Tea Tree Party

Here is my latest illustration that I created for my portfolio! It's two Fennec foxes having a tea party in a tree. I don't know why but I've always liked the idea of tree houses and sitting up in trees. I never really spent much time in trees, so maybe I feel like I'm missing something for not having tried it enough. In any case it seems like a lovely place for a spot of tea. I liked this image so much, I decided to use it for my latest postcard!

Lunch Break

Here's my latest little guy I've completed. He's been chopping wood all morning long and a nice hot thermos of tomato soup sounds so good right about now.

Dennis Goes to Venice

Hey everyone

Here are some pieces I made recently as ideas for another picture book. A walrus named Dennis dreams of going to Venice. He has to make quite a journey and goes through a lot of places before he ends up there.

Illustration Friday: Popularity

This week's Illustration Friday theme was "Popularity." When you are a weird arty girl growing up "popular" has a meaning that is often linked to "un-popularity" but I thought I would give this little bear a chance in the world and perhaps a little insight. Because even thought everyone thinks they are un-popular at one time or another, the truth is we all have fans.

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Illustration Friday: Suspense

Howdy!
This week's topic for Illustration Friday is "Suspense." I'm sure that today being the Super Bowl holds suspense for a lot of people, but this is my kind of suspense.

Or rather, can I eat all this ice cream? THAT would be suspenseful.

Illustration Friday: Forward

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is "Forward." I think about when you are a kid and you are staring at someone or something in class and your teacher says "eyes forward." In this instance this class of wolves sees the new student in the class. I'm not sure if the narrative works better with one of the desks empty or not. Any thoughts?

Version 1:

 

version 2:

North Wind illustration

Hey all
Here is another book illustration I worked up. 

This is probably the third iteration of this idea. It's from another picture book I'm working on that is a modern retelling of the "North Wind," an old children's tale that is one of my old favorites. I like the Inn a lot, not sure about the squirrel and the frog. But I think it's an amusing image anyway.
Thanks for looking!

Illustration Friday: Prepare

Howdy!
This week's illustration Friday theme is "Prepare."

I tried to think of just preparing something rather than for something. So naturally cooking comes to mind. Now I think I'll make some cupcakes!

Enjoy!

Expecting a package?

Hey everyone!
I wanted to share my latest illustration I completed for my picture book portfolio. This is an image from a picture book idea that I am currently working on.

I like how it turned out. Let me know what you think!Stay tuned for more.

Some new pieces

Hey all
So I had my first portfolio crit the other day at my first local SCBWI meeting! It went well, considering that I just honed in on my style that I'd like to do for picture books. I got a lot of good feedback and encouragement! It's been a lot of exploring and a lot of fails since the conference in LA, but it's all been very good. AND with the help of my awesome husband pushing me to realize that I've had my "style" there all along, but I just haven't been applying to picture books- out our house we call that "not thinking fourth dimensionally." I look forward to doing more in this style for Illustration Friday work as well, to help build up a continuity with all my work. So here are some samples of what I've worked up. Enjoy! And please let me know what you think!

Illustration Friday: Vanity

Hey everyone!
After a couple of weeks of Illustration Friday silence due to getting ready for the Artache Art Flea Market, I'm back in full effect. A lot of time too I at least do the drawings even without posting them, usually because they are still in sketch form. Here is a fun contribution for this week's theme, vanity.

 

I love the idea that this boogery little guy is vain. He's gross, but I do think he's kind of cute. I used watercolor and pencil on this. I really like my treatment of the watercolor. I've been trying to use pencil more in this way, almost like pen, but with a little enhancement of shading.

Anyways, enjoy and more to come! Thanks for viewing!

My first digital picture book!

Hey picture book enthusiasts!

I wanted to let everyone know of a website that just launched today that I am a part of called uTales.com. uTales is a brand new website where you can access digital pictures books for kids of all ages. You can purchase the books individually for download or subscribe monthly to the site to have access to all of the books on the site. All of the books contributed are written and illustrated from people all over the world too, which is really cool. The books can be read on your computer, iPad and iPhone. uTales contributes portions of each book downloaded to the charity Pencils of Promise, a wonderful organization that builds schools in developing countries.

I have one picture book currently up for download called “What Are You?”  

The book is about when two unlike things meet, one wants to know what the other is. But "what" something is doesn't necessarily tell you "who" they are.

You can find it in the Learn section.

So check it out! It supports a great cause and there are some amazing books in there!

Thanks!

Jessixa

www.utales.com

www.pencilsofpromise.org