Stamp for envelopes

I'm going to be sending out postcards to some art directors soon. The cards I had printed don't have a space for an address so I'm going to put them in an envelope and I made a stamp for the back flap. This photo has the stamp, a print I made with printmaking ink and watercolor, and some stamped envelopes. I think I'm going to color them with colored pencil like the one on top. I can color them on my lunch break at work!

Atmosphere

I colored this sketch because it was so perfect for Atmosphere- this week's Illustration Friday topic. If it is really going to end up in the book I'm working on I'll finish it as a linocut with watercolor.

Blanket of air sketch

I guess this is my own version of a mandala. It's a sketch for a poem I wrote about the beauty of the Earth. I'm going to illustrate all 7 stanzas. This one is about the blanket of air surrounding us.

Tibetan Sand Painting

I got to see something amazing this week. A small group of Tibetan Monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery are in Steamboat creating a mandala sand painting. The painting is delicate and so vibrant! They use tubes of metal with ridges to hold the sand. They quickly rub the ridges with another metal piece to make the sand flow out.

The energy in the room was wonderful. I'm sad I won't be able to go to the closing ceremony tomorrow evening. They finish the painting and leave it for people to look at for about an hour and then destroy it. It's all about compassion and impermanence. There's an article about it in the Steamboat Pilot.

Back from the LA conference

It sure was an energizing SCBWI conference! I got to meet lots of great people, the speakers were inspiring, and I saw so many beautiful illustrations.

My favorite workshop happened at the very end. After my portfolio critique with the fabulous Marla Frazee, I walked around for a couple days trying to solve the issues she pointed out in my story. I think I was distracted and frustrated because I couldn't see the perfect solution. But in the last workshop with Loren Long it all started to come together.

Loren is such a ball of energy! He worked hard to give us real information we could use based on his techniques for creating the mood and flow of a picture book.

I had to leave for the airport shortly after his talk. But I spent my time waiting at the airport rewriting my story based on Marla's comments and starting new sketches based on Loren's working ideas.

These are just sketches, but I'm excited about them! I've also been working on character sketches which I may post later.

I'm so glad I got to go to the conference and I hope I'll be able to go again at least every couple of years!