Dreaming Away For The Holidays...

Hard at work yesterday putting books under the tree for the all the little kiddies that I just know will love #Dreamingawaywithpercivalcrumbly. And I got a special little visitor to help wrap up the day. www.dreamawaypublishing.com #canyoutellimexhausted  #childrensbook #illustrator #picturebookart #watercolour #holidaygift #followyourpassion #dreamdreamaway— at Danforth Avenue.

Parisian Girl Illustration

I recently had a former client, Cosmepro, from France commission me for a fashion illustration. I created a watercolour and pencil illustration of the Pont Alexandre III Bridge in Paris, and added a vector image of a young woman depicting the customer of a private label cosmetics brand.  I had forgotten how much I enjoy painting with watercolour. :)

"Book Blush" - New Cringe Sketch

"I was reading a book in class, when my teacher started to do the register. I was so buried in my book that I wasn't paying attention. My teacher read my name then after a few seconds she said, 'is Sophia in school today?' Everyone was looking at me sniggering and I got shouted at for ignoring her!"
Sophia, 11

School Blues... in colour :)

I've made some minor changes and added colour to the school blues illustration. Here is the result.

New Year, new projects...

Just finished my first illustration of 2015. Something fun for Girl Talk magazine. :)

"My brother was saying things to put me off my food at his birthday party.
He was only doing it to impress his friends so I threw a tomato at him - but he 
ducked and it splattered right into my best friend’s face. I was so embarrassed!"

– Olivia, 12

School blues... time for colour!

Going to start working on the colour for this fun little classroom illustration for a Client.

Percival Crumbly's Debut at the INSPIRE Toronto International Book Fair!

This past weekend I had the pleasure to attend the first Toronto International Book Fair to promote my first Children's Book Illustration project, Dreaming Away with Percival Crumbly. Meeting avid readers and signing books was such a great experience. I am looking forward to next year's fair :)

Dreaming Away with Percival Crumbly written
by James Di Fiore and Illustrated by Diane Kolar
Get the storybook and FREE App here:
www.dreamawaypublishing.com

Dog Disaster

Girl Talk Magazine - Monthly Cringe :)

"I was out walking my dog in my local park when I noticed that my lace was undone.
As I knelt down to tie it, the dog lead slipped out of my hand,
my dog ran off into someone’s picnic and ate one of their sandwiches!!! Whoops!"

Infographic for No Sweat

Studio sessions

Wednesday evenings this fall has been my night to let loose and sketch along with a studio class at OCAD. Gotta love the obscure objects provided each week for still life subjects. Everything from skulls, mannequins and household tools to plastic lawn geese. Below, the quirky goose portrait - a quick study of negative and positive space in charcoal. Next up was the creepy skeleton :)

Pond cringe completed piece

This piece was fun to create. :)

"I was walking around a pond at my cousin’s wedding with this boy I’d just met. 

He told me a funny joke and I laughed so much that I fell into the pond!

 I got my nice dress all ruined, major cringe!"

Sketches

Some roughs for Girl Talk cringe series ;)

Quick sketch

Sometimes its fun to loosen up! A quick gesture drawing. I forgot how much fun it is to just doodle. I hope to post one each day :)

A quick gesture drawing - random boot!

Quick sketch

Quick sketch idea for a new school energy conservation project... more to come...

The teacher is holding her students' personal electronic devices.
Kids are not too impressed. :)

High Five Fail

Another fun cringe for Girl Talk Magazine :)

"I was taking part in the flat race at my school sports day.
I ran back to my team and hi-fiver them, but I did it so hard that I fell onto the ground!
Everyone was laughing at me!" #cringe

Ping Pong Palaver

Well... some time has passed since I have updated my blog! I am happy to say this is not because of lack of work but mostly the opposite. I have since acquired a regular column in Girl Talk Magazine from the UK for their monthly "how embarrassing cringe" column which aims to bring to life the reader's submissions of cringe worthy stories. Here is a recent drawing called Ping Pong Palaver. I have to say I have a lot of fun working on these :) Stay tuned...more to come as I catch up.

"I was at my soon-to-be middle school with my mum and brother.
Me and my friend were playing ping pong and when I took my serve
I hit our PE teacher on the head with a ping pong ball!"

Sketch of the Day - April 1

Just a quick sketch i did to plan for a new book cover - called "The Ki to Success" at Burman Books. Inspiring female entrepreneur Kirin in my quirky illustration style.  More sketches to come as i am a busy bee this week. wheeeee!! :)

Adorable Alphabet Art

Loving this cute framed Alphabet print designed by my talented sis for her best friend's nursery!
Want one? Contact cindy@papergems.ca to order. More to come!

A little bit of cute...

more cuteness...

Woodland series, embroidery designs for Janome Canada.

My little Kokeshi :)

Embroidery designs for Janome Canada.

A little on the history of Kokeshi...
Based on the popular Japanese design, originally made with carved bits of leftover wood - a peg design, designed as a simple souvenir.  Kokeshi have evolved into a kawaii (the culture of 'cuteness' in Japanese design) phenomenon throughout Japan and globally.  Hooray for cuteness :)