Brush Quibblies

Day 184: Gulp

2012-01-28T00:13:00.004+09:00

Just a few more minutes. Then I'll come out.

Day 183: The Corgis are Restless

2012-01-27T13:21:00.001+09:00

I don't care how late his howling would keep me up, I want this dog. Fox. Wolf. WHATEVER.

Day 182: Mackenhaugh

2012-01-26T12:57:00.000+09:00

Practicing drawing some characters from my current WIP. No, I didn't forget an arm.

Day 181: Here comes the mreow

2012-01-25T15:27:00.001+09:00

Anyone else have this dream? No? Hmm.

Day 180: Freebird

2012-01-24T12:28:00.002+09:00

Not everyone likes their hat-cages.

Day 179: Revenge of the Photo Booth

2012-01-23T13:49:00.002+09:00

So Savin has discovered how to open up Photo Booth and take pictures of herself (as well as tweak them with "effects"). It's pretty trippy to find pictures like this pop up. I thought she was just watching My Little Pony!

Clarification: This was a picture altered with the "stretch" effect. My daughter does not actually look like this.

Day 178: "Boys don't make passes..."

2012-01-22T19:31:00.000+09:00

"...at girls who wear glasses." -Dorothy Parker

Very quick quick sketches because it's Sunday and...just...DANG IT IT'S SUNDAY.

Day 177: Hairdo(doo) (crosspost from Anthrdrawlogy)

2012-01-21T13:48:00.001+09:00

"Please, daaarling. I'm not going to spend six hours fixing my hair just to put newspaper over it."

Day 176: Spinnicubus

2012-01-20T01:30:00.000+09:00

Wheee!

Day 175: Well, hello there.

2012-01-19T00:30:00.000+09:00

I haven't creeped myself out too much this week. Must correct that!

Day 174: Cough cough

2012-01-18T14:19:00.001+09:00

I have been watching way too much Mad Men. Again.

Day 173: Quiet hikers only

2012-01-17T00:30:00.000+09:00

The mountain is TIRED, guys.

Day 172: The Shoemaker's lack of floss (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2012-01-16T18:40:00.000+09:00

When they were done with the footwear, some of the Shoemaker's elves decided to explore the bathroom. The floss was not kind on Andrew's gums.

Thanks for the suggestion, Janet!

Day 171: Queen Itty

2012-01-15T00:30:00.001+09:00

...of the royal family Bitty.

Day 170: Entrance denieblub blub blub

2012-01-14T13:45:00.000+09:00

Steve the palace guard can't help but turn his nose up at the peasants. It's in his nature.

Day 169: Mreow pffpt

2012-01-13T14:32:00.000+09:00

NNAAAAAAA TUPOINGNAAA WADADEESEE MTUM
wadooo....wenya eh....(wenya)

Day 168: Mr. 3ust4ce 7ill3y

2012-01-12T14:18:00.001+09:00

On a whim, I decided to enter the latest New Yorker contest. Whatever happens, I was just happy to draw so many wires.

Feel free to stop by and leave a comment there! I don't know if it'll increase my chances, but it'll be something I can put on my resume: "Piece (self) published by the New Yorker (.com) garnered three comments (two of which were NOT my mom.)" Yes, my resume is VERY professionalishy.

Day 167: Woof

2012-01-11T01:00:00.000+09:00

For Amy! He is a just, loyal and very snuggly sheriff.

Day 166: Amandadnama

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000+09:00

I'm always amazed how different a drawing can look when flipped horizontally. Same drawing, two different personalities (at least to me. I've been looking at it too long.) There's something philosophical in that idea but I'm a little too shallow today to find it.

Day 165: Whip it good

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000+09:00

HIIIIIIIIIIYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!

Day 164: Astronaut Spike Dexter (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2012-01-08T21:12:00.000+09:00

I have sooooooo much sugar in my system right now.

Day 163: Goooooooal!!

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000+09:00

I like to think that during those 40 years wandering in the wilderness, Moses refereed a few games of kickball with the Israelite kids.

