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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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Monday, February 8, 2016

Happy Year of the Monkey!

Monkey © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink, Brush pen, Watercolor
FYI: this illustration is available as a Year of the Monkey Card at GreetingCardUniverse.com/DianasCards
Wishing ALL a Happy, Creative and Prosperous 2016!

Every January I begin the year with my ambitions, dreams and goals and by the time Chinese New Year, February 8th,  comes around, it's time to re-boot the list. It's about a month into 2016 and I can see what's working, what isn't and what needs to be tweaked.

What's been working is making a realistic daily list BUT more importantly focusing in on what task on the list MUST be done before I go to sleep.  This actually has helped my chronic insomnia. So far so good.

Making a point to make more finished art has been good as it's helped me get to the point where it's almost as natural as my old style. However is it distracting me from progress in other areas? Must balance making more finished art with my other goals such as making that picture book dummy.  Part of the only so much time in the day dilemma.

On Self-promoting, I've been experimenting with putting up more art on my twitter feed. Yes it will get you more twitter followers etc. and it feels great when it gets LIKED and RTed.  It definitely builds your web presence as an illustrator. Not sure about actually landing you work. For that I still think getting out the postcards and submitting proposals etc. Next up old school postcards and submission packs. 

Hope your Year is as fun and surprising, in a good way, as a barrel full of Monkeys.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Happy Groundhogs Day!

Groundhog Waltz © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink & watercolor  

HAPPY Groundhogs Day 2016!
I hope spring is on the way.
Hear that Groundhogs in the area? Do your happy dance and bring us an early spring.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Meet the Artist - Self Portrait

Meet the Artist - Self Portrait © Diana Ting Delosh - Brush Pen, indigo wash, Photoshop

I've been meaning to do a Meet the Artist style of self portrait ever since I started spying them online.  I believe some of the art reps were telling their illustrator clients to create these self-portraits, usually full figure, with their likes and dislikes. Ta -Dah! Here's my Meet the Artist, illustrated selfie.

I opted for a head shot and put in fat marker icons of what I like to draw. Originally I was going to write things like: likes animals, nature, chocolate and dislikes creepy crawly things, darkness, evil. Except that I LOVE monsters and murder and mayhem as long as it's all fictional and the good guys win in the end.

Not sure if you'd recognize me from this but it is me in spirit. Hey what can I say, I'm not a portrait artist.


Monday, January 11, 2016

Make MORE Art

My 2015 #colour_collective illustrations
#MyCC2015
© Diana Ting Delosh
One of my personal challenges every year is to Make MORE Art, MUCH MORE and 2016 is no exception.  To that end, last year I started a Finished Creating list (included my writing as well as art). I had read somewhere that the artist, Vincent Van Gogh made over 200 paintings a year. Now I could have remembered it all wrong, but it got me thinking about how creatively productive I was in a year. No I didn't end up with 200 creations on my list, But I liked keeping the list and some of the art challenges I did to keep me on my toes. And I bet adding to that list motivated me even more. Yup - doing the Finished Creating list again - already have number one done.

Last year I participated in #colour_collective on twitter and above is a compilation of all the art I created for that weekly art challenge. I had started it with the idea that I could use this challenge to try out new techniques, mediums, practice and just explore in general. Wasn't able to do all 53 weeks but it spurred me to make more art than if I hadn't joined in the fun. I'll be doing it again in 2016. This year I'll be doing it, with an eye to practicing and exploring my brush pen technique or even using just the brush or a bamboo pen even. 

Here's to 2016 - and making MORE Art.

FYI: #colour_collective  @Clr_Collective is a weekly Twitter Art challenge started by @PennyNevilleLee. A color is announced on saturdays and everyone posts the following friday at 19:30 GMT.  The first color announcement of 2016 will be on saturday January 16, 2016. In the meanwhile some of the colour collective artists will be participating in the #MeetTheArtist challenge to be posted this Friday at 19:00 GMT. Will I be one of them? Perhaps.

And follow me at @dtdelosh




Thursday, December 31, 2015

Looking forward to 2016

Winter Raccoon
© Diana Ting Delosh
ink watercolor digital

Here's to 2016 and all the hopes and promises of a shiny New Year. 
Wishing All a Happy and Creatively Productive, Prolific and Prosperous New Year

As for me I have my 2016 planner and my lists of things I hope to accomplish and how I plan to do it.  The how, I feel is actually more important than the end game. I could say I want to have picture book contract with a major traditional publisher in 2016. However it would be unrealistic as there are quite a few factors out of my control. I'm much better having as goals: 

• a few picture book dummies and /or manuscripts that have gone through the vetting process of my trusted illustrator crit group and/or my writer's group. One of my resolutions is to only submit my best. Which is why I really need the eyes and ears of my beta readers.

• Making a list of publishers/agents/editors that I feel would be most receptive to my projects.

• Submitting to the above. 

• Working on multiple projects/proposals at a time as I can't afford to put all my eggs in 1 basket.

• Revamping my website/portfolio dianadelosh.com so that it's as enticing as possible.

Instead of a "where I want to be by the end of the year" dream list. I'm making a list of specific projects and tasks that are steps towards my dreams and hopes for 2016.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Happy Holidays!

Peace Dove
© Diana Ting Delosh
Marker, watercolor, digital
some hand lettering fun.
Merry Christmas
and a
Happy, Healthy, Creative and Prosperous
2016 to all!
 

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Little Red - Illustration Process Post

Little Red
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink Watercolor Digital
2015 has been the year of experimenting with different mediums. To create Little Red I used  a Micron Brush Pen and assorted Rapidiographs for the finer lines on watercolor paper. The Rapidiographs are filled with Black India Rapidiograph Brand Ink: Universal 3080-F.BLA Waterproof for Paper & Film. Previously I had tried other brands of brush pens and found them not as waterproof as they claimed they were. The Microns are truly waterproof and I was able to paint right over my line art as soon as the ink was dry. I'm quite happy with the results.
Ink Line Detail for Little Red
©Diana Ting Delosh
Assorted pens
I used the Brush pen mainly on the Little Red and the Wolf as I wanted them to be the focal paint. Most of the finer details were put in with a double zero pen as well as some pencil. This way I could have my thick and thin lines and my details too. The background  forest is done in pencil as I wanted it to be very soft and fade. As you can see they were so fine they barely scanned in.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Gobble Gobble

Chicken Little
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & watercolor
Gobble! Gobble!
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Flying Squirrel for Illustration Friday - Animal

Thought I'd share this illo I did with Brush pen, watercolors and digital for Illustration Friday. I mean how could I not do IF this week as the prompt is ANIMAL! So here you go: my Flying Squirrel gliding on a starry night.
Flying Squirrel by Diana Ting Delosh
ink & watercolor & digital
Just like this flying squirrel the weeks have been zooming by. I can't believe it's a week before Thanksgiving. Which means Christmas is right around the corner and 2015 might as well be over. Hold on there, there's still lots that can happen and things to do before the years up.  There's still lots to paint and experiment and create with. Not to mention the mess to clean up after all the experimenting and creating but later for all that. Right now I'm enjoying messing with my brush pen. It seems to have a lot of possibilities with it's ability to go from thick to thin in one stroke. So I'll try to be more like my gliding friend and enjoy the moment of being and doing.