New Pattern

©Kathleen Rietz
This new pattern I created makes me think of spring clothes! Check out more designs on my website.

Illustration Friday - "Multiple"

©Kathleen Rietz
"Green Squirmers", one of my newest patterns available for licensing. See more at my website!

Thinking Spring

Longing for carefree days dappled in sunlight and warm breezes...
©Kathleen Rietz
Just a little sketchbook drawing I thought I would share.

Illustration Friday - "Theory"

I actually drew this as a Valentine for my dog Sunshine, but it fits the theme "Theory", and I am not sure I will find time to complete another drawing this week. So I wanted to share it with you all.
Scientific studies have shown the benefits of keeping a pet. They lower your blood pressure, raise your sense of well being, and caring for an animal can give a person a sense of purpose and love. Dogs and cats are used for all kinds of therapy, and there are programs which bring animals into retirement homes for visits.
My dog and I are inseparable. She really does make me laugh everyday...I'd say she has been very good for my sense of well being!
©Kathleen Rietz
For all of you who have pets to hug today.
Happy Valentine's Day. (my original message from the original posting on Valentine's Day)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

©Kathleen Rietz
I save too much "stuff"....such as this pencil doodle I sketched on a Post-It over 13 years ago....and colored in Photoshop today just to say "Happy Valentine's Day"! xxoo -kate :)

Valentine's Day

©Kathleen Rietz
Here is a gift wrap collection I designed for Valentine's Day. Check out more of my "Surface Designs" on my website. I just added this catagory, and already I am negotiating an assignment!
I also added a page called "My Process", where you can see how I worked on my latest mermaid illustration.

My Little Mermaid - spot illo

©Kathleen Rietz
Here is a spot illustration I painted to accompany the mermaid illustration (BELOW) which I painted yesterday. I have been working on trying to create portfolio pieces that tell a story. These illustrations were based on the Illustration Friday theme "Tales & Legends" from 2 weeks ago. You can see the preliminary sketch for the main illustration if you scroll down the page a bit.

My Little Mermaid

©Kathleen Rietz
A new illustration inspired by the Illustration Friday prompt "Tales & Legends" (scroll down to see the preliminary sketch).

Illustration Friday - "Blanket"

©Kathleen Rietz
Just a boy, his dog, the moonlight and a blanket...
Hey, click the link to my website in the right hand column of this page to see the latest additions to my site, including "sketchbook" art and my latest catagory "surface design".

Let Them Eat Cake!

My daily visits to Diana Evans' blog and her "Yummy Sketch of the Day" daily food postings have brought back fond memories of the home based cake business my friend Melissa and I used to run from her kitchen. The biggest challenge was the wedding cakes because everything had to be made and decorated the night before, and of course wedding cakes call for many tiers and a flawless application of fondant or icing or both. So we are talking about many all-nighters and carefully transporting our cakes to finish decorating on-location the next morning. Our specialty was fresh floral cakes, but the characters were lots of fun, too, such as this lady bug cake with black sour ball eyes and licorice whip legs. I wish I had a better picture of this cake. I also like the way the yellow bridal shower cake turned out, since I had to make this one alone, and it was my first attempt at handling rolled fondant.

Illustration Friday - "Tales & Legends"

© Kathleen Rietz
I am working on this preliminary sketch this week for a new piece that I hope will make it into my portfolio. I am open to suggestions about what you think it "needs". It is in the very preliminary stages. I really want my illustrations to tell a story. Not just be pretty pictures.
Last Friday I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down at a local Starbuck's with children's book illustrator Kristi Valiant, who stopped through town on her way to see family. I had such a nice time with her, and I also learned so much from talking "shop" with her and leafing through our portfolios together. I am hoping that we will catch up with each other again in the not-too-distant future. It was so great to see such an established illustrator with over 20 books to her name! Bonus: she is a very nice person! Thanks Kristi!
Then on Sunday Kathy Weller and I talked on the phone until our ears pretty much turned into soft cauliflower. : ) I have always been such a BIG fan of Kathy's. Funny to find out she is also a big fan of my work. We seem to have similar personalities and I get the feeling we would be a dangerous pair if we lived anywhere within 50 miles of each other! You know you are a dangerous combo when you have talked so long that your phone's battery dies and you have to switch to your cell phone. heehee... Thanks Kathy! You crack me up.
I also want to thank Alicia Padron for our valuable email exchanges about illustration, promotion, and just plain "life".
I am realizing how blessed I am to have "met" so many terrific artists while blogging (some virtually and some in real life!). Rubbing elbows with you all is what makes my day, every day. I have learned so much from your comments about my work. I do not take for granted anyone who stops by to have a look. I always hope you like what you see and will that you return again and again.
O-O-O-Oh!!! By the way, I am going to try to put together a new blog showcasing my art students' work. I hope to work on it this weekend. Stay tuned. I will announce the blog once I have it up and running.