Day 162: Proper schmoper

2012-01-06T08:45:00.000+09:00

Today I've been drawing tons of stuff I can't really put up here (oh gosh, not in THAT way...just commissions) so today's sketch is quick. With lots of unerased pencil. And some 1900s era romance. Sidenote: I NEED MORE DOWNTON ABBEY EPISODES.

Day 161: Feet first into the divide

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000+09:00

And no looking back.

(Except maybe to make sure you locked the car.)

Day 160: Flying? Neigh.

2012-01-04T02:00:00.000+09:00

Considering his girth, I think these wings are solely ornamental.

Day 159: Free puppies

2012-01-03T11:50:00.001+09:00

Free puppies. Small sketches, just born. Free puppies.

Day 158: The Caretaker's Musician

2012-01-02T21:07:00.000+09:00

So I was watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special tonight and noticed in one of the rooms of the "caretaker's cottage" there was a painting of a monkey holding a violin. It was neat.

That was pretty much the whole inspiration behind today's piece.

The end.

Day 157: How to train your sticker

2012-01-01T20:09:00.000+09:00

We have been watching WAY too many dragon movies this weekend. Somehow this came out looking like a sticker. Unrelated: Happy New Year!

Day 156: At Shaolemur Temple

2011-12-31T14:20:00.000+09:00

Xiao Chao has taken a vow of no cow. I mean vegetarianism.

Day 155: Faye

2011-12-30T14:51:00.002+09:00

I'll get over all these backgrounds in a few days, I promise.

Update: I just lopped her in two. I think the chin was really bothering me. ONTO OTHER THINGS.

Day 154: Tiny new beginnings

2011-12-29T12:06:00.000+09:00

So for Christmas, I got the coolest, tiniest watercolor set. IT'S SO SMALL! Thanks, Brian and Emily!! I used this as my Happy New Year post for Anthdrawlogy, too because I guess all great things (and years) start small.

Kangaroo optional.

Day 153: Lemur Schmeemer

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000+09:00

Preston: "I feel like you're deliberately trying to disturb people."

Day 152: Brrrrrrrrianna

2011-12-27T11:31:00.000+09:00

It is so cold in my house. So. Very. COLD.

Day 151: What

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000+09:00

Progression of Preston's commentary while standing over my shoulder:

"Hey, that's a pretty background."
"I like those trees."
"That white guy looks weird."
"Uh..."
"What."
"..."
"I think you godzilla'ed it."

Day 150: Happy Holidays from the Criddles!

2011-12-25T01:00:00.000+09:00

Thanks for making this year fabulous, people. I am so grateful for your kind words and support and love. Enjoy the rest of the beautiful season!

Day 149: Frank at rest

2011-12-24T00:30:00.000+09:00

Having spent most of the day attempting (and failing) world domination spells, Frank is content to conjure a bed of cotton candy and take a long winter's nap.

Day 148: Attempt #6 at vulpine spellcasting

2011-12-23T06:00:00.001+09:00

Frank the floating fox is frustrated at his finicky fingerwork.

Day 147: Blub blub blub

2011-12-22T12:19:00.001+09:00

I'm back! Not dead! It's a Christmas miracle! Let's go look at dolphins!

pause...again

2011-12-19T17:54:00.004+09:00

Hi everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts the last two days. I got hit hard with a weird Japanese virus and have been bedridden and without a voice/motor skills for most of the weekend. Pauses for this reason are not cheating. She said to herself. In a rationalizing tone.

Be back soon!

Day 146: Pupils are for suckers

2011-12-17T21:06:00.000+09:00

Babysat some awesome kiddos today and we spent some time flinging the old paintbrush around. I'd like to do a bit more detail on this, but it's late and time for me to go to bed and watch Planet of the Apes.

Day 145: Christmas in Arizona! (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-12-16T20:27:00.002+09:00

You can either imagine them singing in an Australian accent or an Arizonan one. Both are correct!

Day 144: The six step penny jig

2011-12-15T19:56:00.000+09:00

Everyone will gladly watch Hubert dance, but few join in.

P.S. Thanks for all the well wishes! Household is healthier today. :)

Day 143: Yuck

2011-12-14T19:40:00.000+09:00

Husband sick. Baby sick. Twisted my ankle. This is how I feel about tonight.

