Friday, March 27, 2009

illustration Friday - Poise

I've actualy been meaning to post this for a little while and this week's Illustration Friday topic gives me the perfect excuse. I've finally finished Baby Sprout's name painting as mentioned in this post. And since the Sprout's name means to be graceful and beautiful which are characteristics of having poise, well then this goes nicely.

So without further ado:


I have incedently also been wanting to post my process for this painting. I really the tone of an image is the most important thing, you have to have dramatic lights and darks to make it come alive. This is something I'm always working really hard to get right, and it is often quite a struggle to keep track of all the tones all the way through to the finish. Too often I'll look back at a painting and realize that I could have pushed it just a bit darker here or there..... Anyway I knew it would be hard with this piece because it's a twilight-lit scene so before even starting the painting I basically did the entire thing in pencil first, on the board. Then I painted over it using my pencil shadows as a map. I took this picture mid-stream to show what I'm talking about:



It was a bit time consuming this way but it was much easier while painting to remember where and how dark I wanted shadows to be and where the lightsource was coming from.

22 comments:

Nicola said...

This is lovely!! I really like the reflection of the moon on the water!!!

Ginger*:) said...

Hi Mary! This is just so beautiful. We have these lovely creatures at our backyard almost all winter. Now that it is warming up they have gone back into the deeper forest and I miss them. Your painting makes me very happy inside!

Unknown said...

Very nice, You use your paint well. I like your rendering as well.

MrBibleHead said...

Wow! This is a great illustration. Love the whole look and style!

jazzlamb said...

The way you use watercolor is just breath-taking. really nice composition.

Rui Sousa said...

Lovely one, really sweet! An excellent work about the subject!
regards.

Rui Sousa

ELLA ELVIANA said...

i like your works! and your "about me' is so funny and SO TRUE....! lolz :D

Roberta said...

This is gorgeous... I love the way you showed your process...
Lovely piece!

Anonymous said...

Hey Mary, Nice to be back. . .thanks for stopping by my blog and thanks for the congrats!

This is a gorgeous piece! I just love hearing and seeing how someone works. Thanks for sharing this!

Unknown said...

You've captured a magical moment of wonder...this nature lover gives it a thumbs up!

Indigene said...

All I can say is Wow! Beautiful piecee!

kathy hare said...

beautiful..

peg nocciolino said...

Love this...I really like the perspective and the fireflies:)
It really draws the viewer in.
Kudos, your work is beautiful!

Unknown said...

Lovely painting!

theartofpuro said...

Great painting,love the concept and the colours

M G said...

Wow, wonderful! I really appreciate your work process too.

Elena said...

Thanks for visiting my blog Mary. I LOVE this little fawn...so beautiful and innocent! Here's a random question for you...you wouldn't happen to know Scott Gordley would you....he's an illustrator/mentor friend of mine who went to Ringling too. Just wondering! I love your work!

Elena said...

Hi again! I had to look up his website....I guess he graduated in 1977 from Ringling. Here's his website: www.scottgordleyart.com
he's an illustrator and a professor from my college days!

FRIZZ said...

Beautiful!

FRIZZ said...

Beautiful!

thedoodlegirl said...

Really lovely work. :)

Kit said...

I love it