Haunt - Illustration Friday

Here's a little Spooky number for this week's Illustration Friday topic HAUNT. Again it's one of my older digital works but I couldn't resist it as this little dark angel is more than a little creepy don't you think! Sorry about the lack of posts of late folks but hopefully will be up and about in blogland a little more now!

Here's another quick sketch for the spooky theme. I imagine we can all remember watching a horror film and being too scared to look behind the chair in case the bogeyman was there!



Here's wishing you a spooky weekend...... in a nice way of course
Have fun! Jen

One Lovely Blog Award!

What can I say. I was reading my comments and saw that Jessie had nominated me for One Lovely Blog Award!.....Me!....... to say that I was a little gobsmacked is an understatement. I mean there are so many lovely... beautiful.... charming blogs out there in blogland and she chose to nominate little old me! So thanks to Jessie who would be one of the blogs I would have on my list but I don't think it works like that!

So here's my list of 15 of my favouritest bloggies that I wish to nominate for a One Lovely Blog Award (Go check them out.... go on fill yer boots.... you know you want to!) Isn't this is such a lovely way to introduce people to great blogs!

Moonlight and Hares

A faerietale of Inspiration

Joojoo

Leen Christens

Love Stitching Red

Fairysteps

Notes from the Fae Side

Karen Krings

Kel Murphy

Chase the Crayon

Eugenia Nobati

Elvie Studio

Lillalotta

Decor8

Julie Fletcher

Acrobat - Illustration Friday

Here's an older illustration that I just couldn't resist posting for this week's Illustration Friday topic, ACROBAT. Tatjana twirls and spins on the high wire in her death defying acrobatic act for Zippo's Circus! Click here to see my original pencil drawing!

Sorry she's not new but I've been rather busy making some 3-D bits and bobs in polymer clay. I'll post some piccies when they are ready!

Anyway everyone have an amazing and totally creative week!

Bye for now Jen.

Proverb - Illustration Friday

Hello all! Well here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, PROVERB.

I have to say this was a cracker...... so many ideas..... unfortunately too little time to really explore this at the moment but it has given me food for thought for possible future illo's!

As you can see I've gone for the proverb ' Birds of a feather flock together'..... a bit like us creative types who flock around the Illustration Friday website!! All birds of a creative feather!

Anyway must dash..... have a great week!

Byeeee! Jen

Dessert - Illustration Friday

Here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, Dessert.......(what a yummy topic!)
Like my bunny, one of my favourite desserts is carrot cake....... look's like there may be a bit of a scuffle as to which one of us is going to get the first slice!
Hope you have a fantastic week and remember..... don't eat tooooo many desserts!
Bye for now Jen!

IMMOVABLE- Illustration Friday

Here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, Immovable. God this was a toughie! Having researched the word the reality is that nothing is actually immovable..... so I ummed and ahhed and decided on the nearest thing I could think of........ Yep your friendly neighbourhood Nightclub Bouncer! He's pretty immovable unless you are on the list to get in..... if your face doesn't fit... watch out!!! Anyway just a bit of fun! Hope you like it?
Have a great week! Jen

Atmosphere - Illustration Friday

Here's this week's attempt at the Illustration Friday topic which is Atmosphere.
I love thunderstorms myself and have been known to sit out the garden, sniffing the lovely charged air that you get during a storm..... a little nutty perhaps...... but I never said I was a completely sane person..... did I??? Anyway someone else who must love thunderstorms too is little Frank N. Stein. Hope you like him!
Have a Super Dooper week! Jen

Star Gazing - Illustration Friday

Well here's my post for this week's Illustration Friday topic, Star Gazing. Here I thought I'd go for probably three of the best known star gazers......Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar.... otherwise known as The Three Wise Men .....watching the night skies they saw the unusually bright star which led them to make the journey toBethlehem bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.... Hope you like it!
Have a lovely week all! Jen

CAGED - Illustration Friday

Here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, CAGED. Not your immediate idea or concept of the word caged, but having looked up various dictionary definitions the one that appealed most to me was; Caged - anything that confines or imprisons.

To this mermaid the sea is her home but also her prisoner, she is unable to visit the land of the men that she spies from the briney foam or her solitary rock. It makes her sad as she yearns to see where the sailors call home. Well that's my idea anyway!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Bysie bye! Jen

Mousey Mousey!