I'm totally breaking up with Wednesdays.

Day 142: Marmarospilia

2011-12-13T17:44:00.002+09:00

I'll finish coloring it this year. Probably.

Day 141: The walls are MOVING

2011-12-12T19:23:00.000+09:00

There is a LOT to be surprised about in this world.

Day 140: Do do doo do do do doo...

2011-12-11T00:30:00.000+09:00

Doo doo do do doo do doo!

Day 139: Mouse Zoo now closed (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-12-10T14:12:00.001+09:00

Following the incident, Mouseville had to seriously rethink its zoo fence height requirements.

Day 138: Om nom nom rainbownom

2011-12-09T12:46:00.001+09:00

Savin told me I needed to use crayons for today's sketch. I cannot fight a 2 year old.

This is also part two in my ongoing series: Somewhat Mythical Creatures Suspiciously Eating Things They Probably Shouldn't.

Day 137: Le gasp!

2011-12-08T20:10:00.001+09:00

I'm not gonna lie, I'm ragingly sick today. Pardon the wiggliness.

UPDATE: I can't stop messing around with this. TELL ME TO MOVE ON.

Day 136: Grrr nom nom swish

2011-12-07T19:15:00.001+09:00

Aw, honey, it's just a love gnaw.

Day 135: A long long watercolor ago

2011-12-06T19:41:00.001+09:00

I really should have a plan before I start playing on the long sketchpad. But it's just too FUN!

Day 134: Head! Pants! Nauw!

2011-12-05T23:27:00.001+09:00

It has been a very long day.

Day 133: Tim finds a new friend (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-12-04T23:00:00.000+09:00

Me love you long Tim.

Day 132: "There it is," he said.

2011-12-03T00:30:00.000+09:00

Characters from...something. Still in development! Question from tired artist: i know not what iz shading?

Day 131: Djanga Jinn

2011-12-02T00:30:00.000+09:00

So my daughter chewed some delicate whozits and whatzits off of my tablet pen this afternoon...therefore any awesome coloring will have to wait until I find a new one.

In retrospect, I shouldn't have nicknamed my tablet pen "num num." Totally my fault.

Day 130: Swamp girl

2011-12-01T13:30:00.001+09:00

I really really want to get better at using my tablet and Painter, but apparently the only way to do so is to practice on it. GUUUH. Thanks for bearing with me.

Day 129: Sphinx #327

2011-11-30T19:27:00.001+09:00

Do you know how many incarnations of the Sphinx there are in history?? There's like a MILLION. I don't think any of them have headbirds, though. I should google headbirds.

UPDATE: YIKES NO. DON'T GOOGLE HEADBIRDS.

Day 128: Terry wants

2011-11-29T20:15:00.001+09:00

Terry's wishes are simple but almost always unfulfilled.

Day 127: Rapunystique

2011-11-28T20:05:00.001+09:00

Apparently I have no sense of the human body, but boy howdy do I love hair.

Day 126: So much pun! (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-11-27T20:19:00.001+09:00

It's Pun Week over at Anthdrawlogy! Mine's pretty...er...specific. Guesses welcome, but then once I tell you, you'll be like: "Aw, that doesn't make sense 'cause I've never even heard of that. No fair."

WELL, I'M SORRY. LIFE IS TIC TAC TOE.

P.S. Answers over at Anthdrawlogy!

Day 125: Bitty deer

2011-11-26T08:37:00.001+09:00

Fat deer in a little field...fat deer in a little field...

Day 124: Roy G. Bird

2011-11-25T19:13:00.001+09:00

Did you know they sell watercolors at the dollar store here?? THEY DO!

Day 123: Yikes/Yum

2011-11-24T11:55:00.001+09:00

I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did this. Happy Thanksgiving. I'll go now.

Day 122: In Pern

2011-11-23T17:59:00.001+09:00

RIP Anne McCaffrey. Thank you for the beautiful worlds.

Day 121: COMICOS! (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-11-22T08:01:00.001+09:00

For the purposes of this week's Anthdrawlogy topic, I pulled out and touched up an old, half finished comic from and old half finished idea I started a few years ago. It's not cheating if I just now drew the last panel!

