What I am Working On : Dad’s Illustration and Happy Sunflower

Updated: 5/27/2016 – Scroll to the end of this post for the update!

This week, I have been gearing up for my first giveaway: a crocheted Happy Sunflower (see this post to be entered to win)! Since the giveaway goes from now until 3/14/16, I am working on getting the sunflower made up and ready to ship. To the right is a progress pic thus far. As you can see, I’ve made the stem, back of the head and almost one whole leaf! I know it doesn’t look like much, but just you wait until next week’s progress pic!

The other thing I’ve been starting to work on again, is an illustration I drew for my dad for Father’s Day last year. Life got in the way, and I never ended up coloring the picture. So, seeing as Father’s Day 2016 is coming up in a few months, I thought it high time I get out my Prismacolor pencils and get to work!

So far, I’ve colored in some of the seaweed. Not a whole lot of progress, but if you knew how I work to get the colors as vibrant and solid as they are (so the paper doesn’t show through), you would understand! Don’t worry, there will be another post to come, outlining my process for using Prismacolor pencils.

If you have any questions about what I’m working on this week, I’d be happy to answer them. Just leave a comment in the section for comments below!

Update: 3/6/16

Okay, let’s talk about this past week. I got to spend some more time working on my dad’s illustration for Father’s Day. It’s still slow-going, but I’m very pleased with how it’s turning out:

I got to listen to some of my favorite book series by Deborah Harkness (find her @DebHarkness or visit her website), The All Souls Trilogy. I’m currently listening to Book 2: Shadow of Night, while I work on coloring:

Aside from that and working on 26 blog posts for the April A to Z Challenge, I’m continuing to make progress on my giveaway prize (see my March Giveaway Post to win the Happy Sunflower: entries accepted through 3/14/16). As you can see, almost all of the pieces are made, aside from a few more petals. Then it’s time to assemble!

Good luck if you decide to enter to win the Happy Sunflower! Don’t forget, questions and comments are always welcome! See you next week for more of my segment: What I am Working On.

Update: 3/20/16

The giveaway has ended and Jennifer S. is the winner! Congrats Jennifer! The Happy Sunflower is already shipped and on its way out of the country.

I had small bits of time this past week to work on my dad’s illustration, so I wanted to give you an update with my progress. A couple nights ago, I spent the evening coloring with my friend and author, Aria Glazki. I was working on my illustration and she was coloring in one of those fun, adult coloring books that have gained in popularity over the years. With a glass of wine and good company, I managed to get a few elements within the picture finished.

Completing the coloring portion of an illustration, takes the longest amount of time for me. Coming up with the drawing and filling in the line-work, goes rather quickly. As a perfectionist (any others out there?), I tend to work on one small section for an hour or longer, building up the colors and textures with my Prismacolor pencils until they are exactly what I want them to be.

My large set of colored pencils has 150 different shades, and with so many to choose from, I can test them out until I find just the combination I’m looking for. I will leave you with an updated photo of my dad’s illustration. What do you think so far?

Update: 5/27/16

This week has seen a lot of progress made on the underwater illustration I’m making my dad for Father’s Day. With his special day on the horizon, it’s crunch time to get the illustration done and framed.

As you know, this was supposed to be finished for Father’s Day last year, but I got side-tracked and the illustration went to the wayside collecting dust and allowing for other things to get worked on instead. It was high time I went back to see it completed.

I am happy to say that I’m now nearing the finish line, with only one more set of rocks as well as the water to complete. A bit of shading here and there for good measure and it will be ready to show you all in its entirety!

What am I listening to while I work? A Snicker of Magic, by Natalie Lloyd. This book is a Middle Grade Fantasy story and it is amazing! In the words of the main protagonist, Felicity Pickle, it is ‘Spindiddly!’ There is definitely magic in this one!

On a side note, I have been working away on my, Adeline and the Mystic Berries, edits. A new ending is in the works, and several new scenes have been added. These two knuckleheads (Rav’n and Aspen) will make their way into the story a lot more now, which I have to say, I am rather pleased about!

I decided to do a beta read for a book by Dan Alatorre called, The Navigators. I’ve gotten about halfway through with that this week as well. It is my first time beta reading, and, as a writer myself, I know the importance of having beta readers to make sure everything is polished before setting your sights on publication.

Whether, like Dan, you go and put the call out to people to help you get this part done, or you get a group of people you know to do it, just make sure that they will be objective and give you honest feedback. The last thing you want is to wait for feedback only to have everyone tell you they have none to give. We can always better our writing, and it just takes someone that’s willing to point out the flaws in our work to get us there.

Do you have something crafty planned for a dad in your life? If so, I’d love to hear about it! Have you ever been a beta reader? What was your experience like during this process?

Here is a little sneak peek of my dad’s illustration, just because…

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