Started adding color. I couldn't leave it black and white.

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Thank you! I see what you're saying. @Joy-Heyer Something about her dress was bugging me and maybe that was it. I'll maybe give it a bit more definition and shape, some form shadow or something.

@Pamela-Fraley Thank you! It is a great resource, put on your list to Santa if you celebrate!

Also, here is the NYTimes "Notable Children’s Books of 2016"

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/books/review/notable-childrens-books-of-2016.html

An illustrator here in Dallas that I know (Terry Widener) got listed too! He's a great guy and we're all so glad he got featured in this list!

MY NAME IS JAMES MADISON HEMINGS
By Jonah Winter. Illustrated by Terry Widener.
40 pp. Schwartz & Wade Books. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 5 to 9)
http://amzn.to/2hwAJyK

@Judy-Elizabeth-Wilson Excellent!

@mattramsey 🙂 There's actually a sport associated with whipcracking (snuffing candles, complex multiple crack rotuines, etc.) and those of us who focus on that market have put a lot of effort into promoting it as a family friendly sport. Because of pop culture, 90 something percent of the time if people find out you make or use whips they say something like, " Oooohhhh.... I know what YOU'RE into!" Wink ! And after awhile it just gets a bit annoying, so I've developed the habit of stating upfront that what I do isn't that.

Love that cat on the desk image! 🙂

These are my characters.

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@Eric-Castleman by keep a "back layer set to color" I meant black layer ...... you probably figured that out though ... I seem to multiply my typos when typing on the iPad

awesome image- my favorite is the background. Backgrounds are so difficult for me

@Kevin-Longueil @Pamela-Fraley
Awesome to hear from fellow boardgamers!

The first step is to get the prototype out (in the process now--I have about 30 clothing pieces to do now and then everything will be done--except for graphic design tweaks that will, hopefully, be done by a pro).

I took second in a little unpub game contest and received a gift certificate for some playtesting services (Coalition Games) so I'm going to be doing that. Plus, Cardboard Edison is having a contest so I will be entering that very shortly. It would be cool to win it (or place high) and have that sticker to put on my game to show companies.

From there, I plan on contacting game companies so we will see what happens! I've read a lot of Jamey Steigmeir's blog on how to Kickstarter and I've discovered I REALLY do not want to have to Kickstart this if I don't have to. I really like the French company Iello for their fun games and awesome art (King of Tokyo, Sea of Clouds, etc.)so I think I'll try there first. But I think my art style in this game might be too "realistic" for them (their entire line is pretty cartoony).

There seem to be several companies that this game could work for but we will see!

@Chip-Valecek Thank you Chip! - they are a cross between some online reference and some reference i took with my Mother's hands - plus a bunch of made up wrinkles - i added the rheumatoid arthritis at her knuckle too - i imagine these hands would take some folks a couple minutes to draw but they took me basically a day going back and forth between brush and eraser and not liking them and liking them... - i'm glad you like them Chip!

@mattramsey Thank you Matt! - i was going for nodules and wrinkles at the top of the nose - maybe i went a bit too far and should soften them a bit - i like you paper star idea - maybe not for this one though - i have stars in the hair of the other good witch too.. in the book this one is covered with little stars - Thanks again for your feedback!

@amberwingart Do you have any updates for us? I'm really interested in hearing about what happened!

@mattramsey & @evilrobot thanks for the kind words and feedback. I'm currently working on all your suggestions and hope to post progress in the next day or so. Cheers.

Yay! it's working now.

Great piece smceccarelli

@smceccarelli This is actually really sound advice! I even have some water-soluble pencils that I've never used haha. I forgot they were soluble. I do layout before I leave any harsh lines, I stipple an outline for the linework, then I do the same thing for the shadows.

Heinrich Kley is Awesome!! He has so much rhythm throughout his drawings. The poses of his characters are expressive and lifelike as well. Thank you for the reference

@Charlie-Eve-Ryan Thank you!

@orokotanman wow, thank you so much. It was definitely a tricky piece to handle and I always find things I would tinker with after hitting send..but it was probably my most personal piece to date.

Thanks everyone, your kind words are much appreciated!

Interview with Jake Parker is up on the picture booking podcast HERE