Guatemala
I did this one a few years ago and still really love it. I’ve been consistently trying to mix brighter watercolor washes and create more texture and contrast in my paintings. I feel like this one is quite effective.
Victorian Lady
I love drawing ladies in costume. I always hear about artists setting goals for themselves of one drawing a day, whatever the theme is, and I feel like drawing one Victorian lady a day is something I could really get behind and motivate myself to do…maybe 😉
Folio Society competition
My favourite book publisher, The Folio Society, holds an annual illustration competition to illustrate one of its upcoming title. This year was Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, a gothic retelling of fairytales so I thought, why not. I’ll try my hand at this one, since fairytales are one of my favourite subjects to draw and I’m a bit of a folklore nerd.
Because the retelling was gothic and rather dark, I poured on the black ink with washes of watercolour. I also had a few of my lovely students pose for me. I didn’t win, but I’m very glad I entered and feel very satisfied with these pieces, especially the first two.
Illustration for The Bloody Chamber
Illustration for In The Company of Wolves
Illustration for Puss In Boots
The competition also had us designing the jacket. The Folio Society puts out beautiful hardbound editions so I imagined this design in black linen with gold and red hot foil. Hot!
Irlande
My mother went on a trip to Ireland last summer and came back with a stack of amazing landscape photos. I love the big stormy skies of Ireland and the U.K. And they certainly don’t call it the Emerald Isle for no reason. And the ruins are pretty cool too.
Shepherd in Residence
Recently I illustrated a little book about sheep called Shepherd in Residence by Elizabeth Creith. I did the cover illustration and book design, as well as interior illustrations. I had never really drawn sheep before (at least, not this many) but these were a lot of fun.
Pick up a copy of the book on Amazon and Indigo.
Cover for Shepherd in Residence
Interior illustration. Yes, that’s a crow perched on a sheep.
This poor sheep was stranded on a ledge near a dam. Interior illustration
Sheep having their dinner. Interior illustration
- Front jacket illustration and design done by me.
Back jacket design, also by me.
Printed interior illustration