Elisabeth Craster Illustration

An additional panty-twister is that this neighbor of the board barn is consequence free. Good for them, no days of worry, no potential follow up visits to pay for. Total freedom from the disaster that could have been avoided with a MOWER BAG.

Photo of a large black horse, placing its head in its owner’s arm in a sand arena.

Playing in the arena while we wait for the vet.

Horses should never eat mown grass clippings, but sometimes, well-meaning neighbors think it is alright to spray said clippings through the fence. Infuriating.
Dogs, horses, anything really…if it ain’t yours to feed, don’t feed it! #horsecare

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A mischievous black cat in a magical library chews up the pages of a book, surrounded by cat-caused chaos: an upended ink well and inky paw prints decorate the antique desk, while the background is littered with scattered books.

Eeep! Nearly missed October #kidlitartpostcard day. Can't pass up an excuse to put this #blackcat house goblin on my feed; he just so happens to rep my love of animal-centric #middlegrade #bookcovers. Enjoy the #Halloween vibes.

YouTube video by Mike Moore Tylenol

One of the first of many glorious rants on the brain today. #scrubs #tylenol

youtu.be/gD6olRJ8S3I?...

The first hour of the evening. 4pm is the last hour of the afternoon.
Source: Eastern European shopping experiences. Many stores close at four. The idea is that you do your shopping and chores during the day; 5 PM and after is for dinner and socializing.

A young charioteer waits in a hallway facing the racetrack of the Circus Maxima. He and his four horses watch nervously as an older charioteer in the background falls face-first into the dust.

Hi #kidlitartpostcard day. Since real life feels like a circus right now, have a little OG Roman circus action, courtesy of my love for animal-centric #historical #nonfiction. #Picturebooks and MG #bookcovers with a little #graphicnovel flavor.

The lesson I took from Tolkien is that these big bombastic villains are all toppled eventually by quiet, persistent, foolish little people. Have to hold on to that.

DEER GAME!!!! (picture of a lil fawn) look at this deer YOU WON!!!

Last evening of the summer.
Tenth year of teaching middle school.
And best believe I’m bummed and a little stressed, but I am not scared. And I am supremely lucky for that.

I love the who, how, and why. Plus form=function. But I got the impression that most game art (where fantasy migrated?) doesn’t want a researched look, it wants sexy. And life before plumbing was not sexy.

What I’m saying is that if anyone knows where I can go to rant about wheel types on carts…

A horse diving underwater among flowing underwater plants with its mane and tails flowing like the plants

Ceffyl Dŵr - Water Horse from Welsh folklore that lures lost travellers on its back before diving underwater, never to be seen again.

A black house cat rolls over and yawns; the camera captures what looks like demonic possession.

End of summer vibes.
#blackcat #cat

An ethereal, glowing lion rears up to form the constellation Leo. The whispy ends of its mane resemble the colorful gasses in nebula.

Happy last minute #worldlionday post, #kidlit style.

Cute photo of a black cat

Humor take. The photos of my cat, posted between postcards, get far more engagement anyway lol.

Impish dolphins harass an emotionally-devastated hammerhead shark on a postcard for ElisabethCraster.com

Hi #kidlitartpostcard day! I do #nonfiction animal-centric #picturebooks and #middlegrade #bookcovers. <3 history and animal science!

These #dolphins are giving this #shark the what-for. Probably for using obnoxious Chaloops type. Sharks aren't generally gifted at graphic design. He tried.

Loose, whimsical sketch of a bloodhound pursuing a scent

Sniff snarfin' for evidence. #sketch #sketchbook #kidlit #kidlitart #dog #drawing #illustration #characterart #animalart

A truly excessive number of photographs of a boot at a particular angle dominate the screen in Photoshop next to a digital drawing of a shoe.

Oh, like you would never. #artistproblems #weirdreferences #sketch

I thought my obsession with ankle booties was just a personal problem; from now on it's "research."

Indeed, mother, I require your undivided attention.

A wild eyed black cat stands after landing on top of a paper, covered desk, intent on disrupting work productivity

And now for a nice quiet afternoon of getting…things…done…? #cat #studio

Helped find too many runaway dogs; now I have no shame. I like screaming onomatopoeias like bang and whoosh so loudly that my neighbors can hear me over their backyard streamers and take the hint/become frightened. But you have to REALLY commit to the bit, and only on the 3rd or so night in a row.

A gang of cackling dolphins swim circles around and tease an alarmed and emotionally devastated hammerhead shark

Dolphins can be real jerks. And if you feel emotional affinity for this hammerhead...same. #kidlitart #kidlit #bookcoverdesign #bookcovers #middlegrade #nonfiction #illustration #dolphins #shark

Two graphite drawings—one of a mischievous dolphin cackling, another of a pod of dolphins emotionally devastating a sympathetic hammerhead shark. Dolphins are jerks.

Some assets for a portfolio #bookcoverdesign in progress.

Graphite drawing of a forest. A unicorn and forest animals burst from a magical fire; the unicorn's horn is lit like a torch, implying some form of guardianship or control.

A magician and young student crouch behind tree roots, just out of sight from a wraith-like, ghostly unicorn. The magician's hand appears to incite a magical reaction as fiery lines begin criss-crossing the ground.

Graphite drawing: a magician holds a child student protectively, crouched close to the ground. Magic laces across the dirt in the foreground. Two fiery unicorns charge past, driving the threatening specter deeper into the forest.

A fiery, mischievous-looking unicorn stares out at the viewer next to a 20 prompt list for #junicorn. 1. Ride Now! 2. Visit the Zoo. 3. Into the Night. 4. Dance with the Devil. 5. Survive a Disaster 6. Unlock the Door. 7. Escape the Labyrinth. 8. First day of school. 9. Ignored the Warning. 10. (Don't) Look Under the Bed 11. Follow that Cat! 12. ...That's Not a Unicorn. 13. Discover a Library. 14. Steal a Little Magic. 15. Defying Orders. 16. Bridge the gap. 17. Lose the Map. 18. Take Revenge. 19. Make a Friend. 20. Light a Fire.

Closing out #junicorn2025 today. My annual fantasy fix, with a heavy emphasis on #graphite this year (my first and forever love when it comes to medium).

Just a smattering here to keep my BSKY kidlit-oriented. Insta's got the unicorns @ecraster

#unicorn #fantasyart #fantasydrawing #conceptart

Black cat with golden eyes sprawled across a work desk

When the cat-shaped house goblin says you’re done being productive today. #cat

Cartoon titled “The Four Stages of Writing” by Debbie Ridpath Ohi, showing a girl at a laptop experiencing a cycle of emotions. Panel 1: she looks frustrated, saying “Wow, I can’t believe I thought I could write.” Panel 2: she looks more hopeful, saying “Hey, I’m not so bad after all.” Panel 3: she raises her arms and smiles, saying “Wow, this writing is BRILLIANT! I ROCK!” Panel 4: she looks sad again, repeating “Wow, I can’t believe I thought I could write.”

Aaaaand guess what stage I'm at now....

It takes forever, but it cuts the impact hard.

You may have already done this, but I’m spreading the gospel of immunotherapy injections. Gave me my life back.

Almost like a troubling percentage don’t really view women as real people…