I really like this assignment.

Here are some sketches for the DMV cartoon.









And here's a rough, inked version.

Memory portrait final

Here is my final on the memory portrait. I used watercolor and ink pen because I wanted it to be pretty expressive. I like the line work a lot, but I think there could be a bit more variations of line weight. I think the watercolor could be better. Overall, though, I think the effect is nice.... What do you think, Rusty?

Memory portrait

Here are some color studies for the memory portrait.

I think doing a most white composition with some color would be cool, especially with watercolor, but it's something that I am going to have to experiment with.

I like these colors the best--they have a very domestic feel.

Just another idea.

This was the initial sketch.

Sundrop! at the scene of the crime

I splashed it with red and it looks like Blood.

Gouaching

Here is my first attempt at the "sexy" product illustration. I will have to start over because the surface was balling up on me because I didn't wait long enough between coating the surface and painting on it. It's probably a good thing that I am starting over because I want to change the composition anyways. I think there are some good things going on and it was a chance for me to experiment with different techniques for the background.

first attempt at gouache

Here is my first attempt (well I guess second since I started over) at gouache. It still remains quite splotchy and uneven, but I think with practice I could grow to like using gouache.

Large watercolor

This is the large painting I did. I used the Lucy to blow up a photograph of a road and then used watercolor in it. It still needs some work, especially in the sky and road. I need a bigger brush to really get it right. Also, for some reason I put on two coats of the gesso/matte medium/water mixture. I didn't like the way the watercolor sat on it, so I think from now on just one coat is enough.

Today's illustrations

I first drew this flower with pen and then went over it with watercolor. I think it worked out, though it is a bit crazy. I think the uncontrolled nature of it works in its favor, though. Also, I like the colors. I thought of Terry.

I painted this and then went over a little with pen. I again like the clouds, but the rest of it is rather iffy. I have not quite grasped when and how to use watercolor and then pen. I suppose if the picture had something dominant in the foreground, I could use the pen to put a lot of good detail in there, and use the pen sparingly in the middle and background.

Backtracking

I'm back tracking a little bit because I forgot to post these. They are from the day we had to paint architecture. Neither are very strong, but in the first one I began to grasp painting by just using the shadows. I thought the second one was fun and at least showed some sense of value.

More illustrations

I like the colors and certain areas of this water color. I wish the actually road would have came out better. The line drawing has some areas that are working well--I especially like the trees and cornfield on the right--but other areas (like the road) that are not working as well. Overall, though, I like them both.



I liked these two, especially the watercolor, mostly because of the clouds. Though the line drawing is a bit messy, I think it actually works well. The lines are loose and create a lot of active space that mimics the angry sky in the watercolor. My landscapes are the only ones that I think are coming along the most.

I also included this chair line drawing because, even though there are obvious problems with perspective, there are some nice things going on, especially in the detail of the cushioned back of the chair. I'd want to re-do this one in the future and work out the kinks.

illustration landscape watercolors

This was the first landscape that I did that I think I got a little grasp of doing clouds and skies. I am still trying to get those perfect Missouri tree-covered hills--this is the best I can do so far. Also, I like this one because the colors are vibrant and a bit truer to life than some of my others.

I really wanted to do one with mist or fog, and this is what I came up with. Not gonna lie, I looked online for other watercolors that had mist for inspiration. I thought about including something in the foggy white part in the front, but thought it was fine the way it was. With this one, perhaps less is more.

I'm just including a third one because this one is the "loosest" one I did. It's a bit abstract but I like it.