A work in progress

I don't usually take pictures of my ACEOs as a work in progress (WIP), since I don't have very good lighting at my shop and scan them in at home. But one fairly recent day I decided to give it a shot and now you can see how my ratties in 'Waiting at the Bar' came to be.

I started with a sketch of a bunch of rats waiting at and around the bar, and when I liked the placement of the gang I started to color them in. The last thing I add is their whiskers.

       

I work different all the time, sometimes I will draw a rat and then have no idea what I want him to do and will put it aside until inspiration hits. And other times I have a definitive idea and it all goes together nicely.

I hope you enjoyed this look into how one of my ACEOs progressed from a sketch to a finished piece of art.

Have a great day!

A couple of rats dealing with summer in their own way, one at a bar and the other looking wistfully at his neighbors pool over the backyard fence. The summer here has been decent so far, today is the first day of awful humidity so I am sure I will be cranky by the end of the day.

I am trying to think up some ideas for my rats and cats and how they can best spend their summer.

Also on the horizon is NFAC (Nibblefest) on eBay, this month the theme is 'Dramatic Light' which should be fun. NFAC starts on the 20th. I have a vague idea of what I want to do and am trying to decide if I am brave enough to list something bigger than an ACEO (2.5"x3.5"). There are a few days left to decide.

I hope this post looks OK when it is published as I am trying out a few new things with the layout.

My nephew has made it safely to Mali and is learning French.

Well, signing off now and thank you for stopping by!

February already

I can't believe it's February already and spring is just around the corner. I always look forward to seeing the crocus bloom, then I know that spring is really close by. I used to like winter but lately not so much, I think because it's so expensive to stay warm.

I try to keep my little rats happy in the winter, they go skating, skiing, shovel snow, play piano and hang out in bars. They have more fun than I do. haha

Yesterday started the ACEO Theme Week (on eBay, search ACEO TW) which is Mardi Gras this month.

Not ones to let a little snow get them down, these rats know to head to the local bar for some good conversation, booze and a cigarette or two.
And why waste a freezing day indoors when you can glide around on ice skates on a frozen lake?
I hope you all are enjoying the last month or so of winter. However in a few months I will be complaining about the humidity which I can't tolerate at all.