HOME!

Hello all. I am back in Canada. Sigh. It's funny to say home because when I say 'back home' I mean NZ not canada. So everyone here is confused except me. So. Been home about 3 days in total and it's been a very long three days. Have the creative itch but haven't made anything yet. So hopefully next week, illustrations will be made, cards will be created and all of my creatives from NZ will arrive in the mail safe and sound. (HOPING!!)

Again. I am lame and have no work for anyone, but soon enough me and miss dishy will be up and running, so stay tuned.

xox Mishe.

Wacom minus one.

Well. I am definately missing my wacom at this point. I am drawing like mad right now but really miss the ease of digital illustration. I guess when I get another one, I will be drawing like a mad woman. Currently I am thinking about my book projects, and I have a couple of projects with another writer too, but I think I am going to venture out and paint that one. I miss painting a lot, even though I am rubbish at it, I still would like to paint some more.

So. Please be patient, I will post some rather fun work in a wee while... so check back later on! :)

Fire! Napsack Bench!

I think my building was on fire, but I have returned and it seems to be ok. It even brought people together. And it brought a man and his napsack together as he was just sitting out front having one great conversation with it. I never tried to talk to my carry case... I may try in a more private environment. Not the front stoop of my building.

Love Nz.

In another note. There is another lad that seems to really work my hood. He's lovely, barefooted, and always having the best conversations with himself. I adore is salmon coloured Tee, and hope that he's going well today. Yesterday he was seen fighting a park bench. I am hoping he won.. but one has to wonder what the bench said first...

Monster Put on Pants

Here's a monster caught in the act.

New Book.

So just drawing some stuff for my new book. Here's a small taste.

Marshmellow Bliss xox

Everyone needs a day of bliss. Bliss is in the bottom of my Perk-Up Hot Chocolates, where the lovely lad puts a marshmellow in for me. It's always a lovely surprise.

Everyone needs Bliss.

Image in Header?

PS. Anyone know how to get their image in their header? I have tried several times and it never seems to upload. It takes about 9 hours on the loading page, but never ends up loading... And that makes me sad. .Any help?

Goddess.

Hey, here is another series I am working on, it's a goddess sort of horoscope series, I hadn't posted yet. Working on my new children's book at the moment. It's basically awesome. And no Mike, I won't tell you so you'll steal it, you'll just have to purchase it! hahaha.

M

The Wiggles.

Ok, I'll agree their tunes are catchy, and their shows are pretty good, and if I did have children, they would definately be listening to The Wiggles instead of that crappy Barney guy. But, does it creep anyone out that the Wiggles guys are like, men in their 40s? That's like my dad starting up a group.

Anywho. I'm a little creeped out about it.

RUBY GLOOM.

My newest love. RUBY GLOOM. She's got me written all over her. Swirlies, Lots of eyelashes, freckles, haunting gloomy stuff, and wonderful animation. I am so super in love. Plus, she's vector! Everybody loves vector!!

So, I've been making a bunch of cards, and illustrations, and I'm opening my Etsy and Cafepress stores this week, I'll let you know about my grand openings.

Anywho. I put some Flickr shots up if anyone wants to check it.

xox M.

PS Just to clarify, I didn't draw her! She's not mine! She is a TV show, check her out www.rubygloom.com

Back to the Future.

Allo! I'm finally home. Phew. It's been a long trip, but I had such a great time seeing my Ma and Pa again. I missed them heaps.
Be prepared for a super fine update.

In the words of Raoul, Peace out.

sunshine lollipops and rainbows....

hey guys! it's perfectly sunny today. it's been raining basically the whole time I've been on the south island. Anywho. Back to the north island today. Hope everyone is good. Miss you heaps.
xox M.
(PS THREE, yes THREE new stories have been developed... I'm a machine.)

TRAVELTHON

Hey everybody. I'm travelling the south island so obviously, in my back pack I didn't bring a scanner. I did however bring my sketch book, so expect new work posted when I return home in a few weeks. Since no one cares for my old blog anymore, I am just going to update this one for now, until my stupid website starts to work. (augh. the bain of my existense) Travels are going, came up with another children's book idea, but... not quite in the making yet. Everyone make sure that you check out Crystal Driedger's stuff (and buy it), and my good friend Mike Boldt. That kid basically taught me how to draw. (Well. Not really, but he honed my skills.) Plus. I'd just like to shout out to my other half, who has decided to move to Vancouver. You're rad. I'm sad. But I hope you an Joshie find the ultimate success out there. Check out www.thelemontree.com for her work. I shall visit them frequently for nights of debauchery, pizza hut in your new hallway and Josh doing the robot for us at 4am.(Sigh. I miss that......) I shall also continue to yell inappropriately in old lady fabric stores, talk about sex in Michael's and will go to Halo and tell the mini sluts that they ruined it for us. Because we are 30 and have the right to tell them where to go. Crystal will need to upgrade her sweetiness to crazy,loud, fun time ladiness during your absence. I will ruin her "lovely" persona, and greg will probably divorce her and me too.

