Let me Say Hello

Personal - Let me Say Hello
digital painting

New piece!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

It's always good to practice

Good2Practise - 01
digital painting

One can never stop learning, I tell you that. Here is a drawing I made in Photoshop just for the sake of practicing. No reference, just decided to draw a face, black and white. That's all! If you want to comment, or give me your opinion, don't be shy. Cheers!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

Two more iPhone cases out in the world!

photo courtesy of Andrea Torres.

photo courtesy of Austin Gilkeson.

Products - Walking to School (Mab Ipswich)

iPhone case

It makes me extremely happy to receive photos of new iPhone cases in use. Thanks so much for buying and also for sending pictures my way. It makes my day!
If you want to see other models available, please visit: http://society6.com/littlemissmachete/cases Don't be shy, and if you buy one, send me a picture, I'll post it here for the world to see ;o)

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

The March Issue is out!

Under the Juniper Tree - Mab Ipswich vs. Principal Goblinson
digital painting

And my favourite witch, Miss Mab Ipswich, comes back to the March issue of Under The Juniper Tree  and I have the fortune of contributing with three illustrations. I invite you to check out "Mab Ipswich vs. Principal Goblinson" another great story by Austin Gilkeson. Enjoy!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

iPhone case in use!

Products - Take a Risk! - Piranhas
iPhone case

I'm so happy to see one of my illustrations in action! Here is a photo I received of this (awesome) iPhone case ;o) courtesy of Paula. Thanks! If you like it, you can go RIGHT HERE to order yours! The are more designs so visit my shop now and do some buying!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

I'm in the February Issue of Under The Juniper Tree!

Under the Juniper Tree - The Monster and Mab Ipswich
digital painting

And we are starting February on the right (or left, your choice) foot! I had the fortune of having the opportunity to participate in the super bloody and lovely online magazine Under The Juniper Tree. It was incredibly fun because I had to illustrate an amazing story "The Monster and Mab Ipswich" by Austin Gilkeson. This is one of the illustrations I did. Now go read and see!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

Take a Risk! - Piranhas

Promo - Take a Risk! - Piranhas
digital painting

I've created this piece as a promotional postcard and had it printed by the glorious people at MOO. If you haven't heard of MOO, you are missing some! They print, and print good! Their quality is nothing short of excellent, their service is fast and reliable, they offer a variety of neat products plus they are super friendly. Rad! Go, check them out, I'm sure you will love them!
And now, to mail the postcards. Wish me luck!

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

#drawhellboy

Draw Hellboy - Hellboy
digital painting

My dear twitter friend @themooks (a.k.a. James Howard) is having a Hellboy feast over on his tumblr and I just couldn't miss it. Here is my #drawhellboy for you to enjoy!  

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

ProSite - my review, just saying

ProSite - product/service review
just saying

Today, I would like to share with you my experience with one of Behance products, ProSite. Please note that these comments are solemnly based on my own experience and my own opinion.

IN SHORT
I love it and completely recommend it. It is an easy, stress-free way to have a professional looking portfolio without worrying about coding. All for $11/month, and if you ask me, that's money well spent! 

IN LONG
I started thinking about using a portfolio-based service for having my website to make my life easier. In the past, I had coded my own website and it'd always been a lengthy process (and some times frustrating, I must add.) Especially since I am not web designer and every time I wanted to redo my website I had to re-acquaintance myself with HTML, CSS and the like. My website was in serious need of an update and time wasn't on my side. After looking to different options I chose the somehow new Behance product: Prosite.

If you are not familiar with Behance, it is an online platform for creative professionals that I highly recommend you join. It is a nice and progressive creative community that could be of advantage for your career. Within their range of products and services you will find ProSite, "a revolutionary new way to build, host, and manage your personal portfolio website." (taken from Behance.com) And indeed it is revolutionary since it offers an easy way not only to create your website, but to manage it and keep it  up to date with your latest work. It synchronizes with your Behance Network account, which means every time you create a new project, you can make it part of your portfolio right away. And that guaranties having a portfolio as current as it could be. With the possibility of having your own domain and a user-friendly interface, you can customized your website to look professional without loosing your personal style. It will be a reflection of who you are and the type of work you produce.

THE BUTS
Like most things in life, there have to be the "buts". In this case, I found two.
1. At the time I joined, they did not offer the possibility of having a personalized email account matching your domain. That made me stay with my old and good hosting provider, ehosting.ca and a package that gives me my beloved @littlemissmachete.ca email accounts. Then, I just linked my domain with my ProSite and voilà! 
2. Although they have the great advantage of Google Analytics, I wanted to add the counter service, Statcounter, I have been using for years. Unfortunately, that's not possible yet. However, I have to say that I contacted ProSite regarding this issue and they promptly responded. Thumbs up for customer service!

