Daily Painting - Medieval Maiden

The smallest I've done in the last 2 weeks, 'Medieval Maiden' measures a mere 4x6. She's done in watercolors and pencil on 140 lb. watercolor paper, and can be found here.

Daily Painting - 'The Dormouse'

measuring 5x7, 'The Dormouse' is done in watercolors on 140 lb. watercolor paper and is inspired by my love of all things Alice. This has actually been a teeny sketch in a corner of my sketchbook for several years now, and I was so happy to be able to finally give him life. He is not for sale, however, as he tugged at the heartstrings of a tiny member of my own family and has been claimed.

Daily Painting - Five Little Houses

Here's a sweet little watercolor named 'Five Little Houses'. I have a deep love for tiny houses, and what better than a neat row of colorful tiny houses? This is the type of neighborhood I'd love to live in! Measuring 6x8 on 140 lb. watercolor paper, you can find it for sale here!

Daily Painting - House on a Hill

Trying my hand at a landscape today! I love the thought of tiny houses, especially in a peaceful setting. My house is quite tiny itself, dating from 1915, when the kitchen was the main part used, and when people didn't need 2000 square feet or more to be happy. And I love it so much! This little darling measures 5x7 and is done in soft watercolor paints and pencil on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It's painted to the edge, and the paper is stiff enough that it could be propped up on a shelf all by itself. Fun little piece! You can find it here!

Daily Painting - The Great Gatsby Inspired Piece

I was greatly inspired by The Great Gatsby, both the book (one of my favorites!) and the movie. I couldn't help but try and capture some of that sass and beauty in a painting. This lady is done in pencil and watercolors on 5x7 140 lb. watercolor paper, and can be purchased here!

Daily Painting - Jane Austen

This stylized version of Jane Austen is painted in watercolors on 8x10 140 lb. watercolor paper. You can find her listed here.

Daily Painting - The Coy Miss

A coy miss peeking over her shoulder is the third in my Painting a Day series. Watercolors on 5.5x8.5 140 lb. watercolor paper. You can find her for sale here.

Daily Painting - Renaissance Faire Horse

This is from a picture I took of a horse at the Renaissance Faire. It is done in watercolors on mixed media paper, and measures 7x10. You can find the listing here.

Daily Painting - Bantam Chicken

As I've been so disconnected from art lately I am challenging myself with painting every day, whether it be a complete painting or just working on an existing piece. Here is what I accomplished on day 1, a sweet bantam hen, painted with watercolors on 7x10 mixed media paper. You can find her listing here.

'The Sea Maid' - Watercolor Painting

'The Sea Maid' watercolor painting on 8x10 mixed media paper.

'Alice and the Flowers' Watercolor Illustration

Here is (finally!) the completed watercolor illustration for 'Alice and the Flowers'. Hurray!

I had injured the thumb on my painting hand last week, so it took me longer than I had planned to add the finishing touches. Trying to decide now on something new to create. I've just finished reading "A Little Princess"; perhaps something from that?

'Apple Blossom Nymph'

Here's another "in between" sketch as I work hard on my large Alice piece: A sweet nymph with apple blossom branches and a butterfly adorning her wind-swept hair. Doing these smaller pieces while the large one sits and simmers a bit seems to be helping me from getting too frustrated with it. This piece is done in pencil and watercolors on mixed media paper. One thing I have to say against this particular paper is its inability to take a good scrubbing from my brush when I need to lift color. Otherwise I love the smoothness of it.

Work in Progress - 'Alice and the Flowers' Part 4

Painted the rose and most of the tiger lily (the tiger lily is my favorite of the flowers in this painting). Now that I'm more than halfway done I'm trying to decide if I should use any color at all for the background. I'm worried that adding more will detract from the image itself.

Work in Progress - 'Alice and the Flowers' Part 3

Slow and steady. I've completed almost half of the painting now!

She Certainly Seems Up To Something...

I managed to paint up this very sly looking lass a few days ago.

Work in Progress - 'Alice and the Flowers' Part 2

And the larkspurs have been added. Now I'm hard at work on the English Violets. I'm also getting a few small pieces done in between (it's much easier to work on a small piece while the kids are tearing up the house, so these have been coming out during the day and my Alice painting only comes out while the house slumbers peacefully).

Work in Progress - 'Alice and the Flowers'

Slowly but steadily working on my newest illustration for 'Alice and the Flowers'. Here I've painted in the pansies. Two are quite happy and even a bit amused by Alice, but one has had enough I think. Perhaps the larkspur will be next.

'Alice and the Flowers' ~ Watercolor Illustration

Here's the sketch for my latest illustration attempt. Last year I completed a triptych commission for a wonderful lady based on Alice in Wonderland meeting the flowers. I thought it would make a great piece for my illustration portfolio, but unfortunately the layout of the original (over 3 gallery-wrapped canvas and on music sheets) wasn't ideal for that purpose. Here I've reworked the entire piece in pencil on watercolor paper, changing the entire layout to fit each of the images together seamlessly. I'll be adding color soon!

Illustrating Away...

You may have noticed that my Etsy shop is sleeping away. This is because I'm working hard on my illustration portfolio. I am nervous, I am scared, but I am also determined. I want nothing more than to illustrate children's books. And so I'm sketching away, and fiddling with watercolors, and basically trying my best to leap over the doubts that are raging through my head. Here's the first illustration I'm doing just for the sake of working on my techniques. I started it early this year and finally got up the nerve to finish it. More to come!

'Melody Joy' and 'Butterfly Kisses'

Inspired by a sketch I did several months back in my sketchbook, I recently painted a commission for a very sweet friend, a gift for a beautiful baby girl for her baptism. 'Melody Joy' ~ 5x7 acrylics on antique music sheet circa 1890's and canvas board

And now that I'm working in watercolors again I wanted to see if I could get the image down on watercolor paper as well, with some changes so it reflected my vision for the original sketch more closely. This is the result: 'Butterfly Kisses' ~ 5x7 pencil and watercolors on 140 lb. cold pressed watercolor paper