Who Me? Valentine

Here is an illustration I did for my daughter's Valentines this year. As many of you know I absolutely LOVE birds. And of course there is our friend Snaid the snail.
My idea is that we will buy dum dum suckers and punch a hole just above Snaid. Then insert the sucker to make it look like he is holding it (some how). On the sucker will be a circle punch with the words, "Happy Valentine's Day" pasted to the front. Or maybe I should make a paper flag coming from the stem of the sucker with the words?! No... then it will look like he is calling the owl a dum dum. I'll go with the first idea. Thoughts?????

Fall Mini Series- Red Leaf

Here is the second piece in my Fall Mini Series. This one is called Red Leaf. As with the first piece, Acorn,  this is 2.5 by 3.5 inches on watercolor stock. This original illustration is priced at $10. This would look great mounted on a piece of burlap then placed in a knotty wood frame. If you are interested in purchasing Red Leaf please email me at juliehammond@earthlink.net . Purchase with paypal only. Thank you. 

Fall Mini Series- Acorn

This is an ATC size painting of one of my very favorite things... the acorn. Every fall I become slightly obsessed with them. Last year was the worst! Just ask my friends and family.
 Anyways, you can purchase this original piece that is the first in a fall mini series. This 2.5 by 3.5 illustration was done with watercolor, colored pencil, and ball point pen. This piece, including shipping, is $10.  If interested you may contact me at juliehammond@earthlink.net . Paypal only please.
Love to know what you think. Thank you!

IF- Atmosphere

The atmosphere in the classroom was thick with anticipation as Harley volunteered to read... 

Find out why in the September Issue of Guardian Angel Kids.

 I didn't write the story that goes with this illo. but a very talented Ms. Ann McDuffie did! 

A story I wrote

Here is an illustration for a story I wrote based on an event that happened in Haiti. You see, my friend Jim recently went there and came back with some great stories and pictures.

Love to know what you think of this piece. It's a little different than the others I've done. Thoughts?

My donation to Ripple

So this is my donation to Ripple. I'll post a link to the listing once I know it. I believe it will be $10 that will go to the clean up of the BP oil spill. This is an Artist Trading Card so it's small but says a lot. I'm very excited to be a part of this effort. If you have donated or will be donating please post a link to your listing. I'd love to see it.

E- Pals illustration for Guardian Angel Kids

Here is another piece I did for Guardian Angel Kids magazine. Haven't heard of them? Check them out! They have games, activities, stories and videos! It's a free e-magazine for kids. This illustration will be featured with a story in the August issue.

My illustration was made by scanning in a pen and ink drawing then colored in with Photoshop.

IF- Giant

Sing- Happy Birthday to you. Your cake is bigger than you! You're wearing a party hat. But you still feel so blue.

Poor little Prince Pete, sure he has a giant birthday cake and he lives in a castle but he is all alone. Couldn't his parents have at least hired some friends to come and join in this celebration? Poor little birthday boy.

IF- Satellite (a.k.a. The New Kid)

So the new kid was a bit mmm... odd but Mom said everyone that's not a local Satellite 64ian looks different. Well, at least we both like War of the Worlds. That's something we have in common. Earthlings are so weird!

Ready Set Bake!

Well, howdy folks! Here's another illustration featuring CC, the cupcake cowgirl. It looks like she is baking up some fun with her feathered friend Sprinkles! I modified her headband to have a small cowboy hat on it. Love to know what you think!

And now for a little MAGIC!

I've always just colored in my illustrations but recently found that publishers like to see your pen and ink abilities as well. It makes sense. There are those illustrations inside beginner readers and chapter books that don't have color! So here is one I did and it's really hard NOT to fill it in. Must resist...

Week 4 of the 12 Week Challenge on zero2illo

This is not the total finished product. I then took this into illustrator, finished the edges and added my poem that goes with this. So now you know how I work!
Here you see my watercolor crayons I use. I love them!
Getting ready to add in more detail over the top of everything. Her hair and the tree in the top left are saved for last. More details to come as well as textures and patterns done with acrylics .

