Book Illustration Project

I've never illustrated a book before but my friend Nikki wrote a cute children's story that I am working on the pictures for. I think I need about 12 pictures so the challenge will be to not burn out! My granddaughter has already burned out with posing but next time I will use real cupcakes to make it interesting! She posed for this one with a fake cupcake.

Waiting for the Parade

This is a painting of my granddaughter, Linnea, sitting on the curb - waiting for the Greenbelt Labor Day Parade to pass by.

Cousins

This is a painting of some of the Carlson family cousins. Hat tip to Innes for taking the reference photo at Thanksgiving. As soon as I saw it I thought it would make a good painting - I think because it reminded me of John Singer Sargent's painting Daughters of Edward Darley Boit (1883) (which in turn is thought to be inspired by Velazques' Las Meninas (1656)). It seems like every time I do a multi portrait, I have a lot of trouble with one of the figures. In this case, the Haven figure was very difficult for me.

Seated Figure

I love this chair. I had the idea of posing many different subjects in it, but so far Linnea is the only one that I have painted.

Life imitates Art

I did this yesterday from a photo I took of Linnea at the Greenbelt Skateboard park. I felt that the pose Linnea struck up was very reminiscent of Manet's Chemin de Fer painting (1872). So as soon as I saw it I knew it was a painting.

Great Gamma Gang Gang

Piri says that Guy calls Dottie, Great Gamma Gang Gang, which I realized was the perfect title for my painting! This painting was from a photo taken at Torren's graduation party, sometime in the summer of 2008. Linnea is the baby. The subject is my mother holding my granddaughter.