Butterfly Girl WIP

Here are some progress shots of Butterfly Girl.

Above:
 Beginning sketch. I'm drawing on a heavy piece of Arches hot press watercolor paper after reading that several artists (Allen Williams in particular) use it. I really like the texture of its surface. Holds up to a lot of erasing too. Using a soft lead in a .03 mechanical pencil. Darkening with a Caran d'Ache Grafwood 4B pencil.

At this point, I felt the sketch was complete and as you can see from my post, the original sketch was sold at Spectrum Live. Thank goodness for scanners. I printed the sketch out on a piece of Lanaquarelle WC paper, 140 lb. paper. After I stretched and stapled down the paper, I put a thin coat of white gesso over the printed sketch. I could still make out the lines, though they were faint. I then took a pencil and reinforced some of the lines that were lost. 

I then started painting it with watercolors and going back and lifting out the color with a wet brush where needed. Once completely dry, I will put a few light coats of acrylic matte medium and start putting down some oil glazes. 

The Bird Lady of Amherst

Here's my sketch for the day, while everyone I know is on their way to Spectrum Live.

Ever have one of those days...

[Reference from Pat Brennan]

Building Upon A Sketch Idea

Going to see where this takes me...

The Watcher - 2nd Layer

Allowing the texture to direct many of my strokes, I've applied a second layer to The Watcher.

The Watcher

This year I would like to up my skills in Photoshop. Here's my first layer, playing with some textures and adding color on top of a graphite sketch approaching it as I would colored pencil layers. Attempting a slightly more conceptual sketch here entitled, "The Watcher".

Jace Wayland Study

Here's a rough study of Jace Wyland. I'm trying to keep these fairly stylized. Not sure it's working but it's fun to loosen up a bit.

Portrait Sketch

About every other month, I like to draw something as accurately as I possibly can without the use of tracing, grid or transfer. Just good old fashioned eye-balling. I have many good photographers in the family and this photo was taken by my son, Mike. I love the lighting on her sweet, pensive expression. I worked an hour here, an hour there...taking breaks from my assignments and commissions. I could refine it more but I think I'll leave it the way it is.

Mentorship Continues- Autumn

Trying to catch up on blogging. I related that I've started an online mentorship with Rebecca Guay. I meet with her, along with two other students via Skype once a week for 2-2 1/2 hours. We've had assignments each month but we also try to sneak in personal projects that have been sitting around either in our studios or our heads, gathering dust (and cat hair, in my case). Here is one I have posted on before. And here is the typical process one of my amateur sketches goes through under Rebecca's  professional hand.

There are other aspects to this painting that have emerged for me since it's conception. It has taken on very personal expression that Rebecca will help me convey. But for now...here is where it started and where it's going.

IMC 2011 - Day 3

Well, I'm not too sure where day 2 went, but it's gone and it's almost day 4. So let me squeeze day 3 in before I forget what my name is. Yesterday was spent making the corrections on our sketches after the critique. The teachers are available to offer guidance on your piece. Sometimes, you get conflicting comments from the teachers but it's all good advise. In the end, it's up to you but I've usually gone with most of the suggestions since, well... they are the professionals. Here is my revised sketch.
I printed it out on 140 lb. Lana watercolor paper. Have wet it down and stretched and taped it. It will be ready come the morning.
Mo Willem gave a hilarious lecture today, plus he had some fantastic advise on writing children's books. This man understands the mind of a child. James Gurney delivered his fantastic lecture on Color and Light. But the highlight for me was Peter de Seve. Great speaker. So funny. His art truly speaks to me. I got the giggles so badly looking at his process and work. Tomorrow, James Gurney will deliver a lecture on composition. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

IMC 2011

Do you ever feel like you are trying to spin too many plates? How I wish I had another week to work on this but such is life.

I reworked this to face the other direction. I read that with children's books you should try to keep the movement within the page working toward the right so that the viewer will want to keep turning the pages. I've worked on the study for the little girl and think I have her the way I want. I've also posted her wrapped as the cocoon.

And Yet Another Try

I keep going from page to page, hoping something will feel "right" to develop more throughly for my assignment for IMC. I'm liking this one the best so far. I've included the text from the page.

This is just a very rough work up of her wings. I will continue adding the fabric patterns and colors throughout her wings to match her Doo-dah.

Taken out of context, it probably doesn't make much sense. On the preceding page, the little girl in the story has taken a nap wrapped up tight in her "Doo-dah" which becomes a cocoon in her imagination.

