Tag: Bamboo tablet

#illo52weeks – week 3 – caravan

Posted on by admin

The weeks feel like they are whizzing by already being involved in all these new writing and illustrations chalenges!

One of my weaknesses where my drawing is concerned is that I feel I have an inconsistent style and just to prove it, here is this weeks contribution to Tania McCartneys Illustration challenge (in a completely different style to week 1 and week 2)

#illo52weeks - week 3 - caravan

 

My aim was to try and create an image that would quite easily be seen in a childrens’ picture book. I ruled out the ‘bleed’ area and the middle of paper where the fold of the double page spread would be. In the end I hadn’t left enough space between the caravan and the car. Therefore I would loose part of both in the fold of the book. Lesson learned!

  • I hand sketched the inital drawing
  • then used Art Rage on my Bamboo tablet to outline the image in ink pen
  • I coloured it in using brush and watercolour
  • stencils were used for the road, door panels and grass tendrills

Hopefully by week 52,  I will have developed a very definate style!

52 week illustration challenge

 

Self published Christmas book!

Posted on by Ramona
© Ramona Davey 2012

A bit of holly is added for the decorative touch!

 

In the very near future I will (fingers crossed) be announcing the end of some very hard work and the beginning of my first self-published children’s picture book. Although I am aware that this is not the end of the hard work, as marketing your book can be tough.

The book is aimed at anyone with connections to Jersey, Channel Islands, the book contains illustrations to go with a very classic Christmas rhyme. It can also be used as an early reader and counting book.

How good is that, reading, counting and singing all in one book!

The self-published route is a huge learning curve. Here are just a few of the things you have to consider and decide upon:

  • Title
  • Page size
  • page count
  • paper weight
  • gloss or matt
  • hardback or softback/paperback
  • binding
  • delivery

And not every publisher/printer uses the same terminology. Although I have been quite a bag of nerves over making all these decisions it has also been quite empowering.

I have already shown some examples of the artwork in previous posts:

Backgrounds

A puffin in a pear tree

And here are some works in progress:

One of my ‘9 pots of bean crock!’

I love line drawings and use the ink pen for all the outlines.

6 seagulls soaring!

This is a screenshot of my work on ART RAGE digital art software using a wacom tablet. Another new skill this year. I will hopefully also be putting the finishing touches to the e-book version.

So watch this space and soon I will be able to share with you the finished product.

 

PS: And if you know anyone with Jersey connections (as in old Jersey), I would be grateful if you could pass on this news. 🙂

PPS: And maybe I will have to change the title of this blog.

Getting the hang of Art Rage

Posted on by Ramona

I have been playing around with the art package Art Rage on my Bamboo tablet for a little while and am slowly getting the hang of it. In the images below I have shown 2 different stages for a character I have been starting to explore.

The Little Limpet - stage 1

This is the half way through stage. I used airbrush for the coloured areas and chalk for the outline. I have not used these 2 mediums before (not digitally anyway).

The Little Limpet - stage 2

I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to make the subject not too life like which is generally the style of my artwork. For the first go I am pretty pleased with it, of course there is always room for improvement. My next challenge is backgrounds!

To see other illustrators work in progress check out Debbie Ohi: ‘I’m Bored’ – illustrations in progress