Respite

I just completed several batches of textbook illustrations that I have been working on since the end of October. What began as 108 illustrations turned into 143. I had to let 2 picture book assignments pass through my hands during this project - one because the situation was not right, and the other because the deadline was impossible for me. But those are decisions that you have to make sometimes, you know? I hope there is a new offer right around the corner.
My second semester of teaching children's art classes at Wheaton began today. We had lots of fun. I had the younger kids stretch their creativity by blindly reaching into paper bags to choose 5 words or phrases that would complete a sentence that they then had to illustrate. For example: The blue horse juggled omelets while wearing boots on a train in a rainstorm. They loved this assignment! For my older class of kids, we created grey scale models and then I set up 3 eggs on black paper under a spotlight and we rendered studies of the eggs, taking note of shadows and values and reflective light. I was so impressed with these kids. They are only 11 and their drawings were beautiful! I also started my 3rd teaching job today, teaching art to a group of home schooled kids in my community. Next week we will be working on self-portraits in graphite.
It feels good to have completed this huge 3 1/2 month long illustration assignment, and now to invest my time into teaching budding artists! This is what makes me happy about being an artist. Every day is a gift.

Illustration Friday - "Plain"

©Kathleen Rietz
Billy's mom always told him he was plain, but today at recess little freckle-faced Becky Beauregard told him he was handsome.

Illustration Friday - "Stitch"

This is a portion of a painting I did for a giftware company when I was freelancing on a weekly basis for them back in 1992. That was back when P.O.P. was designed and painted by hand, and work was hand delivered to the client. I miss that "human" touch from time to time. Now everything is done electonically.

Illustration Friday - "100%"

©Kathleen Rietz
Mmm-mmm-mm...for me, tea is one of the pleasures of life. 100% enjoyment.

A Tough Decision Rings In The New Year

©Kathleen Rietz
I had to make a decision that was really hard for me as a freelance illustrator: I had to decide to pull out of an assignment. The deadline for the picture book assignment was just too tight. I have worked day and night for the past 2 1/2 months, barely stopping to enjoy the holidays, running myself raw. My "free time" has been filled with creating new sample pieces, adding to my website, creating "give-aways", promoting myself, trying to keep the fiery momentum going. Freelance business can be oh-so volatile. I had wished for projects like this to come in June, July and August. Instead, they all came at once - during the holidays no less! And business rarely ever goes according to the schedule sent to you, especially in November and December when everyone's schedule is up for grabs. So....I realized that taking the job would have meant compromising my other current assignments, and nothing would have received 100% of my effort. By "nothing" I mean my assignments. And my students. And meetings. And the patients at the chiopractic clinic. And more importantly really, my friends, family, and myself. It is so hard to strike a balance at times, isn't it? And it is really hard to say "no" to assignments. Especially good ones - like PUBLISHED BOOKS! But I felt a sense of relief at the thought of not having this deadline hovering over me: a week to research and complete rough sketches, and then a week and a half for FINISHED, full-color art!! So yesterday I did something I have not done in at least 3 months: lie on my sofa with the dog, a wool blanket, a cup of hot cocoa and the television remote.

Happy New Year ATC "tiny tags" giveaway!

©Kathleen Rietz 2007
I'm having another giveaway! I created these "tiny tags" to ring in 2008. The first 5 people who leave me a comment will receive a set of 3 tags which I will choose from this assortment. Tags measure 1 3/4" X 1 1/8" each. Happy New Year!

Random Fact #8: I have a Christmas Eve Birthday

Today is my 40th birthday. You may remember Random Fact #1 from back in August "I Am A Twin". So it is my twin brother's birthday also. For those of you 20-Somethings out there who think that 40 is old, it's not. I still love hip-hop and dance music and I shop in the Junior's dept for most of my clothes and stay up until all hours of the night making my art. I love the stupid "reality" shows on MTV and I text my friends when I don't feel like calling. But I also have to tell you that my 30's were way better than my 20's, and I am looking forward to what my 40's will bring. 40 years has made me wiser, more empathetic, standing firm in who I am and what I believe, but more accepting of others and their differences. My world view is different than it was even 5 years ago, now that I think about it, and it's been shaped by my years on this earth. Am I where I thought I would be at 40? No. But I am my mother's daughter, and I know she would be proud of me if she were here. This is an amazing time we live in. We have so many choices to shape our lives and live our dreams right at our virtual fingertips. We can touch others' lives and share our thoughts and our art right here at our computers. I am grateful for every one of you who has ever stopped by my blog and commented on my posts; I feel like I "know" so many of you and you brighten my days, every day! Thanks for an awesome year of art blogging and I cannot wait to share the next one with you all! Cheers! (Red scarf courtesy of my friend Joan in Hawaii, who began knitting it months ago and sent it this week as a birthday gift, along with some other goodies. Thanks Joan!)

