"Pale Star" Cartoon Dragon ACEO work in progress

I feel like it's been awhile since I've posted any art, so here are a quick few work in progress pics of a baby dragon ACEO I drew today...From start to finish!


inking the pencil lines in microns


Shading in areas with a gray prismacolor marker


Adding some color (more prismacolor and one copic lol)

Anddd...the finished ACEO:



"Pale Star" is available- up for auction on eBay HERE!

Hope you enjoyed this little post.

xo!
Em
zombietoes.com
eBay
Zazzle shop

Works in Progress- Fox Paintings + ACEOs...And Summer Art Plans

Hellooo!
Well, as promised, I have a few work in progress pictures to show! First up, some fox paintings! These two have been in the works for a few weeks now- I keep getting busy and have not had any time to add layers to them in so long. These are both based on smaller AEO illustrations I drew awhile back, and I just loved them so much I had to paint them bigger! Eventually, they will be complete, but for now, here are the progress pics-





I also have some pencil sketches of a few ACEOs I will be working on in the next few weeks-



So, once I get through the commissions I currently have (perhaps another week or so), I will hopefully have time to get these puppies painted, inked, colored, etc and up for sale on eBay! I also have some crazy summer art plans revolving around movable paper art (think pop-up books/cards). I'm really excited about this, as I love collaging, and I just love playing with paper and glue and scissors. Often I am only coloring/inking...and there is not that "mess" factor that I somemtimes crave.

I also *REALLY* want to get back into repainting dolls...We will go into that more in another (probably more than one lol) post.

xo!
Em
zombietoes.com
eBay
Zazzle shop

An Artist Q&A

(This is not a comic post, this is a "ramble" post)

It's been so long since I've *written* a blog post, I am not sure how to appropriately begin...so I'll just start talking.
About a week and a half ago, I received correspondence from Patience Brewster...Patience is an amazingly imaginative, well known illustrator. I first discovered her work about 10 years ago, when I acquired a little day planner with some of her fantasy art as a design motif. Immediately, I fell in love with her work. It's fantasy art, but...there is something so distinctly original and hilarious about her pictures. Something extra special for a weirdo to appreciate.

In essence, Patience has asked me to participate in sharing some stuff about my artist self. This is fitting, as whatever I do tend to share is not so much about my artist self, just all my other selves. So, here are five questions that I have been given to ponder on and answer:

1) As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist?
Well, does an obsession with Popeye count? I've always loved cartoons. In my early childhood I also recall a strong fondness for "In a Dark Dark Room" (I believe this particular version was a Scholastic publication, with very intense illustrations) and Stephen Gammell's wicked scary pictures in the Scary Stories books by Alvin Schwartz. Quentin Blake's work in the Roald Dahl books (ALL OF THEM!) Oh! And the art by Rien Poortvliet in the Gnomes book (written by Wil Huygen). Those are the ones that stand out most.

2) As an artist, what do you hope to convey with your work?
Humor. Silliness. Play. Laughing is my favorite thing in all the world, I love doing it, I love other people doing it, I love hearing it, I love causing it. Perhaps I subconsciously try to portray some sort of personal diagram of self acceptance. Life is not all good and sparkly, it can be ugly and pain-filled at times, or it can be any gray area of dangerous/fun/boring/delightful, etc...but man, there's always ALWAYS something to laugh at.

3) What memorable responses have you had to your work?

This was the most difficult of the five questions for me. Every response is a memorable one, honestly, as I don't get tons and tons. I take every sale as a compliment! Actually, here's a list of things that I consider to be huge compliments and/or great big hugs (in no particular order):
Tattoos of my work
commission requests
Repeat sales/ repeat customers
Word of mouth

Of course, I have encountered a low to moderate amount of negative feedback. Honestly, I take most of it as an issue of taste. We all have different cone and rod set ups for our eyeballs, we all have assorted life experiences which sway us in certain ways, we are all doing our own different life-things-and-stuff. I don't take a lot of it personally. I don't take it personally if someone doesn't like waffles, or roses, or rose-flavored waffles. To each their own!

