Whew! I feel like I’ve been in a whirlwind with everything in hyperdrive lately! In a good way though. I’ve been busy working on 4 different things, plus a little extra personal project.
First up, my Skillshare class is going amazingly! As of this posting, there are 241 students enrolled, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! The class has four 100% reviews, giving the class an overall review of 100%! A few people have started to post their projects, and it’s so wonderful to see their work and give them feedback.
To encourage more people to post their projects, I’ve created a challenge based around National Wildlife Day (which was Sept. 4). Anyone enrolled in the class can submit their project (somehow revolving around the idea of National Wildlife Day, ie. conservation, endangered species awareness, etc.) by Sept. 30, and they can win a portfolio review and feature here on my blog!
My class has been featured on the Skillshare featured classes page as well, in the “Best of Digital Illustration” category, alongside illustration giants Jon Burgerman and Dominic Flask! I’ve also been asked to be featured on the Skillshare blog next week, speaking about my class and being a teacher on Skillshare! I’ll post about that once it’s live!
In addition to promoting my class and interacting with my students, I illustrated my most recent article as the Artist in Residence at Buzz Hoot Roar. The article is on working dogs, but I can’t say much more than that because it hasn’t been posted up yet! I’ll write a more in-depth process post on the work once it’s live as well. For now, here are a few little process and detail shots. And if I’m illustrating an article on dogs, you know I have to add my dog, Oni, in there. Here he is being his typical curious self.
My other two projects I have going on are my picture book dummies. I’ve got two complete dummies now, one fiction and one nonfiction. I’m attending the SCBWI Carolinas Conference next weekend and have signed up for a dummy critique for one of them, and will display both of them with my work in the Portfolio Showcase. I’ve been busy prepping for the conference as well, and have ordered new postcards and bookmarks! I’m really excited to meet lots of new illustrators and authors and to be back in North Carolina for a while. Here are a couple little sneak peaks from my second picture book dummy.
And FINALLY, as if I haven’t been swamping myself with work enough already, I painted these little nesting dolls as a fun personal night project. I had always wanted to paint my own nesting doll set, and what better subjects than Oni and all his friends! Plus his wannabe friend that doesn’t like him: my childhood cat, Elvis. Oni’s tail ended up looking kind of like a toothbrush, but oh well! If you’re interested in having your own custom nesting doll set, I’ve listed them on my Etsy shop!
That’s it! I’ll see you again after my conference!
