Twelve Tales: Snow White and Rose Red

Phew!  I think I started this one at the end of October and I just finished it today.  If you're not familiar with the story of Snow White and Rose Red, you can read it here.  (It involves an evil dwarf and a bear that turns into a handsome prince!)

Today I realized that instead of the twelve fairytale illustrations that I was hoping to finish this year, I've completed seven.  Sigh.  Hm....  I still have ideas for more fairytale images, but I'm not going to be able to finish them by the end of the year (and things are going to start getting busy busy in January).  So, I'm not sure exactly what to do.  I hate to leave a project unfinished.  I'll think of something.  And in the meantime, if you'd like to see how the other fairytales turned out, you can click on each of the names below.

Three Billy Goats Gruff
Snow White
Thumbelina
Beauty and the Beast
The Snow Queen
Baba Yaga

Painting...

Twelve Tales: Drawing "Snow White and Rose Red"

Well, I didn't finish this one before the end of October like I planned on.  But, hopefully it will be finished before the end of the week.

I hope you all had a happy Halloween!  And if you're over on the chilly east coast, I hope you have a warm fire and a good friend to snuggle up with. 

Twelve Tales: Snow White and Rose Red (in progress)

For October's Twelve Tales I've decided to illustrate "Snow White and Rose Red".  I remember my grandma reading me a version of this story when I was little, which makes it extra special for me.  And one of the main characters is a bear.  And, well, bears are awesome.

In other news, I was interviewed by the lovely Laura Clempson.  You can read the interview over on her blog, Cupcakes for Clara.  Huzzah!!  Thank you Laura!

Twelve Tales: Baba Yaga

Well, here she is finished... the fearsome Baba Yaga.  I really enjoyed this one, although if I was going to do it again I think I'd try to make her a little scarier.  Maybe make her hair a little more wild and frizzy.  And I also just learned that in some versions of the story, Baba Yaga has iron teeth, and sadly, I didn't give her any teeth.  Next time, Baba, I'll be sure to give you some fierce chompers.

I still haven't decided which fairytale to do for October.  I think I'll look back at your suggestions from previous months.  And if you have any new suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

2012 Fairytale Project: Beauty and the Beast

I had a bit of a hard time getting started on Beauty and the Beast, but once I found my way into it I really loved drawing and painting this scene.  I loved playing with the glowy light and I've become awfully fond of these two characters.  Thank you again to June for suggesting Beauty and the Beast.

I think for May I might do The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Andersen.  But, for now I'm off to a glass of chai tea, sketching some otters, and working on promo stuff.  Happy Wednesday!

2012 Fairytale Project: Beauty and the Beast sketches

Monday Greetings!  For April's fairytale illustration I decided to use June's suggestion of Beauty and the Beast. 

I've had a hard time getting started on this one as I'm not in the habit of drawing beastly characters and I couldn't get the Disney version out of my mind.  But after coming across this illustration by Edmund Dulac, I started to feel free to experiment.  It's fun to be drawing a character that's so different from my usual fare and I'm excited to try a new way of working for the final illustration.  I wonder what will happen.

Also, remember the bat boy photo that was in the tabloids years ago?  I think I must have inadvertently been channeling that when I drew the sketch on the lower left.  Creepy.    

2012 Fairytale Project: Snow White

Well, here it is. Finished at last. *phew*!

Thank you to Candace Trew Camling for suggesting Snow White! And for March, The Golden Bird by the Grimm Brothers.

Snow White Re-do

After poor planning, some impulsive painting decisions, a not quite right composition, and much teeth grinding and fist shaking, I decided that my first version of Snow White just wasn't working as well as I wanted it too.

I realized that while I do want to keep up with the project I've assigned myself, the point isn't just to finish 12 fairytale illustrations, but to finish them well, or at least to learn something along the way. So, I started over.

Here's the new drawing, partially inked. Hopefully I'll still have it finished before the 1st of March.

*Note to self, rushing through a project almost always results in fist shaking.

2012 Fairytale Project: January

Here's my first illustration for the 2012 Fairytale Project. January, check!

I must admit that it didn't turn out quite how I envisioned it. At the suggestion of my critique group I'm going to darken the background on the left and I'm not quite sure if its finished besides that. But it was fun to draw a new kind of character and to wrestle with the shadow under the bridge (which I think I might have to wrestle with some more).

For February... Snow White.