TO MAKE IT EASIER
If you are thinking of revamping your portfolio website I recommend you think ProSite. I did it, and I am very pleased with the results, judge for yourself: littlemissmachete.ca 


______

Websites mentioned:
Behance Network: www.Behance.com
Prosite: Prosite.com
ehosting: ehosting.ca
StatCounter: Statcounter.com
 

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

New website is up!

News - Up and updated!
website

Long overdue but it's finally here! My new website is up and running. I've decided to try Behance new Prosite and I really like it. I'll be posting about it in my next post, but meanwhile, go, check out my new site! Don't be shy and leave me your comments here about it.

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see my work

Happy Halloween!

Me - Happy Halloween
mixed

Halloween is upon us! Boo yourself and don't forget to let the kid within you get out and play.
 

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

LittleRed

LittleRed
digital painting

Finished this one today. Hope you enjoy it!

IF - LittleRed (disguise)
digital painting

I'm so happy this piece fits IF word for the week: Disguise. The illustration is inspired by Little Red Ridding Hood story (really?) and we all remember the wolf disguising himself as Little Red's grandma, don't we?

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Star Gazing

kids - Star Gazing
digital painting

We went to the Catskills over the weekend for a star party. It was fun, the stars were amazing! and saw a few meteors. Nothing like laying on the ground watching the Milky Way and feeling the immensity of the Universe.  Everything was perfect, minus the three hours of sleep in the car because we were too afraid of going to our cabin at 3 in the morning. To be honest, the cabin we were supposed to stay in felt like the perfect horror movie set: in the middle of the woods, no cellphone signal, no people around us, and there was even an axe sticking in a tree trunk close to the door. To much tv I guess. But anyhow, here is an illustration of a star gazing fan.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Mental Health Cuts

New work - Mental Health Cuts
digital painting

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Shoe bottle

New work - Shoe bottle
digital painting

It turns out a little girl -that happens to be a celebrity offspring- has a shoe collection worth thousands and thousands of dollars. I bet a pair of her shoes could be feeding kids somewhere in another part of this planet. Yet, we think it's cute.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

This is what I would like to be doing right now

sketch - drink
digital 

Why not? Cheers to all!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

US H1B Visa

New work - US H1B Visa
digital painting

To those who have to sit and wait for anything, let's say... a visa.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Back Home

New work - Back Home
digital painting

Another one to add to my portfolio. This one deals with parents taking their kids back home and the kids' inability to say otherwise.
Enjoy!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Winter in Vancouver

New work - Winter in Vancouver
digital painting

I've been working on new pieces to add to my website focusing on editorial work. this is one of them.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Harper on Oda

Venting - Harper on Oda
digital 

Oh, politics!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Sea creatures - details

Details - Ciénaga de los placeres
digital

Hello! I've been asked to show some of the creatures I created for the Bocachica commission.  I am happy to share them here. I had a lot of fun working on these guys and if you already seen it, you can see the final result here.

Cheers!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Quick Grasshopper - 40 min

sketch - grasshopper
quick painting

Another exercise  to loosen up.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Ciénaga de los placeres

Commission - Ciénaga de la Bocachica
digital

Above is the art for an invitation to an Open Call happening at the Bocachica blog. Below is the final result with the words on.
The Bocachica Gozoza is an international cultural collective that have partnered with Sandino Editores (Colombian publisher) for this new adventure.

I love working on this. Partly, because I have a personal attachment to the Bocachica, but also because drawing sea creatures is fun!

Check out the open call and participate! I will.
The invitation is currently in Spanish but it will be translated into English soon, so make sure to check back here. I'll update the link as soon as the English version is up.
Fell free to spread the word ;o)

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Quick Gallina - 30 min

sketch - gallina
quick painting

This is a quick sketch I just finished. It took me half an hour to do and I had a picture as reference. Doing this kind of sketches helps me step away from my usual work.

Working fast, almost careless, just for the fun of it, is a great way to loosen up. I highly recommend it.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more 

Organic Chicken

IF - Organic Chicken
digital painting

I couldn't pass this week topic on Illustration Friday: Chicken.
Pollos (Spanish for chickens) are fantastic animals. They walk funny, they have crazy eyes and I believe they think they are in power. My take for this piece is a result of the organic craze we live these days and the harsh reality of industrialized food production. 

Hope you enjoy my organic chicken!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

A clown to start the year

sketch - profile of a clown
digital painting

Had to start the year at some point, and being January 12th makes me feel bad for not starting earlier. There are plenty of goals, plans and projects for this year and I hope to share some news soon.  Stay tuned!


Have a marvelous 2011 and be extra kind this year! 

