The blizzard we had yesterday turned out to be a blessing in disguise, an extra day off work and time to spend inking and watercoloring. I made the picture below, plus got a good chunk done on something else which is in progress. I had fun experimenting with the circular format (4 inch diameter) and now my little card is on its way in the mail as an after Christmas thank you note.
I would like to wish everyone a lovely and stress-free Christmas. I am having a wonderful time with my family this year, and my daughter, who is 3, is so much fun at her age. I did not buy her too many toys, but instead only a few nice ones.
This drawing is what I used for my Christmas card this year, based on this Creative Commons licensed photograph. Because I used this photo for a reference, I will release my drawing under the same license for other people to use as they would like. Feel free to download the high resolution version on flickr.
I used a dip pen and colored pencil and it has a whimsical feel that I enjoy. When I was working on this drawing, I was reminded of an assignment I had in a pen and ink class I took once, to draw a doorway. Breaking out the dip pens was also a rewarding experience, and I was reminded of all the advantages of the dip pen, mainly the variation that is possible in line width. Drawing with a dip pen is also a slower process for me, and I find it more relaxing.
Last November I tweeted an image of one of my finished pieces and asked for help coming up with a title. At first I didn’t hear anything but then after a few retweets months later, I got so many responses that I was overwhelmed! Many thanks to P. Clair who suggested the title that I decided on: The Wait of Winter. It captures the gloomy feeling of being snowed in that I was thinking of when working on this piece. I think I will definitely try this again in the future when I’m at a loss for a title!
@CAPappasArt The Wait of Winter
— P. Clair (@925studio) July 3, 2014
