0 replies on “Christmas”

  3. Hi Karen,
    I love your illustrations, especially this one. What medium did you use for this cute illustration?

  5. Hey, Karen

    I loved Eva’s imagination!!!
    Especially because I have a daughter named Eva.
    Do you know if the book has already been translated to Portuguese? I’m a language teacher (English/ Portuguese) and I’d love to it so I can read to my Eva.

    Thanks!
    Mai

  6. Absolutely concur with this. Self expression, narrative, awareness of emotion, mindfulness, playfulness – creative arts encourage people of all ages to develop all of these, all so essential for good mental health. Shame on the politicians who effectively close off those learning experiences to less advantaged students.

  9. Love your work Karen and really enjoyed meeting you at the Illustrators Seminar yesterday. Thanks for all the advice, very helpful, hope our paths cross again.
    .Janie

  14. As much as I hated my own similar stories, the good thing is the valuable lesson you learn about yourself and what you’ll accept. I think it makes you more sure of what you’ll do or not do. So, there’s that!

  15. Drawing outside in this weather can be pretty miserable. Maybe worth trying again in warmer months. Love the pose of the artists in the Life Drawing painting.

  16. Ah, it’s like translators getting random questions from strangers if they’d translate “this relly short easy thing, it won’t take you a minute… What, your fee? Oh well, if you’re just all about money!” – duh, it’s a PROFESSION! Why do people assume that doing creative stuff is somehow less work than doing someone’s taxes… 🙂

  17. I couldn’t agree more Karen. I’m in just that position now, as a beginning illustrator. I accepted a very poorly paid project through a contact of a family member and after having to almost rewrite the text with this person I now have to put up with demands of how she wants the illustrations to work. I am, however enjoying the illustrating and learning lots, so all is not lost. But this will be a one off!!

  21. Great to hear from you Kim. How lovely that you’re working on a Mothers Day book when you are a new mummy. Hope that’s all going well. Are you going to the seminar on Saturday? I’m going alone, so it’ll be good to see a friendly face.

  29. Hi Karen,
    I love your work. Pyjama Party is gorgeous. Writing to see if you might be interested in illustrating a children’s book?

  33. Simply beautiful! I’m very envious of painters…that water is gorgeous. The little girl is too…I still hold my nose just like that when I jump into water.

  34. Hi Karen – I am getting back into drawing, painting after being away for a few decades… yeah, I know. A quick comment – I love your site (thank you for all of this) but a few of the links are dead. Looks like its itme to do a quick check so dead links can be revived or removed. Please keep updating your site – its an inspriation at a time when inspiration is needed!

  47. Hi Karen
    I like your girl she’s got feel
    I just did my first IF what fun
    the gig in Melbourne feels like suspense!
    – good luck with it!

    🙂 Kaye

  57. That was very quick Susan. I’m so into this now, think I’ll have a go at some Zebras and giraffes and possibly some cows. It’s fun.

  63. Beautiful Karen! Can’t wait to see it in person. and what an amazing story to go with it, wow!

    Are you going to the opening and the seminars? Look forward to seeing you and hopefully having more of a chat than last time!! x

  73. i love your style 😀
    it’s totally amazing!!!!!!
    i like the way you incorporate both pencil sketch and water colour painting

  77. Thank you Christine, I did have a lovely day. Really surprised you knew. Great to hear from you. Hope you’re doing well. Be in touch soon.

  82. Karen, you really are incredible. Congratulations on getting together your illustrators Australia page and etsy, they look fantastic! Since we saw each other last, you have been non stop working by the look of things. Your portrait sketches of your girls are absolutely gorgeous but my favourite of your latest works would have to be the illustrations of africa. It would be lovely to all get together for a lunch again soon. and good luck for the great long train race.

  83. Karen, you are so so sweet. we must all catch up again soon. It feels like such a long time. I would love to know how you’ve been getting on with your own delightful illustrations and IA? oh and the Elephant Nature Park and Surin were incredible, Fran and her daughter even dropped in for a few days. xx

  93. Awww… I so relate. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of that happening after school this afternoon, except it’s usually the little sister doing all the stirring at our house.

    I love your style, so slick and expressive. Great work!

  130. Thank you Jemima. How lovely that an old friend far away can look at my work an make a lovely comment. Now if I had an up to date postal address for you you would have received a card with this on it! I’ve seen the stunning photos on FB but don’t know where it is!

  148. Black as it seems now, it’s all part of Nature’s plan. The seeds of the giant sequoias of California won’t actually germinate unless exposed to fire. You won’t recognise the place in 50 years.

  159. Hi Karen – thanks for the print!! it arrived on Friday. I’m the proud owner 🙂 just wanted to ask you – did you make the print yourself? the quality is very nice.

