Updates, updates, updates
It has been waaaaay too long since I posted! Lots has been in the works, such as:
New picture books by Guardian Angel Publishing!
Released at the end of 2010, Cinderfella and the Furry Godmother by Dixie Phillips tells how one little girl learned the big lesson of responsibility. This book was illustrated in pen and watercolor.
Also out in 2010, my own picture book, It’s Birthday Time, Jake! In this time-telling story, Jake the Hedgehog can’t wait for his birthday party to begin.
At the beginning of 2011, I finished the illustrations for One Pelican at a Time by Nancy Stewart — a great story introducing kids to the Gulf oil spill. My favorite part of the illustrations: my models for the two main characters in the story are real-life sisters! 
Searching
We have a friend who recently opened an Amish and Mountain Food Store. It features all kinds of jellies and preserves, as well as local crafts and artwork. This is a pastel drawing I did for the shop — and it’s one of my favorites! I used a photo from MorgueFile.com as a reference.
By the way, you can visit the shop online! It’s the Amish and Mountain Food Shoppe in Travelers Rest, SC.
Angel Donor
This past week I finished up the sketches for a new book by Guardian Angel Publishing. The book is Angel Donor by Jennifer Gladen, and it follows the story of a young girl named Olivia as she awaits and receives a liver transplant. This gentle tale recognizes all of the bittersweet aspects of organ donation: while Olivia is saddened that someone has died, she is thankful for a second chance at life. This will be a beautiful book to read to any child who has undergone an organ transplant.
Below is the sketch for the cover of the story. The illustrations will be realistic and painted in oils.
New Release! Burgher and the Woebegone
A new release I illustrated for Guardian Angel publishing, Burgher and the Woebegone is a fun choose-your-own-ending chapter book by Kim Chatel. In this story, the gnome Burgher is faced with a problem: Johnny Gold is back, and spring will certainly be close behind. Burgher tries a number of ways to keep spring from coming, and the reader decides how each one works out.
The cover is illustrated with watercolor and pen; the inside illustrations are black and white in pen.
Find the Animals!
Cathy’s Animal Garden was a fun one to illustrate because of all the animals — I love painting wildlife! Here’s the list of what to search for:
(Note: the dragonfly is in every illustration)
Page 3: a dragonfly, an inchworm, a lizard, a spider
Pages 4-5: a dragonfly, a spider, a praying mantis
Pages 6-7: a dragonfly, a monkey, a leopard (tail), 5 tigers, an ant
Page 8-9: a dragonfly, a butterfly, 2 monkeys (one just shows its tail), a leopard (tail), a dragon, a snake, an inchworm
Page 10: a dragonfly, 6 leopards (tails), 7 monkeys (tails), 5 foxes (tails)
Page 11: a dragonfly
Page 12-13: a dragonfly, an elephant
Page 14-15: a dragonfly, 2 snakes, 9 spiders
Pages 16-17: a dragonfly, a snail, 3 ladybugs
Pages 18-19: a dragonfly, a chipmunk, 2 robins, a worm, a snail
Page 20: a dragonfly
Page 21: a dragonfly
Pages 22-23: a dragonfly, 5 butterflies, a turtle, a rabbit, a squirrel, a robin, 2 beetles
Pages 24-25: a dragonfly
Pages 26-27: a dragonfly, a spider, an inchworm
Page 32: a dragonfly, 3 monkeys (tails), a fox (tail), and an elephant
Happy Hunting!
It’s Here! – Cathy’s Animal Garden
Available at Amazon and soon in bookstores near you! Cathy’s Animal Garden – Enter at Your Own Risk by Stacy Tornio is a really fun book. The story follows two boys, Henry and Andy, as they search for Henry’s missing baseball in Cathy’s animal garden, a garden where all of the flowers have animal names (tiger lily, leopard’s bane, etc.)
I did these illustrations in oils, using some of my children and friends as models. Thanks to all who helped out!
Finished! Cinderfella and the Furry Godmother
Tonight I sent off the cover illustration for Cinder-Fella and the Furry Godmother by Dixie Phillips. Yay! The story had 20 illustrations in all plus the cover. Can’t wait to see it in print! It will be published by Guardian Angel Publishing.
Folk Art
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take some folk art paintings to a little shop in Hendersonville, NC, called The Wrinkled Egg. The owner said she might be interested in some artwork, and these are the paintings I took along. The kitties above is my favorite — and my daughter Lillie’s favorite, too. She hoped the owner wouldn’t choose this one. And…
she didn’t! She only chose one to buy — the rooster below, inspired by a photo Cassie took of a rooster in our yard.
I will say, it was a lot of fun painting in this style. It seemed like almost anything goes — and the more imaginative the painting, the more fun it was to paint! A great exercise for a realist like me!
This cat was inspired by a photo Luke took of our cat, Crumples. He has this one in his bedroom now.
Lillie came up with the phrase on this one… cute!
These were all done with acrylics on canvas.
Wolf in Scratchboard
This is a wolf in scratchboard that I did the other day while one of my students was finishing up her piece. I like how it came out — and I’m really enjoying working with this medium!
About
My name is Samantha Bell, and I am a freelance artist/illustrator/writer in South Carolina. This blog is for my recent or current projects. Although I’m a realist at heart, I like trying new techniques and mediums and having my art students try them too!
The other pages feature the artwork of my children — who are also some of my students! You’ll find masterpieces by Luke, age 6; Lillie, age 9; Cassie, age 11; and John, age 13.
Enjoy!
