piñata day

Beagle and Blackie will be back next week. I have been busy piñata-ing (building, decorating, stuffing, documenting).

I found this amazing alligator piñata on Oh Happy Day. I decided to give it a crack for a friend's 30th. She requested a cow. I went a bit abstract.

This big gal was HEAVY. She easily fit a few dozen nips and a couple bags of candy, with room to spare. 

During construction, I was worried she wouldn't be able to handle the weight and the beating, so I doubled up on the cardboard and tape. I might have gone overboard.

Jean (I named her), before the beating:

Jean, after being beat on for about 10 minutes (granted, my friend was still wearing a blindfold at the time). Here she takes her second beating:

In the end, Scott found a large stick and poor Jean was basically skewered. Here are her remains, left in a Common trashcan:

  Bye Jean.

Please check back next week for more Beagle and Blackie comic!

Beagle and Blackie comic: Meet Blackie

A new character enters the scene ... keep reading here.

Any thoughts on what the smell is?

Beagle and Blackie comic: The Smell

 

Keep reading here. 

**I do realize those "Gs" are really weird. The font is just so good - maybe I'll tweak them down the line but tonight I need to watch some TV.

The Beagle and Blackie comic

I'm jumping the gun a little. Tomorrow is busy, so I would rather get this out there tonight. I'll be adding a page or two a week. Please view the start here. It's not very comic-y yet. I assure you, it will be.

And just for fun, my new BFF and namesake, Rosie:

I did some puppy sitting this weekend.

to come: Beagle and Blackie comic

My leisurely, luxurious, art-filled schedule has come to an end. I have decided to commit to another weekly blogging project to ensure I don't fall off the wagon (again). Every Tuesday I will be posting a dog comic. I can't think of a clever name, so for now, the working title is "The Beagle and Blackie comic." Please look out for it this Tuesday, February 1st.** It will be an ongoing story about two dogs and their desires.

I haven't created anything new to post so I thought I would share some interiors from Elmo Loves You Pop-Up. This will go down in the books as my first, professional published work (yeeeeeeeeessssssssssss). Well, not really, because my name isn't on it anywhere. But at least in my mind, this is a big deal, and I am very grateful my boss threw it my way. I did the backgrounds - anything drawn in "chalk" was me.

As you can see, I am not the greatest photographer. My photo prof in undergrad always commented how out of control my pictures looked. I think I'm a heavy breather. But I digress ...

I am especially proud of that rooster.

Some library time.

 Heavy reading. 

Are you just dying to know - what's on the other page?

These are my deep thoughts, changing the lives of many children.

Please check back this Tuesday! Have a good weekend. 

**I just realized there are 31 days in January. I will be posting on Tuesday, January 31st.

if: separated

Spencer knew this tree was well placed. 

It separated him enough from the mongrels below, but still allowed him to torment.

 

salt shakers!

I bought myself an early Christmas present from one of my favorite bloggers (look at her stuff here). She painted me some custom salt shakers of my two canine friends.

Summer has asked for me to purchase this sweater for her and this is Rex on the couch as I type.

 

 So great, aren't they? She did another set for me, that I will post after Christmas.

And as for me, I am laboring through my drawing final. As it stands so far:

I'm taking a blogging/pot pie break.

if: round

Little Leonard enjoys spending the day with his round ball of yarn. 

He doesn't have to share.

 

It is very strange what can inspire. Earlier this week I stumbled upon this wonder:

No, excuse me, allow me to retract. How can this image NOT inspire??

Here is the original link.

happy tday!

I love Google's turkey. I felt inspired to create some feathers of my own. 
The first more fallish:

Second, a little more rainbow:

if: vanity / i got a goat!!

I finally got my goat! I received this photo from a fellow blogger (check out her blog here). The photo is of her husband's grandma, her husband's grandma's brother, and a very vain goat. Apparently, this goat traveled around, getting its picture taken with kids in exchange for money. Well, obviously the goat didn't make any money. I think it just liked to have its picture taken. I would too with horns like that.

**ugh, why does blogger make images so blue when you expand them???

if: silent

Silent?

Psyche.

