Website update!

Hello all!

Since last post, I have been directing a musical with the music teacher, painting and drawing more, and overall enjoying my life.
To show case that check out my updated website:

mikajnakano.com

Portrait #1

Portrait of my friend

Testing dollar items

Yesterday I went to a Japanese dollar store called Daiso.

They have amazing stuff there! And I found some brushes, watercolor, and air dry clay.

This is me testing out the clay.

Pretty snazzy.
Can't wait til I get to paint 'em!

I only got the black ink, but they turned out pretty cool!

That page was my last page for my sketchbook. Gotta find a new one.
Until then, I'll be drawing in paper napkins and such. You know, the usual art people paper.

Pinocchio 1 and 2...complete!

Just one more and I'm done!!!
The final is the finale...where you finally see Pinocchio as a real boy.
I'm a bit stuck...because it's finale, I want it to be THE END, where fanfares and explosions happen everywhere
but then again
I want a simple, sweet tone to finish these series.
So more white space?

What do you think?

Pinocchio - 1

My first Pinocchio piece is complete! But the pieces are due by the 30th of September. Do they mean it has to be post-marked by that date? I'm confused. It's all in Portuguese.

Regardless, I'm going to send all 3 in this Friday. Which means I have to have it all printed, at the latest by Thursday so I can package it and send it correctly by Friday morning... hmm, tight schedule, but I think I can do it.

1 down, 2 more to go in 3 days. Go.

Oh, so my first piece. Thanks for the comments! (I had others via facebook/email). I took the suggestion of using limited palette.
Thanks again, now I know which direction I'm heading to, so the rest should be easier!

Illustrarte competition

I think I mentioned earlier that I am illustrating for the book Pinocchio because I've never drawn for an already written story before.
So I decided to motivate myself in drawing one by applying for the Illustrarte competition!
It's a biennial children's book competition held in Portugal, and the deadline is September 30th.
I'm pretty booked with school and work, but I hope to complete 3 illustrations for this.
I'd like to at least be able to apply and say I was part of it in some ways.

Here's a link for more information:
http://www.graphiccompetitions.com/illustration/ilustrarte-2012-children-books-illustrators-contest

I've completed one illustration so far. I'm working on the colors right now and boy am I hating it.
Please help!

writing for children's book

So I'm making a children's book for one of my literature class.

Because it's such a large project, I decided to finish it for my next semester's Illustrated Book course.
But check out what I got so far! :)


Hmm... I'm not sure why it's sideways... but oh well!