Juno

'Juno' ~ 11x17 acrylic painting on canvas board and copy of a 15th-16th century manuscript page. This painting was a commission for my beautiful cousin who is an opera singer, and based on a role she sang, Juno from Handel's Semele.

'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!