Micron Brush Pen & Micron Pigma Black Pen 05.

I just added a new product to my Zazzle shop:

Unicorn T-Shirt by loniedwards
Make your t shirt custom from zazzle.com.

It is customizeable in all colors and sizes. Check it out

Last night I was late at work after the game, trying to remedy a computer problem. Computers can be the most enjoyable experience, but every once in a while the monster rears its head and it can be one of the least fun experiences!

Happy Saturday. I will post 11 when I get home from work.

Thanks for stopping by!

A majestic unicorn for today. Created with graphite pencil on Strathmore drawing paper and inked with Micron Pigma Brush Pen in black.

I have been really enjoying the inktober event. Not only seeing everyone else’s contributions, but also for my own creativity. I am not one to usually like to ink, but lately I have found it quite zen. I remember telling my fellow comrades on #Zero2Illo that I really hated inking. When asked to clarify why, I found that I really could not answer except that I just wasn’t experienced enough with it. Now that I have been dabbling ever since, I find inking more and more relaxing than frustrating. Thanks to Inktober, I am able to improve my skills even more.

Thank you  for stopping by!

“Of course, I will go with you to meet Oz!”

Micron Pigma Brush Pen Black and Graphite Ink

Inktober 2014 #scarecrow #oz #inktober

Poor Mort, stood up again!

Micron Brush Pen Black & Graphite pencil

Inky was such a scaredy cat!

Micron Brush Pen Black & Graphite pencil

#inktober #inktober2014

It is raining leaves! – Micron Pigma Brush Pen Black & Graphite pencil

Autumn leaves are falling to the ground here in Western Massachusetts. The fall colors are becoming more and more vibrant. As I walked on campus yesterday, I noticed the leaves coming down, just like rain. Beautiful!

I purchased a black Micron brand Pigma Brush pen. I really loved the feel of it. It is my first time using a brush pen for inking. I love the loose line it allows yet still with the control of a pen. I will be using it again!

Inktober 4 – Mr. Bones Dancing

Anyone  who knows me well, knows that I LOVE bones! This one was fun to draw. Since it is that time of year, maybe I will find more inspiration to draw Mr. Bones!

Pigma Micron Pen Black Ink 05 and graphite pencil

Pigma Micron Pen 05 and graphite pencil

One of the best things about living in New England is the beautiful autumns here. The leaves are just starting to fall to the ground and the colors are so vibrant. It is just beautiful. Here is my third entry for Inktober. I am all caught up now. Hooray!

Note: Sorry if I spammed anyone on twitter while I was tweaking my feed burner. Hopefully it is all straightened out.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

My first entry for Inktober! Pigma Micron 08 pen with graphite underneath and a quick touch up in Photoshop. My inking skills are rusty, so I am glad to be having this chance to sharpen them up!   Thanks for stopping by, and check back soon for more Inktober entries!

I have been dabbling with different watercolor techniques recently. This is a sketch I created, then watercolored and inked. I used 150# watercolor paper,  Koh-i-noor watercolors, and a Micron india ink pen.

I really like the Koh-i-noor watercolors, as they gave me many options for color combos. Below is a photo of the finished product. I am still in the processing of completion of the new hard drive software, so I will upload it to my gallery when I am able to scan. I might also offer it for sale in my Etsy shop which you can find here. I will announce when I put some items up for sale, including a few coloring books for printing and downloading.

Thanks for stopping by!

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing (http://www.quotegarden.com/st-patricks-day.html)

The wife of a friend of ours from high school recently lost her courageous battle with cancer. In her honor I  post this piece that I was commissioned to create for a client who’s friend also died from cancer. Thank you, Mary E. for permission to share on my site. RIP Margo McCabe.

Dragonfly Pond, commissioned in the memory of Shawn Oligmeuller 2009.

Illustration Friday – Exotic

Water and Ink on Moleskine

Happy Holidays to all of my fans from all over the world. I hope 2014 brings you lots of laughter, good health, and happiness. Here is a little painting I did for the season. Cheers!

Here is a quote from one of my favorite author’s Neil Gaiman. You can view the entire message and previous years wishes on his blog here.

I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you’ll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind. -Neil Gaiman 2008

Today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday book is about the nephew of the popular poet, Emily Dickinson and the special relationship they had.