Here is the first stage of an illustration I'm doing for Cricket Magazine. I've written a poem about fall that has inspired this piece. I wanted there to be more to the illustration than just "fall is great and I love leaves.. bla bla bla" so Gail Augusta, this girls name, is a sort of a fantasy character that lives in balance with the animals and seasons.

I'll be posting my progress as a go. I'm kind of excited about this! I've never taken pictures as I go along. Most of the time I just post the final.

Love to know any tips you have. Hopefully you can see it okay.

Thanks -Julie

Try this on for size...

So... me and a friend have decided to start an online Picture Book writers critique group. Here is the blurb(Please read in a cheerful voice without a snobbish thought in sight!):

Looking for some non- beginner picture book writers to join an online critique group. If interested please send a sample of your work to be reviewed by the group. Must have had work(s) published by a paying children's publication (magazine, books, etc.) and have the intention of sending more work out at least semiannually. This group is limited to 5 authors who are serious about a career in the children's writing arena. This group only critiques picture books, short stories (for highlights magazine or cricket etc.), and children's poetry (for same publications).

Members whose work is to be critiqued must submit poem, story, etc. to the group at least one week prior to monthly online meeting so that the critiques will be well thought out. Monthly meetings will be held on the 1st Friday of every month at 7pm on a yahoo group forum in real time. If you have any questions please contact Julie Hammond atjuliehammondart@gmail.com Thank you! -Julie

So I'd love to hear if anyone is interested!

The group is called 32 Reasons because once you submit your 32 page PB the publisher has 32 reasons to take you out of the slush pile.

Free activity page just for my readers! (and their kids!)

I was looking through other people's blogs and I noticed that some gave things away. I thought to myself, "You could give something away and be a nice blogger!" So... Here is an activity page for you to print. It is a writing and thinking prompt.

I'd love to know how it goes. I'm especially interested in the names your kids come up with for the characters. So please write in and tell me!

From time to time I think I'll have more give away prints. I'd love it if I could eventually have a set date I do it. But I'm going to take it slow and not commit at this point.

Anyways, have fun!!!

He is good all the time...

I might possibly have the opportunity to illustrate a children's book about Easter. I'm very eager to hear more about the details. Christ is the Lord of my life and I've often prayed for an opportunity to use my gift for Him. But in my prayer, and growing knowledge of His truth, I have found that that doesn't mean that it has to be a Bible themed illustration for it it to be for God. As a Christian I am to do everything as if doing it for the Lord. ...To the best of my ability. So really no matter if I do end up illustrating this book or not, it's ALL been for Him! God is good everyday. Everyday God is good.

IF- Linked (aka Mad Boy)

So... this boy is going nuts. He has lost control of reality. His little brother thinks perhaps a bottle would help considering he is acting like a baby. Not sure what his mad rant is linked to. What do you think?

Guardian Angel Kids and me!

If you are a parent or a children's illustrator/writer and haven't stopped over at Guardian Angel Kids e-zine you should. It's a free magazine for kids!

I recently found them and submitted my work for consideration. I was then asked to do an illustration for a story about a "green" bus. You can check out the story and see my illustration with it by clicking here! Pretty neat stuff!

Bunnies Fall in- in color!

So... I finally got a Wacom Tablet!!!Yahooooooo! I'm SO jazzed! Here is my first illustration with it. It was a pen and ink drawing- scanned in- then colored with Corell Sketch Pad.

Well... what do you think? Any tips are welcome!!

Cupcake Cowgirl!!

Howdy! This spunky gal has a lot of sass... sassafras that is! She's the Cupcake Cowgirl and she loves to bake cupcakes for the cowhands that work on the ranch! I drew this character and knew there was a story to go with her. Who knows... you may see her tale cause quite a ruckus on the shelves of a bookstore near you!

It's a Party!!!

This illustration was created for an invitation for a new bookshop opening around my neck of the woods. They will host birthday parties in the shop. The theme is Cardboard Castle! Sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun!