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Children's Illustration

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Graphic Novels

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Animals

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Environments

People

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Icons

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Patterns

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Florals

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Holiday

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Lettering

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Book Covers

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Maps

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Meet Jennifer

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Sketchbook

 

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From my blog
Bologna Children's Book Fair - What to bring
Bologna Children's Book Fair - What to bring

It's been just about a month since I attended the Bologna Children's Book Fair, and my head is still spinning from all the inspiration. It was my first trip to the fair, and I already want to go back!

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Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays!

Have you ever seen those videos where dogs slide down snowy hills just to run back up and do it all over it again? There are a few! There's even one with a little bulldog running up a grassy hill just to roll down again and again. They make me so happy to watch, and I wanted share a little bit of that happiness this season. I'm sure a lot of people won't get the reference, but hopefully it works on its own.

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Zoo Heist!
Zoo Heist!

Due to a complete coincidence, I'm going to be in Italy right around the time of the annual Bologna Children's Book Fair, so I decided to attend. In addition to the book fair, the coordinators also release an Illustration Annual, a book filled with gorgeous illustrations from established and up and coming illustrators.

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#folktaleweek Day 6: Mirror ⠀ .⠀ This is a Japanese (and Chinese apparently) ghost story called The Mirror and the Bell. The priests of a small village wanted to create a great bell to put in their temple, so they asked all the women in town to donate their bronze mirrors so they could be melted. One women did not want to give up her mirror because it was a family heirloom, passed down for centuries, but she did so anyway. But because the mirror had not been given with her whole heart, it would not melt. So she did what any good citizen would do, she walked into the river and drowned herself. The link was broken, the mirror melted, and the bell was made. But there was a rumor that if anyone broke the bell, her ghost would reward them. So people tried and tried, but it was made too well. Eventually the priests got annoyed, and they put the bell in a crate and dropped it in the river. Since the bell could not be broken, legend has it that if you break a substitute for the bell, a smaller bell or a bronze bowl, she will still reward you.⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/13: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/14: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/15: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/16: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/17: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/18: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #fairytale #lillarogers #illo #illustration #procreate #best_of_illustrations #illustrate @procreate
#folktaleweek Day 4: Insect 🦋⠀ .⠀ This piece is inspired by the Japanese folktale, The Fire Quest. A poet sits, reading by his lit candle, and is saddened by the little moths and other insects who fly too close to the flame and burn their wings, He tries to stop them by telling them of the Firefly Queen, most beautiful and wicked of insects, who sends her many suitors on a fool's errand to bring back fire. All while they are searching and burning, and dying, and being swept away without a thought, she remains cozy in her lotus flower with her lover, the Lord of the Fireflies, who doesn't need to get fire, for he already carries it with him.⠀ .⠀ I decided to try designing this piece like a book cover. My final Folktale Week post will be one, too!⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/13: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/14: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/15: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/16: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/17: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/18: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #folktale #fairytale #folklore #lillarogers #bookcover #bookdesign #goillo
#folktaleweek Day 4: Ghost 👻⠀ .⠀ This ghost comes from Philip Pullman's version of the Grimm fairy tale, Little Brother and Little Sister. It's pretty long, so I'm not going to tell you the whole tale here, but a little girl and her brother have an evil stepmother (doesn't everyone in these stories?) who beats them every day, so they flee. One thing leads to another and the boy is turned into a deer, and the girl becomes queen, naturally. Of course the stepmother is angry they're now living it up in a castle, well...castle and stable, and that just won't do. So right after the queen gives birth, the stepmother lures her into a bath, lights a blazing fire under it, and magically seals the door, so that the queen died from smoke inhalation. The wicked stepmother has her daughter replace the queen, so no one knows she's dead yet...or what happened to the bathroom apparently. But in the middle of the night, while everyone but the nursemaid is asleep, the queen visits her baby and the little deer, once soaked from head to toe, then surrounded in flames, and finally covered in soot and smoke.⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/13: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/14: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/15: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/16: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/17: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/18: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #folktale #fairytale #folklore #lillarogers #ghost #childrensbookillustration #best_of_illustrations
#folktaleweek Day 3: Witch 🐇⠀ .⠀ This piece is based on the Cornish tale, The Witch of Treva: A powerful witch lived in a small village with her husband. The locals were afraid of her spells, but her husband was more concerned that she cooked and kept a clean home. One day her husband came home from work, and there was no dinner on the table. He was angry, but his wife told him you "can't get meat from bare rock." So the husband sarcastically told her that if she could get food on the table in an hour he would believe in her power. He watched her walk out the door, and to his surprise, at the bottom of the hill she turned into a hare and leapt away. An hour later she returned with a full meal of meat and vegetables. He ate the meal, but from that day on, he was afraid of his wife, and was completely submissive until the day she died. ⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/13: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/14: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/15: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/16: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/17: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/18: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #folktale #fairytale #folklore #lillarogers #kidlitart #childrensbookillustration #goillo⠀
