Anatomy of an Illustration

I used to think that illustrations just “happened” the first time pen or pencil was set down on paper. I’ve since learned that many ideas, sketches and attemps leads to a satisfying image. I thought I would share my process of this little painting of Jody and Flag from the Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, 1938.

 

Several little scraps tracing paper, ink experiments and notes are always scattered around the art table.

This is my submission to the SCBWI Tomie dePaola contest. Check out the submission gallery for many great black & white illustrations from The Yearling, Little Women and Tom Sawyer by SCBWI members.

Inside a Crooked House

There was a crooked artist who every crooked day,

Walked a crooked path to a crooked room to play.

To awake a crooked brain (4 am’s a crooked time)

A crooked cuppa coffee helped these crooked words to rhyme!

Enter, and on your left is a place to spread out and play, look out the window and make art.

The eastern exposure is my favorite. So lovely to sit and daydream, read, or make art.

On the south wall is a place to snack, make a beverage, cut flowers or make art here too.

When you come back, you get start where you left off.  So go out and make art.

If you stand in the middle and spin around.

If you come upon a crooked house…….go on in and play.

There was a Crooked House

This is a crooked house from photo reference of a real playhouse.  I would love one of these in my backyard as a little hangout.  It inspired this little “Donna’s Weird Studio Rhymes”.

There was a crooked house that had a crooked stair,

Upon its crooked porch there sat a crooked chair,

On nearby crooked table a crooked sketchbook lay,

So any crooked artist could escape their crooked day.

Pitt Brush Pens on Moleskine sketchbook paper.

Watercolor Action-Harris Hawk, Cougar and Collared Lizard

First painting for an idea brewing.  I’m also, working with my SCBWI mentor to develop visual story telling.  I love when my idea cauldron is bubbling.  The fire was cold for a few weeks, but I’ve learned that the coolness is part of the creative process and as much as I don’t like it, I accept it.

Onward and Upward!!

Harris Hawk Pencil Studies

I’m off and running on my SCBWI Mentor Program assignments.  I’m so excited and fortunate to be working with Deborah Nourse Lattimore. At our Tahoe Retreat one-on-one, me and Deborah set up some assignments for the next six months.  Get to know three animals really well with a pencil.  Here is the first.

It just so happens that the Illustration Friday Prompt is “sight”.