Category Archives: Progression Photos

Hybrid Cityscapes, Pen and Ink for Illustration Friday

UPDATE:  Hooray! New theme installed and slideshows working again.

Toad Hamlet
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

This one is probably my favorite so far. And is number six in my new 100 Cityscapes Project. I was thinking of doing a set of mushroom cities, and maybe some moving cities (see below)! Submitted for the Illustration Friday topic, “Hybrid”.

An Early Ship City, and Marla’s Tiny Village
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Marla was the daughter of a lesser deity, a bratty, difficult child who flaunted her small magics by teasing local children and animals. One day she convinced a djinn to grant her wish for a small city of her own, but in the manner of djinn her wish was subverted. Her father refused to intervene even when the tiny city seemed to weigh heavily upon her. Finally, to the surprise of many, she became a kind and thoughtful steward for the city and its tiny inhabitants.

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Colorful Cityscape Art Cards, Pen and Ink

Darling Avenue
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen on Bristol Board

More colorful cityscapes (with cute names). So glad I started doing these tiny towns and streets because they are super fun and I recommend you do some. You might not like your first one, but try again!

I expect I will do many more, maybe even some large ones. Hmmm. 100 Cityscapes Project? I will have to think about that.

Village at Blushing Hill
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

The colors of this one remind me of a dreamy desert landscape. I settled on a name for the color that the peachy sunset casts across the village. Thanks for stopping by!

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The Village of Little Sprout, for Jungle at IF

The Village of Little Sprout, process and final
2.5″ x 3.5″, Copics, fine liners, gel pen on Bristol Board

Submitted for the topic “Jungle” at Illustration Friday. My latest unconventional cityscape, it was very fun to make. And I would like to live there. :)

I was also quite pleased with this cat, though she has only the most distant connection to the jungle, having moved to the Great Red Plains in her youth.

Tarabell the Theurgist
2.5″ x 3.5″, Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Shown here with her ceremonial robe and shield, Tarabell was one of the three founding members of the Lunar Cat Council. A cat called Elsbeth wears Tarabell’s robe now, with great care and reverence.

The Lunar Ceremony is open to visitors twice per year, and it is a grand and wondrous honor to see the entire Council in their ancient finery.

(Somewhat more realistic than previous cats!) Made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com.

Thanks for visiting! I forgot to send out my last post, so maybe take a look if a robot called Croissant sounds interesting to you.

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Sizing Him Up, Copic Art Card

Sizing Him Up
2.5″ x 3.5″, pen and ink, Copics

Croissant is the sort of name one acquires when one’s owner allows his six-year old to name his robot butler. Croissant bore it stoically, after the fashion of his kind. But perhaps it made him slightly more suspicious of visitors to the family estate. Other robots, in particular, were forced to endure quite stringent scrutiny.

For the topic “Robot” at Illustration Friday. It’s a bit abstract! And I’m not sure how the big fellow ended up with a lizardy texture. Experimenting, I suppose!

I also figured out a way to get that white on toned paper look, which is to use white gel pen in a sketchy style over lightly colored areas. In this case, lightly colored with warm gray 02 or 03. I also tried to cover up the design in the large eye with gel pen. To mixed results.

Thanks for stopping in!

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The Last of the Lizard Kings

The Last Lizard King
2.5″ x 3.5″, Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

The End of an Era

The Kingdom was a shadow of its former self – colder, harder, less fruitful. Leaving one’s home was not a thing one did, once. But people did it all the time now. 

It wasn’t his fault. People told him he was one of the best Kings that ever was, in his time. The shifting wind was as inevitable as change itself. Change is good. 

None of his children wanted the red crown, which pained him some. In fact, only one of his children remained in the village. One of seven. He knew she would leave too one day, but she would not abandon him here while he lived.

Some are always left behind, when the times change. And the times always change.

A hearty thank you to everyone who participated in this excellent swap, or appreciated the cards posted here and elsewhere! I am a little sad it is over, but all the returns have been allocated as best I could, and shall be mailed out Monday. If you’re wondering, of course I wanted to keep them all! (With my own swap set and host cards, I did get to keep 18 of them!) Have a look at the full 98! (Sorry for the glare!)

People of the Forest Swap by 22 members of illustratedatcs.com
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″, multiple mediums

(Click for a closer look) I don’t know about you, but I find it all quite inspirational. Makes me want to do more and better art!

[The artists’ iatcs galleries: IvoryPeony, jmmbarkovich, CindyD, TempestStudios, ArtAddict, SilverSweet, Oddbreed, Heidieeh, AnnD, mnscheu, mtncranium, Artistically, amberskyfire, Amerasu, nzflutterby, SellyBellyChan, sopranino, waughtercolors, art_junkie, IceKat, catpratt, Chronata]

Thanks for stopping in!

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Cityscape Illustrations and Imaginary Travels

Daydreaming City
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Sometimes at night the entire city sways gently side to side, as if recalling blissful daydreams that its Dreamers dreamed all day.