Day 120: Colander Brain

2011-11-21T21:10:00.001+09:00

IDEAS. I told you to GET IN MY BRAIN and STAY IN MY BRAIN. Don't think I don't see you out there.

Day 119: Art3mis

2011-11-20T21:00:00.001+09:00

For Amy! Who would totally rock the holster, if she so chose. Preston says I'm bordering on obsessed, which totally reminds me of a scene in READY PLAYER ONE...

Day 118: Super masseuse

2011-11-19T14:55:00.001+09:00

Eeeehhhhhh...long weekend, murpy drawings. Somebody bring me some haaaaaaaam.

Day 117: Rock mildly

2011-11-18T20:10:00.001+09:00

Meh. It's Friday, I'm tired,

Day 116: Ready Player Me

2011-11-17T00:30:00.000+09:00

So I'm reading READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline...for the second time in about a month. Got to thinking about my own haptic rig and how it'd look. I showed this to Preston and he said, "It looks like to souped up 80's jukebox" and I was like, "DUDE, THAT'S TOTALLY THE POINT."

I'm not kidding, this book is mind-blowing. For anyone with even a mild interest in 80s culture (especially 80s geek culture) or just has a heartbeat in general, this is a quick and LASTING book. I couldn't stop thinking about it between reads. I'm afraid I'm a little obsessed. I CAN'T...STOP...READING IT. JOIN ME PLEEEEASE.

P.S. Those are corn chips. Spoiler: the future is fueled by Fritos.

Day 115: Inspector Spacetime

2011-11-16T09:18:00.001+09:00

You might notice where my daughter insisted on adding some extra color via crayon. Her art direction is impeccable.

Day 114: Juuuump

2011-11-15T12:58:00.001+09:00

Liiiiiiines.

Day 113: Sumo Robot (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-11-14T12:36:00.001+09:00

He's got a heart of steel and udon.

Day 112: Quiet, subliminal ostrich

2011-11-13T22:10:00.001+09:00

You wiiiiiiilll leave out birdseeeeeed tomorrrrrooooww moooorning
You wiiiiiiilll leave out birdseeeeeed tomorrrrrooooww moooorning
You wiiiiiiilll leave out birdseeeeeed tomorrrrrooooww moooorning

Day 111: Yellow eyes

2011-11-12T18:34:00.001+09:00

She's so angry 'cause someone left her in the tanning bed too long.

Day 110: Shhhhh

2011-11-11T15:30:00.001+09:00

Quick sketch, courtesy of @moonunit999 (partners-in-crime with @frameadvance!) on twitter. Sleepy unicorn! I wish I looked this cute when I fell asleep on the couch. Needs more drool and cheeto dust.

Day 109: Sketchbookery

2011-11-10T10:21:00.000+09:00

So many sketches get left behind in my writing notebooks, so I'd thought I'd cobble together a few. It's not cheating, I swear! It's still a day of art! Kinda!

Day 108: On second thought, let's not find Nemo

2011-11-09T10:19:00.002+09:00

P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby....ah, just forget it.

Day 107: Oooom

2011-11-08T00:30:00.000+09:00

Sacrifices can be made in the form of all the bacon and eggs you have.

(I worry what you heard was "bring me a lot of bacon and eggs." What I said was...)

Day 106: Why hello there

2011-11-07T00:30:00.000+09:00

Draaawing.

In other news, I'm pretty sure awesome friend Jolee just had a baby! CONGRATULATIONS, JOLEE!!

Day 105: Baby! (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-11-06T16:10:00.000+09:00

Peek-a-what do you want?

Day 104: Tsk tsk tsk.

2011-11-05T00:30:00.000+09:00

Judgmental bull is pretending not to be judgmental.

Day 103: Urggg

2011-11-04T00:30:00.000+09:00

It's been that kind of week.

Day 102: Disapproving Koala

2011-11-03T11:39:00.002+09:00

Disapproving koala disapproves of your handling of the Dead Sea scrolls.

