Trees, all around.

Here's an illustration for a short story I did with my friend, Brent.  Check out what we do together at www.brentandannie.com, a nice little blog that will encourage both of us to work off each other and stay current with children's lit and illustration.  I really love how this piece turned out, and can't wait to do more.  I'm going to LA SCBWI convention this summer and want to build up a strong portfolio.  Here's to working hard...AND overtime!!

The Blue House

The Blue House.

     I was walking on a path lined with wildflowers and brush in San Diego one day, I started to force myself to tell a story- just to see what came out- to see if my brain could let out a little color. It's good exercise you know- walking for one, and storytelling.  It works the bod AND the brain.  No matter how silly or under developed the story might feel, it is always good practice.  I thought of something far from forgettable in my opinion, because it caused a whole spur of plots and was worthy of an illustration.  

     It's nothing more than a blue house in the middle of a valley, surrounded by skinny trees and silent hills.  It appears to those who need to understand something about each other.  It happens to be there when two children meet for the first time, when they fall in love, when they fight, when they get lost, when they can't find their way home.  

The Blue house is where all those things happen that change you.  

Where you feel like life is happening and nothing can stop it.

Find your blue house and visit it often.  Or, let it find you.

Although I will always post here, I have started a blog with my dear friend Brent.  It's a blog that will allow for portfolio practice, story and idea development, and building a following.   Please take a look inside!  www.brentandannie.com.

Happy dreaming!

Your Old Things Remind You....

Was drawing last night.  My sketchbook is my visual diary.  Thanks, sketchbook, for being there for me!

Orange County Music Academy Rock Show 2012

The rock show is here again!  I just love being asked back to do artwork for people- means they liked what they received!  Here's my sketch for this year's design and the final product.  I went with the organic look with a mix of funky and japanese pop elements.  It was fun and made for an interesting piece.

One Sunny Day....

Been noodling and came up with this:

Sometimes the art classes wont have enough students so I'll stick around and paint for a while. It's always lead to interesting products, and this one in particular, will go on the wall. It's fun, I think!

In more news, I'm finally getting my act together and working on "The Three Things". Here's an illustration idea for one of the spreads. I'm narrowing down my style and mediums for the artwork. I like this illustration so much but I had a couple ideas for some changes and awesome additions so I'll need to do it over.

The best thing you can do for yourself is do what you love. It's a struggle of mine every day but I feel like I'm finally getting through and making it happen! Yeee!

Acrylic, pencil, and charcoal on hot press paper.

Mural!

The mural is finished. Just a fun little ditty I completed for the preschool, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time out in the sunshine painting. Plus, kids make you feel like a rockstar when they say, "Miss Annie I like your paintings, they're awesome!" or "Miss Annie, I love you!". They're the best.

When you're busy- you disappear!

That's what I've done- disappeared! But in the BEST way possible! I'm enjoying where my art is taking me.

First: A great experience. At the "Art Crawl" in Anaheim, I met a lovely lady who ended up getting one of my paintings as a birthday gift from her fab boyfriend who bought it, and also had me teach an art-lesson/birthday party. It was so much fun, and I'm interested in doing something like this in the future with other people. It made for a creative and relaxed night, and the art pieces turned out great! I realize my style is quite different and very fun- anyone's artistic touch turns out nicely.

Their lovely art works:

One of my pieces/a.k.a. the birthday gift:

And now, a little mural I'm painting at the Preschool! It's nice to sit outside in the warm sunshine and just paint. I don't listen to music, I listen to the birds and the elementary schoolers in the distance. I love listening to kids- they're loud and fun and happy.

All of the illustrations in this mural are of each class's "mascot" or class name. The Precious Pandas, the Smiling Sunflowers, The Carebears....

I'll post more pictures when it's finished. Until then happy art making and love to all!