This is my latest illustration. I did it for the SCBWI online newsletter with a monthly illustration word prompt. This month's word - Admire. I've been taking online illustration classes on a wonderful website that I may have mentioned before - SVS Learn. I am learning so much! My old habit was just to go with one of the first things that came to mind and get started drawing. I'm trying to make myself do more brainstorming beforehand and it helped this time. This image was approximately idea #8. Once I had narrowed down to this idea, I still had to plan the composition and put some of the things I've been learning into practice. I am learning (more like being reminded) to do MORE THUMBNAIL SKETCHES! I always knew it paid off to slow down and put more effort into the planning stages. I read once that 90% of the illustration work should be done before you start painting. I'm still a little too anxious to jump in and start the final stages, but I'm getting there.
