Happy Holidays Everyone!

Illustration Friday: Brigade

Santa's Brigade

More Panda Ponderings

There has been much excitement surrounding the new celebs at the Edinburgh Zoo. Follow this link to the Zoo's Panda page. There is also a great deal of controversy as to whether  "a commercial deal" is unethical. It is costing the zoo nearly £700, 000  per year to rent the bears. I understand this money will be used to protect and conserve their habitat in China.  I will definately be visiting the Pandas in the Spring to give the boys a chance to see these giant cuddly bears. 

The Pandas are coming!

The Giant Pandas from China are due to arrive at Edinburgh Zoo this weekend so I have done this little illustration to celebrate their arrival. Welcome to Scotland Tiantian and Yangguang! Hope you will be happy in your new home.

Illustration Friday: Round

For this weeks IF prompt I have just kept it simple! I was thinking about bubbles, full moons and all things sperical but as usual I seem to have a profound lack of time, especially with school on strike today and had Fergus at home . Anyway, sometimes simple works well!

Illustration Friday: Vanity

The Cat's Whiskers!

Finally managed to produce a piece for  IF  in advance of my usual last minute.com entry!! I think a couple of bike rides have helped my inspiration this week.

Illustration Friday: Stripes

Lastminute.com as usual!

Illustration Friday: Fuel and Scattered

Illustration Friday: Contraption

I did not want to be defeated by this week's prompt as I have not contributed to IF for a while. I am not a fan of machinery, so it was a bit of a challenge!

Illustration Friday:Mesmerizing

Love to watch the snow falling.

Illustration Friday:Mysterious

Illustration Friday: Influence

At last, I have managed a very quickie for Illustration Friday. I could not find any creative time during the kids school holidays. 

What I've been working on

This is going to be printed as a postcard for the Wildlife Park. 

If it sells well, they might make it into a mini jigsaw.

Feedback greatly received. Thanks for stopping by!

Illustration Friday: Remedy

It's been I while since I blogged and participated in IF.  The boys have been unwell, so this week's Remedy topic was very apt as I have been dishing out medicine left right and centre. I could only manage a very quick sketch. I really wanted to contribute for Midsummer Night, it evoked some great images in my mind, but just been trying to be a Mummy and keep all those plates spinning sometimes leaves NO time to be creative which can be frustrating. I'm sure all Mothers of young children will relate to this. Have a good weekend everyone.

Illustration Friday: Swept

Here is my contribution to this week's Illustration Friday Challenge, Swept.

Illustration Friday: Shadows

I have been very busy this week drawing some polar bears and various other animals for a project I am working on, so I just managed this quickie for Illustration Friday's topic "Shadows"

This is a piece of artwork that I am going to show the shop manager at The Highland Wildlife Park nearby.  I am hopeful that they will work with me to produce some merchandise.  I wonder if anyone can identify all of the animals correctly!!

Illustration Friday: Asleep

She will not be asleep for much longer!

Fergus' Sunflower

My 5 year old painted this sunflower, I think it's great!

Illustration Friday: Soaked

This week's topic "Soaked" is very apt as the weather has been awful, with horizontal rain battering Scotland.

Work in progress

Here is a sketch of an idea for some merchandising for The Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore.

Here is my second sketch. I need to fit in a Bison somewhere without destroying this composition that I am quite happy with.

Illustration Friday: Safari

Some sassy women dressed up for a wild night!

Illustration Friday: Beginner

First steps!

For this week's challenge I have recreated two characters I did for an illustration two years ago for the Flickr group "Illustrapedia".

Baby dinosaurs are easier to draw than human babies!!

Illustration Friday: Lesson

It was a sheer delight to watch Will and Kate tie the knot. They looked so happy and she was stunning in her beautiful gown. Hope they will have a long and happy marriage.

Oops, I have spelt Katherine wrong, its Catherine!!

Illustration Friday: Bicycle

Its been a while since my last post. Been busy with the kids and the Easter holidays.

I managed this quick bicycle sketch for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.

Illustration Friday: Bottled

Bottled fear!

So much of my inspiration comes from my boys these days.

Sandy is often in his spiderman suit, I love this stage and long may it continue...so sweet!

Illustration Friday: Duet

Ballerina mice duet.

Illustration Friday: Toy

Add caption

A pile of Lego is a common sight in our house.
It keeps Fergus quiet for hours.

Illustration Friday: Cultivate

Cultivating good manners!

As a parent, life is all about cultivating and developing your children to become exemplary little individuals. Sometimes, this is quite a challenge.

I am still practising with the dip pen, but I am a bit heavy handed, maybe I should try some sepia ink. If anyone has some tips or pointers, these would be gratefully received.

Red Nose Day

Here's some meerkats for Red Nose Day.

Illustration Friday: Stir

Thinking of Stir, I immediately thought of how excited my boys get when I say we're going to bake!  They love to stir the mixture. I used my dip pen for a looser, quicker style. I need to practise getting better control from my dip pen and try not to spill ink and make blotches. I love the effect of it, more spontaneous than other pens I use.

Little Red Riding Hood

I want to practise using a dip pen with a looser paint style and to build a collection of classic fairytales and nursery rhymes. Here is the first.

Illustration Friday: Warning

A warning to a little brother.

Busy bees

On the subject of a swarm, I thought I would add some bees I did a while ago to add a bit of summer atmosphere into these days when when we are on the verge of spring, but not quite.

I am just trying to get to grips with blogging, its all new to me and my mind is boggling!

Illustration Friday: Swarm

This is my first ever contribution to Illustration Friday, which is a site where artists of all abilities and styles are invited to contribute to a weekly challenge to illustrate a theme.

A terrified T-Rex being chased by a swarm of bees.

I really enjoyed participating in IF, and looking forward to the next topic.

My first blog!

Hello, I have decided to start a blog to showcase my work and to enable my participation in Illustration Friday. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I have just finished work on Christmas submissions for Phoenix Trading, so feel it's time to take a breather and explore pastures new. I accumulate so much artwork and it will be great to post some of it on here instead of hiding it away in a drawer. I hope it will motivate me to produce lots of new work.