It’s my birthday tomorrow. Yep, and it’s still lockdown here in South Africa, albeit Level 3, which means we do have some level of freedom (but not that much in reality). I definitely won’t be celebrating with friends and family (#sadface) but I am hoping that I don’t have to cook, and that there’s chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate.
It’s my party!
To help me celebrate, I thought I’d create some of my own illustrated friends. This is new territory for me. My usual approach to my artwork involves finding a really good clear photograph, normally of animals or people, and trying to recreate a representation of it in own my style. With these illustrations, I needed to take an idea and try to make it into something original.
What came first the ostrich or the balloon?
My first attempt was the ostrich with the red balloon in his beak. I chose red for the balloon because it’s my favourite colour, and also because it always makes an image ‘pop’.
I recently acquired a Pigma Micron 02 Archival Ink pen and found it really quite delightful to use. Details like the outlines, eyelashes, fluffy down on the ostrich’s head, etcetera, were ideal places to use the ink. It was DEFINITELY much easier to create a clean line than with a brush.
I was pretty pleased with the outcome. My son said: “He looks disinterested, but in a good way.” I like that he has some attitude. All-in-all, I reckon this ostrich will make a great party guest.
Hand over your cupcake booty!
You can’t have a party without some cake, after all. So, my next concept was to create a little piglet with a cupcake.
This little guy has a rather possessive expression on his fizzog. Frankly, I don’t think he’s going to share that cupcake with me! He’s holding it captive between his trotters and reminds me of the seagulls from Finding Nemo: “Mine! “Mine!” Mine!”
Again, I used the ink pen to outline the piggy, as well as the cupcake, and for various other details.
What I was most chuffed about was that this little piggy looks even more like an illustration that my ostrich and is quite a departure from my usual style to boot.
Piggy is welcome at my party. I’d even let him eat the cupcake!
Progress
This was a fun experiment. It has given me confidence to try to paint more illustrations in the future. I feel that it is a progression in my art to something truly original. I hope to experiment with more illustrations in the future and maybe one day it could lead to me illustrating my own children’s book.
To view my watercolours on this website, please click here.
To follow My Watercolour Art board on Pinterest, please click here.