4) What is your dream project?
There are so many. To generalize a bit, I'd love to work REALLY big. Mural big. Billboard big. BIG! A coloring book (somewhat in the works). Illustrating a book, or a board game (does this make me sound obsolete?)

5) What artists, of any medium, do you admire?
Jim Henson and Dr. Seuss - they make me laugh
Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley - I love etchings and black and white line work. They are both bizarre and hilarious as well.
Bill Watterson. Gary Larson. Bill Amend.
Frances Hodgson Burnett. She wrote The Secret Garden. What I admire about her is her sheer love for writing- she was so poor at one time that she could not afford paper to write on, so she saved and used every old scrap- the backs of envelopes, inside of book covers, anything. That is perseverance. That is admirable.
Pretty much anyone that can play an instrument.

I want to take a moment to thank Patience Brewster for encouraging my participation in this Q&A. Imagine an artist that adores Christmas as much (or probably MORE) than I dislike Christmas...That is Patience! She has brought so many of her whimsical illustrations to life as Christmas ornaments, so please take a moment to check those out at this link, perhaps get a big head start on the holiday shopping:
https://www.patiencebrewster.com/ornaments
Of course, Patience has her own Artist Q&A blog post, at this link:
https://www.patiencebrewster.com/blog/qa/

I hope all of you who have stuck through this ramble have enjoyed reading! If you have any questions of your own that you'd like to ask me, I do welcome them! You may ask them here in the comments, or you can always send me an email at darklingem@gmail.com

xo!
Em
zombietoes.com
Zazzle shop
etsy shop
eBay

Rabbit Hole

I would apologize for disappearing, but...I'll just do it again, and again. While my behavior dictates that I would not actually be sincere in apologizing, I really don't think that is the actual case. Regardless, here is a brand new comic, all hand colored and sloppy, just how I like...my art.



xo!
Em

Go Buy My Art Or I Will Come Eat All The Food In Your Fridge :)

Face Time

xo!
Em

Please website please thank you love love---> zombietoes.com

Ding-Bat

Yeah, more animals.

xo!
Em

Website store is up, lots of stuff, go there, see things: zombietoes:shop

Swear and Rabbit

Bringing back Bear and Rabbit. Sick of drawing myself. updated the website with some new art ---> zombietoes.com, and more stuffs on the way. Am super duper tired, can you tell?

xo!
Em

Also TONS of posters up in the Zazzle shop!!!

At Least You Don't Have...

Seems to me that there are a batch or two of shit sandwiches circulating in the cafeteria of the universe lately. Sometimes, these works of fecalary delight can be avoided. Other times, you gotta just take your helping. Either way...there is always a bright side. Even if you really REALLY have to stretch to find it. It helps to be flexible.

On another note...Umm, FUCKING EBOLA, people. I told you so. I told you so. (In most cases where I pull out the "I-told-you-so" card, it does not feel as good as I always picture it to. This is one of those cases. Still, I am laughing).

xo!
Em
PS- New scavenger hunt, new-ish arts, more on the way, uhhh, link: zombietoes.com

This One's on Me

So, this is me slacking off again. I just drew this a half hour ago in my sketchbook. Lacking the ambition to color it in. Sometimes, it's a hell of a lot more work to color these things digitally. But...this is kind of what they look like before I clean them up. A present for you- behind the scenes. Haha. Ain't I swell?

In other news, I have acquired the domain name zombietoes, and am working on an official website for this comic and all my cartoon art and stuff. Also, slowly working on a zombietoes zazzle shop for prints and products of my illustrations and paintings. :D And other things. Lots of other things.
I have to go eat something cold. Okay, ice cream. I have to go eat ice cream now.

xo!
Em
And don't forget about the etsy shop, it's got a bunch of new photos with a fun new background! And reduced prices on some things! Yaaay! zombietoes.etsy.com

No Glitter

Crafty time!

xo!
Em
It's a little late to get things shipped in time for holiday gifts, but...it's never too late to shop for yourself. :D zombietoes

