Illustration Friday # 17: YIELD

© Illustration by Cheryl Kirk Noll

Once again, I've been remiss in my attempts to get a new piece out for Illustration Friday, so here is another older piece for the word YIELD.

This was an illustration for a story about a woman homesteader in the 1920's. Among the mountainload of problems that homesteaders faced was the dreaded "plague of locusts" (the swarming phase of grasshoppers), which could strip a farmer's summer yield in minutes. What a heartbreak that must have been.

This piece was one of the first where I employed the use of Photoshop. I hope that you will find it difficult to see how I cloned, copied, and re-sized after painting the first half of this piece. Did I save time?

Hmmmmm. I think so, but the Photoshop process is time-consuming and involves drawing and design skills, too, so I don't want folks to think it was a cinch.

Here's a close-up of part of the piece.

©Illustration by Cheryl Kirk Noll

Hopefully, next week will YIELD a

new

piece for Illustration Friday.

Illustration Friday #16: POPULARITY, and Happy Valentine's Day!

"Puppy Love," illustration © Cheryl Kirk Noll

This week's prompt word for illustration Friday was POPULARITY. 

To give myself a little extra inspiration, I found an

Aldous Huxley quote:

To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.

Puppies and children are high on the popular meter, too... so here is my illustration, done traditionally using watercolors.

And a Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, as well!!!

Illustration Friday # 14: TWIRL

I played with character and movement this week. I started with sketches of children twirling, and this went through many incarnations. Still not sure if this is my favorite, but it's 11:30 on Thursday night...  the next Illustration Friday is knocking on my door...

Illustration Friday # 13: PREPARE (for Chinese New Year)

Chinese New Year is almost here. On January 23, 2012, why not join millions around the world who are welcoming the Year of the Dragon.

A few customs to help PREPARE for the New Year, and to ensure a prosperous and healthy year are:

• Clean your entire home and put away all your brooms and brushes. 
• Pay your debts.
• Resolve difference with friends and family. (What a really great idea!)

When I illustrated Celebrating Chinese New Year: Nick's New Year, I was fortunate to be invited to the home of a Chinese American family. They shared the customs they follow with me, and posed  as models for my illustrations.

Here is one of the illustrations from the book.

illustration by Cheryl Kirk Noll

The text says, "Everyone gets a haircut and wears new clothes." 

This book was written by Rosa Drew and Heather Phillips, illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll, and is still  available.

"Celebrating Chinese New Year: Nick's New Year"

Illustration Friday #12: GROUNDED

After all the family time during the holidays, I'm back to trying my hand at new work for Illustration Friday. This week's prompt word was "grounded." Watching my grand-niece, Zoe on the cusp of walking, I was inspired to illustrate this amazing process.

Gus is Grounded! Illustration ©Cheryl Kirk Noll

I am taking inspiration from a baby's tenacity with this task, and sticking to my task of working with watercolor and Photoshop. 

Illustration Friday #11: HIGHLIGHTS (for Children)

For years now, I have had the privilege of working for the children's magazine, Highlights for Children. You've heard of them... Goofus and Gallant, the Timbertoes, and most notably, Hidden Pictures!!

from "The Tennin's Robe," Highlights for Children, copyrighted material

A version of this illustration appeared in the March 2008 issue of Highlights to illustrate "The Tennin's Robe, by Philis Gershator.  I later modified it to send as a holiday card.

Tennins are spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhist art that have some of the characteristics of western angels. They can fly, and sometimes wear feathered kimonos called hagoromo ("dress of feathers").

Highlights for Children is a family-owned magazine, and they treat their illustrators like gold. Working for them has certainly been a "highlight" of my career.