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.

Illustration Friday ~ Undone II

stuck-santa-1 Yes… so after I’d finished Fly Boy I couldn’t get this poor red suited guy unstuck from my brain…. so here he is!

Save travels to your holiday destinations ya’ll!

Art by Committee ~ Cinderella’s Maid Service

cinderella+maid-service_RobertaBaird copyOver on  James Gurney’s blog, Gurney Journey, he hosts a monthly art challenge. Usually it’s a prompt from a book, but every once in a while he puts up a business card he’s come across.  This is my entry for the prompt Cinderella’s Maid Service.

Visit his blog and look at the other entries on Decenber 15th. While you’re at it, take a look at his new book Imaginative Realism.

If you enjoy his blog, you’ll love his book!

Illustration Friday ~ Hatch

baby_dino72_RobertaBaird

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts.
Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me…
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

-Shel Silverstein