I've seen some really incredible artwork in the last while, there is a fantastic printmaker that i need everyone to check out, unfortunately I left his details in auckland so I'll give him a shout when I get back. Saw seals instead of my favs (penguins) today, but that's alright. I am banking on Dunedin for those. If not. I shall move away from New Zealand and never return. Well. I can no longer officially afford this post. Miss you guys, cheers, xox m.

what's that you say?

people need to comment on my site more. because, my site is lonely. and I'm lonely. so people should tell me I draw good.

hahahhahaha.

Ahem. Reintroducing.. Me.

"What's that? Oh Hi! Yes it is me with brown hair" (That's the play I was re-enacting in my wee montage here.)

well well. we all know how I love to change my hair drastically. I tried to talk my new hair dresser into drastic brown, like nelly furtado brown (it makes blue eyes pop), but she wanted to be more subtle. So anywho, here it is, reintroducing me. I've had brown hair before, and my own best friend didn't even recognize me, so when I went into work today, nobody recognized me either. It's me!

No work lately. Well, I drew this bee for a client, but it never got used so.. here's a lovely bee.

Oh ps. I leave for the south island soon, so I'll see you all in a month or so!! xoxo. m

There's new law in town.

Sorry, one last posting tonight. This is my latest character, he's Sheriff Chappy. He's got a moostache and he rarely backs down from a fight. He doesn't like to hang out with my other dudes, he feels they are beneathe - THE LAW. So. He mostly struts around my apartment making people and plants feel inadequate. He will be on sale soon, with a few other dudes.
Plus he comes with a sheriff's badge, wearable to the purchaser. (Hopefully someone who is about 5 years old. But, any 28 year old guy could pull it off too.)

Yee haw. (It says on the back of his pants.)

Bulls + Rams

Ok, so digging through my computer, I finally found these scans. I remember ending up not liking the photoshop colours I did on the bull, so I'll have to go back. I still have quite a few of these characters to scan in.

But. It's 2am and I am getting tired so, I'll leave you all in suspense.

Monster Mash.

well. I have this idea for another children's book. haha, actually I have several ideas stewing away, but this is the first of the many sketches to come. I'm sort of behind on the whole posting, scanning lately. Since teaching photoshop, I am trying to warm up to it. I still really love Illustrator, and can't really seem to part ways with the lovely lass. I am experimenting in photoshop, but.. I'm not really liking the results.

I'm doing a few freelance jobs at the mo, so that's alright. Except for the fact that I have yet to obtain a full time job, and am about to embark on a wee tour of the islands with my old's. SO... where will that money come from... ?? Santa Money Claus?

Anywho. so here are my sketches... wee. I like them. Although, I always seem to sketch in ballpoint pen, and just love the results of them. When I try to colour them, I get hugely disappointed. I've coloured a few of these, I'll up load them later.

Well, I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, I went to see a friend's band, Tahuna Breaks on Saturday, and they weren't fab, they were SUPER FAB. It's true. We had a good boogie down, and some fantastically expensive sangria. Oh and I got hit on by some old guy. One thing I have noticed in NZ compared to Canada, boys don't feel you up as you walk around in bars. I like that. It's respectful, and way less dirty. Why are Canadian boys such horn dogs? Anyone remember the Thunderdome? I used to have to walk with my back alongside the walls so the bikers wouldn't feel me up.

mm... sorry this children's book story blog morphed into feel ups. You know me. I love a good feel up. Ask Carmen.

Lefthanded Vampire Sherriff*

So I've been having arm problems lately. I was in a car accident a few years ago, and sometimes my old war injury seems to act up. So, Anywhoodle. I've starting training my lefthand to illustrate. I mean, I can write with both hands, why can't I illustrate with both hands. So here' s my lefthanded illustration.

I think it's awesome.

life lesson learned.

I seem to be saying that a lot lately. I seem to be learning heaps lately.
You go through experiences and you learn. You probably learn the hard way, and get stung. I have been stung. Many many times it seems. But. It's a learning curve and hopefully I don't make the same mistakes twice. Designers, illustrators, artists, and anyone else in the world, can be abused. People think they can use you, walk all over you. We need to stand up for ourselves, believe in ourselves, believe in our talents and believe that we aren't just a bunch of monkeys. You gotta fight for your right....etc... So. That's my big thing at the mo really. Just, covering all the bases, making sure that just because people want my work, it doesn't mean they get "mates rates", it doesn't mean I can be taken advantage of, and it doesn't mean I am going to let myself be abused in that manner. It is unprofessional, on both parts.

So. "Buck up" as I tell myself. Get solid contracts that support my rights as an artist. Otherwise, there are some dodgies out there that will take you for everything you're worth. (and maybe more for some people.)

M.