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Venting: Toronto politics

Venting - One bike at a time
digital

I cannot get over Toronto electing Rob Ford for Mayor.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Colombian Buñuelos

They Draw and Cook - Colombian Buñuelos
digital painting

Here is the piece I submitted for "They Draw and Cook" . Buñuelos are a Colombian Christmas tradition and I can best describe them as fried cheese balls. Oh no! Did I just say fried and cheese in the same sentence? They might not be all that healthy, but surely they are super good. Besides, it's Christmas anyways ;o) The conscious eating can wait!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Ri front (Rhi)

The Creature Curiosity Project - Ri-front
digital

I created this half of a "kind of" rhino for The Creature Curiosity Project. The idea is for illustrator to submit one half of a creature or animal. The illustrations will be collected and then share with children in workshops across the UK where the kids will draw the missing half. It sounds fun! I'm even considering doing the back of another creature to submit later on.

Hope you like it... and if you are an illustrator, participate!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

NaNoDrawMo #07

NaNoDrawMo - Cold Guy
digital

This is how some Vancouverites feel about snow in the city. A completely different story of how they feel about snow in one of the three ski mountains.
PS. I just realized that I never posted #06. Will do.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

NaNoDrawMo 2010 - #04 and #05

NaNoDrawMo - Racoons
digital

Yes, cannot deny it anymore, Christmas is in the air!

NaNoDrawMo - Birds
digital

Not everyone enjoys singing birds.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

NaNoDrawMo 2010 - #03

NaNoDrawMo - Powerful Idea
digital painting

Sometimes ideas can be too powerful, you know?
47 to go... being Nov. 12th I am starting to think the 50 drawings in November are a bit of a stretch, but I'll keep sketching nonetheless.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

NaNoDrawMo 2010 - #02

Commission/NaNoDrawMo - Xmas Card NLE
photoshop

This is a commission for a Christmas card. The nicest thing about it it's that is going to be hand engraved onto a copper plate and then printed. THe end result is going to be a bit different from this drawing since the engraving is going to be done by another artist and I can't wait to see it printed.

I'm incluiding it in the NaNoDrawMo 2010... 48 to go and we are already on Nov. 9th!!!

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

NaNoDrawMo 2010 - #01

NaNoDrawMo - Flower Pot
digital painting

I've decided to participate in the NaNoDrawMo 2010 group over on Flickr. It's simple, 50 drawings/work between Nov 1st and Nov 30th. This is my fist one. Forty nine to go.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

My dog

My dog - digital painting

Anyone looking for a pet? I know, he is just sweet!
A few days ago I downloaded some fantastic Photoshop brushes courtesy of Mr. Chris Oatley. And that's how my doggie friend here was born. You might be familiar with Chris Oatley's work, but if you are not, I recommend you go and check him out. He's a great artist and his website and artcast are great resources for artists. He was also in episode 7 of the Escape from Illustration Island podcast.

PS. Haven't got many comments lately... my fault for neglecting the blog. But, hey! I'm back and comments are always welcome ;o)

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

El que espera, Dispair - 100910

A thing drinks my coffee - digital painting

This is one of the things that happen while I wait! And they'll be more to come.

visit www.littlemissmachete.ca

Just a sketch and keep waiting :o/

sketch - boy

I can say that right now we are in limbo. Waiting for some news that will determine our plan of action. There's nothing we can do, but wait.... And those of you who have had to wait for something understand how annoying it could be.
My life on hold, but I keep sketching.

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

Let's just say I have been on the Moon

sketch - Moon landing
photoshop

Yes, I have been absent and it's too long to tell. So let's just say I have been on the Moon and back. Now I'm jet lagged and there is more to come, so hang in there with me, please. I'll be back later. Hmm... hopefully sooner than later.

Fall, where are you?

please visit www.littlemissmachete.ca to see more

I forgot my brushes... think: "fish."

sketch - fish

Made with one brush as an exercise to forgive myself for not making a copy of my brushes to install on our laptop.
It might be the water pouring over Vancouver what makes me think "fish."

Rejected!

submission - translation

digital painting

One good thing about a rejection is that I get to share it! I created this piece for an open call for a magazine here in British Columbia (oh, yes, I forgot to mention I'm spending the summer in Vancouver.) Got my email saying "no" which is very kind of them, since replying to all the submission is a time consuming task.

Hope you like it! I still like it a lot.

Thanks for visiting and your comments.

12 week challenge, I'm in!

sketch - pretty dancer

I'm so excited I feel like dancing! I've joined the zero2illo 12 week challenge and can't wait to start. Look at other participants and read about it here. Many, many thanks to Jonathan Woodward and his hard work. All the best!

PS. What do you think about my pretty dancer? Isn't she gorgeous?

Blog neglected no more!

sketch - sad bird

A month! Inexcusable, I know. Here is a quick sketch to break this not blogging cycle.