While I haven’t been updating here much, I still do blog over at Fuel your Illustration. Sometimes. Rondal is an amazing co-editor and I’m pretty sure FYI wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren’t for him. Thanks Rondal! Anyhoo, here are some of my recent contributions.

Fuel Your Illustration Articles!

Webcomic Wednesday: Promises, Imagination, & Cleopatra in Space
June 29th, 2011
“Oh how I have pined for my weekly adventure into the kingdom of Webcomics. Oh Wednesdays, for too long you had lost your meaning to me. But no more…”

Colours Not Forgotten: Interview with the Forgotten Colours Crew
July 19th, 2011
“A few weeks back, we introduced you to Forgotten Colours, a beautiful and inspiring iPad app that was filled with stories and illustrations…”

Womanthology: The Not-So-Webcomic Wednesday Special Edition
July 27th, 2011
“Not to isolate the male comic book artists out there, but as a geeky girl with an intense attraction to visual storytelling, I absolutely love learning…”

They’re Not Faeries: Kickstarter & Interview with Paul Keskey
August 23rd, 2011
“When I was little, I was obsessed with the Dark Crystal (okay, maybe I still am). As I grew older, I discovered more works by Brian Froud and fell in love…”

And today’s article, a co-interview with Rondal:

Illustrate Like a Boxer: Interview with Artist Marcelo Vignali
September 7th, 2011
“This week the staff here at Fuel Your Illustration is proud to introduce a very special guest: Marcelo Vignali. Joining us from his home studio in California…”

Write For Us!

These are just my articles, there are a ton more of them over at Fuel Your Illustration by my awesome co-editor and some great guest writers. Interested in writing for us? Head on over and contact us! We’d love to hear from you.

I have been making occasional blog posts over at Fuel your Illustration. One of my new year’s resolutions (that’s another blog post entirely) was to be a better editor, and I’m certainly trying, though life likes to throw curve balls that limit my blogging time. BUT. I’ve got a few good posts I’d like to share with you.

Fuel Your Illustration Articles!

Webcomic Wednesday: Animals in Webcomics
December 15th, 2010
“I love animals. Much of my life is dedicated to them in fact, so it makes sense that some of my favorite webcomics happen to have animals in them…”

Interview with Patrick O’Leary
December 23rd, 2010
“A few weeks ago, while I was putting together one of our fabulous Five Flickr Fridays, I realized that I kept picking artwork from the same individual…”

Gregory Thielker’s Oil Paintings
January 10th, 2011
“Sometimes you come across an artist whose work just takes your breath away. That’s what happened when I was introduced to the paintings of…”

Interview with Bard Hole Standal
January 17th, 2011
“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer and illustrator. In fact, I wanted to create children’s books and I wanted them to be fun…”

And today’s article:

Webcomic Wednesday: Art of the Epic Graphic Novel
February 9th, 2011
“Comics. Graphic novels. Is a comic a graphic novel or is a graphic novel a comic? I tend to think of a graphic novel as an epic comic, but comics don’t necessarily…”

Write For Us!

These are just my articles, there are a ton more of them over at Fuel Your Illustration by my awesome co-editor and some great guest writers. Interested in writing for us? Head on over and contact us! We’d love to hear from you.

Wondermark, David Malki
Updated: Tuesdays & Fridays

Stuff No One Told Me, Alex Noriega
Updated: Mostly a few times a week

A Softer World, Emily Horne & Joey Comeau
Updated: Almost daily
Suggested by: Isadora

Missed other #WW? Find them here:
Webcomic Wednesday 23: One Swoop Fell, Savage Chickens, Sinfest
Webcomic Wednesday #22: Housepets!, Gronk, Copper
Webcomic Wednesday #21: Lesbian Pirates, Bug Comic, Dicebox
Webcomic Wednesday #20: Hark, a vagrant, Girly, Fall On Me
Webcomic Wednesday #19: Tiny Kitten Teeth, Charles Christopher, Least I Could Do
Check out the Archives for more comics!

One Swoop Fell, Mike Dutton
Updated: Twice a month (sorta)

Savage Chickens, Doug Savage
Updated: Mondays through Fridays

Sinfest, Tatsuya Ishida
Updated: Every Single Day

Missed other #WW? Find them here:
Webcomic Wednesday #22: Housepets!, Gronk, Copper
Webcomic Wednesday #21: Lesbian Pirates, Bug Comic, Dicebox
Webcomic Wednesday #20: Hark, a vagrant, Girly, Fall On Me
Webcomic Wednesday #19: Tiny Kitten Teeth, Charles Christopher, Least I Could Do
Webcomic Wednesday #18: Untitled!, Return to Sender, The Class Menagerie
Check out the Archives for more comics!

Housepets!, Rick Griffin
Updated: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

Gronk, Katie Cook
Updated: Fridays

Copper, Kazu Kibuishi
Updated: Once a Month

Missed other #WW? Find them here:
Webcomic Wednesday #21: Lesbian Pirates, Bug Comic, Dicebox
Webcomic Wednesday #20: Hark, a vagrant, Girly, Fall On Me
Webcomic Wednesday #19: Tiny Kitten Teeth, Charles Christopher, Least I Could Do
Webcomic Wednesday #18: Untitled!, Return to Sender, The Class Menagerie
Webcomic Wednesday #17: Lunch Notes, Apt. C-3, Ekwara
Check out the Archives for more comics!

