Hello Friday. So nice to see you again.

Here's an early version of a book cover concept I did a while back. I'm posting it because I just rediscovered it and think it's kinda cute, even if the direction changed a bit.

Lordy! What a week!! I know, I know...it's not quite over yet...but for me, IT IS. I am done! The "universe" tested me in a big way over the past many days but I did manage to meet my deadlines (with happy clients!!) while dealing with all the other hoopla.
So, for that I say "hallelujah" and let me get the hell out of town! I'm taking off to the desert tomorrow morning. It'll be really nice for a change of scenery.


Happy Weekend, People!
xo

So uh, hey there, what's your sign?

Here's a couple recent goodies commissioned by the fine folks at Astro Girl! Magazine.

Typically,I don't like throwing copyright smack dab in the center of my art BUT, I figured it would make it less appealing to theft that way. Not that I think there's a big crime ring focusing on astrological symbols or anything. It was only after consulting my charts and the recent Harvest Moon, I figured...better safe than sorry!! Just kidding, if I really looked at my charts I wouldn't know what the "stars" I was looking at anyway. Heck, all I know about a Harvest Moon is that it looks ginormous and brilliant and almost fake (like, the backdrop painting of a school play). And, "Harvest Moon" is the title of my all time favorite Neil Young song. If you don't know it, check it out.

Even while admitting my lack of astro-knowledge I don't mean to imply that I wouldn't or don't read my horoscope...because I do! Not every day...sometimes it's merely the perfect tool for procrastinating a few minutes longer. Anyway, I take it all in stride. Since my birthday falls on the CUSP of Libra/ Scorpio...I read both 'scopes and pick the one I like best. ;)

I know even less about Tarot cards but find them fascinating if not a little frightening. I'd love to learn more about 'em because I think it'd be fun to draw a whole set someday.

Celebs!

In the interest of keeping things fresh I've decided it's high time I start posting doodles and sketchies. So..okay! I'm doing it.

I'm kind of a sucker for those ragtag magazines at the checkout stands...and sometimes, late at night, I doodle from those pages. Here's a couple to start...fresh with some newly added photoshop color for added zest.


Here's Lindsey.


Good Ol' Susan Boyle...before the makeover.

More to come!

Wardrobe Mishaps!

Here are some silly little illos I did for the upcoming issue of Yikes! Magazine. Have you experienced anything like this? I certainly have!
That said, I choose NOT to share with you the couple wardrobe mishaps I've had in my early life. Let's just say this though..both incidents that come to mind were pretty em-bare-ASS-ing.

Jalapeño del Sol

Ah yes, here's another 10k I won't be participating in...other than, designing the t-shirt logo. For one, the trail run is in San Antonio. TEXAS. I don't mess with Texas. Secondly, I hate, hate, hate running. I'm a terrible runner. I might sprint for half a block with my dog but that's the extent of it for me. I might run away from a bad guy too...but let's face it, I'd probably have to resort to eye-gouging. Walking, hiking, swimming...those are more my speed. Even when I was in grade school and they made us run around the track...I abhorred it. It just hurts too much. Would love to change my attitude about it someday because I know it's a great way to drop some LBS and tone. But, blech...I just hate it.
Anyway...trying to follow the theme of the drawing here...which also includes a Jalapeño! I looooooove japapeño.... in fact, I made some awesome spicy salsa the other night. Hot! Spicy! Pure Goodness. And now the (jalapeño) seed has been planted: I will be dreaming about carne asada tacos from a local taco stand (or truck)...sprinkled with cilantro, onion and spicy salsa that makes my mouth on fire. And I will be thinking about this until it happens. Later, today. YES.

Los Chuys are running

Here's a couple images I snagged from the internet of the "Los Chupacabras De La Noche" race held in San Antonio, Texas a couple weekends ago. I don't know the runners personally but I did the Chuy (pronounced Chewie!) drawing. It's very cool to see people wearing a t-shirt with my drawing on it. I hear the t-shirts turned out really good this year too! My samples should be arriving any day. Woo Hoo!

Last year's design is available here.

