This is the last image from a short series for Menno Media for their Shine curriculum. This is in the morning by the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus had helped his disciples catch a miraculously large haul of fish (153 of them!) they roasted some and lounged around on the beach eating a breakfast of bread and fish.
I recently completed a project for Utah-based Fish for Garbage, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes communities through waterway cleanups and watershed education. They commissioned me to create a series of illustrations for a children’s activity book.
This image is the second of two hidden picture puzzles. I saved this one until last because it’s my favorite. That’s the same duck from several pages ago. Having him visible both above and below the waterline really sold the idea that he was floating on the water and what was underneath was the underwater view. And just look at those duck feet! So cute!
I’m really not an expert at drawing fish, but I work from references and do my best. The client said the one brown trout I drew had a longer snout than the other, which is actually called a kype and is sought after by fishermen. I don’t really know enough about them to do that intentionally, but I’m so glad it turned out to be a feature and not a bug. Serendipity.
Can you find all 8 items? There’s a cigarette butt, a tin can, a plastic spoon, a plastic drinking straw, a deflated balloon, a deflated inner tube, a plastic bag, and a flip-flop sandal. The client said they find a surprising number of uninflated inner tubes at their cleanup events.
I will say that, between this one and the previous illustration, I spent SO much time drawing little circles for all that gravel. But it was worth it!
Here’s a mermaid I drew while procrastinating.
Okay, so full disclosure. I’m actually working ahead on these. You’re seeing them published on the right day in October, but I’m writing this on September 14th. I’m trying to do one of these a day, but I’m doing it ahead of time in case other work comes up to delay me or one turns out to take way longer than the half-day I’m trying to restrict myself to.
This one definitely took longer than I meant to spend. This was a two-day drawing. Mostly because it took me forever to figure out how I wanted to do those waves. I re-did them so many times. But I think I’m pretty much happy with it now.
Anyway, so today we have the prompt: disgusting. This whole drawing is pretty disgusting, right?
So, I thought I’d see if I can get through an entire Inktober series again this year. Last time I did it was in 2016, but I ignored the official prompts in favor of whatever Halloween ideas came to mind. This time I’m following the official prompts, which means today is: Fish.
I’m not entirely following the official rules because Inktober is really supposed to be ink drawings. But I only draw digital. So… no ink in the house. Instead I’m going to approximate ink drawings by limiting myself to black and white and trying to do mostly ink-style drawings at least. This one isn’t very ink-style, though.
Hey, it’s the best I can do. 🙂
My youngest made this in school. I love it! Look at that expressive face!
Feeding Goldfish Crackers to Goldfish earlier this fall.
And here’s something completely different. Bear and Coyote. I think Coyote shouldn’t have stolen Bear’s fish. But Coyote, being the trickster he is, will get out of it somehow. 
Full Disclosure:
I should mention that, although this is in a tribal style with Native American folklore characters, I’m not a member of any indigenous nation. I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking I identify as a Native Artist.
I don’t plan to do any more in this style because I’m worried that it counts as cultural appropriation. I did this one because I think the style is beautiful and I wanted to see what I could do with it. I really like how it turned out and it’s my own idea and my own story, but it isn’t in a style I have a cultural connection with. I don’t want to upset anyone and I can see how it might, so I’ll limit myself to just this one.
What else would be funny in the bathtub?
Karen B. Jones - Illustrator 