IF - skinny (later than late)
digital painting

I sketched my friend here for last week's IF word "skinny" but couldn't color it until now. Better late than never.
Lately, I've been noticing that I really like green, and there is certain fascination in me towards amphibious and reptiles. Not the touchy or having-them-as-pets type of fascination (no, no), but rather an admiration. I bet it is because I grew up in an area of Colombia where they were part of the environment. Right there, everywhere, all the time... That was until we moved to Bogota (the capital city) where I encountered other type of reptiles, you know, the human type. I'm sure most of you have had experiences with those sneaky characters.

TV sketches
from my sketchbook

Fresh from the scanner! I call them TV sketches because I usually do them while watching TV. Here is the story, we have no cable, so we are stuck with three channels. (Image clearness on 3 is 75%, 5 is 85% and 8 is 50%.) Yeah, we have one of those rabbit ears TV antennas that we have to fight against once in a while if accidentally moved. So shifting channels during commercial breaks is not an option, and some shows can get a bit boring at times. My solution, keeping one of my sketchbooks close by. The results vary but the fun never ends... sometimes not even when commercial breaks are over.

Twitter - I gave in!
My twitter bird

Well, at the beginning I wasn't sure it was a good thing: too much information leads to desinformation, sharing too much, privacy, blah, blah. But then, being as curious as I can possibly be, I found myself looking for my favourite people on twitter and checking their updates. It seemed fun, so why not join? And I did. And so far, so good! I've discovered great and talented people, sites, information going around... I think it's a good asset for anyone wanting to inform, get informed, promote, network and share!!! Ideas, links, comments, good vibes... share the love!

Curiosity led to action that now leads to promotion. I'm liking it! and I invite you to give it a try, follow me if you are already there or simply check it out. I think it's a good tool to promote your work, connect to like-minded people and share some good vibes your way.

This birdie is going to my side bar and let's twitter!

Got my postcards- Yay!

Thanks for helping me choose! (#2 and #6 were the chosen ones.)
I decided to have them printed locally for two reasons: First, I'm a buy-local kind of girl (whenever possible) and second, because I am in Canada and would've had to pay taxes again in their way in. I'm pretty excited! I think they did a pretty good job. For the next run I'll probably use 14 pt paper, but for this one time 12pt will do.
Cant' wait to start sending them out!

Banner - I adore your comments

The absolute truth, I LOVE receiving and reading all the comments left on my blog by all of you. There is a certain vibe traveling all around, powered by positive thoughts and good wishes. I also try to spread that same vibe when leaving a comment on someone's blog.
Today, I am putting up on my side bar a little banner I made and share the love.

Hope you like it and THANKS for your comments ;o)

IF - Frozen (vampire)
digital painting

When life gives you lemons... drink your own blood! ;o)

This is a two-for-one entry for both IF (frozen) and Monday Artday (vampire.) It wasn't really a coincidence, but I think it works pretty well for both subjects, plus fits into the Halloween atmosphere.

Cheers!

IF - Flying
digital painting

Almost late for this week IF. But here it's my entry.

sketch - púa
photoshop

A little something.

Monday Artday - Fire
digital painting

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!!!
I hope the pumpkin pie maker in your family will have better luck than my dear friend in the picture.

Many, many thanks for your comments!!! I love getting them.
Many, many thanks for following my blog and your support.
Many, many thanks for being part of bloggerland.
And many, many big and loving thanks for your inspiration, and for sharing your amazing work and creativity with the world.

IF - Germs
digital painting

So, who would have the more germs? I bet my keyboard, right here at home. Eew!

Website - New Header

This is my super duper new header. Not extremely different thatn the old one, but I certainly like the new guy in town.
Check it out in action!

Postcard - Please, help!

I need a piece (or two) of advice. I'm going to have some postcards printed and can't decide what image to choose. So here is where you, the super creative blog-squad, come into place.
Please, pick your top 2 favs and let me know. I do have two options, but I'd like to know other's opinions. I think a second (third, fourth and so on) pair of eyes are always helpful. THANKS!

