She Sure is {Sketchy}: Walking in a Wonderland

This weekend was my kind of Brooklyn winter dayz. We tapped out at 52 degrees and I wore a denim jacket. It felt like the first day of Spring, the thing I always want for Christmas.

 I slept in (exhausted after an evening of pure bliss in Gowanus). I danced to Spoon in my pajamas -- A very important part of a balanced weekend. I put on one layer of clothing. I grabbed my en plein air kit and shuffled out of the Penthouse at 302 Court without a stitch of make-up or any semblance of plans. I rambled along Henry. I skipped along Sackett. After a long and ambling time I copped a squat at the park to draw some chillins dressed like JCrew models. It happened fast because they hadn't been unleashed without coats in so long their batteries were on full. These are speed sketches.

I read "my slutty book". In evening time I juggled a bit of nothing and nothing to meet a friend at Zaytoons -- the kind of friend that had a baby and moved to Jersey and craves grape leaves --which means I did not have to even leave my burrough (or my block for that matter) AND I ate Shwarma. Yesiree, never any day better. At the day's end, I danced to Spoon in my jeans. I did dishes. I baked zucchini-nut muffins like a boss. I made terse and hilarious innuendo with K. I took a shower hot enough to melt the paint off a Honda. I got back in my pajamas. I watched Felicity (the one where the Christmas tree catches on fire, you know which one). I worked on my new top secret animation project. I got a phone call. I changed out of my pajamas back in to ONE layer, people. I ran to Camp, for a nightcap where I met a man I haven't seen in many moons.....
oh and there were sparklers. Did I mention the sparklers?

This is Brooklyn. 

It is perfect.

Highlights

Lately I've been thinking about grad school...

This little digisketch came to my fingertips a bit too easily though.
Maybe I'm not really ready for college again.

Pinterest on a Sugar High

or, hi! this is what I thought about pinterest today....

I was inspired to create this during a conversation where my mom invented an idea for a pinterest party. Keeping with tradtion, this concept sketch happened in one of my favorite mediums:

So A to be:

The diamond pattern (Alice Diamonds) in the back is some iPaper i designed and that you can download and print for a dollah as always at www.AmberInk.com

Illustration Friday - Shadows

When you're the big sister you can totally puppet master your younger siblings into putting on shadow puppet plays behind white sheets. These plays, robbed of Tony awards, can be performed for the forced entertainment of other family members all the time. The puppets don't have to go together. You will most likely make a long and ridiculous antiquated script in which they all meet at an outdoor market in Paraguay.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my siblings. Growing up we weren't allowed to watch television, we had a beach for a back yard, and because my dad watched Disney's Peter Pan, perhaps too often as a young child, we grew up in a "nursery". It was an idealistic upbringing for a future children's animator and illustrator.

I am not going to lie. I know the blind confusion that comes after being sucker punched while reading the Babysitter's Club on your bed. I know the seething rage that comes with stolen missing Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers. I know the sting of being falsely accused of breaking your sister's arm because she threw a box of kitty litter at you, causing you to chase her with the intent of breaking her arm -- before she ran into a tree and did it herself... a different sketch, a different time.

Luckily, I also know the delight of being told in strictest confidence about grade school crushes, first kisses, bad grades and deep scary fears. I know what it's like to have friends that are actually life long.

When I think of shadows, I recall late night runs on a strip of white sand in the moonlight and I think of our Peter Pan nursery. At times you would half expect a boy to show up with a need for a little sewing ;)

For the Duchess

and her little fawny face.