Illustration Class 7

Excited Ella - pencil illustration -sketch book 2011 Melissa Mead

Well I am - as usual- ;-D totally not paying attention in class.  Absolutely off on my own tangent.  I think it intersects the point of the current class.  We are on a family holiday at the beach and my things are scattered between here and home but I've managed to practice everyday and I've got something to show for it!

It's my first very own - not copied from anywhere but my own head illustration.  There is much to improve on but it's the first baby steps and I'm really proud.  I've got lots of others that I did copy - they made me so excited that I literally couldn't sleep last night - but I couldn't turn the lights on (without waking everyone) to draw more!

I won't pick this apart - just to know that it's the first and beginning.  Always an exciting place.  It would be great if you could leave a comment!!

Jam Labels for 2011

Above is my second official illustration.  I've made about 10kg of apricot jam for the first time in my life.  I've got about - oh 10kg more to go - and with any luck I will do another 20kg.  They won't have such pretty labels.  I will look for water proof pens in colour - they are hard enough to find in black and blue.  The pretty labels will be for jars expected to be presents.

How to grow tomatoes...
19cm x 14cm watercolour on 100% cotton rag
Please contact me if you would like to purchase this painting.

A friend of mine is an amazing woman who I believe can grow ANYTHING from a seed.  Shannon says pink korrels, pilchard, aspirin, bone meal, finely crushed egg shells and horse manure grow tomatoes fabulously -here is my water colour version of her photo.  She's got a fab shop complete with heirloom seeds, coffee, eats and preserves - its called The Gravel Garden.  You can find her at www.thegravelgardendotcom.

I'd include a link BUT - I'm busy moving from my old PC to an apple lap top.  I wasn't too efficient on the PC so I'm going to explode my brains for the next six months learning - EVERYTHING.  From Apples to illustration and fine art!  Hopefully learning to add links as well.

Please join me on my exploits in 2012 - I know the Mayans say it's the end but for me...it's just the beginning!  I expect to blog every Thursday from Jan 10, 2012.   If you want to make a note of that.

Peace and Groovyness!

Well - not the best photo but this is my first attempt at illustration.  I'm confident I can get better! :-)  The lesson was to use only two colours -   Never mind I used the mix-iest colours.  It was wonderful working with great quality paints and paper AND brushes.  It's been ages since I tried water colour - but it never worked so great.  Quality is everything.  I'm not happy with my drawing so I snuck out of class to try my own thing.  I'll show that to you when it's done.

Last night I started an 8 session lesson on how to publish and work with interactive books - it will be a long time till that happens for me but at least I will have the beginnings and can research my self silly till my drawings/illustrations etc are up to speed.  Who knows I might get more ideas than just children's books.

I must say - THANK YOU -  for your patience with my long unexplained absences - actually they are explainable.  Children and homeschooling.  And now there are illustration classes for me and next fine art classes - for ME too!  whoopee.  Till then - I'm jammin.  Making apricot jam that is - cross your fingers.