Lesbian Pirates, Megan Rose Gedris
Updates: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

Bug Comic, Adam Huber
Updates: Monday through Friday

Dicebox, Jenn Manley Lee
Updates: Sometimes Wednesdays

Missed other #WW? Find them here:
Webcomic Wednesday #20: Hark, a vagrant, Girly, Fall On Me
Webcomic Wednesday #19: Tiny Kitten Teeth, The Abominable Charles Christopher, Least I Could Do
Webcomic Wednesday #18: Untitled!, Return to Sender, The Class Menagerie
Webcomic Wednesday #17: Lunch Notes, Apt. C-3, Ekwara
Webcomic Wednesday #16: Slightly Damned, Monster Commute, Faux Pas
Check out the Archives for more comics!

Today’s comic is up and features everyone’s favorite pup: Spunky! You might recognize this cute pup because he’s the mascot of I Love Rescue Animals. He was named after the dog in the Nickelodeon show “Rocko’s Modern Life” and he lives up to his name. He’s also the lover of our family and the animal that gets along with every single other brother or sister. Nobody hates him, everyone loves being near him. He’s our lover pup.

Check out more comics at The Family Menagerie and enjoy!

I don’t write these kinds of posts often, mostly because I don’t want to bore you with details of my personal life. Wouldn’t you rather be interested in art or design or comics? That’s what I thought. But every once in awhile, I figure it’s okay to give you a little behind-the-scenes look into my life and give you an update on what kind of trouble I get myself in to.

Working Away Life: MUST. STAY. BUSY.

My attention lately has become focused less and less on design. This is both good and bad. Good because I am finding myself being drawn back into more traditional forms of art and the outside world, but bad because I still have a few projects I need to wrap up AND because doing freelance design has always been an extra source of income that my large family needs. I’ve started trying to do everything all at once – color this picture now, quick write that post, jump on coding that design now now now get it done TONIGHT – but this ultimately has led to several nights where I want to pull my hair out because I don’t feel like I have enough time to pack everything I want to do in. And then I’ll pass out for several hours and not want to do anything at all the next day but sit on the couch and read. Thankfully, this is going to change.

Where is the Balance: Finding Organization

Que Rachael Acklin, Superhero and Creative Coach extraordinaire. She has started up this fantastic project: Creative Rockstar Coaching, and let me tell you, we’ve only had one session so far, but I’m beyond motivated and inspired by this woman. I managed to get one of the free slots Rachael had going for her Rockstar List (go sign up for the mailing list) and, you can ask her, I was so thrilled I could barely write.

With Rachael’s help, I’m going to get organized and make the time to do everything I want – without getting burnt out. I’ve already started on a schedule of how I want my weeks to go and I cannot tell you the weight that is slowly rising off my shoulders. It feels good, knowing that breathing will be easier soon. I can do this. I can do this. I’m a Rockstar. I can do this.

Traditional Artist: Coloring Orangutans

I love drawing comics. The Family Menagerie is doing well right now and I’ve got so many sketches already finished, I think I’m good on those for a few months. My love for traditional styles is more alive than ever too, since I cracked out my markers and colored pencils. I love pulling out my sketchbook sitting at my drawing table, listening to good music, and just getting into that zone where there’s nothing but me and the paper in front of me. It’s a beautiful feeling and it makes me feel so happy and good. I love working with my hands, and, maybe this is just me, I love the smell of my colored pencils. They remind me that this is ME doing what I LOVE. If I could spend all day doing nothing but coloring and working on art, I would in a heartbeat.

My current project, other than The Family Menagerie, is a series of illustrations for a children’s book a friend of mine is writing. She currently works at a zoo up in Wisconsin and her stories are all centered on the animals that live there. This first book is about Max the orangutan. At first, I almost gave up and told her to find someone else to do this because I could not for the life of me figure out how to draw orangutans. But thankfully, I finally settled on a style and I’m loving my orangutans. I’m pretty good at them if I do say so myself. If you ever need a picture of an orangutan, just call me. *cheesy grin*

Taking Back Life: Breathe Deep, Seek Peace

Of course my life is hectic for other reasons. We’ve twenty three animals that we feed and take care on a daily basis, with several of them currently on medication for one thing or another (mostly allergies). Ash and I are still doing almost weekly (it’s slower in the summer) volunteer runs with Central Texas Feline Rescue, and trying to keep both of our cars alive long enough to get new ones. We’re also talking with a lender about possibly buying a house in a few months and boy let me tell you, that right there is enough stress to have me hiding under my desk. Money is extremely tight, time is limited, and there is always something that needs to be done.

Life is absolutely crazy, but you know what? Things always get better. They always do. Patient is a virtue and I just have to remember the wise words of Thich Nhat Hanh, “Smile, breathe and go slowly.” So now it’s your turn. What have you been doing lately?

Hark, a vagrant, Kate Beaton
Updates: Weekly

Girly, Josh Lesnick
Updates: Weekly

Fall on Me, Adriana Blake
Updates: Tuesdays & Fridays

Missed other #WW? Find them here:
Webcomic Wednesday #19: Tiny Kitten Teeth, The Abominable Charles Christopher, Least I Could Do
Webcomic Wednesday #18: Untitled!, Return to Sender, The Class Menagerie
Webcomic Wednesday #17: Lunch Notes, Apt. C-3, Ekwara
Webcomic Wednesday #16: Slightly Damned, Monster Commute, Faux Pas
Webcomic Wednesday #15: The Meek, SpaceQuint, Masked Manor
Check out the Archives for more comics!

Ah, today’s comic is a flashback to when Snarf, our rambunctious Briard mix that we found on the side of the road a year ago, was younger. He liked to chew. A lot. And often times he chewed on things he should haven’t been chewing on. We got rid of that habit fairly quickly, thank goodness.

Anyway, check out today’s comic over at The Family Menagerie. Be careful, there’s lots of fluff.