illustrations

Little Red Gouache

| Dïne

I sometimes do commissions: when I have the time into my busy schedule, or as a swap of skills for example. I have clear boundaries about them: you give me a prompt and a size, and then I am free.

I was so delighted to work on this commission last month: an illustration of the little red hen, a old school American children’s book. I never heard of this book before (what?? as a chicken mum how did I miss that??) so it was a great discovery!


So I took my gouaches, read the book and started sketching. Lately I have been a lot into patterns on fabric, so this was the perfect opportunity to play around with it!
I put a square of fabric on the hen’s head, a nice apron for her baking and a cool carpet as a background.

☝️
I chose a cool photo of a red hen on the internet and used it as a reference for my character shapes and colors. I made her a bit rounder, fluffier in her little apron.
Then I sketched a few patterns until I found the ones I want to use. I wanted them really specific to each material (fabric, apron, carpet) so the image would not be difficult to read, but also with ranges of colors that would make them go nicely with each others (I used a base of yellows and blues)

Obviously I had fun painting the tiny kitchen features. Sugar and flour for her cake, and a couple of wooden tools. She’s now happy and proud of her baking, which she made all by herself and which she will eat for afternoon tea!!

Which makes me think that it is time for me to bake a delicious apple crumble, and that I should probably share the recipe with you. But that will be for another day!

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Eowing Gouache & cape struggle

| Dïne

I’ve just finished my next illustration from the Lords of the Wings collection! I was pretty excited about that one, the most badass of the very few female characters.

I went for a Takahē, a rare flightless native bird of Aotearoa New Zealand. Takahē looks a bit like another of our natives, the more common Pūkeko. So we had a pretty good quote going here!

“I am no Pūkeko”

Thanks to my friend for the super fun idea. Please send me yours if you want to see it painted!

Again, this illustration gave me some opportunity to learn more. First super dumb thing I’ve done: I thought that if I was working on the colors schemes on my Ipad it would be faster. (spoiler: NO NO NO. You’ll see why later).

Here is the color rough on my Ipad, working on the bright lights.

Once the drawing done, I used the masking gum to cover the main drawings, so I can work easily on the background.

I love the texture of the dried masking gum!

Big gradient area with gouache = super scary to work! So I started by making sure the whole paper will be wet.

This article has been originally posted for free on my Patreon page. Check it out to see the rest of the pics!

to see the full article and photos check out the patreon original post!

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Boromir the Kākā – photos of the making of !

| Dïne

I’ve finished this one last week, so it’s time to share the process and the questions that did hit me on the way of the making! I learn more after each painting. Today’s lesson’s at the end of this article…

“I am still learning.”— Michelangelo (age 87)

This is the second painting the series, I want to play with lotr references with enough freedom so it does not seems like quoting but rings a bell to any connoisseur. I am having a lot of fun painting those characters. For this one I chose Boromir and the bacons of Gondor.

After working on my composition and draft, I made the drawing straight on my Ipad. I use Procreate here.

After working on my composition and draft, I made the drawing straight on my Ipad. I use Procreate here.

Once I'm happy with my sketch, I ink it so I keep clean lines before printing it. This allow me to draw on my paper without damage.

Once I’m happy with my sketch, I ink it so I keep clean lines before printing it. This allow me to draw on my paper without damage.

As always my first step is the masking gum. Then this time I did'nt quite start with the background but with this tricky burning pan.

As always my first step is the masking gum. Then this time I did’nt quite start with the background but with this tricky burning pan.

Once the fire done, I did a background that reminds of a forest. I used salt on watercolor, creating the effet of the light through leaves.

Once the fire done, I did a background that reminds of a forest. I used salt on watercolor, creating the effet of the light through leaves.

This article has been originally posted for free on my Patreon page. Check it out to see the rest of the pics!

to see the full article and photos check out the patreon original post!
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A little Gandalf vibe

| Dïne

A little sneak peek at one of my current project:

Southern-Earth
The Lords of the Wings


For my very first illustration of the series, I chose the most obvious one: my Kākādalf. I had lot of demands for this one and after finishing all my previous projects, decided that it was time to put this one as my main work for the next few months.

illustration studio gouache winter
Studio time


Winter is a perfect time to lock myself in the studio surrounded by my gouache and watercolors, with a movie I watched thousand times in the background (I let you guess which one)
I spent a bit of time on the prep for this one: doddles, composition, color roughs. And then 10h on the painting itself. I used mainly Talens gouache.

Hope you’ll enjoy this little commented photo dump. FULL DUMP HERE

kakapo illustration gouache heroic fantasy
Here is my final draft, the composition I chose out of a few ideas
sketch before painting
I sketched the whole thing on basic printer paper, before reporting is with my light-table on the expensive watercolor paper
drawing gum I use
As usual, one of my first step is to cover some areas with masking gum. Here I want to be able to paint the background largely and fast, so I cover all the borders of the characters
taking the drawing gum out is so satisfying
taking the masking gum away is so satisfying. Looks very sharp, I’m happy!
to see the full article and photos check out the patreon original post!
To see more photos please jump on my free patreon!
HERE

I’m very please with this illustration (which does not happen as often as you think!)
It seems like not rushing the process and really taking the time to work on the composition and color choices pays off—who would have known? 😆
Let me know what you thing of it!

About the illustration that got rejected 🫠

| Dïne

Yes yes… rejected 🙄😅

Here is the context.

In a few weeks, it will be the annual Arrowtown Autumn Festival. A lovely event that I enjoy going to every year. And this year is an anniversary edition, which makes it even more special. I cannot wait.

It is all about celebrating autumn. Wandering through this cute little town, full of life for the occasion. Stalls, crafts, artworks, grilled chestnuts, street shows… the whole cosy magic.

And each year, there is a beautiful art exhibition alongside it. Paintings, sculptures, all sorts of work. And each year, I submit something.

Usually, I send two pieces.
Usually, I am lucky and blessed, both get in.
My tiny artworks quietly living their best life on the walls.

But this year…

I got my very first rejection.

Honestly, no hard feelings at all! But because of the subject of the illustration I laughed a lot and thought I will share 🤣

So, what did I submit?

Both pieces were illustrations I made during Folktember last year (the online art prompt challenge, see older posts).

The first one, accepted, is called The Melon Hunter. I love this one. A little bunny hunting watermelons and selling them for a few carrots from a tiny stall on wheels. Colourful, a bit silly, painted in gouache.

And the second one… rejected…

A little elf on its throne.

No hard feelings at all really. It genuinely made me laugh.

Most likely, they ran out of space on the walls and had to make tough choices.
Even though it is a very small piece that could easily fit in a corner…

But my first thought was:
maybe the committee did not find my joke very funny.

Maybe… a little elf peacefully doing its business on a toilet is not considered appropriate for the exhibition 🤣

But then again… what about Duchamp’s Fountain? 🤣

Anyway. I had a good laugh.

And you can still come and see The Melon Hunter at the Arrowtown Autumn Festival Art Show from April 17.

See you there 😁