Sisters

I've been picking away at this one for the last year or so. Making subtle adjustments here and there - so subtle that I'm likely the only one that will notice them. This is the process nevertheless and I'm finally starting to feel a bit better about this one. I'm wondering now if I need to go in and really smooth out the flesh tones or if it's okay as it is. This was only intended to be a simple watercolour but once I get this far with the painting I often want to take it all the way and render everything right down to "the shine on the rose thorn" as they say. Will that make it a better picture ? Maybe. I'll have to continue to live with it and think about it.

Recent Sketchbook - Faeries 3

Still more sketch work - searching for ideas. The giant carrying the tree with the wood nymphs riding along feels like it could be an idea worth trying if I can work out how some of the finer details might come together - keep thinking - keep drawing :)

Recent Sketchbook - Faeries 2

More drawing - :) That first one was another one of the many ideas I had for the Absinthe Faerie. The other 2 are simple bic pen scribbles.

Recent Sketchbook - Faeries

Some recent sketch activity. I think there are a couple here from my Absinthe Faerie picture but mostly just drawing for fun with the idea that I just might get an idea for something a little more finished.

Recent Sketchbook - Witches

A few years ago I made a painting that I called The Magic Duvet. It showed several witches riding on a magic duvet which is of course exactly the same as a magic carpet. They're zooming over a winter landscape and having a grand old time. This picture was always a favourite of mine but I had a chance to sell it at the Mythic Journey's conference in Atlanta a few years back and I did sell it. I apparently sold it without getting a good scan of it and have been recently messing around with the idea of painting the idea again so that I can make prints and also enjoy reworking a fun idea.

I started to make some preliminary doodles but the idea began to morph into a simple group portrait of a coven, possibly seen at one of their nocturnal gatherings. I think maybe I felt a little guilty about not coming up with a new idea, even though my initial motivation was to re-do an older idea. Anyway - still drawing, still thinking.

Absinthe Faerie Second Pass

I left the Absinthe Faerie alone for a week or so and then decided to go back in and work a bit more on her. I liked what I had but still felt it needed something - it was a little too misty.
She was essentially a watercolour painting and so I went back in with gouache, which is also watercolour but opaque, and just pushed the contrasts a little further in a couple of places. Gouache is a great way to make adjustments on a watercolour because you can work over your mistakes they you would in oil or acrylic. I tightened up her face a little and tweaked her dress. I also added to the wings and darkened the darks in the weed tangle a little more. The changes are subtle but I think it works just a bit better now.

We just got back from Faeriecon where we had a terrific time. We met a ton of great people and just kind of bathed in the peaceful, earth friendly environment - so much fun - can't wait for next year.

Witches

Some more recent pencil activity - planning a personal piece I will probably not have time for, but still fun - any excuse to draw witches. My idea is to have the witch sitting in front of her cottage in an old rocking chair. This way I could do a portrait of both the witch and her dwelling - play up their similar appearances. I hope I can get to it because I think it might be a good idea. It's going to have to sit for now though because the clients are waiting :)

Faeriecon

We are departing for Faeriecon in Baltimore in a couple of days for a weekend of music, art and fun. There's still a lot to do before we take off.
Here's some recent pencil work.

More soon.