Here’s my latest Moleskin Mama. Ink & Prismacolor Markers. I love it when girls are named Billy – they’re just so tough!
For this one and the one posted below, I went with a dark background — leaving a narrow white outline around the figure. I may go back and do this with all my moleskin mamas – just to unify the series.
I just started drawing in a moleskin journal. I now know why people rave about the moleskins. I love the smooth surface and the fact that my prismacolor markers don’t bleed horizontally. It does bleed through the back a little, but that can be handled with a piece of paper in between the pages.
I’ve also been playing around with thick lining around my figures. I first did it with my gothic Wizard of Oz ATC’s series. It seemed appropriate for the theme. So, when I was drawing in the moleskins, I got a little addicted to the smooth feel of the paper and wanted to draw more, so I used the thick outline on these figures.
My new challenge? How thick is too thick? One may never know . . 
Originally uploaded by artyB
This set of ATCs is for Kosmopooch’s Alphabet swap at www.illustratedatcs.com. This is the third swap in the series and I wanted to change up my approach. I pulled out a book of art nouveau letters and patterns that I have. I kept all the letters simple, but played a lot with the surrounding design — using some classic art nouveau motifs. With the I and J, I used some non classic colors to brighten and modernize the theme. I used more traditional colors for the K and L and I’m in love with both of them.
Originally uploaded by artyB
I created this series for Merricat’s Gothic Wizard of Oz swap at www.illustratedatcs.com
Prismacolor Markers & Ink
It’s my style for sure, but it’s got a little something extra. One thing that I’ve done different is the thick outline around each of the characters. It really makes them pop off the cards.
From Left to right:
Scarecrow: My Head All Full of Stuffin’
Dorothy: No Place Like Home
Tin Man: Now I Know How A Heart Can Break
Originally uploaded by artyB
These are some 6×6 pen and marker portraits that I did recently. I’m using my favorite paper surface for marker work — Bristol board. It’s thickness helps prevent the marker from bleeding too much. I added some hearts from a series of ATCs that I created to enhance the background. These are collaged on.
After adding them, it made me think of prom – especially Trudie. Lovely Trudie un-gothed for a god-forsaken rite of passage. My heart goes out to her!
And Giselle? She has such disdain for dances. She could be home programming something really cool instead.
Lovely girls 
Originally uploaded by artyB
These cards are for Original Youth’s Colorful Portrait Swap at www.illustratedatcs.com. These were a great opportunity to play with color and push me out of my color comfort zone.
This is a gallery of some of the great/amazing/stupendous art that I rec’d for the Anatomical Endearments swap I hosted at www.illustratedatcs.com. I rec’d the last batch today and returns are getting mailed out tomorrow. Hooray!
Artists (from left to right, top to bottom)
Row 1: Judithian, Ninnerfish, TheeCoyote, Rocketwoman
Row 2: ArtyIAgirl, Livia, Judithian, Canuckdesz
Row 3: Canuckdesz, ArtyIAgirl, Ninnerfish, LatteTzar
These 4 ATC’s are for a swap over at www.illustratedatcs.com. You join a group of 5 folks and each person picks a theme. Then, through the miracle of art, all the other participants make you a card in your chosen theme. My theme is Tank Girl.
I made the following cards:
Dream [from Sandman] for Amerasu
Captain Harlack for Randi
Tequila for Zamarai
Jafar for Chronata
These were a lovely, fun distraction from some of the more serious art that I’ve been working on!
This is the third and last of my tarot cards for the tarot project at www.illustratedatcs.com.
There are varied meanings for tarot cards. Google a tarot card and you’ll get hundreds of different interpretations. A common interpretation of the two of wands is making a choice between two paths. So, I firmly placed my figure between the two wands with a shape leading back towards the horizon – representing a path forward or back – depending on the situation.
Most cards also have associated keywords. For my card, I chose to focus on Personal Power, Boldness, Originality. I wanted to make this a strong, positive card. I also made a specific choice for my figure to be a curvy, round girl to represent the strength of personal power.
Use of Color: For our deck, red represents the suit of wands, so I used it for the image’s background. I kept the whites in the card to pop the figure forward on the path.
Media: I used a base of prismacolor markers and then layered prismacolor colored pencils over the top to add a little depth.
References for Tarot meanings
http://www.tarotpedia.com/wiki/Two_Batons
http://www.learntarot.com/chminat.htm
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