Even the mice are celebrating Christmas this year!

I'm thinking whether I should put some more Christmas cards in my shop. I was thinking of adding this one and the drawing from my previous post.

What do you think: Christmas card y/n?

Getting a Christmas tree with dad

I was feeling in a Christmassy mood this afternoon and made an ink drawing.

Past ghosts

Sometimes my head's filled with stuff, ideas. It can be overwhelming and sometimes I just have to let it out by drawing. This is what I made today. It's a pencil drawing on a very old book page (about insects if you're curious :D). The rest is with gouache and watercolours.

Boxes and moving

I made this illustration for a friend who is moving to her new home soon. It pictures her and her son in flying boxes :D

Art for charity

I participated in a great project by Gallery Nucleus. Artists create a special 5"x7" original artwork of which the money goes to a charity chosen by the artist.
You can find my piece here.

There are some amazing pieces of work available!

Dances Between Flowers

I've been away for a while. I'm trying to pick up work slowly again. I finished these two little paintings yesterday. I started on them a week ago but because my mom is in the hospital I stopped working for a while.

One of these is going to sold for charity soon, I will keep you updated!

More photos of these on my Flickr

I'm also still working on the picture book '17 Hats' which will be published by June Books. I will bring you some updates on that soon!

Happy Royal wedding day!

It's a nice day today. The weather is nice although I wouldn't object to a little more sun. Today is also the day that Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married. I think the fuss all around this day is a bit too much but I do like the event :)

I hope everyone has a lovely day today!

This illustration in my Flickr stream

New characters

I just finished drawing some new characters. Some of them I like to use for books, maybe :)

You can view my doodles and illustrations on Flickr: flickr.com/photos/marloesdevries

Someone like you...

I wanted to try again if I could make something with hand lettering. As inspiration I used singer Adele and her song 'Someone Like You'. I think it's a wonderful, emotional song. And I just adore Adele.

Did you know I have a Flickr account with more work?

Draw it off #3

My love for books knows no end.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you may receive as much love as I do today! Happy Valentine's Day!

Draw it off #2

I love old radios but I rarely listen to the modern ones lately.

Draw it off #1

Sometimes I'm working so much and trying so hard, I tend to forget why I have quit my daytime job to pursue a career as a fulltime illustrator and designer. I'm so caught up in 'being the best I can be', it's not making my work better. Time to say to myself "Stop, why are you doing this?" For the love of art! That's why I'm doing this!

I'm a perfectionist, by nature. I can't do something I'm not committed to, neither can I accept an assignment when I know I can't do a perfect job. Honestly, I'm my own worst boss. I'm not easily pleased and I push myself to do a better job.

I guess you get the point, right? Things need to change a bit, or actually I need to change.
I have given myself an assignment, something else from what I useally do. When I feel like I'm pushing msyelf too much again, I'm gonna draw the thing that's on my mind. These drawings do not require anything. No theme, no deadline, no prettiness, no pressure. Just do it without thinking. Like a diary, to shake my troubles off.

I've cut out several 15cm x 15cm squares to draw it on. No computer, only analogue. That's the only restriction.

So, here's the first one:

Handpainted key cabinet

I made this key cabinet last week. I tend to lose my keys a lot so I quite like these cabinets. You can buy it on my Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65491751/wooden-key-cabinet-with-handpainted-key

A new Christmas card

I decided to do another Christmas card. Especially made for friends and family. I'm pretty content with this one! I also made a version with Dutch text in it, which will be sent to friends and family :)

If you haven't seen it yet, I also have a Flickr account with my work.

Sinterklaas test

I drew Sinterklaas (what is Sinterklaas?) and 2 zwarte pieten. It's a national holiday here and it's a lot like Santa Claus. I really like this holiday but since my family doesn't, we don't celebrate it.

This is 100% analog :) Just pencil and watercolors.

This was a test to see what works better: with pencil outline or without. I drew Sinterklaas with outline and zwarte piet without. I think I like my watercolorings better without outline. What do you think?

In Christmas spirits

It's not Christmas yet but I started working on a Christmascard nonetheless. I finished it but I figured out getting it printed is quite expensive. So I'm not sure if these are going to be send.

Happy Halloween

I'm lucky enough to spend Halloween in Denmark this year. I wish you all a happy Halloween!

Vogel/Bird alteration

I decided to edit my last illustration a little bit. More shadows and some color alteration.
While I was making this illustration, it came to my mind to cut out every piece and glue them together again, so it has layers. I wasn't sure about it but I did it today. I think it turned out pretty good :)






When I was done cutting and glueing I framed the illustration in a 3D frame from Ikea.

Vogel door Theo Olthuis

This is a drawing I made inspired by a Dutch poem. I'm not going to translate the poem, that wouldn't do the poet justice. It's about flying away from your worries and be free as a bird.



Vogel

Als ik weg wil,
Word ik soms een vogel
Dan ga ik op mijn tenen staan
En vlieg ik heel ver hier vandaan.

Over de huizen en het bos,
Op eigen wieken, helemaal los.
Over de puntige bergen
En de diepe zee;
Als je wil dan mag je mee.

Voel de wind langs je oren,
Voel de wind langs je haar.
Hij blaast
Alle gedachten uit je hoofd,
Anders ben je veel te zwaar.

Theo Olthuis, uit: Lampje voor de nacht, uitgeverij Holland