Here are a couple of little mousey watercolours I played with the other day! They didn't turn out too bad considering I hardly touch my watercolours! In fact I might entertain the idea of doing a few more!

The trouble with me is that I enjoy exploring different mediums. (Oh to have a distinctive style of my very own........maybe one day..sniff!)

Anyway hope you like them..... maybe I should vow to do my next few Illustration Friday posts in watercolour!

Cheerio! Jen

Double - Illustration Friday

Well here's my little sketch for this week's Illustration Friday topic, DOUBLE. Maybe a little tenuous but I've gone for the possibility of a DOUBLE date! The two doggies could be about to fall in love? ....maybe!
I seem to be favouring pencil work at the moment but that's not a bad thing!
I've had a bad tummy the last few days so I'm hoping that's going to improve..... not nice at all...... no!
Have a great week peeps! Jen

The elves and the shoemaker

Here's a little sketch of an elf industriously stitching together a beautiful new shoe. His nimble fingers work quick as a flash to produce the neat little stitches for the shoe. And here are a pair of elfin or fae slippers. Although please don't look too closely at the stitching as my fingers are nowhere near as nimble and neat! Hee Hee.

BREAKFAST - Illustration Friday

Look's like someone can't wait to dig into their breakfast! Just a really quick one for this week's Illustration Friday topic, BREAKFAST. A simple line drawing, imported into Photoshop and coloured/textured. Will hopefully be able to muster something a little more substantial in the next day or two... I'll add it to this post.

Here you go I promised something more substantial...... and here it is........ it's a monster breakfast! Now I always wondered if a Monster Breakfast was for monsters or just as big as a monster?!! Well in this pic I guess it's both!! Hope you like him?!

Cheerio my dears! Jen

Diary - Illustration Friday

Well here is a possible take on this week's Illustration Friday topic, DIARY. The first thing I thought of was the Adrian Mole books 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 ' by Sue Townsend.
I didn't want to be so obvious as to take the literal version so I did a sketch of the real Adrian the mole and his not so secret diary! Haven't had much time this week so as yet not colour has been played with to adorn him and his furry and feathered friends. Although sometimes I think it's good to see images in their early stages..... just to see how they are transformed into their final states...... am I waffling?!..... er probably...... anyway.... below is another take on the DIARY theme. A young man seems intent on spilling his thoughts out to his diary.... I guess he looks a little like the young Harry Potter so maybe this could be Tom Riddles Diary from the Chamber of Secrets book? (although Harry's room looks a little too normal to be Hogworts.... mmm could maybe change the background a little?......
Anyway folks have to scoot.
Have a fantastic week! Jen

Giant - Illustration Friday

Here's my post for this week's Illustration Friday topic, GIANT!
Initially I started sketching your common or garden giant but then the idea of perhaps drawing a giant genie came to mind so I went with that idea. Thus the young man (possibly Aladdin) has done his bit and rubbed the magic lamp and voila the huge genie appears!
Hope you like it.... have a fun week!
Bye for now. Jen

Secret Garden

Doodling away again... don't know what's got into me....... I suspect I've super-glued my pencil to my hand or something. Anyway this time a little girl wanted to be drawn. I didn' have any preconceived ideas about what I wanted to draw but this is what appeared. I think the nearest thing I can think of is the story the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett where the little girl finds the long lost garden.... all overgrown and forgotten. (Love that story BTW!) Anyway here she is all curious..... all I needed to add was a little robin, like the one that led her to the garden...... maybe I'll add him sometime!
Byeeeee! Jen

Nutkin and Caw

Well the muse seems to be with me at the moment. Had a go at incorporating little Nutkin (see previous post) into a scene. Here he is riding the skies on his best friend Caw the crow. They enjoy nothing better than flying high above the fields, looking for a new adventure....... have to see what happens next! ??? !
Cheerio! Jen

Pencil Character sketches

Some more little characters that appeared from the end of my sharpest pencil in my sketchbook!
I thought I'd share! Will maybe try to develope them into some full blown illustrations.....
Hope you like them?
Jen

Satellite - Illustration Friday

Well here's an old rendering I did many years ago called Satellite of Love. When I saw the Illustration Friday topic this week (Satellite) I thought of it straight away. It was created using 3D software and Photoshop. An oldie maybe but I think still a goodie!?