I must have slept a little bit.

I wake from caterpillar dreams.

Doo-dah's magic has worked it's spell;

I now have butterfly wings!

Another Angle

This children's book concept for IMC is about a little girl and her special blanket and all the wonderful things it becomes to her in her imagination. Here is another angle with her looking into a mirror and seeing herself with long flowing locks. What we see is her with the blanket over her shoulder but in the mirror I will portray her how she sees herself in her imagination....a princess in a castle sitting on a throne.

Magic Doo-dah Carpet

Still working.

Another Attempt

Trying to get her younger looking. Added bigger bows. Switched a few things up. Will keep at it.

IMC 2011

This will be my 4th return to the Illustration Master Class held on the Amherst College campus in MA. This year, it has been organized slightly different from previous years. Like in the past, we are given the choice of assignments but this time we have to let them know which one so that the studios and faculty can be organized accordingly. This year, along with the fantastic lineup of core faculty, they have added Adam Rex and Jeff Mack as children's book instructors, as well as the return of James Gurney for a day, plus Mo Willem and Peter de Seve. Of course, along with these greats, Iain Mc Caig and Scott Allie will top off the fantasy/comic book instructors.

I've chosen the children's book assignment...in a way. I won't be using the title they suggested but bring a project I've had on the back burner for about 5 years. It's a perfect opportunity to develop the idea further and get professional advise on both the artwork and the story. I've been trying to develop a style for this book....somewhere between realistic and illustrative, captivating life and energy of my subject. Here is my first attempt. I think I need to work on making her look younger, but I'm somewhat happy with her character. I think I might leave the oils home this time too and use my trusty watercolors and colored pencils. My title for the book is:

"My Magic Doo-dah"

Reoccurring Themes or Ditto Drawing

Had a strange drawing experience this weekend. Was refining my Autumn sketch (yet again), just letting it unfold and not thinking too much about why I was inserting different things. When I stood back and looked at it I felt this jolt. I had just drawn the exact pose I had used in another painting I did back in 2008, not to mention a past Christmas card. Completely different subject matter but the same position as well as a bird. What's that all about??

My friend Tara asked if there was something significant about the bird. There is something about holding something so fragile and that something so timid trusting you enough to remain. But the reason I put the bird in this painting is to suggest the need to leave nests behind and fly to safer harbors before the earth is blanketed in winter's cold.

Guess it's best not to over analyze but I am curious if anyone else has experienced this.

Sketch

Fantasy Art Class

Last year, my oldest daughter asked if I would help her teach an after school Fantasy Art Class to 5th and 6th graders at the charter school nearly all my grandchildren attend. We had fun, even though I felt under-qualified to teach. The kids seemed to enjoy it though and asked for it again this year. Surprisingly, last year the kids had a hard time coming up with an idea for their painting so this year we gave them assignments, all in the fantasy genre. We had 5 ideas for an illustration that they could pick from. I'm really happy with what they have come up with.

We teach them about the importance of thumbnails and that's been the hardest concept to get across...especially the girls who can't wait to put in all the frilly details. Think shape, value, gesture....NO DETAIL!! We then have them decide on their favorite thumbnail, develop it and find photo reference to help them. My daughter and I have each chosen one of the assignments along with them and I took the opportunity to develop my Cinderella sketch further. Here is my developed sketch that is ready for more refining. Because of the fur on the cloak, I want to add more Russian influences in her surroundings and dress. I'll post the progress as we start putting down paint this week.

Christmas Card Study #2

UPDATE: Played around on computer to test out some colors.
Most of the time, it takes me a while to come up with an idea. Rarely do I have an "light bulb" moment. Well, the planets must have been aligned because, "Eureka!", this concept and picture just came together. I love it when the drawing comes so clearly in your head. Just wish it would happen more often. But I'm not complaining. Here is my second idea for a Christmas card and the one I will probably go with. Let's hope the painting part flows as well.

Christmas Card Study

It's that time of year again. Did this year fly by or what? Anyway, Christmas card time. Felt like doing something whimsical and magical. Here's the value study. As a child, I used to believe my stuffed animals and dolls moved around while I slept. Come morning, I knew they weren't in the same places. As a mother, I perpetuated the myth by going in to my kids' rooms at night and switching the arrangement slightly, just to keep them wondering. This illustration is a homage to that time. Have to find some words to put in the big blank spot.