The Imposter's Daughter

Please check out the beautiful graphic memoir, "The Imposter's Daughter" written and illustrated by Laurie Sandell. Out in bookstores July 29th!
** BTW, I colored the book from cover to cover.

How'd that happen? Well...

In May 2008, I got an e-mail from a writer living in New York who wanted ME to color her graphic novel. To which I replied "Hells YES!". I did so because first, it sounded so cool and well, quite frankly I wanted to be very busy with a "perfect summer gig!". In reality, it took much, much longer than the summer though. The assignment pretty much took the entire year. Most of the time, I was happy to color away, reading Laurie's book as the pages came in. During the course of this last year, Laurie and I traded daily e-mails often times discussing men- "He said what?!" or the election -Yay! Obama! or any number of random thoughts. It was fun. We met a couple times for coffee, here in Los Angeles, when she'd flown in to interview some über famous celeb. It was a strange and awesome experience getting to know someone like that. There were times I felt challenged by this assignment too. There was so much to do that there was very little time for working on my own art or for making any extra money either. But new pages of the book would arrive with e-mails coinciding and I'd get another glimpse at the story unfolding before me. I could relate to so much she shared about herself in both her book and correspondence...even though our lives are vastly different. And let's face it, because the woman is a very good interviewer, I pretty much told her my whole story too. I think I felt comfortable blabbing about myself to her because I was witnessing how she was willing to put herself out there to tell her own story. I have a great amount of respect for that.

So please check out this book! Check out her book readings if you're in either NYC, Los Angeles, San Fran or Portland in August. It's an honest, entertaining, humorous, and compelling read. You might find a bit of yourself in there too. And, if I don't say so myself....it's color ain't too shabby. ;)

www.lauriesandell.com

Liberty Porter

Hi! So, Liberty Porter, First Daughter came out this week. I illustrated the cover and interiors. I must say, it was pretty cool to go into Barnes and Noble and see the book on the shelf...not far away from a few of the other covers I've done over the past couple years. Wow, it's like I'm a true blue illustrator or something! Wooo Hoo!
I bought two of the three copies (one for me and the other for my parents) but still, had to leave the third copy there so my Mom could go into that store and see it for herself. Look Ma, it's really there on the shelf!

Read fun facts from the author about Liberty Porter and other First Kids here!
Here are a few of the interior illustrations!







This Young Reader Chapter Book was written by Julia DeVillers, published by Simon & Schuster, book design by Karin Paprocki. Available in hardback, everywhere!

2nd Annual Chuy Run

Here's a new tshirt design for the 2nd Annual Los Chupacabras de la Noche 10K Trail Run, happenin' in San Antonio, Texas on July 17th. If you're interested and live in that area...here's a link to their Facebook page Also, I'd love to see photos of the event...esp. with people wearing the tee's!

Les Belles de la Mer

Ok, first, I'm not even sure "Les Belles de la Mer" makes sense in French...but it sounds good to me! Je parle francais comme une vache espagnole.

Regardless of my terrible French...here is the first of many Mermaid drawings I've wanted to illustrate for some time now. I have this pile of sketches from last year that I haven't had time to get to. Now, I do. Unless some freelance work comes in. In which case, I will put the sketch pile aside and happily work on whatever that fabulous assignment is. PLUS, I'll be thrilled that I won't have to sell off my furniture in a yard sale next month!! Yipes. Freelance can be wildly exciting and scary sometimes.

Enjoy the Mermaids!

Cutey Critters

So, this past year I haven't really had time to do any personal work..which is fine and all because drawing my own little critters and stuff doesn't generally get the bills paid. Plus, I'm not about to complain about actual work that comes my way! No way, Jose!
However, it's a dream of mine to get some of my personal work to parlay into income at some point in time. If that doesn't pan out...it's still, always, good to draw for the fun of it. Right?! Keeps the creative juices flowin'!

I started this series of spring themed drawings (aka personal work) last year and have finally had a little down time to draw a couple more! Yay! Just in time for summer!!

Juicy Gossip

Ah, love it when I get to see another new bookcover of mine on the bookshelf! The lastest is called "Juicy Gossip" and it's part of the Candy Apple Series for Scholastic (book # 19) written by Erin Downing. Art Directed by Steve Scott.