#folktaleweek Day 2: Magic. This is from a Slavic tale called Beauty and the Horns. The story goes that there is a notoriously cunning beauty, and if you even look at her, you won't be able to think of anyone else. A young man defies his father to go see her, but she won't give him the time of day. So he uses several magic items to basically invade her privacy, and she tricks him out of them. Of course, like many fairy tales, she doesn't mean to be difficult, she's just under a spell🙄, which can be broken by any man who tricks her. So the man finds some magic grapes, makes it into a jam, and tricks her into eating it, which makes her grow horns. Suddenly she's no longer quite as beautiful, and that makes her miserable. Once she admits defeat, the spell is broken, and they live happily ever after. Personally, I feel like she got a raw deal, so I decided to draw her enjoying the jam, happy being clever, and not being too stressed about the whole horns situation.⠀ ⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/13: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/14: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/15: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/16: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/17: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/18: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #illo #illustration #illustrator #illustrationartists #artchallenge #illustrationchallenge #artprompts #prompts #characterdesign #visualstorytelling #folktale #folktales #fairytale #fairytales #folklore #childrensbookillustration #бабаяга#иллюстратор #рисуйкаждыйдень #детскиекниги #beautyandthebeast #magic #ilustración #kidlitart #childrensbookillustration #picturebook #goillo
#folktaleweek Day 1: Forest, Little Red Riding Hood 🐺⠀ .⠀ I cheated a bit today. I'm sharing the piece I did for the Folktale Week announcement, but without all the text covering it up. That was always my plan as I suspected I'd be really busy at this time, and I'm sure glad I did it, because it saved my bacon!🥓 Fortunately I'm now caught up with my deadlines. Phew! Now I get to catch up with the other prompts. Anyone else feeling a bit behind already? We can do it! 💪⠀ .⠀ Want to join Folktale Week? It’s not too late! Simply follow the prompt list and post art inspired by folktales. Use any medium you like, and interpret them any way you wish. Tag your posts with #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018. All are welcome!⠀ .⠀ Prompts:⠀ Monday 11/12: Forest⠀ Tuesday 11/12: Magic⠀ Wednesday 11/12: Witch⠀ Thursday 11/12: Ghost⠀ Friday 11/12: Insect⠀ Saturday 11/12: Mirror⠀ Sunday 11/12: Animal⠀ .⠀ Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration:⠀ .⠀ @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde @thebrotherskent⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #illo #illustration #illustrator #illustrationartists #artchallenge #illustrationchallenge #artprompts #prompts #characterdesign #visualstorytelling #folktale #folktales #fairytale #fairytales #folklore #childrensbookillustration #бабаяга#иллюстратор #рисуйкаждыйдень #детскиекниги #brothersgrimm#littleredridinghood #ilustración #kidlitart #childrensbookillustration #picturebook #goillo
Vote because there are things you care about. Vote because there are people who don't want you to. Vote because people died so you could. Vote because people's lives depend on it. Vote because democracy needs good people. Vote because whoever takes the house will set the tone of government for many years to come. Vote because you have no excuse not to. Vote because it feels good. Vote because stickers are cool. . Shout out to the many people I know and admire who are running for office, writing their representatives, marching, canvasing, and phone banking this year. I've never seen people more engaged and it's heartening.💕 . Make sure your friends and family vote, too. Feel free to share this image. . #vote #voted #vote2018 #rockthevote #ivoted #voteblue #procreate #lettering #letters #lillarogers
Our week 3 assignment in @makeartthatsells Illustrating Children's Books is poses. I managed to get something in just under the wire, although it is a little rough around the edges. Unfortunately I didn't have time to do the week 2 assignment, and I'm not too confident about weeks 4 and 5 either. @lillarogers and her team are keeping me very busy with illustration projects, which is definitely a good thing, but it's going to take some getting used to! . . . . . #illo #childrensbookillustration #kidlitart #characterdesign #procreate #illustrator #illustrate #lillarogers #makeartthatsells #matsicb
Hooray, here are the prompts! There’s one for each day of #folktaleweek, November 12th through 18th. You are free to interpret them however you wish. Folktale Week is open to everyone, regardless of skill and medium. The hosts will be participating with illustrations, but do whatever you like! . How to participate: . Use the hashtag #folktaleweek and #folktaleweek2018 to show your work and interact with other artists. During the week of November 12th-18th, the challenge hosts will be pulling work from the hashtag to promote in our stories! At the end, we’ll share our favorites in our feed! . This challenge was created to encourage artists from all around the world to share stories and explore character creation and visual storytelling. We want to see your bewitching characters and dreamy scenes! . Many incredible artists came together to make this challenge possible. Be sure to check out their profiles for inspiration: . @jennifermpotter, @devonholzwarth, @sinulee, @carolinebonnemuller, @sofiamoore_studio, @heycasshey, @rachaelschaferdesigns, @sandiesonke, @debrastyer, @laure_illustrations @louve.draws, @matejalukezic @shelly_laslo @tanja_stephani @juliachristiansde . . . . . #illo #illustration #illustrator #illustrationartists #artchallenge #illustrationchallenge #artprompts #prompts #characterdesign #visualstorytelling #folktale #folktales #fairytale #fairytales #folklore #childrensbookillustration #бабаяга #иллюстратор #рисуйкаждыйдень #детскиекниги #художник #покажисвоюработу #ilustración #kidlitart #childrensbookillustration #picturebook #goillo
Here's an updated version of my @makeartthatsells Illustrating Children's Books class assignment. I got some great feedback from @lillarogers and @zoe_tucker_design about making my character more natural, so I took some time to make her more engaged with her environment and give her a bit more feeling. 👉 Swipe to see the original. . . . . . #illo #childrensbookillustration #kidlitart #characterdesign #procreate #illustrator #illustrate #lillarogers #makeartthatsells #matsicb