Christmas Cardinal

Every year I send a Christmas letter along with my card. This is the second year I've done original art for the background. The cardinal was done from a photo reference, and the wreath, ribbon and ornament came from my noodle. I'm not entirely happy with the ribbon because it doesn't have the satiny look I was imagining, but I'm quite pleased with the rest.

Created in my large sketchbook using pan watercolors, watercolor pencils, and micron pens. Started with a preliminary pencil sketch of all the elements except the ornament and worked it up from there. The ornament was added as an afterthought to bring in the green.

Click on the image above to see a larger version.

If I Were a Tarot, I'd Be...

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Oh, and By the Way...

A Taste of Fall

...or Doodling in Watercolor.

Da Vinci's Sketches Brought to Life

I've run across this link a few times now (the most recent on moleskinerie.com), and every time it amazes me. The Victoria & Albert Museum has an exhibit featuring Da Vinci's sketches set in motion. Enjoy.

"Unstrung"

This has been a work in progress over some time. It was inspired by a description of the lute I read in the front matter that accompanied Sting's Songs From the Labyrinth CD.

It started life as a pencil sketch and then sat for a long time as I contemplated it. I bought a set of microns but worked in a few more details in pencil before I could commit to ink.

The "inlaid" lute's decorative banding is based on the inlaid decoration on a small box from my box collection.

I finally set to the small details with the microns, and finally worked out the final plan for the watercolor. I used Derwent watercolor pencils for the large and small lute, but used pan watercolor for the background wash.

My apologies for the paper shadows. I'm working in a sketchbook, and the paper isn't watercolor paper.