Day 101: Spooky Kabuki

2011-11-02T18:13:00.001+09:00

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY TO DO EVERYTHING I NEEEEEEEEED TO DO

Day 100: Party! Whales! Airplanes! Silliness!

2011-11-01T20:45:00.002+09:00

It's late. I found a new digital brush to test out. And I was dared to draw a plane. And I wanted to draw a sperm whale. And it's also my 100th day so I figured I could draw balloons. Party! Endless parties! I will never stop finding reasons for parties!

Day 99: Anna had anxiety issues

2011-10-31T16:17:00.001+09:00

Happy Halloween! Taking a little break from horns and avoiding airplanes for an homage to Gorey.

Day 98: Snoooooooooowwww

2011-10-30T20:53:00.001+09:00

I am not proud of what came out of today's wrestle with art. Please just move along.

Day 97: Terry

2011-10-29T18:09:00.001+09:00

I blame Robin for this particular thought. Three horns is better than two is better than one is better than none!

Day 96: The Duke is In

2011-10-28T00:30:00.000+09:00

I'm a little caught up in mustaches lately. Could be this "Memories of Now" record I'm listening to.

Day 95: Olivia hides her horns (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-10-27T11:38:00.001+09:00

I feel I should be commended for drawing an oryx instead of a unicorn. I can quit any time!

Day 94: Professor Fenine Makes a Startling Discovery

2011-10-26T11:45:00.000+09:00

Kiddo is crazy sick today and I've chosen to take her to the doctor instead of finishing this. If that's okay. In figured it would be. But you pretty much get the idea, right?

Day 93: AHHHHH

2011-10-25T13:20:00.003+09:00

I really don't know what I'm doing today. I could do more on this but my pen got TIIIRED.

Day 92: The Ruins of Rhode Island (crosspost from Anthdrawlogy)

2011-10-24T15:38:00.001+09:00

My name is Ma-rie I like to do draw-rings then mess with them in photoshooooooppp

Day 91: Doodle Ghosts

2011-10-23T21:00:00.001+09:00

Draaaaaaaaaaw meeeeeee....
DRAAAAAWWWWW MEEEEEEEE...

Day 90: Mucha Gracias #2

2011-10-22T11:04:00.002+09:00

Sketch for the second panel of the triptych. I know, he's totally gonna fall off his seat.

Day 89: Mucha Gracias

2011-10-21T21:44:00.000+09:00

I'm unpacked which means I now know where all my canvases are! First up? A Mucha-inspired triptych and this chica's going to be #1. I'll post it when I'm done...around Day 200. Don't hold me to that.

Day 88: Five minute Twitter Sketches!

2011-10-20T16:30:00.000+09:00

Once in a while I'll go to Twitter and ask for a few sketching ideas. As always, Twitter did not disappoint today!

First for @acherrix, who suggested "Flying pigs!" (and later dubbed this Top Swine)

Next for @natattack, who asked for a corpus callosum (which she had to explain as well) (Google it, this'll make sense, I swear. Maybe.)

Then @CaraMiaAmore suggested "Dancing Kangaroos!" I've recently watched Back to the Future, yes. Why do you ask?

Dear friend @keri_726 asked for something Halloweenie, like ghosts and pumpkin mans at a party. It got dark.

And last, @goshmiller requested monkeys (my favorite verb) popcorn. Debating came to mind...mostly because I just wanted to use the phrase Simian vs. Snack. Ah man, I could have done battling! Ugh. Next time.

Thanks again for the inspiration, guys! This is always super fun for me.

Day 87: No no no no no no no

2011-10-19T23:42:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, they moved all our stuff into our house. This was a good thing. Unfortunately, the movers came 20 minutes before the scheduled time and I was still in the shower. They also thought since the front door was unlocked, they could walk straight in. There is only one hallway in the house. The bathroom is on one end, the front door is on the other. I do not know how to say "COULD YOU PLEASE STEP OUTSIDE FOR A MOMENT? I AM NOT DRESSED." in Japanese.

I was not this graceful.

Day 86: Biiiiiird braaaaain

2011-10-18T21:08:00.000+09:00

Don't worry! Me neither!