    Thanks

  168. Hi Karen (I’m Susan’s mum). I love your work – your illustrations really make me smile, and I love your “dribbly” watercolours. Yes it is scarey having an exhibition. No doubt Susan has told you that I am having my first exhibition in October in Wagga Wagga – it is something I had never even thought about until I was asked to have one!! Who would have thought at age 72 that I would be doing this. Nearly all my work is pastel which I love – it is so instant. Keep up your wonderful work and I will proibably catch up with you next time I am needed to look after Max, Ed and Arch. Belinda

  169. I just happened upon your site while looking up google images of walking a dog… and i LOVE your artwork. You have a beautiful style! And for the record, I don’t think you overdo the watercolour… the one of the girl walking the dog is awesome! =) It caught my eye out of a hundred other walking the dog pics/photos/paintings/cartoons on my google search. =)
    You have a gift.

  170. what the hell is going on in that crazy head of yours???!!! Is the top one you in a few years time?? I love your work lovely sister xxx

  171. Your work is so inspiring, I plan to put my work in the young artist section in the Derinya art and craft exhibition this year 2010!
    Love your work :o)

  178. Hi Karen, just followed your link from your comment on my site (thank you) and discovered your version of “Brave”!!! I really really love it! The expression on the children, and on the bear is sooo good!! Very sensitive technique too. Really like your style!!

  190. really like all these my sis, beautiful stuff. I’m v.dissillusioned with work at the mo and really want to get going with the cartoon stuff properly. any tips?

  194. Wow! Love the character, the media used, the fact that it’s the character type and reaction that relates to the theme…(as a recent mother of 4, I recognize that joyous moment – VERY special :).

    Really cool! Nice work!

  196. Thankyou. This was printed watercolour paper but I’m doing alot of work in old thrift shop books at the moment. Some of those old kids annuals have fabulous quality paper.

  199. We:ve just discovered Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury, and are smitten by the wonderful text, and especially, the illustrations. I:ll look for more Oxenbury illustrated books…..this book is a gem.

    nfahringer

  208. I love this illo. I can almost feel the warm breeze helping this lil guy across the sand. (If only there wasn’t 8 inches of snow outside my window reminding me how very cold it is)
    Can’t wait to visit again.

  211. Thankyou for the lovely comments. I leave doing IF for weeks on end and forget how great it is to get messages from other artists I don’t know and check out their work. It’s just great.

  216. Hello Karen, just letting you know that now and again i do check up on your progress! There is something primeval about this- which is very you.. wild and slightly bonkers!!

  217. Oh I Love this. You’ve just captured that tired and ill face wonderfully, I’ve so been there. And the hair! Sick bed hair. Doesn’t the bucket just make you feel twice as bad though? Beautiful illustration.

  228. Firstly, how exciting to hear from you! The kids and I looked at your website and recognised some of your books, particularly ‘Kangaroo’s CanCan Cafe’. Thankyou for your comment.

  231. Hi Karen. Someone was kind enough to drop me an email to say you’d given me a shout out in your blog. I just popped by to say thank you and how much I appreciate it. Now I’m here though, I’d also like to tell you how gorgeous your life studies are. Also, I love the facial expressions in your piece for ‘Opinions’- very well observed and hugely funny! Very best of luck with your work in 2009 and Happy Christmas. Cassia :0)

  239. Lovely quick sketch!
    Eew, wet camping! I had a summer of that, and have vowed never to camp in the rain again! ( at least, not with 3 young kids and a hairy dog)

  241. What a sweet expression, your drawings of kids are great!

    I can totally relate about the need to keep drawing… if I don’t have a project to work on its hard to maintain the rigor, so I’ve set a similar goal for myself. That kind of training is the good thing and the bad thing about being in school; when you’re not in it all the other little commitments of life seem to take higher priority than your art-making time.

  242. this made me cry, but in the most postitive way out there. Seeing this made me think back to when i was younger and going to a local fairy festival, and how i wish i could back to those times. They were probably some of the best times of my life i had so far. The dress is just adorable in its self and adding the leggings makes it so adorable and silly and just complete it. 🙂 great work!

  251. This reminds me of my oldest daughter Imogen. My two year old was sitting on my lap while I was looking and she even said “Imogen”. Very sweet. I really like your work!

  255. You have such a lovely loose style. You make it look so easy, but I know it’s a sign of real talent. This is a beautiful picture.

  262. Karen,

    Remember that you will always be your own worst critic. Use this to your advantage and work as hard as time will allow to bring yourself to a point where you criticize it less. I started on my goal of professional illustration back in January, and along the way have seen my art improve with each sketch. That improvement carries me to the next step in reaching my goal.

    Not sure what you are not liking about your art, as the stuff you have here is really good!

    Maybe I missed the point of your post…

  278. awww! my baby is starting next year. It’s bittersweet isn’t it. it’s so exciting to see their personalities emerging but so sad to see thier babyhood slipping away.

