Like finding an untouched page in a coloring book

Today's drawing has begun with a slight change. Instead of drawing with my black ink pen on 8-1/2 x 11 typing paper, which I scan and color digitally, I have started this piece on watercolor paper. I used a Sharpie (which won't bleed), and I'll be pulling out my watercolor palette shortly. I have a similar anticipation that I had when I was a kid, when I would find an untouched page in a thought-to-be-completed coloring book. I'll post the color results as soon as I can. Here is my drawing so far...

Advent calendar begins

Yay! It's December 2nd! We're a day late, but we've started creating our advent calendar for Archer. Last year, we made a Brooklyn-style brownstone facade out of a cereal box, with windows and doors that opened to reveal each day's surprise. We are in a new home this Christmas, and since we have a fire place and mantel, I've decided to use it as part of our advent calendar display.

Here's how its looking so far...

Today's star, #2, said "Choose 1 gift." Archer is starting to read, and it was so much fun to hear him sound this out, and then look around with excitement for where this gift might be. My husband made up a bowl of advent gifts, all with a different wrapping paper. Archer chose the brightly blue wrapped present, which was a collection of Eric Carle stories. Eric is one of my all-time favorites, and I cannot wait til Archer gets home from school so we can read them together.

Cat foot

I unpacked my acrylic paints a few days ago and decided to make some new textures on canvas. Without intending to, I created another Midwestern landscape. So, I added some ghostly/dreamy hay bales. Archer wants me to add a man inside a tractor, but I'm liking its calmness right now, and I'm not sure what I'll add next.

While taking a picture of this stage of the painting, no matter where I went, my cat, Milla, insisted on putting her paw in the shot. For now, I'll call this, "Nebraska With Hay Bales and Milla Foot."

My latest order from Skreened.com

Yesterday, I received onesies from my Big Bridge Studios shop on skreened.com -- "Rocket Memory" and "Boom Boxes." Once again, Skreened did an excellent job. The colors are clear, and the line work, though digitally printed, looks great. I'll be sending these off to my friends with new babies in the morning!

All designs are also available in various toddler and adult sizes and colors. Please visit http://skreened.com/bigbridgestudios for more information, or feel free to contact me at kendra.shedenhelm (at) gmail.com.

Just a quick sketch today

Home and homes.

More collaborations with Archer

As I've mentioned, my five year old and I collaborate on art projects quite frequently. We generally begin with some sort of painting, and then we forget about it for awhile. Weeks or months later, one of us will find what we'd started and add to it using another medium.

Below is a painting that we created together, that I later picked up and penciled on some birds.

I then cut it into a postcard shape and laminated it with packing tape. I experimented with some sewing (in lieu of the Great Stitched Postcard project), but I became discouraged, and I put it away.

Archer ran across it a couple of weeks later and thought the stitched buildings were fascinating. He immediately asked for a Sharpie, and drew "buildings with portals" hovering above my pink brownstone.

Although it's not complete (Archer has a few ideas about what to add next), I adore how my son saw a story in this, when I was ready to throw it in the trash.

I will post again once its finished.

Foxes

I've started a new book illustration project this week, and this one features a fox. Not a cuddly fox, but a rascally one, and I've been drawing, painting, and collaging foxes like crazy trying to find my character.

Though I decided against this more painterly fox below, I found him quite beautiful, and I think I'll keep him around for some other ideas.