As much as I draw inspiration* from the dogs, they are equally as distracting. I need a bigger apartment.

*Okay, okay, I know what you are thinking - does she even draw anything else? Noted. I will expand.  

happy veteran's day!

My Korean class from back in the day (yes, that is an airman that is sleeping). Cruising the town today with another veteran (my favorite actually, Scott). Museum of Science is free! Never been. Sure there will be lots of drawing inspiration.

i am official!

Thanks to a friend who is an old* coworker and social media genius (she has many intriguing blogs, but the one I most often visit is her food blog**), I have a Goodreads account. Have a look here. I was unsure about a profile pic. Some very design-savvy friends (take a look at her etsy shop) liked the image more saturated. I didn't listen. Hopefully this wasn't the biggest mistake of my life. Just in case, here is the more saturated image:

Potential mistake fixed!

*Not old like, wow, she really should have stayed out of the sun (her skin is actually quite vibrant), old like ex. But ex sounded like we broke up. We didn't break up. I need a thesaurus. 

**Do not visit if you are hungry. Or if you are hungry, be sure you are in a space where you can look at delicious eats and be cranky from your hunger and not lose any friends.

snoozing

A little more comic to share ...

urban neighborhood doodle

Sketch for a new comic:

Any thoughts on who is snoozing inside?

iPad animation

My iPad offers more than I had imagined. I recently (like today) purchased AnimationDesk for super cheap (I want to say less than $5). It comes loaded with youtube videos explaining how to use the app (which even without, is pretty self-explanatory). I drew up a SIMPLE animation, inspired by Tracy:

I had the app export the video directly to my email. I will experiment to see if the app will export at a higher quality. At any rate, another way to procrastinate but still consider myself productive.

more tracy

New views of my girl:

Turns out, she is a full-time witch. Halloween is obviously a special time for her. She not only has the opportunity to fit in with her peers, but she is also a leader. All the kids know if they want a bomb ass Halloween, Tracy is the one to see. 

**wow, sorry about Blogger's crazy bad colors. She looks more like the small version in real life rather than the full-size. 

ran into a new friend

Yes, that "H" does stand for "Hero."

halloween comic

More homework to share. Benjamin and Regina are at it again (with a new pal).

 

more iPad doodles

I bought a couple other drawing apps - Brushes and Sketchbook Pro. Both were around $7 (I think). I've heard Sketchbook Pro is very popular, but I have not found it intuitive and it's a huge pain to switch between tools. Brushes is a simpler program, but still has layers. I'm finding it my go to for the iPad.  

I have to come up with new characters for one of my classes. This is Tracy (drawn using Brushes):

I haven't decided whether or not she is actually green or she just painted herself green for her Halloween costume. Overall, I'm pretty fond of her. She loves taking pictures and going to the orthodontist to have her rubber bands changed so she can properly color coordinate her outfits (I don't think this is how braces work anymore??). Tracy "accidentally" breaks her glasses at least twice a year so she is always on top of the latest eye wear trends. Her parents aren't stoked with this.  

brain dead saturday

Working with seasonal patterns to get something moving today.

breakdown

I couldn't stand it any longer. I bought myself an iPad. I decided with it in my possession, I will draw more. I got myself the Bamboo Stylus and Paper (the Paper is a free app actually) and got to doodling on Sunday. 

I know, I know. Super impressive. It was nice to be able to do this sitting on the couch (or as Scott calls the couch during Fantasy Football: "the Command Center") rather than confined at my desk. Hopefully with more practice, this iPad will be the worthwhile investment my reasoning so needs it to be. 


What I am really dying to buy though (I'm on a streak and cannot be stopped) is the Inkling. The release was pushed back a month. I NEED IT!!!!!!!!!! FOR MY CAREER!!!!!!!!! 

Right?

if: ferocious

Okay, so this is a total stretch, but there are a couple of tough canines below:

first comic strip

Here they are again - Benjamin and Regina. Still working on the dialogue. I will take suggestions.

 

if: mesmerizing

 Wonka's Whipplescrumptious Fudgemallow Delight??? 

My mouth just watered.