Game of Thrones - Arya Stark

The new series of Game of Thrones is coming up.  As I was watching the last series to refresh my memory, I decided to paint one of the characters.
I find it incredibly difficult to capture watercolour. The first is taken with a camera the second is a scan.  

 I've used sticky backed plastic to mark out the house stark emblem.  I stipple watercolour with a stiff brush, in hindsight I went too far and went much darker then a originally wanted.  

Harry Potter Jewellery Box

I made this Harry Potter inspired jewellery box for my *soontobe Sister-in-law .  She loves Harry Potter and I'd thought about doing something like this for sometime.
She was happy to receive a 'made gift' for Christmas and I was excited to be creating something different.  

Here you can see on the lid I painted the silhouettes of each character.  

Can you see the freckles on Ron and Harry's scar? 

To make it I brought a wooden treasure box from my local art shop. I photocopied random pages from the Harry Potter books, ensuring I captured familiar words for example peoples names, place names or the words like 'death eater' or 'invisibility cloak'.

Using a mix of water and PVA glue I ripped and pasted the paper all over the box, using a stiff brush. (It doesn't look like it in the photo, but...) I took the advice from the owner of the art shop and I did this while the clasp of the box was closed.  It meant that when it was finished the words will line up perfectly.  

Once dried I use a scalpel to cut the box open again. Remember always cut away from you. :-) 

I freehand painted the figures on the lid, practising on a piece of tracing paper.  

On the tracing paper draw around the box, cut this shape out and fold it in half.  This will help you find the middle when your drawing on the lid. 

Let me know what you think -- Dolly --

Mr Benn

I enjoyed creating The Wombles canvas so much I decided I would do it again.  This time I did Mr Benn.  I grew up watching Mr Benn throughout the 80s+90s, but it was first on TV in 1971.
Much like how I did The Wombles canvas I drew all the costumes and characters in ink and watercolour, on hot pressed watercolour paper.
Painting the background in acrylic and drawing the lines of the door and floor boards in a fine liner pen and watercolour.  I didn't use a ruler on the door, as I didn't want it looking too perfect.
like it? why not share it.  Thanks Dolly x

The Wombles

I am currently working on a exhibition on the 1970s  and decided to do canvas inspired by
The Wombles.

I will show you how I did it.
   First I drew my initial sketches on paper.  I used http://www.thewomblesbooks.com/ as a reference.

Using a light-box I redrew the characters onto watercolour paper.  I use extra smooth hot pressed paper, as I much prefer using the paper without the rough texture.

By combining white acrylic paint and modelling paste I start to fill in The Wombles fur.

Here you can see the textured effect the modelling paste creates.

I then start adding watercolour on face, hands etc

I've taken a close up of  Great Uncle Bulgaria's shoes and Madame Cholet's pinafore, so I can show you how I did them. 

On the slippers do a base wash of yellow and once that is dry do lines of different shades of brown all in water colour.

On the pinafore do a wash in pink watercolour and then in acrylic do a collection of three pink dots and a green line at each.  

So I then started on the background of my canvas.  Using green card I cut a hill shape, which would cover half of my canvas.   After visiting the Warhammer shop I used their glade grass to cover the green card. In hindsight I should of just got grass effect card or felt, 

I painted a 12"x12" cavas, using blue aryclic and then glued it all together. 

From this angle you can see I used half a water bottle, painted silver as a bin.  I had to glue gun this in place, which seems to work.  I decided to put The Wombles motto 'Make good use of bad rubbish' as a sign on the outside of the bin.  Also on Great Uncle Bulgaria's hat and scarf I used tartan pattern paper instead of painting it. 

What you think? 

DollyX

Illustration Friday: Twisted

This is one strange, twisted character that I sketched out.
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Illustration Friday: Spirit

"Come in and know me better, man"

- A Christmas Carol. 

"I wear the chains I forged in life" - A Christmas Carol. 

Illustration Friday: Secret

One of my favourite books is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. So when this weeks theme was 'secret' I had to use the story in some way. Enjoy, Share and Subscribe - Dolly

Winnie the Pooh

My cousin had a baby in July, the first baby of my generation!
It was great meeting her, she was lovely.
I knew I wanted to draw something for her nursery.  I found out her mum loves Winnie the Pooh and so I drew a copy of this classic Winnie the Pooh illustration.

The original I believe was drawn by E.H. Shepard who illustrated all four volumes of Winnie the Pooh throughout the 1920s and also Wind In The Willows for Kenneth Graham.

This is the version I used as my reference.
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