Call For Writers

I had a very loose idea for a middle grade novel, about a young teen who does her best thinking under water.  So, I did what comes most natural to me, and created some narrative images.  The words however, aren’t coming. I though it might be fun to invite all you writers out there (if …

3×3 Illustration Annual #8 -I’m In It!

I’ve been entranced with  the  3×3 Illustration Annual  since I first discovered it one Saturday in Barnes and Noble.  Naturally,  I sat with it in the B&N cafe enjoying the eye candy more than my beverage.  My book wish list is always lengthy, but I bumped book title #1 and bought the Annual.  Since then, I’ve …

Katniss

Do book cover illustrations influence the way you envision a character before you read a book?  Does an actor cast as the character from your favorite book embody your idea of the character in a film? My niece and I recently discussed these questions. We decided that we try not to allow an illustrator or …

Mysterious Lorica

There is a story behind this painting.  I posted this piece first on my Illustration Friday  page for the topic mysterious, but I its first obligation is to serve as an illustration for a story floating around in my head.  This story will convert itself into text after I have a few more illustrations worked …

Encounter with a Ladybug

Chapter 3 PAUL MOVES ON Ah, what one must bear.  After the disheartening encounter with Malamar (who I may eventually forgive), I felt the overriding need to stretch my limbs and rest a bit. I commenced to lay directly on the floor, because my grandfather claims there’s nothing better for the back.  Just as I …

Two Great Posts/Blogs About The Great Beyond For Books…

Take A Break From Writing by Susan O’Keefe.   … via Kathy Teaman’s blog.  Also link to Susan’s blog. Two really informative blogs with an artful sense of humor. Thanks Susan and Kathy

Another New Digital Painting

“The Rescue” also employs a scanned textural item. Obviously it’s the net.  The oranges that came wrapped in it were delicious.

New Digital Painting

I’ve played with a single scanned textural element in an other wise all digital painting.  In this case, you guessed it, it’s the mountain. I created it with acrylics on watercolor paper, scanned it and popped it into this digital painting. This “Mountaintop” piece is available as an 11″x 14″ high quality print.

SYNCHRONIZED CHAOS-online

I’m happy to say that some of my illustrations are featured in this month’s Synchronized Chaos.  It’s a refreshing online magazine bringing art, literature, science, culture, and travel together in a positive, informative, and interesting fashion.  (I’ve just blatantly reiterated the masthead message with a bit of an editorial spin.) This months’ focus is Energy in …

Rat Chat….continued :)

I like a nice rat.  Charming conversationalists  if you don’t mind the defensive tone.  I met a rat quite recently whose knowledge of subterranean culture was really quite extraordinary.  His opinions regarding  a great variety of issues, I found to be both informed and refreshing.  This particular rat also understood the importance of attentiveness in an engaging tête-à-tête. …

Chilly Breezes/Shore Memories

A bracing breeze just wafted through my window, triggering a pleasant Jersey shore memory… It feels like early in the season, just before the boardwalk is open, except for one small candy store.  Happily, they have candy necklaces!  Those unhygienic, fabulous elastic beauties that simply cannot be resisted.  You know that you not only look stunning, …

Onto a Clue…

A girl detective finds what she’s looking for. 😉

New Facebook Artist Page!

A new LINK and LIKE.  I’ve a new artist Facebook page just for my work. If you “like” the work that you see on my blog or on my social FB page, kindly click the big blue button. It will bring more traffic to my page and more exposure in general to my work. Many …

Hanging Out

Kind of feeling like this today.  The toys have changed.  Clearly I’m talking about my Wacom and Photoshop.  But, the mood is the same. Big sigh.

Digital Character Sketches

I’m working on a couple of new projects, but in the spare moments in between, I’m doing a little digital sketching.  They’re all about preteeniness.

Remaining Marketable

This isn’t easy to admit.  My work is well, sort of old-fashioned.  At least, it’s not HOT.  Not a big deal, I can change, except I really don’t want to.  Let me back up a bit.  What I love to do, is not as marketable as it could be, and I am really not at …

Cluster Birthdays

March is a cluster birthday month for my family. It seems that many families experience a couple of months that are simply chock full of family birthdays. And, they seem to come all in one week.  Sometimes three or four days in a row. The celebration for each individual suffers a bit I think, because …

Nearly Spring in the Great Swamp

So many of us are yearning hopefully for the promise of spring.  It’s kind of like an alternate “New Year” sans the party.  I imagine that the creature world has had enough of  winter this year as well.    Here’s a froggy couple making plans. Related Articles Spring Cleaning (skeltzer.wordpress.com)

Author Margaret Atwood’s Keynote: “The Publisher’s Pie”

Enjoy reading?  Enjoy writing, illustrating, and seeing your work in print?  Take a few minutes and view Margaret Atwood’s rye, insightful look into the changing world of publishing. This is a timely, funny, scary, informative talk. Author Margaret Atwood’s Keynote: “The Publisher’s Pie”.

OOps..it’s not fair

Wrong sibling!  It’s been corrected now, but when I first posted the paintings of siblings Annie and Gabe, I goofed and gave older sister Zoe credit instead of Annie.  So, to make things FAIR, because it is of paramount importance whenever the word “sibling” is conjured, I’m posting a painting based on a photo of …

Siblings…

I painted this over a year ago, but I’m reviving it because of the sibling theme, (always dynamic).   I asked two sibs to pose for reference, and they had no trouble at all falling into the mischievous little brother annoying his outraged but kinda having fun older sister.  Thanks Annie and Gabe.