They Draw and Cook

Recently, because of Sketchbook Skool, I discovered Nate and Salli, who run two websites: http://www.theydrawandcook.com, and http://www.theydrawandtravel.com. I discovered the travel one first, because I'm taking a map-making class from Nate on Sketchbook Skool so I can teach it this summer for Teen Summer Reading; and then I went exploring and found his other (first) love, cooking and drawing.

For both of the sites, you are welcome to do your own recipe or your own map and post it. It's a kind of catalog of illustrating styles to get business for illustrators...or in my case, it's just another place to pamper my vanity by posting my work!

I have a map in the works, but today I gave in to the impulse to make a recipe for theydrawandcook. I spent about 2.5 hours at it, and here is my result:

They have a specific (kind of awkward) format for the recipes (16.667 inches x 6.25 inches, with a small gutter) because, after you publish 30 of them on the site, they will consider publishing a book of your recipes! Alternatively, they occasionally do a specific theme (right now they're working on soups, stews, and chilis), and will publish one recipe from each of their artists who have drawn an appropriate one. So it could lead to publication, and yes, maybe some other work as well. I'm not focused on either of those things; and if you saw the quality of other people's work on both websites (go and look, you will enjoy it!), you would tell me not to hold my breath! I just want to work some out for the challenge of it, but I wouldn't say no if either of those things happened.

Anyway, this one, as I said, is my fledgling effort, and most likely one I will do over. The writing is too large and the other elements too small, making it a bit bland, and I want to work that out. Also, I can't decide whether to put a border on it, or wash in a background color, or what. So I'm going to ponder it and do another version later.

I was mostly happy with the watercolor portion of it. I love drawing onions and mushrooms, and eggs are a challenge I keep taking on with varying success. The Parmesan could look a little more cheesy, in my opinion, but I'm not going to nitpick this, being my first effort. Parenthetically, it's a good recipe, my favorite for weekend brunch, and you should try it out!

Micron pens in sepia, brown, and black; watercolors; and pencil (mostly erased).

Getting some mojo back

I would have said that I didn't have the energy or the focus to do an illustration, especially after work on a Monday, after everything that's been happening the past few weeks; but then my cousin messaged me and offered an assignment: "I'm going to do a post on my blog about these no-bake chocolate bars, and I only have one picture to illustrate it. Do you think you could draw me a picture of some of the ingredients, to make it look more finished?" And while I grumbled and groused and said "I have nothing left at the end of the day, so it may not happen," I of course got sucked in, intrigued by which ingredients I had and which to choose and how to present them, and before you know it, it was done.

So here is my illustration for Kirsten and Kirsti's blog, The Swoon Society. It's not the first I've done, and hopefully it's not the last, because clearly I need an assignment to get the motor running. Also, I highly recommend you go copy down this recipe, because those bars are delectable!