Illustration Friday - "Horizon"

This was an illustration (above) I did for Abbey Press a year and a half ago...but it fits the theme.
And here is an illustration I painted in 1995, for my very first children's picture-book. I almost didn't post this one, but I had to prove to myself that I still have a sense of humor. There is nothing horribly "wrong" with it, I would just do it so differently almost 13 years later.....which is a GOOD thing! It shows I've grown as an illustrator.
Click both images for a closer look.
Meanwhile.....I am still working on the 113 illustrations (the editor added 5 more!) for the textbooks due in January. AND, I found out earlier this week that I have been awarded a new picture-book! I am not even sure about the subject matter yet; all I know is that it is a Spanish language book and that the publisher wants it done in my "whimsical" style (which you can see in the 2 posts immediately below this one). Hmmmm... I also know that delivery of the final art is expected in 3 or 4 weeks....this should make for some abbreviated celebrating during the holidays. But, how cool is that?? I say, pretty darn cool. : )

ATC Holiday Giveaway!

I won an Artist Trading Card in blogger Joan Yoshioka's (Drawing on Nature) contest. Her only request was that I carry on the spirit of holiday giving and give away 3 of my own. So here is your chance to own one of 3 original ATCs by ME! I only ask that you be willing to also carry on the giving spirit and give away 3 items of your own in a contest on your blog. The first 3 people to leave me a comment on this post win one of these ATCs! Happy Holidays!
Each card is 2.5" X 3.5" and is mixed media (dyes, pen, paper and glitter).

Illustration Friday - "Backwards"

©Kathleen Rietz
It's hard to feel any sense of dignity when you're wearing a hospital gown.

I've been Featured on Illustrophile!

© McGraw-Hill
I have been featured on Illustrophile, a blog which showcases illustrators and commercial artists of all kinds and styles! The blog was created and is authored by Charlene Chua, a very talented illustrator herself. Thanks Charlene!

This illustration was commissioned last January for a text book published by McGraw-Hill. I also was commissioned to create this illustration of Martin Luther King, Jr for the same book.

BTW, PLEASE participate in my "Puff The Magic Dragon" post below. I am loving everyone's answers! - kate : )

"Puff, The Magic Dragon"

© Kathleen Rietz, drawn in May 1972, at age 4 1/2
I loved this story when I was a child, and my mother used to sing the song to me. It aways ended so sadly though....Poor Puff.
I love to remember the wholesome entertainment we enjoyed from that era - Sesame Street and The Electric Company with their original casts (Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman still look incredible and have gone on to be such gifted actors!! Who knew??), Burl Ives records for children, the wonderfully animated Christmas specials before everything became so gosh darn p.c., staying up to watch The Wizard of Oz on network t.v. every summer and being frightened by the original Willy Wonka movie (please get those Oompa-Loompas out of my head!).
What television and music did you enjoy as a child? What do you miss most?

Illustration Friday - "Little Things"

© Kathleen Rietz
Sometimes great things come in small packages. This is actually an older illustration I did for a story I had floating around in my head about a boy who is given this beautiful little box, and contained in the box are magical powers. I loved the imagery I had envisioned for the story, and decided to paint the cover illustration as a promo piece last year.

Winter's Garden Snowcone

©Kathleen Rietz
I emailed this photo to my friend and fellow blogger Joan Yoshioka in Hawaii, who commented that it looks like a snowcone. I thought the same thing when I photographed it this morning. This bush reminded me of something from a fairy tale - like the garden Dorothy discoveres in The Wizard of Oz - a shrub sprouting forth sparkly snowcones or sugar covered marshmallows. It is worth clicking on the image to see it full-size. Of course, it was even better in person.

Illustration Friday - "Excess"

©Kathleen Rietz
Little girls are so funny...the more they accessorize, the prettier they feel, even if the rest of the family sees it as excess!

A Plethora of Pugs!

©Kathleen Rietz
Yesterday I was contacted by a publisher who saw my work and is interested in possibly having me illustrate a children's picture book about pugs. Because I did not have any pugs in my portfolio, I did a few sketches last night to email to the publisher. I sketched so many pugs I thought I might turn into one. These dogs are so ugly, they're CUTE! I think that is why they are so popular now. They always look to me like someone hit them in the face with a hot iron skillet. In an adorable sort of way...of course.

