Don’t Rush me…

On August 13, 2024August 12, 2024 By MelIn Artwork 2024, books, character design, Illustration5 Comments

Or maybe please dooooo….

I am still on hold with my book project. Instead of finishing it I started working on the next story in this collection and hired an editor. So with the second story starting to get more shape, I think it is time to finish the last missing illustrations of the first story. If you have no idea what I am talking about… well, meet Madame Woof Woof. The main character for my upcoming children’s book.

Illustrations are 80 % done, after that it will be picture editing and type setting which is a whole new skill as well that I am trying to get better at… I will certainly not get bored. Stay tuned! 🙂

Drawing in progress…

On May 1, 2024 By MelIn Artwork 2024, Illustration2 Comments

Here is the full page. Not quite satisfied with their faces in the bottom part. But will finish and then possibly do again.

Happy 1st of May!

Madame Woof Woof_ink drawing dog Labrador illustration process _ Melanie Franz

Back to Work

On April 29, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024Leave a comment

I finally got over my creative block, related to my book project, AND I fixed page 2 which had been bugging me for the last 3 months! So far I am quite happy with the result.

Here is a sneak peak of the work in progress.

Book Project – Work in Progress VI

On April 2, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, booksLeave a comment

After a short East break I am back on the drawing table. After a break it always takes me a bit to warm up again. So I spent about 2 hours sketching and inking people. I am still on my way to 100. Currently at 76…

Not sure if these two below count. Maybe they should! They are part of a page from my book project . Keep walking and talking…

Book Project – Work in Progress V

On March 26, 2024March 25, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, books1 Comment

Hoot hoot! 🙂 Quite happy how this owl turned out.

For this page I thought I will try to put the whole image together digitally after drawing all the individual parts. I couldn’t make the page work with the first rendering, plus I had spilled some ink, so I decided to try it this way instead of starting with the full page all over again. One of the biggest challenges when drawing traditionally it the lack of the CTRL + Z shortcut….

Do I have fun drawing traditionally? Definitely. Would it be easier to do it all digitally? Most likely.

Do you prefer digital or traditional drawing?

Let’s see what will happen.

Book Project – Work in Progress III

On March 24, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, booksLeave a comment

Another page sketch ready to be inked today. Although I still need to tweak a few bits and pieces.

2403 Book project dog Labrador children's book pencil sketch work in progress _Melanie Franz

Book Project – Work in Progress II

On March 23, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, books2 Comments

Another page almost finished for my upcoming children’s book. It will be total 32 pages and I think almost finished are about half of them. So expect more progress shots coming up.

The biggest part eventually will be the scanning and editing of the images. But that is for next month. Goal for this is to finish most of the drawings.

Have a great weekend!

2403 Labrador Teddy ink drawing illustration work in progress children's book_Melanie Franz

Book Project – Work in progress

On March 22, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, books, Illustration1 Comment

I am currently working on illustrating a children’s book that I have written. Inspired by our loveable and sometimes silly black family Labrador and why she sometimes barks at night.

After a lot of ups and downs the last months and being stuck in the Hendrix’s pit pf despair for what felt like an eternity (see image below), I have been on a great climb for the last week! And I have been really enjoying it!

I am trying to make the most out of the current momentum and therefore have been drawing the last couple of nights. Sleep deprivation is a small price to pay to get out of the pit I guess.

Do you know about this long project arc? Have you been there?

I am currently redrawing the frog page which I have posted previously. The first rendering does not fit the overall style of the other illustrations anymore and I wanted to tweak the composition a bit. I can really get lost in the hatching now. It is rather soothing.

2403 frog ink drawing illustration work in progress children's book_Melanie Franz

Work in progress II

On February 29, 2024 By MelIn Artwork 2024, Illustration1 Comment

Still working on this page. After some feedback changed it from the previous one, to the one below. Definitely an improvement but not quite there yet. What do you think?

Book Dummy Madame Woof Woof black Labrador ink illustration_Melanie Franz

Sun is shining!

On February 4, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artwork 2024, Illustration4 Comments

Snow, sunshine and good music. Perfect Sunday 🙂

Art vs Artist II

On January 1, 2024 By MelIn Art, Artworks 20239 Comments

For the beginning of the year I felt like putting another one of these together. More as motivation for myself than anything else. Just as reminder of what I did during the last year, beside travelling a lot and raising a tiny human.
I am excited about the coming months. Lots of creative plans are in the works. Now I just need to make the time to get started.
Happy New Creative Year to Everyone!

Art vs Artist

On December 27, 2023 By MelIn Artworks 2023, Illustration10 Comments

Another year is slowly coming to an end. I feel like I haven´t done much illustration wise, but going through my files it actually looks like I got more done than I thought I did.

I tried lots of new things – media and styles – started on my own book projects (more about that soon) and I am looking forward to see where this journey will take me next year!
How about you? Did you try anything new this year?

Art vs Artist 2023_Melanie Franz Illustration

Merry Christmas

On December 24, 2023December 24, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, IllustrationLeave a comment

Who has been missing Mr Fox? Here he is!

Mix of ink, paper, coloured pencils and digital.

Have a happy holiday!

2303 fox card Christmas tree_Melanie Franz

Christmas all the way III

On December 23, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, Digital, Illustration3 Comments

Felt like doing another digital illustration to practice some more.

Merry Christmas from Turtle and Spider!

Turtlemas_Turtle xmas sweater _ Melanie Franz

Christmas all the way

On December 18, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 20231 Comment

I have been having fun with Christmas design options. Expect a week of Christmas inspired images and cards.

Let’s start off with a snowman. We got so much snow last night that we can build one today.
If you want to print it, download the card below.

Snowman Xmas card Download

Capybaras revisited II

On December 14, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, IllustrationLeave a comment

Any other capybara fans out there? Snowstorm today, so this is the current mood.

What situation or with what animal would you like to see a capybara in? I am in the mood to draw some more as after all the digital drawing I think it is time to get back to my black ink, so I am looking for inspiration.

Odd Turtle complete

On December 4, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, Digital, Illustration2 Comments

Alright, my finished digital drawing attempt. What do you think about the style?

Not sure about the composition. Drew the first thing that came to mind… and added the birds because… reasons.. The pose could certainly be improved.

Happy Monday!

Casting Shadows

On November 28, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, Digital, IllustrationLeave a comment

I am just following the Inktober 52 prompt list now for easy inspiration. It helps me to find a quick idea of what to draw as a warm up sketch. I am still trying out different digital pens. That’s why the turtles have a different feel to them, at least in my opinion.

Inktober 2023 Roundup

On November 8, 2023 By MelIn Artworks 2023, Illustration, inktoberLeave a comment

Despite having been late to the party, I really enjoyed the Inktober challenge as every year and I am really happy with the outcome. Just like in the previous years, I was not sure where the journey would take me. And as every year I am happy about what I learned and the results.

I got so much positive feedback about the little turtle and spider, that I am considering of putting an actual children´s book together with these two characters. So watch this space.

Here are all of the 32 drawings ( yes, I did one extra because I had so much fun)

Did you do inktober? What is your take away from the challenge?