Submitted for the topic “Travel” at Illustration Friday. I have always wanted to do cityscapes and streetscapes! Just not quite as much as dogs or magical creatures or alien robots or maidens. Until now! So here are the first two. Be kind, as I need much practice!

draak eiland
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

A spotted dragonlet lands beyond the seawall, impatient for her companions to join her. Watching the young ones learn to fly is a favorite pastime of the villagers.

(This was actually the first one. Eeek, perspective.) It was originally a city in the side of the hill but you know how it is, sometimes the hill turns into a winged beast of one kind or another. Thanks to waughtercolors for starting a cityscape themed swap!

I’ve put together an Etsy favorites board for inspiration, if you want to see some great streetscape and cityscape art! Thanks for dropping in!

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Red Setter in Copic Markers

Red Setter Called Waldorf, process and final
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic markers, fine liners, gel pen

Waldorf was a reader from a very young age. At three he was a fan of White Fang and the Jim Kjelgaard series of dog books. But lately he prefers such diverse topics as Nordic legends and artisan cheese making, with the occasional Philip K. Dick.

If you were a reader and a dog lover like me as a youngin, you probably read some Jim Kjelgaard. We had an Irish Setter named Rusty, and as a result I was particularly fond of the Big Red, Irish Red and Outlaw Red books, but also Snow Dog and Desert Dog. I was also a huge fan (and cried frequently!) over White Fang by Jack London. The other dog book I remember fondly is Champion Dog: Prince Tom by Jean Fritz, the uplifting tale of a scrawny Cocker Spaniel runt who grew up to be a champion many times over.

Made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com. Did you have favorite dog books as a young person?

Beautiful reference photo, (a Gordon Setter). Thanks for stopping in!

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The Peace Flower, Inspired by the East

The Peace Flower
5″ x 7″, Copics, Microns, gel pen on Bristol Board

This Peace Flower is a peaceful protest design which offers a large flower in place of the warrior who would normally be riding this elephant, perhaps across an Indian countryside. The background was inspired by mehndi design (henna design), most traditionally used to decorate the hands and feet of Hindu brides, or for other festive occasions.

Submitted for the topic “Protest” at Illustration Friday. [Actually made for a friend who may or may not see this post before the item arrives at her house. But it was too good for the topic to pass up! Ok, really I kind of shoe-horned it into the topic. But still!] I’m not sure if the entire background should have been red. Didn’t want to risk it.

Thank you for your visit!

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Two Bright Birds, One Goldfish, Marker and Ink

Maureen in the Jungle
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Two more colorful birds created for a Birds swap (first two posted previously). Maureen is a little bit Hornbill and a little bit Heron, with a possible side of Flamingo. She is one of a small flock of magical, long-lived creatures who live in villages atop clouds. This may be my favorite background!

Lionel Shoebill
2.5″ x 3.5′ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Lionel comes from a long line of strangely-colored shoebills. The color always passes down to the male members of the family (much to the chagrin of his sisters). Family legend suggests that a great-great-great uncle was a Toucan, but really, how would that be possible? (Answer: Nature finds a way!)

Hannah the Goldfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

And finally, Hannah the goldfish. It’s quite different than previous goldfish, but thankfully the client was happy. Her mom said Hannah got loads of positive comments on Fishbook and was thrilled and also quite touched, especially because she got teased a lot for her spots when she was little.

Thanks for visiting! Progress pics below.

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Robot Aliens, or Alien Robots?

Darla Two
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

On the cold side of Centauri Sixteen, forty years after landfall, an elderly astronomer called Garth discovered a creature much like this one, seemingly lost in the Stalagmite Forest. It seemed shy and kept a distance between them, but followed him home. The sad face reminded him of his daughter Darla, now a deep space navigator, so he called her Darla Two. She became a sort of pet, one who liked to eat fig beetles and look through his daughter’s old picture book replicas. At least this is the story he told. No one else ever saw her.

Winnie the Wonk
2.5″ x 3.5″ ATC, Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Leah was the daughter of a Meteor Retrieval engineer and a planetside nurse, with few playmates her own age. When she was about five, her father heard about an interplanetary astronomer called Garth who befriended a mechano-alien with wonky eyes and wonky hair. The story inspired him to build his daughter a mechanical friend with similar features. As a testament to the success of this friendship, Leah grew up to become a robotic specialist and built the first Robotic Ambassador. She named it Winnie.

Keen Art Resource 02

How to Refill Copic Markers, by BayleeCreations. I believe you can find quite a few videos on this topic, but this one is very thorough and talks about various related issues. I spilled a lot of ink before I watched this, but now I don’t. Hooray!

Thanks for stopping in! Lots of progress pics below. (I keep thinking about doing videos instead of slideshows, but it feels like it would be too  time-consuming so I’m not sure yet. Do you watch many art-related videos?)

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