I REALLY appreciate your input.
:o)

IF - pattern (instinct)
digital painting

I definitely see a pattern in my batfriend here... To you all! kind people visiting my blog. Cheers! And this post comes double (not talking about the Bloody Mary.)
Here is a shot of the progression for this week's IF entry:

Sketch - payaso (clown)
photoshop

Every time I'm starting a new illustration I like to warm up by doing loose sketches. One sketch, one layer. One idea leads to the next one and I end up with 8 or so layers with doodles. Many times, that layer 8 is THE layer, the beginning of my final illustration.

What happens to layers 1 to 7? Well, they get tossed... But not anymore! In this time of recycling and reusing I cannot let those poor layers go to waste. I've decided that before deleting them from the original file, I'm going to save them in a smaller format and "finish" them. The quotation marks imply a sketchy finish, rather than a full-colored painterly looking finish.

Loose and fun. This is the "before and after" of a sad looking clown.
Here is to Layer 5, cheers!

IF - Welcome
digital painting

Down in the land of refuse, people always welcome the city's waste.

I am a Monday Artday winner!

Thanks to Mike and Monday Artday for their kindness!
I'm very grateful and honored!

Monday Artday is a blog where a challenge word or phrase is given each Monday for the members to illustrate. I encourage you to visit them and join!

Love what you do and let the inspiration flow...

Monday Artday - Birthday
digital painting

I really enjoyed working on it!!!

New website up!

Well, I decided my www.littlemissmachete.ca website needed an update (you know, some TLC), so I've been working on it, writing html, drinking coffee and today (well, tonight - we're talking 1 a.m. my time) I've finally uploaded it! Nothing too fancy but I'm happy with the results.

I know it's not a perfect looking site, but hey! who said I was looking for perfection ;o)

Check it out! & send me your comments, let me know what you think.

Off to sleep now... Cheers!

IF - craving
digital painting

Enjoy!

IF - Fleeting
digital painting

Two little birds, one fleeting storm and half of a red umbrella...

IF - subtract
digital painting

My tooth fairy might not look like a fairy but will surely go all the way for a fairy tooth!

IF - Intricate
digital painting

Peace... It should be an easy task.
Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Monday Artday - Me @ age 8
digital painting

This will be my very first entry for Monday Artday.
All about dancing with my versatile, long-hair, handsome prince charming: Mr. Mop.
Let the music begin!

- "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." Emma Goldman -

New small banner for www.littlemissmachete.ca

On the left column and besides the other banners, a plain "LittleMissMachete website" needed a bit of love.

IF - breezy
digital paint

I made this illo a few weeks back for IF subject Time, but didn't have the chance to submit it. Time flies, no doubt and for this week's subject, I'm happy it'll see the light and breathe the IF air on this very beautiful breezy day.

IF - Celebrate
Digital Painting

Wow... time just keep passing by... I don't even know why I'm so surprised.

For this week IF CELEBRATE. Although I'm not feeling blue, a rather sad picture came out. I was thinking about celebrating my birthday (this passed Saturday) and how important balloons were when I was a child. But for this poor kid, not even a yellow balloon will do...
Comments are ALWAYS welcome!

My new website is up and running!
check it out:

www.littlemissmachete.ca

IF - Scale

Photoshop

For this week's IF. I'd like to believe the Universe tries to keep things in balance. With all the injustice we witness today, it is clear to me that we humans are not as good as we would like to think, when it comes to maintaining an harmonious world.

Far away, beyond our reach, the scale keeps working... or not?

IF - Grow

photoshop

What about a bit of water, uh?

Well, my IF viewers, two months went by...

IF - Visitors
pencil / photoshop

SIX months!! Not 1 or 2 but 6.
Well, as they say, time flies. Make no mistake, that's not an excuse. Here I go again and there is nothing better for a restart than IF. This week's topic is Visitors, some of them expected, some others come as a BIG surprise ;)

PS. Has anyone been monstrously attacked by a state of "creative laziness"?

Once you succumb to it... [SIGH]
It can take you 6 months to get out!

by Chris Dunnett

Phew!

Late for x-mas...

Have a great, marvelous, beautiful 2007!

I'm gonna need a lot of energy and "berraquera" (Spanish word for ... eh... let's say it's slang for strength - not your regular Spanish, I think it's use only in one South American country) this year, so wish me luck! It'll go right back at you.