Feast or Famine

© Kathleen Rietz
LOL...I have 36 sketches due on Monday. They are for a text book assignment I am working on. There are actually 3 batches of 36 illustrations (108 in all), which I will be taking from concept to finished pen & ink from now through mid January. Seems like a long time, right? No, not really. If you freelence, you know how much waiting you have to do in this business....waiting for assignments, waiting for approvals, waiting. And people will of course be celebrating the holidays and coming and going...one of my deadlines is the Wedensday of Thanksgiving week; another is January 2nd, whether anyone is in the office to give approvals or receive my work or not. But you know what? I love it. When I have projects, I am happy. Maybe sleep deprived. Maybe a little stinky. But ultimately...HAPPY. So if I miss a couple of Illustration Fridays or seem to disappear now and then, you'll know I am just finally....busy again. : ) By the way, you can see my Illustration Friday entry "scales" if you scroll down the page a little...I actually completed it last week, but it seems to fit the topic nicely. Have a good weekend, fellow bloggers! - kate : )

Illustration Friday - "Hats"

© Kathleen Rietz
A preliminary line drawing is all I have time for this week. I do hope to develop the composition and turn it into a painting when I find time to illustrate again. It is a grandmother and baby going for a train ride, both wearing their hats. I have to think about what she will be looking at outside the train window...

Illustration Friday -"Scales"

© Kathleen Rietz
A new sample piece for my portfolio. And it happened to fit Friday's topic rather nicely.

Hey, visit my new blog!

Joan Yoshioka and I now have a collaborative blog called Potluck Sunday, where we share our creative odds and ends that did not make it onto our personal blogs, but we feel deserve a spotlight in cyberspace. We plan on sharing our photos, stories, artwork....a little of this, a little of that. Check it out.

Random Fact #7: "Yikes!"

For some reason, when I was 4 years of age, I had an awareness of animals with big snapping teeth, and I had a need to work out this issue on paper. I believe it may have been because our daschund, Hilda, did not like children and had to make her point clear to me and my tiny probing fingers using her teeth. I think the picture drawn in green crayon accurately illustrates what Hilda's demeanor was like most of the time. I also believe the creature chasing the person up a tree is a dinosaur, and the picture of the fish with big teeth is a shark. I remember being very impressed with these animals as a girl. Click the pictures to get a better view.

How Cool!

I should have posted these earlier, but anyhoo....here are some digital candy bar wrappers I designed for Scraphead.com. You can download all 3 instantly for $2.75. Just click the link.

Illustration Friday - Trick-or-Treat

© Kathleen Rietz

Illustration Friday - "Grow"

©Kathleen Rietz

Illustrartion Friday - "Extreme"

©Kathleen Rietz
It really wasn't too long ago in America that these girls would not have been allowed to play together based solely on the color of their skin. Sometimes it takes the friendships of children to teach adults right from wrong.

SCBWI-IL Gallery Show

Here is a photo from the exhibit today at the Chesterton Art Center in Chesterton, IN. I wish my sister could have been there....tomorrow is her birthday, and I wanted to surprise her by presenting to her my original painting, "Symphony In The Pond" (on the right). She loves the painting, but was pretty convinced I would never part with it. She thinks she is getting a print. : ) I wanted to see the look on her face. We are having lunch tomorrow...I will have to wait until then to tell her.
One highlight from the show was seeing so many wonderful original children's book illustrations along with their illustrators in one room.
Another highlight was hearing Larry Day speak about his book "Not Afraid of Dogs", which was awarded the SCBWI's Golden Kite Award in 2007. His illustrations are great, and I loved hearing about the entire process.
But most important to me was having my friends there to support me. They enjoyed the show, maybe more than I did, and it meant a lot to me.

Illustration Friday "Open"

© Kathleen Rietz
This illustration is originially titled "In The Morning Mist". I wanted to convey the freedom and openness that the horse feels taking a morning gallop around the stable in the warm morning sunlight.

SCBWI-IL Gallery Show THIS WEEKEND!

The time is approaching soon...the opening reception for SCBWI-IL art show at the Chesteron Art Center in Chesterton, IN is this Sunday from 1-4pm. I illustrated this letter "M" as part of the alphabet which will be auctioned off the entire month of October. So many talented Chicago area children's illustrators have contributed their time and talents to this show, and I am so excited. To view the entire illustrated alphabet click here.
© Kathleen Rietz
I will also be exhibiting these 2 illustrations in the gallery for the entire month of October.
© Kathleen Rietz
© Kathleen Rietz
For more information on the SCBWI-IL and the Chesterton Gallery Show, click here.

Illustration Friday "The Blues" #2

© Kathleen Rietz