Hope you have a great week! Jen

Paisley - Illustration Friday

Here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, Paisley. I love Paisley patterns - I'm a wee bit of a hippy at heart so I thought these two characters would be happy in a hazy, Paisley background.
It was fun to do!

I've just been doodling again in my sketchbook and for some unfathamable reason I draw a little Santa??? The sun is beaming down here in Devon so why he popped into my head I don't know. Anyway with Paisley still fresh in my mind I got Mrs Claus to make him a nice red paisley Santa Suit.

Hope you like them!

Have a great week too! Jen

Tatjana the Tightrope Walker

I was quite happy with my character Beefy Boris, (see previous post!). He's sort of inspired me to have a go at some other circus characters. So here's Tatjana the Tightrope walker, (aka Agnes Kipper from Lewisham) way up high in the Big Top, balancing beautifully on her high-wire. There is so much scope for creating colourful and daring characters in the circus that this may be the beginning of a flurry of drawing.... yippee! fingers crossed and all that!

Anyway just so you can see how Tatjana started off, here's my initial pencil sketch of her.

Hope you like her..... maybe I should have a go at a Lion Tamer next.... mmmmmm!

Cheerio! Jen

Ripple - Illustration Friday

Well here's my submission for the latest Illustration Friday topic, Ripple.
It's a bit of a tenuous link but when I told my partner that this week's topic was Ripple he immediately said what about a strongman with rippling muscles. At first I was a little dubious but I often think it's good to explore the 'not so obvious'.

So here we have Beefy Boris Bertollini (aka Sidney Pratt from Pinner). Zippo's Circus strongman act. He was one to make the ladies faint or giggle hotly behind their handkerchiefs when he struck the pose and rippled his muscles!

Hope you like him, just a bit of fun!

Have a terrific week! Jen.

Young Fire Dragon

Just doodling in my sketchbook yesterday and voila it turned into a dragon -funny how often that happens! :-)..... - Anyway had a play at colouring him and so I though I'd share him with you. Hope you like him?
Jen

TRAIL - Illustration Friday

Here's my take on this week's Illustration Friday topic TRAIL.
Sammy and his favourite teddy have climbed the path to the top of the hill. Teddy holds onto the kite which is allowed to trail behind, catching the summer breeze!

Once again the patchwork of fields has crept into the picture. I guess it must be due to the wonderful surroundings we have here in the Devon countryside! I've been taking daily walks with my partner lately as the weather has been so kind. It makes me realise how lucky we are to be living where we do!

Hope you have a lovely week! It's always great to read your comments too.....! Jen

SLITHER - Illustration Friday

Here's my interpretation for this week's Illustration Friday topic, SLITHER.
Went for the obvious snakey content. Hope you like it?
Have a fun week, happy drawing, doodling, painting, sketching etc. Jen.

Not a Happy Bunny!

I hope you didn't think it was me that was the unhappy bunny!

I was meaning the grumpy old White Rabbit from Alice.... who as we know is always running rather late and is constantly in fear of the Queen of Hearts!

After the topic of EARLY for this week's Illustration Friday, I automatically thought what would I do for LATE? I guess the White Rabbit is a little obvious but I fancied having a go at him... so here he is a quick pencil sketch... photoshopped to within an inch of it's life! (only joking.... just a smidge of PS!) Hope you like him!

Have a great long weekend! Jen

EARLY- Illustration Friday

Here's my offering for this week's Illustration Friday topic, EARLY.
I've spent many years working through the night only to be serenaded in the wee housrs by the 'dawn chorus' of little birdies (or tweets, as they are affectionately known in our house). It's a beautiful time of day...... the sky is just lightening and the air is cool and fresh and the only sound is that of the first birdsong of the day! Enjoy!!!

Have a great week! Jen

EQUIPMENT - Illustration Friday

This is a sketch for this week's Illustration Friday topic 'EQUIPMENT'.

I was thinking nearly every job uses some sort of equipment or other..... some more than others (artist's can't get enough equipment!!!.....). So here's a tonal sketch of a little witch at midnight, she's surrounded by all her paraphernalia.... broomstick, wand, cauldron, spell books etc. I think I'd quite like to do a watercolour version of this....oh and I might tweak the composition an itsy bitsy bit too! Anyway hope you like her?!?

