January art, my etsy shop and Cricket magazine

The new year has started, I celebrated a birthday and I've been painting.

I began this one a year ago, then put it aside. 

I went back into it the other day and I'm pretty happy with it.

Above is the initial sketch. Hope you can tell it's a class on a field trip to the modern museum.

It's very cold this week, so I painted some bright springy flowers :)

below, with a muted grey background.

Speaking of flowers,

I just added three wristlets, a pencil case and a coin purse to my etsy shop - Blip Blop Shop

I sold two and gave one as a gift over the holidays. 

My friend, Margot Kingon sewed these for me and I think they're real sweet.

Take a look at my shop to see details.

While I was home for the holidays, I came across this vintage Cricket Magazine

from 1976. It's pretty great! The cover art is by Erik Blegvad

I don't think I ever entered a contest, but it's fun to read over this one.

I was surprised to find a poem by Sylvia Plath.

You can see The Bed Book on Brain Pickings, one of my favorite blogs btw

Sylvia wrote this series of poems for her own children 

It was illustrated by Quentin Blake 

The art here is by Emily McCully

I really like this Coming Attractions page and got a kick out of the 

worm wishing a Merry Christmas to his tail and vice versa ;)

It's in good shape overall. I'll give it a read!

Ok, that's all for now.

Off to locate more blankets!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

xo, A

Animal Characters at Work & Play

"There are no short cuts to any place worth going. " - Beverly Sills

"That's no reason to stop looking!" -me

*

:: It's Art Update Monday ::

Meet Harvey and French

New friends in my Animals at Work & Play series ...

This is Piglet and Trix. Piglet loves books and Trix loves Piglet.

Dining area turned humble studio, here are more animals ready for the big bright world!

Thought I'd share a few before & after pictures.

I know I'm not the 1st to express how tricky it can be to maintain 

the charm and looseness of sketches in the finished piece.

We all try!

The Venice paintings starring Gustavo Gondolier are favorites of mine. 

If you read my blog regularly, I'm sure you've seen the one above.

Below is a new addition -

Gustavo and others spot cat's big catch!

Mmmmmm  Meeee-YOW !

Now, meet Scuba Cat 

It's not just fish she's finding, but treasure!

I suppose this could be a line for warm toasty Cronuts.

Whatever they're all waiting for, the suitcase is a mystery.

See something, Say something.

Say Anything.

Loosely based on a Holiday Magazine cover from 1959, I love this painting. 

I'd like to have a vacation spot here in wherever it is Europe :)

This is a revised Yoga Bun. I like the lighter sketchy touch,

even though original Yoga Bun will remain close to my heart. 

Here she is trying on her tops.

Above is a detail from Museum trip. I will one day (soon) complete or re-do this one!

This is little Louanne. She follows Claude Cat

for a day of fishing. You can find her in the post

Animals with Dreams Big and Small

and finally, more characters I've been working & reworking ...

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great week!

xo, A

Animals with dreams, big and small

: Toby and a bird named Sue :

"The Question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me?" -Ayn Rand

: Claude cat and Lou, Louanne to be exact :

"Everyone should believe in something; I believe I'll go fishing." -Henry David Thoreau

: Bunny and Blue :

"Where there is love, there is life." -Mahatma Ghandi

: Holiday :

I painted this based on a 1959 issue of Holiday Magazine.

"It is not down in any map; true places never are." -Herman Melville

***

Prints of new work available in my shop - Society6.com/AllynHoward

Hope your September is off to a brilliant start!

xo, A

Artwork by Allyn Update

I always enjoy that Back to School feeling that fall brings with it, especially since I no longer have to go and haven't for many years!  It is a time when I become more serious about setting and reaching goals. I know most of us feel this way at summer's end, must be a force of habit. Mine include illustrating a children's book (or several), licensing my art to manufacturing companies and creating custom murals for as many nurseries, kids' rooms & commercial spaces as I can reach :')

Today, I'm sharing some of the artwork I made over the summer...

Hey, That's my bus! 

I've been a fan of Britain's iconic double deckers since I was a 4 year old.

Rain or Shine, I love my yellow umbrella

I adore the products and packaging by the company Blue Q and lately can't stop thinking about bag, coin purse and tea box design. Atop, is Sugi Pug Wonder (or Brooklyn Pug) and Taco & Twiggy coin purse designs. I have many more that I will share soon and some of my own tote bags to give away :) Below are a couple sketches for tea boxes.

Here is my Sleepy Time box face and elements that would be included...

This summer, I had a bit of an obsession with S'mores and the idea of animals everywhere camping together...

This is a fake ad for G Force Graham crackers presented by G Force the Cat & Fat Fox

Monkey Graham

Below is Jumpin' for Joy, a design for gift wrap, cards, napkins, etc. I recently had a fabric sample printed by Spoonflower They do great work!

I'm currently working on some birthday cards and invitations, this one for a pool party!

Above is a little sketch I made for Peter Caine's facebook page, Read Your Dog. Peter is a dog trainer and he'll answer your questions (not only about dogs) in a well informed, uniquely entertaining way. *Extras include funny videos starring his dogs, Ike & Mango, plus a glimpse at his imaginative subversive installation & video art. He has many animals including a crow and a squirrel :') 

This is Pico, the worried cat. 

Pogo sits at attention below. 

while Lou has seen better days, things will perk up soon ;D

and finally, a bit of advice...

Don't miss your bus

Hope your fall is off to a solid start.

*If you like my work, please go ahead and "like" my page, Artwork by Allyn

Thanks for stopping by today!

xo, A