI at: hireanillustrator.com/i/diana-delosh.

I've removed my Kidlitart Blinders as a result  of trying Behance and HAI. Time to create more art - round out my portfolio. Submit. Promote. Get assignments. Make things happen. Make news.