I'm posting my art without the title because, frankly, the scan of the book I purchased last night looks terrible and I don't have a decent sized version of the artwork WITH the titles...here's a tiny one lifted from the web.

Scholastic Web Store

OMG! STOP TALKING!

OH HI! DON'T CHA LOVE IT WHEN YOU GO TO THE MOVIES AND SIT YOURSELF BEHIND LITTLE MISS CHATTY CATHY? OR WORSE, IN MY BOOK- LOUD POPCORN EATERS! THEY DRIVES ME NUTS! CRUNCH, SNORKLE, NUM NUM. OR, OR, OR... THE PEOPLE WHO SLOOOOOOOOWLY OPEN THEIR CANDY WRAPPERS! WHAT ABOUT THOSE GUYS? GAH! GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!! OR, WHEN TWO MEN GO TO THE MOVIES AND NEED TO SIT A FULL SEAT AWAY FROM EACH OTHER...REALLY?! ANNOYING. ALSO, I'M NOT A FAN OF PEOPLE WHO WRITE IN ALL CAPS, ALL THE TIME. IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M BEING YELLED AT.

phew. Ok. That was kinda fun...just letting off a little steam. The above illustration was for the teen magazine "YIKES!" Summer 2009.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Liberty Porter, First Daughter

Looking for a great book to purchase your 8-12 year old daughter this summer? Thought so! This sweet book will be out in bookstores this July and you can already pre-order it on Amazon and the Simon Schuster websites! Written by the fabulous Julia DeVillers, beautifully book designed by Karin Paprocki and illustrated by yours truly! (me!!)

I'll share some of the interior illustrations once the book is out.

Spring-ness

I know it's not technically springtime yet but it's another gorgeous day here in Los Angeles. With all the recent rains washing away the crud, it sort of feels like Spring. And well, I guess it's spring in my brain. That counts, right?

Have a beautiful day, people!

Cupid Runs for Romance!

Awwww, Valentines. More like...Ehhh, Whatev.

No, no, really, stokked for all you lovebirds out there. It's wonderful. However, this year, I'm all about heading over to See's candies to load up on some...Okay, NO. I think I'll go ahead and resist that urge. Instead, I'll share a glass of wine, probably with several of my most bitchen, single girlfriends. I love my amazing, smart, beautiful and single girlfriends. Happy Valentines, Girls!

This here image was drawn for the same folks who commissioned the Chupacapra race. So, if you're in San Antonio, Texas this weekend...check 'em out!

Keepin' it fresh....

Whoa! I can't even believe this...I'm actually posting again. I'm practically on a roll here! Let's really hope I can keep this up.

Here's a quickie drawing I did for a friend of the family who wanted art for a symposium flyer.

The Latest Buzz

This is a fun little assignment I was did back at the end of last summer.
I was commissioned by my old friend, Brent Piaskoski to draw the cast of his sweet and funny tween comedy show up in Canada. Brent and his wife/writing partner, Barb, gave it as a wrap gift to the cast. This sort of thing makes me a little uneasy and wonder "Really? You think they'll like that?" mixed with "WOW! Cool beans! I feel so honored." "The Latest Buzz" airs in Canada on the Family Channel and in lots of other countries outside Canada too. Unfortunately it's just not the U.S. (yet)

Hello, 2009. Nice to meetcha.

Testing, testing. One. Two. Three. Anyone out there?

(echo)

Yeah. I've been a bad blogger. BAD. More like, non-existent. My apologies to anyone who might still be checking in. I've spent the better part of the last many months coloring a graphic novel for another artist. I haven't had time to draw anything of my own outside of the occassional post-it doodle. I'm almost done with revisions on the book...so, soon I hope to share with you many new illustrations! I might go crazy once I find a little free time to play! (I cannot wait!!)One of my resolutions this year was to be a better blogger...so, here's a minor attempt at gettin' goin' on this again.

The above illustration was drawn for a really sweet and fun book for the 10 year old girl in your life! Published by Simon Schuster, written by Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy, who happen to be identical twins. A second book in this series is in the works...I'm just not sure when it comes out. I'll be sure to post that cover once it is out in stores.