New Works: the Hand Cramps

I have embarked on a new artistic adventure. It's taken me years to wrap my head around the fact that the old plan is never going to happen the way I want it too. So while I've angrily dug in, "been a grown up" and worked diligently in a "regular job" with "real work" that is "practical" and gotten just about as far as I have ever done on a "pipe dream", I've been unable to see around the obstacle. I've just seen the obstacle.

I don't know why or how, but a few weeks ago I saw a way around. A clearer path to self employment in a field of my chosing and following my passion. I've learned where I do and don't belong in the world. And just when I was afraid that I was never going to be able to retain my artistic identity with paper and pen while dabbling in digital art BOOM! There is the answer.

The digital art has made me comfortable with computers, web based graphics programs, the wide world of digital publishing and generally being good training to make sure that the work I want to do gets done and gets into the hands of people who will enjoy it. The trend that I thought was a fad is a legit niche market with some staying power that will always work itself back into plan A if the market decides that plan A had good product and enjoys a renaissance.


Here is a sample of what I am working on. These are test pages for a coloring book that I am compiling drawings for. I get about 2-3 done per day. The coloring takes ALL DAY though since I am bereft of my two favorite pencil brands. They are somewhere in storage. I have many drawings now but not all of them fit the two themes that I am starting with.

I am trying to decide on format, covers, the intro piece and trying to get images scanned so that they will upload to the publisher. Have to decide on paper style and all sorts of stuff like that. I have set a deadline and it is fast approaching.