Have fun! Jen

An Excited Little Birdy

Here's a cheerful little birdy. I got carried away sketching the other day and from my pencil popped this little chap! I quite like him so I played with him in Photoshop and came up with this..... I've got a few more ideas for him swirling aroung my head so maybe watch this space and I'll post some more soon!

Have a great day! Jen

FEARLESS - Illustration Friday

Here's my first attempt at this week's Illustration Friday topic 'FEARLESS'.

I say first attempt, as this was one of those drawings you just HAVE to do before you even attempt to sketch any other ideas. Believe me I have numerous ideas for this week's topic (more in a humourous, light-hearted vein) but my mind kept saying NO! draw this one first and then maybe I'll let you have a go at some of the others!!! I know who's the boss when it comes to putting an artistic block on things so I gave in and drew this cute little sleeping baby.

I suppose what's at the back of my mind is being fearless really relates to being unaware of things that need to be feared. From an early age we grow into our fears, some learned, some taught and others imagined but when we are born we don't know anything other than when we are tired, hungry or uncomfortable (I won't go into detail there!)..... so my head kept saying illustrate the fearless state of complete innocence.... so I did!

I will hopefully add another take on this topic in the next day or two.... now that the above little chap is out of the way! I hope you like him?!?
Have fun! Jen

Sitting Kitty

Here's a drawing of a beautiful cat called Nike. I always wonder how cat's are able to give such distainful looks without any effort on their part. It's somehow like us human's just don't come up to scratch (although we are useful as scratching posts!) .... I think they put up with us 'cos' we're useful and occasionally amuse them!
Hope you like him! Jen

COCOON - Illustration Friday

Here's my take on this week's Illustration Friday topic ' Cocoon'.
I imagine it must be rather strange going to sleep in one body only to wake up with a completely different one, especially one with wings! (I could do with some wings sometimes!)
Have fun! Jen

AHEAD - Illustration Friday

Here's my first go at joining in with Illustration Friday. This week's subject is AHEAD so I came up with this little hatchling Fire Drake. Looks like he was way ahead of his fellow drakes! Hope you like it.

Pencil drawing, coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils and tweeked in Photoshop.

Happy drawing! Jen

Capricorn and Taurus.... coloured in.

Here's a quickie post to update you on my Horoscope designs! Capricorn and Taurus now have their clothes on! I won't be posting any more yet as I'm going to try and get them published as a set of greetings cards. Fingers crossed I'll have some luck.

I'll post something a bit different in the next couple of days.

Hope everyone is enjoying Springtime.... wherever you are in the world! Jen

Dedicated Illustration Blog

Hi there! This is my first post under the guise of Enchanted Moon illustration.

I've decided to set up this blog purely to showcase my illustrations and generally dribble on about the things I'm illustrating at the moment. I'm hoping by doing this that I can try to focus any artistic energies I have in a more organised way (who am I kidding?). Unfortunately as I spend most of my days daydreaming about what I want to create and then getting sidetracked, I'm not always too successful..... however I am going to attempt to be more focused! And hopefully with your help and feedback I may achieve some level of success!?!

I have a sister blog called Craft Fetish where I show artsy crafty things that I've made when I've been sidetracked from my drawing and illustrating. Of late I haven't added much due to other things taking over my life but I'm determined to get back on track and at least get creative. So new crafty creations and paintings will be added on that site and this will be the new home for all of my illustrations!.........

First Up..... Horoscope Card Illustrations

Here are two finished colour illustrations for a series of Horoscope cards. I'm hoping once I've got all 12 coloured, to try and get them published by some lovely card publishing company (Publishers, if you're out there and are interested don't be shy!!)

At the moment I've got all of the line art completed so it's just a case of working through the colouring process.

Here are Taurus and Capricorn in the nude so to speak....

With this series I'd already designed the line art for the set but hadn't attempted to do the colouring. - Originally I designed the set for the rubber craft stamp business I used to own where I designed and manufactured the stamps myself. I think because I created so many designs for the stamps my illustrative style has centered on creating strong line art. Now I don't run the stamp business I feel I want to free my style up a bit and get stronger on the colouring side. That said I still think these illustrations are usable so I'll hang on in there and colour them up and see where they take me!

So that said I'm off to do some colouring..... cheerio. Jen