Time to start blogging again!

It's been a while. But I'm trying my best to focus more on illustration and maybe heading somewhere with it more than the three times a year I get to draw (in)frequency that I've been maintaining.

I recently did a workshop online called Build A Freelance Illustration Business. It was ran by Salli Swindell of "They Draw and Cook," and it was fantastic. On top of that, they created a facebook page for everyone who paid for the workshop to build a community together, and that too has been more than I ever expected. It's so great interacting with people who are in similar stages of their career or passions. Everyone is supportive and energetic. Maybe it's my perspective from working by myself all day, but I'm finding the group to be really helpful.

I've ramped up some social media things, mostly to keep myself producing. I got my website running through Behance, published my facebook page for Stephanie Smith Creative, changed my Instagram handle to be StephanieSmithCreative, made a separate twitter account, and even started a Pinterest page. I'm trying to do something at least every other day. It's hard with the work load I have now with my graphic design business, but I'm settling in and adjusting some things.

Here are all of my social media / web presence:

Stephanie Smith Creative

web - http://www.stephaniesmithcreative.com

instagram - https://instagram.com/stephaniesmithcreative/

twitter - https://twitter.com/ssmith_creative

facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/StephanieSmithCreative

blog - http://stephaniesmithcreative.blogspot.com/

tumblr - http://stephaniesmithcreative.tumblr.com/

linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/pub/stephanie-smith/5/498/9a8

pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/helmssmith/stephanie-smith-creative/

BoomBoom Prints - www.boomboomprints.com/shop/artist/StephanieSmithCreative

I want to start focusing on producing prints, and am going to start with BoomBoom Prints, and this market of children and baby stuff. That's what people usually say my style fits, so I'm going to explore it some more, focusing it there even more. Then another idea / category I like is pop culture stuff. I'd like to do some fan art in my style – see what happens there. And last, I really like the idea of some sort of project or ongoing thing that uses art but enlightens people or makes them happy or interact somehow. Kind of like what Salli and Nate have done with They Draw & Cook and They Draw & Travel...but not for the artist community. I haven't figured out what that would be yet. 

So that's a quick update. And without further ado, here are my Morning Monsters I've been posting recently.

National Pig Day

It's National Pig Day. I had no idea. But here's a drawing of a smart pig reading from her library. 

"Metropolis" for Illustration Friday

Broomball in 50º Weather

It's bound to be a soggy mess this week!

Sesame Street characters

These were some of my favorites. I had a bunch of silly songs in my head while working on these!

Burnese Mt. Dog Wants a Snowball

A friend posted that she wants a Burnese Mountain Dog. I am not sure if she's serious, but I decided to draw a quick picture of one for her, to aid in the persuasion of her husband to get one. They have 3 cats. That would be quite an addition to the animal family. And hair content of their dwelling.

Shoe

Triumphant!

Carry

http://stephaniesmithcreative.tumblr.com/

Peek

Dexter the tubby beagle

Dexter, my beagle, is a little on the heavy side. We went to the vet today and I was told he needs to lose weight. We don't feed him a lot, and there are no "extras" like table scraps. He just is kinda lazy. So...tomorrow I'm going to take him to the park. I am going to walk him a lot more. It will be good for both of us.

A Storm of Swords drawing.

Arya and the Hound need to cross the river...but it is too swollen. I think I have this wrong though. I think they were both on one horse here. Ooops.

Illustration Friday: Kernel

When an Elephant Flies a Kite

Retro Spring.

Society6 Submission for the "US AND THEM" Collaboration: They Have Weapons

I just recently started putting some drawings on Society6. They have a pretty awesome setup for selling your art. They produce it high quality, and ship it for you. They also do some art collaborations based on themes, and put together some sort of zine. The current one is titled "Us and Them".  My interpretation is a humorous take on the myth that elephants are afraid of mice. From the elephants' perspectives (us) there is real reason to be afraid...because the mice (them) have some serious weapons!

Bichon Topiary

I had a few ideas for some dog illustrations. Here is the first: a bichon frise next to a topiary. The similarities make me chuckle.

The Goose on the Corner

This is the goose that lives at a neighbor's house down the street. They rehabbed it, and now it won't leave. Sometimes the man and son hit golf balls around in the yard and the goose is right there with them. Or they throw the football around and he's right there. I think that he must love the humans he lives with.

Illustration Friday: Scattered

Illustration Friday: Boundaries