Real Life Sucks

Uh...hey there. Sorry, I totally disappeared from the internet for awhile. This is more or less why:



xo!
Em

New stuff on the way to my zombietoes shop in the next few weeks!

bear and rabbit

Something a little different:



xo!
Em

zombietoes.etsy.com

Fantasia Bathroom

Seriously, it's like a touch-free car wash. I just want to know...WHY?!?

xo!
Em
You guys, I have tons of crazy fun stuff in my shop, please take a moment to check it out, maybe even share the link? zombietoes.etsy.com

The Cut-Off

Take it however you can get it, I guess.

xo!
Em
T shirts, bags, puppets, art, hilarious pictures, prints, zombies, monsters...get some: zombietoes.etsy.com

High Five Cat

This happened the other day. I love this man, even though he is a cat.

xo!
Em

SHHHHopppppping: zombietoes

Cartoon Ocean Art- Tad, Fish Hands, and Burt

Hallo! This is not a comic post...and for that I am sorry, but Christ on a crucifix, I cannot be funny ALL the TIME!!
*ahem* THIS post is about ART! CARTOONS! Dorky pictures I drew and would like to share with you! :D

Today's theme: the ocean! Why? I have been fascinated-verging-on-obsessed with the ocean for as long as I can recall. The quaint-looking (but wicked harsh) New England seaside is one of my first memories. Also...Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea...and we all know how I love me some magic dragons! But seriously, the most compelling reason, for me, to love the ocean is all the UNKNOWN out there. Out there, under the water that covers MOST of our planet. Think about it. Whoa, man, right? Of all the weird creatures my imagination could conjure up, there is something EVEN weirder lurking right next to us, but we just can't see it.
Anyway, enough rambling, how about some pictures? Three of my lowbrow water critter illustrations for you to feast your eyes upon:

"Tad"


Tad is all alone, totally lost, and extremely socially awkward (but has a heart of gold). He also looks pretty dern tired if you ask me.
The original painting is HERE
open edition 8" x 10" prints are HERE.

"Fish Hands"


I...don't even know. I just do not know.
The original illustration is HERE
I do not have prints available at this time, but if you want to nag me about it, feel free ;) Uh, actually, make sure you gauge my mood before you start the nagging. (Just some advice from a fickle person.)

"Burt"


Burt wants you to know what he's talking about... But he's not actually speaking, because this octopus has no mouth! Hope you can read eyelids...
The original illustration (framed!) is HERE!
I do not have prints of him available yet, either, but again with the nagging thing...feel free.

So, those are some of my arts. I will do more of these posts in the future, perhaps one a month? Why am I asking you? :P I hope you've enjoyed the display :) Tell you friends, tell your mom. <3

xo!
Em
Not into art so much? Well, I make other things, too: zombietoes.etsy.com

Lovesick

Yeah, uh...First of all, Happy Halloween everyone!!!!!! :D
Secondly, here is my humble offering to your funny bone this week:



And third- Never have I EVER eaten so much candy that I have thrown up. I have, however, eaten so much BACON that I threw up. That was back in the day when I was working at Sylvester's Restaurant. Man, I swear, I must have eaten at least 2/3 of a pound of bacon that day. Perhaps more. It's a good thing I'll never know for sure.

Oh, yes, #4- Happy Valentine's Day, I guess.

xo!
Em

Please support my candy and bacon addiction by purchasing some hand made art, monsters, zombies, etc: zombietoes.etsy.com

Inhumane

One of these days, I'm gonna bite his head off...



xo!
Em

PS- It is TOTALLY OKAY to feed this particular bear! To do so, just purchase some art from her shop: zombietoes.etsy.com Rawrz!

The Lonely Hole

Just...laugh at my pain. It's okay, I'm giving you permission.



xo!
Em

BUY ALL THE THINGS!!!!----> zombietoes.etsy.com

Toolbag

I hope I have not actually offended any of my friends with this one...and if I have, then...well, why do you think I might be talking about you? ;}

xo!
Em
So, let's get some cool stuff from Em, and help support her humorous endeavors: zombietoes.etsy.com