Melissa Rohr | Illustration Blog

Sneak Peek: Unicorn & Pony Coloring Book

1/6/2017

Unicorn & Pony Coloring Book

Coming soon...a new Unicorn & Pony Coloring Book! This was a comissioned project that I enjoyed working on. I am adding the finishing touches on this project and it will be released shortly.

Update: find the Unicorn & Pony Coloring Book in our shop!

Can I send you an email to give you the first look at new critter illustrations? Join my email list to receive updates about my art and shop, The Inky Octopus.

Watercolor Snail Illustration Tutorial

8/1/2015

watercolor snail tutorial 1

Quite often I'm asked how I create my illustrations, so here's a little project you can try at home.

Begin with a blank sheet of watercolor paper. One of the most important things for me is the correct type of paper. A high quality watercolor paper is needed for the paint/water to cooperate. Here, I'm using Canson's cold press watercolor paper. For larger and more finished projects, it's wonderful to experiment with the other high-quality papers found at Blick and other art stores. I've torn off a little piece about 5.5 x 4" for this project.

Whose Deal Playing Cards

2/23/2015

Whose Deal Playing Cards

I enjoyed working on this playing card project recently, and the cards have now been printed! I created the face card illustrations (King, Queen, Jack, Joker) for the Whose Deal playing card deck, and had the pleasure of working with graphic designer Elizabeth Salinas on this project. Find out more about these unique playing cards, or see more photos of the project in my portfolio.

art direction: Elizabeth Salinas
game design: Elvina Stegall
face card illustrations: Melissa Rohr

Comic Sneak Peak

2/2/2015

A few more sneak peaks from an upcoming collaborative comic project.

An Upcoming Project

12/17/2014

Here is a preview of an upcoming project I'll be working on for the next few months. I think it will turn out to be a pretty fun story!

Illustrations for Incense Packaging

11/15/2013

hot cocoa incense illustration

Recently, I created some fun illustrations for these small boxes of incense by Ethereal Aromas Incense Company. The illustrations were first drawn in pen, then digitally colored.

Incense packaging design: Matthew Gindling. Illustrations: Melissa Rohr.

New Bird H. Bird

8/16/2013

Here is the latest strip of Bird H. Bird. You can also see a couple of pictures of the in-progress artwork - taken while I was working with the watercolor.

Henna Tattoo Designs

6/24/2013

I've had some fun this summer designing some henna tattoos for Crushed Leaf! Here's a selection of some of the designs. You can visit Crushed Leaf this summer at local Chicago fairs & festivals.

Octopus Coloring Book

5/25/2013

Octopus coloring book

My new Octopus Coloring Book! The second book in my collection of coloring books. (You can see the first here.) It will be available from The Inky Octopus and Amazon soon!

Update: you can now find the Octopus Coloring Book on Amazon and The Inky Octopus!

Logo Design for Mama Nena's Shrimp House

5/5/2013

I worked with Elizabeth Salinas on this logo design for Mama Nena's Shrimp House in Chicago. You can see the design on their website here.

Art direction & typography: Elizabeth Salinas. Illustration: Melissa Rohr