IF - Thanksgiving
Ink

Playing with ink for this week's topic. Here in Canada, thanksgiving 's already passed, but as I believe thanking is such a pure explosion of kindness, here is my a turkey postcard!

PS. Don't forget to thank yourself... at the end,

who else deals with you 24/7?

IF - Smoke
pencil / photoshop

Here is a second entry for IF. Without and with a cigarette (evil!!)

I keep a diary with stories, drawings, dreams, thoughts, bla, bla, bla... you know what a diary is like, right?. One day in 2005 (if I knew where that diary is I'll tell you the exact date), I drew myself with a cigarette (I got to admit, not an uncommon scene) and started colouring it in photoshop (only did the shirt, pants and shoes) and left it to finish it the day after -...Well, we all know the "day after" not always comes the day after- IF topic made me go back and find it...

Finally, the day after has arrived! (over a year later, oops!)

IF - Smoke
pencil / photoshop

I don't know why and I don't know how, this creature (nature unknown) came to my mind when having smoky thoughts.

It's not a dragon, it's not a dog,
let me just call him,
Mister Smoke.

Happy Halloween everybody!! We got some treats for the kids in our neighborhood, we carved the pumpkin (not bad, ah?) and ... Halloween has always been one of my favorite days (along with my b-day, christmas, the first day in the spring I get to wear sandals, etc.) and is becoming a big thing again - which I absolutely love. People get to be what they want, walk around the streets, having fun. It's a "giving" holiday and that makes it special, in a world where we think twice before sharing with others... So for the good times, CHEERS! and have a great day!

boo!

I just saw this week's topic for Illustration Friday...

WIND

which is perfect for such a windy sunday here in Toronto.

Model Evolution

Here is something I've heard about and went to YouTube and found it. I like Dove campaign... All about real beauty!

Feel free to comment!

GREEN???

Here I am in my blog, traying to "jazz it up" a bit. I'm starting w/ something fairly simple, as I'm not an expert in this html business. The fun part, it's that I don't have to be... it's a matter of playing with photoshop, identifying colours, copy-paste (in the right place) and trying... that's why I LOVE the preview button.

IF - Ghost
ink / photoshop

Our ghosts within are probably the scariest and most dangerous ones, don't you think?
Let them all out... and be happy!

Thinker
ink / photoshop

Today I'm posting an illo for a quote by Walter Lippmann:

"Where all think alike, no one thinks very much."

I'm getting a little obsessed with that "reading quotes" exercise I've been doing. There are so many, my personal favourites are the ones with that hint of black humor... reality as it best.
Check it out: www.quotationspage.com

IF - Capture
colour pencil / ink / photoshop
It took me a while to decide what to do with this one... I mean, I didn't want to get dark and deep (and that's what came to my mind in the first place with all that's going on in the world these days). Anyway here is my entry for the topic Capture.

Love to read your comments!! THANKS TO ALL who visited my blog last week ;)

IF - Clean
ink / photoshop
I've always been a great admirer of mops. When I was little, one used to be my dance partner... oh! we danced so well!
I definitely think it's sexier than a broom and kinder than a vacuum cleaner.

Poodle
ink / photoshop

"I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult." by Rita Rudner (US comedian)

Sometimes it's hard for me to find that "endless fountain of inspiration". I mean, I draw and draw (people, situations, animals, ideas, everything) but sometimes my sketchbook lacks of THAT ONE DRAWING begging me to finished it. Well, I may have found my way to get to the fountain, I am reading a few quotations online and drawing about one that I like.

IF - Opposites
Pencil / Photoshop
This is my first time posting for Illustration Friday. I love the idea!!
I'll try to keep up with it every week.

Pencil / Photoshop
2006

La Reliquia
Here it's the cover (the coloured one) and some of the illustrations of a book published in Colombia this year. It was an interesting project as I was given the stories that a group of teenagers from a poor neighbourhood in Villavicencio (a city) had written (about relationships, dreams, sex, family, etc.) in a workshop. Their stories where incredible, some of them with a touch of sarcasm mixing reality and those fantasy worlds of a teenager. It was a huge responsibility, as this was their first (and sadly, probably their last) opportunity to be read by somebody from outside their immediate environment. I still don't know what the writers thought about the illustration...

let's see... here I begin...