Caricatures, Silhouettes and Illustrations by Leona Hosack

Just thought I'd share some of the "Cheering Children" I created last year -all in one place for fun! I stared doing these elaborated doodles last year to add to my blog as a way of encouraging myself or anyone else who is attempting to try their hand at new things! A couple of them found their way onto the Illustration Friday website as submissions! Which one speaks to you? Beating the drum of your success in 2014!                Have a Great and Success-Filled Year!

This is my latest submission to Illustration Friday. The theme this week is "Disguise" Felt like practicing my "face painted" butterfly in an illustration just for fun! After all face painting is a form of disguise. Right? I needed to practice my face painting again and my granddaughter Bailey was happy to oblige. She wanted a dragon this time. How cute! I tried it on me too.

Just finished this portrait of Phaedra Eggleston , my lovely granddaughter! The cat hat makes the picture, don't you think! My grandaughter Phaedra Some thoughts about my drawing process: When I'm engaged in drawing, especially drawing faces as I love to do, I find that it seems like I'm developing a relationship with the subject, in the pose that the photo is in, or the pose that the sitter has taken. It's a one on one in the moment experience, from moment to moment as I work, a non verbal relationship that gradually deepens my understanding of what I am perceiving, and loving about the physicality of the subject. It can become so absorbing that I get to the point where I don't want to stop.  But after I have stopped, taken a break and looked again, I find that I may have gotten a likeness of sorts though not an exact replica, and that feels ok. The drawing either pleases me, and I let it be done, or it doesn't and I keep going. There's ve...

 An illustration I did a few years back for a collection of stories about the life and influence of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of The Baha'i Faith.  Gretchen Rubin in her insightful book “Happiness Project” talks about pursuing your passion and doing what you love, as being an extension of what you loved doing at the age of ten. “Whatever your passion might be, happiness research predicts that making time for a passion and treating it as a real priority instead of an “extra” to be fitted in at a free moment (which many people practically never have) will bring a tremendous happiness boost. What you enjoyed doing as a ten-year old, or choose to do on a free Saturday afternoon, is a strong indication of your passion.” When I was ten I drew all the time, even during classes, to the chagrin of my teachers, though I never really got in trouble for it, but eventually went on to major in Art in College. I remember singing all the time too back then and putting the p...

Bailey as a Butterfly! Bailey with a rainbow and cloud design! I had an opportunity to do Face Painting at a party in Maine last weekend. Although I am an artist and drawing is not difficult for me, working with face paints is a new experience for me. I needed to practice and thank goodness my beautiful granddaughters were delighted to help me practice!  Later that evening Phaedra wanted to be a pink kitten! Bailey wanted to be a kitty too! Phaedra Kitty again! She loves to pose! Butterfly Bailey Again! A different kitty design on Phaedra! When I got to the party I got so busy painting faces that I forgot to take the time to take pictures! By the time I took this picture, The only one I got to take,  I had done 5 or 6 blues butterflies, a rainbow with stars, and a batman design! This little girl didn't want her face painted at first but then agreed to having a unicorn painted on her cheek. She looks so serious!  ...

    Paper-cut Folk Art Houses This design is available in my Etsy Shop! https://www.etsy.com/listing/98177531/custom-folk-art-cut-paper-houses?ref=shop_home_active_1 We are in the middle of moving right now! What a way to start a new year! Moving to a new house! Actually now the only things left to move now is in the garage at the old place, which is full of stuff! Stuff and more stuff, left over from many yard sales, kids moving in and out, old things we intended to take to the dump but didn't, and assorted items that outgrew the house! Moving from a four floor (including a basement) apartment that we've been in for fifteen years to a four room bungalow/cottage is not an easy thing! Downsizing is the word for the day!  One of the best things that my hubby Larry and I have done for ourselves during this process has been to focus on the moving to, rather than the moving from, taking breaks whenever we need them, without pause. My wonderful husband (who...