Title – My Uncle Emily

Author – Jane Yolen Illustrator – Nancy Carpenter

Publisher – Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers Group)

Year 2009 Ages

Synopsis – This is a semi fictional tale told from the perspective of poet Emily Dickinson’s nephew. It is a warm tale of love, telling the truth, adversity, and loyalty. The classic style of the art pulls you back into time, where the special relationship between an Aunt and a boy is revealed.

Themes – love, telling the truth, adversity, family, loyalty, history.

Activities -

Emily Dickinson museum’s kids page http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/for%20kids

Emily Dickinson museum’s fun & games page http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/fun_and_games

Poetry lessons for kids http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/poetry-writing-lessons/

What I liked about this book – Since I now live in Amherst, MA I have become very aware of Emily Dickinson and the impact she has had on her fans. When we went to the cemetery in which she is buried, we found numerous people at her grave site. Upon reaching it, we saw that many people had left tokens, pencils & pens, tablets, small notes with writing on them, and poems. It was very touching. The community here also has a poetry week in which a couple of the days she is honored. I think this book is a wonderful way to introduce children to this interesting and talented poet.

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.

It is PiBoIdMo Day 3! After completing today’s idea, which involved a bear, a rabbit and the sun, I took out my picture books I picked out from the Jones Library. I love my new library! It is amazing how small it looks from the front, but how huge it is inside! I can’t wait to go back and discover more.

Jones Library, Amherst, MA

The picture books I chose were ones that I had known of (from reviews on Perfect Picture Books) but hadn’t had the resources or time to read. Suzanne Collins‘  autobiographical tale “Year of the Jungle” about her dad going to Viet Nam was very good. Kudos to James Proimos for his lively illustrations. “Plant A Kiss” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by one of my favorite picture book artists, Peter H. Reynolds, was whimsical and sweet. I also found “My Brothers Book” by the legendary Maurice Sendak. This tale was deep and rich with fascinating illustrations. He truly was the master of the story. Finally, I chose a book of which I will do for Perfect Picture Book Friday. A tale by New England author, Jane Yolen, that has yet to be put on the PPBF list. I can’t wait to review it! Check back Friday! Have a great week!

Artist, Joyce Wan

The first week of PiBo is always a productive one for me. This year was no exception as yesterday I came up with a great idea and this morning I came up with one that was so exciting to me that I went on to write a very rough draft! Thanks to author Tammi Sauer’s wonderful post yesterday, I was able to come up with 5 titles that I thought were fun and exciting. One of those inspired the idea and then the rough draft. Awesome! Here are some (very rough) sketches from yesterday and today’s sketchbook. I hope all of my writer/illustrator friends are having as much creativity flowing! Have a great weekend!

Day One : Squirrel crazy!

  Day 2: A kiss and a dragon

I have signed up for Picture Book Idea Month, and today, November 1 is Day 1. I have my idea written down this a.m. in my journal, and I will post a small scan of it when I get back home from work (I always have a drawing or two with an idea).

PiBo was started in 2009 by author, Tara Lazar.  PiBoIdMo is a challenge to write a picture book idea every day for the 30 days of November. It has grown so much in participation since the first year (in which I was one of the random winners of the grand prizes). Now, we have over 300 participants and loads of wonderfully inspirational posts every day on Tara’s blog by accomplished writers, authors, and literary creatives. It has grown into a wonderful community that inspires not only through out November, but the rest of the year as well via Facebook and Twitter. I wish all of my fellow participants good luck! To my fans, please check back for updates and new sketches related to PiBo. Have a great weekend!

Isn’t this little illo adorable? This years artwork and badge were created

by artist, Joyce Wan. Check her art out, it’s so sweet!

Welcome to Massachusetts

It’s been a while since I posted on this blog, but a lot has happened in my personal life that caused me to neglect it. One major thing that I am excited to announce is my family’s move to the East Coast. We now live in Western Massachusetts and love it!  I look forward to meeting my fellow New England writer, homeschool, and illustrator friends. Thanks for visiting my blog and check back again for new art. 

I have participated in a number of Picture Book Fridays and have now compiled all of the posts under one tab. Please check them out under the tab above labeled “PPBF”

Susanna Leonard Hill commissioned me to create a badge for her Spring blog event, Short & Sweets.

I have updated both my Imagekind and Zazzle shops with new art. Imagekind is having a promotion for 25% any purchase using the code KISSKISS25. Zazzle is also having a discount promotion of 15% off any product using the code HAPPYLOVEDAY.

Here is a new painting I have created just for fun. I will have it available to be purchased as a card in my Zazzle shop.