  279. wonderful illustration and really fits the topic well….

    I am sending not one, but two to HS this year and I can’t believe it. They have no trouble “detaching”….but I think I always will 🙂 At least I still have one in elementary school….

    do I see Manky in the backpack ???

  283. How hard it is to let go. My oldest started middle school this year, where does the time go? Love the illustration. You captured her smallness and her excitement about starting school.

  284. Oh, cute, cute, cute! She sounds like my second child — tiny, but packed with a punch. The detachment process is harder for mom, I think. 🙂

  285. Beautiful illustration! Wonderful contrast between the enormous book bag and the red hat. It emphasizes her physical smallness and the magnitude of “her persona”. Brilliant work!

  296. Lovely work on those onions! I think you’re a bit like me – you do the serious watercolours but also the light-hearted characters etc 🙂
    I like your chocolate pills – very striking piece.

  297. Hi, I like your style 🙂 I was inspired by your blog so I nominated you for the Brillante Blog award (You can see it on my blog).

  300. Thanks for the inspiration Karen, I’m going to buy myself a copy of that How to Grow as an Illustrator book!
    If you’d like to visit my blog, you’ll see I’ve given you an award!x

  304. I absolutely love your blog, and all your beautiful pictures. I think we share similar tastes, and we have some favourite illustrators in common. You are much better at drawing children than I am though! I love your loose use of watercolour; it gives such energy and life. You’re very versatile too. Lovely stuff.

  306. Great sketches, it looks like you had fun. Are you going to do ‘sour’ this week? Sorry to hear there was no snow, Global warning or just a bad year?

  307. What a lovely evening you must have had! All those still models to draw. It reminds me of the Bloomsbury artists whose subject matter was very similar.

  308. Thanks Karen for the link to Jill Barton. It’s particularly inspiring for me, because I too came to illustration late, and she lives in my area! Her illustrations are gorgeous aren’t they?

  314. I remember this! You were NAUGHTY!.. and I don’t imagine for a minute you have learnt your lesson. Infact as an adult you wouldn’t be so sneaky, you’d lean in and take a massive bite out of a chocolate bar I was about to eat myself! This is the main reason why I won’t come and live in Australia! That and the fact the chocolate there is rubbish!

    The pictures are soooo good Karen. They make me cry you bumhole. xxxxx

  320. Haha! My older sister is exactly the same 🙂 She too is the more ‘intelligent’ one as well! I really like the sketchy feel you created, I’m too much of a perfectionist to do this type of technique

  323. I just got myself a digital camera, my first ever. A Nikon Coolpix L18. I’m trying to get into photography – not very good at it but I love taking pictures. Love capturing moments.

    And that picture of the trees?
    AH-Mazing! I love it.

  328. Thanks so much for your kind words about my blog Karen – to be put in the same sentence as Wee Wonderfuls is very humbling indeed 🙂 Gosh your paintings are beautiful – I am especially smitten with the current work in progress.

  332. This is wonderful! I dog-sat a sweet tempered Jack Russell for a few months once…the most adorable dog! I hear they can be quite feisty but the one I took care of was a sweetheart.

  337. Aw, look at his little feet! I’ve never owned a Jack Russell, but I’ve heard they are hyper! That’s neat that your dog was so mild tempered. He’s a cutie!

  342. You’re right, you’ve just got to remember what the most important things are and remember why you’re doing it. This is a lovely sketch that you’ll find in a few years time and see how more beautiful it gets with time. (That’s what happened to me when I drew my own children!) 🙂

  346. Ha! In the winter we often have our lights on all day!!
    I love this drawing, she loks so engroosed in what she’s doing, it’s lovely! 🙂

  348. I did that a lot in my first apartment. There was one night where the electricity had gone out and mine was the only apartment still lit. A neighbor came knocking to find out how and showed me the neighborhood was out. It was kind of cool to see how I managed to be the only one not to notice.

  366. Sandra, thankyou for your comment. I have an Olympus SP-500UZ. It’s two years old now but works like a dream and I’ve taken thousands of pictures and carry it around everywhere. I had a look at your blog and realised you are the same person who commented on my painting post. Good luck to your amazing daughter.

  386. It’s a great web-site isn’t it? We’re inundated with Quentin Blake greetings cards in all the shops here at the moment, but I don’t care, I love it! 🙂

  387. Hi Karen,
    I love this! I’ve just discovered your blog through IF and your artwork is wonderful. I look forward to more of your lovely drawings!x

  392. Yah me too. I nearly missed it. Same as me didnt know the meaning. I asked my boyfriend for the meaning heheaha. As for me.. i can’t find my car keys and it make me stress looking for them. I can’t remember where i put it. *LOL* I love your quick painting. It really nice. 😉