Science kids

Here are some kids that I sketched and my husband, Terry, 

did the final art. This was for  a curriculum based publisher. 

The art direction had asked for a multi-ethnic group of

 4th to 6th grade kids in an "anime but not too anime style."

The client loved them! 

We were pretty happy with how they came out too! 

The Ugly Duckling.... Not yet hatched,

A to Z

Here is some artwork from a quick job I had at the end of last year. 

This one was a lot of fun! The sketches were very quick and got approved 

on the first pass which is ALWAYS a good thing! :)

Dad's Best Friend...

This little guy, held such a dear place in my heart

mainly because he was my father's shadow,

best buddy and constant companion. 

My dad asked me to paint this over 20 years ago

and to this day he hangs proudly in my mother's

kitchen as a memorial to my dad and his best friend. 

Mural, Mural on the Wall.....

I did these paintings for a friend's nursery based on Beatrix Potter's lovely character illustrations. 

Benjamin Bunny

Peter Rabbit

A bird with Peter's shoe.

Making Improvements

In the spirit of recycling, I took some of my old art that had been done 

for the "Daddy Did My Hair" book  as a style test but rejected and made it new 

and applied it to another story/poem that I wrote. 

The two seemed to go together well.  

Making Improvements

by Lisa Workman

Yesterday I was naughty.

Yesterday I was bad.

Yesterday I did some things to make

my mom and daddy mad.

I took my brothers blankie from him

and he really cried.

When I said "I didn't do it!"

Daddy knew that I had lied.

I asked my mom to let me have

a friend over to play.

But every time she grabbed a toy

I snatched it back away.

I got into momma's make-up

that she keeps inside her purse.

I made a mess and my attempts

to clean-up made it worse.

Yesterday I spent some time

in the naughty chair. 

So I did some big-time thinking

while I was sitting there.

Mommy tucked me into bed

at the end of yesterday. 

She asked God to help me

make improvements for today.

So today that's what I did.

You'll be very glad to see!

Today I made improvements

to be a better me!

This morning mommy dressed me 

and then she did my hair.

I added some barretts and clips

to make improvements there.

I looked into the mirror and

I saw how I was dressed.

I added some accessories

to help me look my best.

I went downstairs to play

and I picked up my guitar.

I know that if I practice

I can be a super star.

Improvements in my hair and clothes

should make my parents proud.

They are sure to hear improvements

If I keep on playing loud.

So I asked them if they liked

all of these things that I improved.

I saw a tear in momma's eye

so I knew that she was moved.

She picked me up and gave me

a big kiss upon my head.

She wiped the tear and to my surprise

This is what she said:

"The things we need to work on

to improve just who we are,

Are not our clothes, accessories,

or being a super-star.

We improve when we are truthful, helpful,

thoughtful, kind, and caring.

We are better when we stop

being selfish and start sharing.

Today I 'll make improvements

I hope that you will see

Today I’ll do just what it takes

To be a better me.

© Lisa Workman2011

Why Do Hummingbirds Drink Nectar?

This story is a Native American folk-tale akin to 

"The Tortoise and the Hare".

I will summarize.

The Heron and the hummingbird start out as friends who

fish for food in the same waters.

The hummingbird becomes worried that the Heron is eating

more than his fair share so she comes up with the plan for

a race. The winner has fishing rights,

and the loser has to find food elsewhere.

The hummingbird is  quickly in the lead and flies miles ahead.

The Heron is slow and lumbers along.

The hummingbird wastes hours sipping nectar from

a field of red sage. The heron slowly catches up.

The hummingbird speed miles ahead again but then 

figures that she is so far ahead that she can easily stop

and sleep and easily beat the heron to the finish 

in the morning but the heron flies steadily through the night.

Obviously, the heron wins.

And that's why herons eat fish 

and hummingbirds ...

drink nectar.