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Trees and Parks
 The tree did not want to unfold its grasp around the little girl, they had formed a special bond. She came and sat every day under its branches and enjoyed the shade it provided and listened to hear the little bluebird sing. Click on the thumbnail below to see a larger version of the above illustration and mouse over the corresponding thumbnail.  Labels: "children's illustration", "Margaret Albert Summers", hugs, Maggie Summers, trees
Spring Randomness
 I am so ready for spring and can hardly wait to start planting again. This illustration reminds me of the spring planting season. As a young child, I remember pulling fresh vegetables out of my grandparents and great aunt's gardens, enjoying the fresh smell of the dirt the new sprouts were planted in. Often, I would eat strawberries and tomatoes without taking them home and washing them. When it came to picking stawberries, I ate more than I picked. Oh, and the peaches and pears, picked right off the trees, unbelievably juicy! Hurry Spring-Please! Labels: "children's illustration", Maggie Summers, Margaret Albert Summers, onions, planting, radishes, spring, sunshine, vegetables
Captured Memories
  I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to post and I apologize and hope to get back to posting regularly.
This past month I worked on illustration gifts for my sons. We just got back from a week's vacation with my them and my family in Michigan and Canada; it was so wonderful and was just what I needed. I will post fun photos later. Above are the illustrations which I created and had printed 16 x 20 and framed. They turned out great and the boys really liked them. I decided to create one background illustration and use it for both designs since both boys love music and enjoy playing the guitar, so it seemed appropriate. For the foreground illustration I worked from photos that I took of them a few years ago. My youngest son (bottom illustration above) has short hair now and my older son (top above) actually wears his hair a tad longer so this was a nice way to capture their younger years.
Above, a photo of the illustrations side by side right after my sons unwrapped their gifts. Labels: "children's illustration", "Proud Mom", guitar, Maggie Summers, music, sons
Cover Completed
 Remember when I made reference to an illustration of a CD cover I was working on? I've finished it and I'm now happy with the results. I've left header room for the title. I've had to place a copyright on the illustration which I've found I have to do more and more. Recently I found out that in China, someone using an online store (very similar to Ebay) illegally downloaded and posted my illustration and used it to help sell some Aerapostle jeans they had for sale. Everything on the website of course was in Chinese which didn't help and I had to log in and register to communicate with them. Easy enough if you could read their language. Now how does one go after someone who breaks US law internationally? They never asked nor had my permission to post my artwork and have clearly broken the laws of US copyright infringement. I'm disgusted to say the least. but let's not dampen the day. So please try to understand when you see that I've added copyright to my illustrations. Labels: "blind contour", "cd cover", "children's illustration", "pen and ink", band, cd, Maggie Summers, music
Book Browsing
 I headed to Parables for book browsing and grabbed one off the shelf to sketch. I haven't read it, but liked the cover so it became part of my prop along with my new handbag and leather pencil case which I carry with me at all times. I love to capture moments whenever I have the opportunity. Today it rained and snowed simutaneously and was relatively warm (low 40's) and you needed and umbrella however by the time I left the office for home it had turned to freezing and I had to scrape the windows. I cranked up the heat and my feet have finally thawed. Not a good idea to stand in snow and ice while scraping your windows. I should have had boots on but who was to know? Labels: "children's illustration", "pen and ink", bag, journal, Maggie Summers, purse, reading, shopping
Theory
 While waiting in line to have my vehicle washed yesterday, I did a quick sketch in semi-blind contour of the car ahead of me going through the car wash. It occured to me that my illustration fit the theme for this week's Illustration Friday word "theory." Here's the true fact and theory behind getting my car/vehicle washed. Every time I wash my vehicle it ultimately snows or rains right afterwards. It's the weather theory of "I-know you will, so I will". The weather and I don't have a great relationship when it comes to washing my vehicle. Today it is suppose to snow about 1 inch. The dark clouds are looming in the sky. That means I won't make it to work with a clean vehicle again tomorrow as the roads will be covered with sand and salt-it never fails! Labels: "blind contour", "car wash", "children's illustration", Illustration Friday, Maggie Summers, theory
Happy Birthday My Sweet Valentine!
 My first son was born on Valentines Day and so this day is one of a kind and very special for me. He has his own home now so I called him to wish him a happy birthday much earlier than I normally would. I knew he was not awake and had every intention of leaving him a voicemail. I was quite silly in my message and I told him that prior to his birth he had kept me up all night and what time he was born, very early in the morning, so I thought I would call and wake him up to tell him how much I love him and I wasn't about to wait a minute longer. He said he really enjoyed my message and said he didn't know what time he was born at that time in the morning. In his baby album we even have a photo of the clock at that exact time. Funny, I guess I never told him. I think I will get the kids baby books out and share some other facts with them that they don't know surrounded the time of their births. Labels: "children's illustration", birthday, dancing, family, Illustration Friday, son, stitch, valentine, vintage
Illustration Friday ~ "choose"
Plans
 What are your plans for Labor Day weekend? Are spending time with family and friends doing something fun and different or staying home with a good book, getting some well deserved R & R and munching on a bowl of M & M's and peanuts? Thanks to all for who commented on my "visitors" illo, I can't tell you how much your support means to me and inspires me. Have a wonderful weekend! Labels: "children's illustration", luggage, plane, travel, vacation
Illustration Friday ~ Visitors
 We had visitors swim in this past week to help Captain SeaCroft in his quest to clean up the sea: Boris Blowfish, Jasper Jellyfish, BuckStar (and you thought I was going to say Starbucks didn't you?) Clam-mity and Corabell Clownfish. I think I'm in the sea, snail and bug mode of illustrating right now. This illo is not part of the original "captain" concept but one I've had in my sketchbook for some time. These cheery fellows were just wiggling off the page saying "pick us to be your visitors please!" Labels: "children's illustration", aqua, blowfish, bubbles, clams, clownfish, collage, fish, Illustration Friday, jellyfish, mixed media, sea, starfish, underwater
Illustration Friday ~ Captain
 I'm dreaming of captains manning their underwater armies fighting to keep the seas clean. This is only a portion of the actual concept for "captain" however my time is very limited over the next couple of weeks, so I am posting just a vingette of the complete scene. The illustration I indicated in my previous post is still not finished but I'm enjoying the subject so much. I'll give you a hint...it too has an underwater feel to it. I guess I must be dreaming of a vacation by the sea! Finishing it will have to wait though as my husband's parents are coming from out of state for a visit tomorrow. Labels: "children's illustration", bubbles, captain, collage, Illustration Friday, mixed media, sea, sea horse, turtles
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The tree did not want to unfold its grasp around the little girl, they had formed a special bond. She came and sat every day under its branches and enjoyed the shade it provided and listened to hear the little bluebird sing.
