She proofreads marketing collateral, academic papers, and real estate listings. I have worked with her in the recent past and highly recommend her as a proofreader.

This time I made almond apple whoopies, and they were yummy!

My profile with the zero word count looks really sad.

The beautiful digital art was produced by Edward C. Rooks, a wildlife illustrator and naturalist. This is his second children’s book.

This English and Spanish edition is written at the 2rd grade level. The Spanish translation, by Ms. Gina Covello, is a faithful retelling of the same story using the pictures. Information about Trinidad and Tobago and leatherback sea turtles is included at the end of the book.

Special thanks to Drs .Karen and Scott Eckert for checking the facts about turtle behavior.

My first project was to create a business/calling card for myself, and I decided to design myself a coat of arms. The crest is a corgi head on a feminine lozenge, which is the shield shape of a male crest.  The design is based on information I learned from Heraldic Design by Hubert Allcock.

The motto on the banner is fluctuat nec mergitur (lit. tossed by the [sea], she does not sink), the motto of Paris. Very loosely translated it means “never give up, never surrender,” which is the motto from Galaxy Quest, one of my favorite movies.

How did I do it?

First, I traced my beloved dog, Mr. Spock, from a photo. Next I inked the tracing of the dog and added a ribbon banner. Next I scanned it. Everything else in the design is  created using layers, select tools, and the pencil tool. Organization and workflow is important  when painting in PhotoShop.

You can easily learn to use PhotoShop tools from a book, but to learn workflow, I highly recommend getting an instructor, such as Edward.

Coming soon! Toco the Turtle: Lost in Grand Riviere a bilingual English/Spanish children’s book

Edward Rooks is also continuing his small group Pen & Ink Drawing classes in Los Gatos. I’ll be posting student before and after drawings, so you can see the results of great teaching. Send email to kristi@dumpydog.com for details. Drop in rate: $35 per 2-hour class; Monthly rate: $125

This print is a cibachrome (more like a film) and has a glossy finish. The colors are vibrant. It is number 9 of 650.

This 11 x 14 inch image is printed on 140 lb watercolor paper. The colors are vibrant, and it has a matte finish.

Write us for other sizes and options.