A Minibook

pages 2 and 3 ©Sue Pownall

This year, as part of my personal development, I am taking Sketchbook Skool's Expressing class. Last week's lessons were with illustrator Jill Weber and our homework was to write and illustrate a min-book, which we had to make. Our books had to share something about ourselves, so I chose to tell Degas' story.

Unfolded mini-book

My book is still unfinished, the final drawing to complete and the type to ink in, as I've had to work on a couple of other things. This is something very different from what I would normally do, hence the reason to do the course. I enjoyed the whole process but it's frustrating to have life interfere with getting it finished.

Front cover

p4-5

p6-7

Back cover

What do you think? Have you done anything similar? Why not share the link to your work below so I can see it?

IF: Toy (attempt 1)

Watersoluble ink on A5 paper.

The Illustration Friday prompt for this week is Toy. 

Here is a drawing of my dog's chewed toy squirrel. What do you think?

Persian plums.

The Aloo Tree,  ink © Sue Pownall 2013

 I'm really enjoying being an illustrator for the short story site, The Story Shack. Not only do I get different subject matter to illustrate, but I get the opportunity to use different styles. Above is this month's illustration, The Aloo Tree, whilst below is February's, How to Fail at Telemarketing. 

Pen & watercolour wash illustration.© Sue Pownall 2013

Finally, here is January's illustration.

Coffee. Pen & coffee © Sue Pownall 2013

You can see more of my illustrations for The Story Shack by following this link: StoryShack illustrations.

Also, you can read the stories How to fail at Telemarketing  and Coffee by clicking the titles, whilst you'll have to wait to read The Aloo Tree until it's published on the 18th.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I always appreciate the comments left.

Sue

Chinese New Year: the year of the snake

Year of the snake © Sue Pownall 2013

Just for fun, a drawing to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which since Sunday is the year of the snake.

Reference photo from BBC Nature site.
Chinese followers- I apologise for the bad calligraphy.


Last year's Chinese New Year's drawing can be viewed here: Year of the dragon

*****
Over on my site, you can see my first drawing of 2013, a commission, in Gallery 1 (just click the link).

True Vines

True Vines with illustrations by Sue Pownall.

Today, I received my copy of True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur and published by Gemelli Press. I love how my illustrations have been used. I originally posted the cover illustration for this novel on my blog here back in October, just before publication.

This novel by Diana is beautifully written and hard to put down. I recommend you get a copy now.

True Vines is available in soft copy, kindle & nook from Amazon (uk, com, de...) and direct from gemellipress.com

A published illustration

Yesterday, an illustration I drew on The Story Shack appeared online for the short story Pottering About in Thailand.

To see the illustration onsite and read the story please click this link:
The Story Shack.

  If you like my drawing and/or the story, the writer and I would appreciate your vote on the page.

Illustration Friday: Refresh

Refresh Pen & Ink 160x160mm. © Sue Pownall 2012

I have been remiss with keeping up with Illustration Friday. The weekly challenges are a great way to stretch my illustration skills and show some of my other styles. This week the site was relaunched with a gorgeous new look and the theme Refresh, so I thought it was a good time to start participating again.

I had the idea of this abstracted slept-in bed after a bout of insomnia. I didn't wake up refreshed, but I was inspired to draw the resulting chaos.