Illustration Friday ~ Focused

rainbird_roberta72Not wanting to be considered a common fowl, Gallus Domesticus Kelly focused his energy on becoming just like his legendary big screen idol. Determined to fly the coop, he would rehearse endlessly. When not practicing, Gallus could be found looking sky word, searching for that one gray cloud.  Then one particularly pitchy night, drops of rain began to fall.  The other chickens ran in fear… but not Gallus.

Gallus was last seen at an Oklahoma bus station. He had with him, the clothes on his back,  an umbrella, and in his hand he held a one way ticket to…. Hollywood.

Illustration Friday ~ Clumsy

musk_ox_robertabairdDarwin Divine the clumsy bovine

Thought his two step just couldn’t be finer

Let it serve as a clue to all gals that go “moo!”

Never dance with a bull that wears china!

Illustration Friday ~ Wilderness

Stanley_monkey_robertabaird72Stanley Livingstone was an explorer. He was known to spearhead long expeditions deep into the wilderness of the continent of Africa. His mission… to trace the course of the Congo River. Why… once he battled tsetse flies, tropical disease and deserting porters just to find a prominent missionary and ask him that now famous question.

Yep Stanley was an explorer or was he….  and when the head count in Shady Acres Retirement Center was down by one…. the attendants approached him with orders for his new mission.  “Bully Fredric, I think they’re sending us to Zanzibar again!”

From Sketch to Finished Illustration

urban_robertabaird72urbansketchI think it’s always interesting to see the first step of an illustration next to a finished piece.

Sometimes the  the sketch is void of detail, and other times it stays pretty true to form.

I’ll add this piece to my portfolio.

Stories for Children ~ Mina’s Test

MinasTest_RobertaBaird72

This is a piece I did for the January issue of Stories for Children Magazine. Mina’s Test is an early reader about a little girl who just wants to play with the big guys! You can read this story and so much more at the Stories for Children website.