Mariana Black Illustration

Forest Thumbnail Sketches

 

 

More explorations and discoveries, all very satisfying. Still getting a feel for facing up to shadows and fears, and I'm sure I'm enjoying it all far more than I should be. But all these bits and pieces will, I hope, merge together and make some sense eventually. Meanwhile, here are a taste of the thumbnail sketches that I've been working on using inks, paints, charcoal, pencil, and masking tape. Hugely fun.

 

 

All very rough, yes ... everything is a work-in-progress in my life at the moment, but then again when isn't it? I still have so much to learn as yet, though I do have a feeling that things are merging in the shadows, and shapes are forming -- so back to work I go ... cheers.

 

Save

Of Shadows and Ravens, Fears and Strengths

 

Yes, I'm still working on shadows, ravens and baba yaga the Russian fairy-tale crone/witch. It's just that I have to separate this from panda bears as they don't particularly go well together ... although who knows perhaps one day I should get them to meet up!

I've been experimenting and trying to get a feel for shadows of ravens in forests and here are some of the sketches I'm working on.

 

 

The two above sketches are further along although they aren't touching on depth as yet. That's still to come. Of course, these two were worked out from various far more messy sketches such as the two below:

 

 

It's a chaotic process folks, but one that I enjoy immensely. Out of chaos will eventually (I hope!) emerge something that comes close to what I wish for and see in my mind. Something that tells us we have to face our fears in order to gain our strengths. We shall see. I have quite a way to go as yet ... cheers.

Painted on Arches watercolour papers (hot and cold-pressed) and in my Pink Pig A2 sketchbook. With Winsor and Newton inks and watercolours.

 

Save

Save

Save

Pandas in Pen & Paint

 

 

Playing, experimenting, exploring, having fun. Decided to try cold-pressed watercolour paper with more texture than I'm used to, and I don't mind the end result too much though I doubt it will be what I ultimately go for. Still, I did enjoy doing the background and messing things up. The panda above was drawn with the dip pen and Winsor & Newton non-waterproof inks so that I could get a smudgy effect once I added water.

 

 

And the panda (and mouse!) here was painted with a brush and waterproof Winsor & Newton indian ink, over which I washed a bluey grey. The lines are thicker and the very fine brush a bit difficult to handle but I do like the awkward-line result as well. The background was painted with a mix of Van Gogh acrylics and Winsor and Newton watercolours. Black splatters and messy splashes are mostly in ink.

Fortunately I don't have to make any definitive choices yet and can keep going with the flow and enjoying myself while I'm at it. Planning a lot more experimentation till I'm happy enough with the result to stick to one style or look for the whole book. Meanwhile yes, I'm still enjoying myself hugely ... this panda is cheeky and playful, and it's a lot of fun getting to know him better. Cheers.

 

Sketchbook: Mice and a Panda ...

 

 

A quick update and some of the sketches I'm still doing as part of my research for the upcoming book I'm illustrating ... it's been going really well recently, with just a few hiccups, but we're getting there slowly, my panda and his friends. We've been on the search for the mouse and the drawing above comes closest so far to what we're seeking ...

 

 

Here's our panda with his magnifying glass. What's he looking for? ah ha, can't tell you that yet! And below are more exploratory looking-for-that-mouse sketches:

 

 

Well it's back to the drawing board now, pencil in hand, to wait for that final friendly mouse to turn up. Meanwhile, I'm thoroughly enjoying the process, as always. How could I not, surrounded by plump baby pandas and amusing rodents? Cheers.

 

Sketchbook: Baba Yaga Forests and Skulls

 

 

More exploratory sketches for my college project to do with Baba Yaga, that wonderfully wicked witch from Russian fairy-tale land ... Here I'm working on background and the details that surround her: the forest, the fence of bones and skulls encircling her hut, and the hut itself, sitting as it does on a pair (or one, or three, depending on which fairy-tale you're reading) of chicken legs that dance around.

 

 

I'll talk a bit more about why I'm so fascinated by this crone on another post, as here I'm concentrating on experimenting, and on loosening up my drawing hand. Playing with random lines and even, as above, with using feathers to bring to life the idea of the forest that I have in my mind. I'm getting away from my past need for a precise, realistic style and instead just going with the flow. It's not easy but I'm beginning to really enjoy the whole process.

 

 

I'm using different mediums and papers to just 'feel' the subjects for the moment. It's not easy getting away from needing to be exact, to know every line and shade of my drawings. So it's all a bit awkward as yet, but things are beginning to flow easier and I'm hoping that playing around with lines will eventually become my default foundation so that I can let loose and truly just have fun with all of this. Bit by bit, I'll get there. Cheers.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

 

Wishing everyone happy holidays and a new year full of joy!

 

Save

Save

Sketchbook: Baba Yaga Exploratory Studies

 

 

I'm still trying to get a sense of atmosphere for Baba Yaga the Russian witch, so have been playing around in my sketchbook, just having fun and pushing away my inner editor as I'm not concerned right now with having things perfect but with feeling around for the right amount of gruesomeness mixed with dignity, power and fear that this goddess-crone seems to emit. Also a healthy amount of respect thrown in for her, as the more research I do, the more I'm beginning to quite like her ... and of course the idea of merging her with the raven:

 

 

Not sure of where that final image came from but I'm just putting it all out into the sketchbook as it flows through. Lots of skulls and bones and things coming up soon as well, so if you don't care for those I suggest you look away next time I post something! Then again I may put up something cheerful for Christmas instead, just for a break from glorious grimness.

I've been drawing and painting on bits of watercolour paper and rice paper, and of course into my Pink Pig sketchbook, the A2 large one I'm using for college work. Using watercolour, acrylics, ink and whatever else comes to hand. Cheers.

 

Save

Setting - Out of my Window

 

 

Settings and landscapes are another subject I don't paint very often, so these Make Art That Sells course prep assignments are really pushing me out of my comfort zone. Seems as though everyone is conspiring to do so recently! Well, I'm welcoming challenges, so I took this one up with much amusement and a good heart, and did a couple of rough sketches. Above is one of them, and below is another:

 

 

And I finally remembered to take some photos of the process ... well, of the second one anyway. Here they are:

 

 

I'm going to declare myself quite satisfied with my rough attempts, for now at least. If I intend illustrating for children's books I shall have to practice loads more I suspect! Well, am certainly not scared of trying out new things, or of change in general, so we shall have quite a pleasurable ride ahead ... Cheers.

Drawn and painted with Staedtler pencils and Winsor and Newton watercolours in a square Pink Pig sketchbook.

 

Finding Minette

 

 

I'm not very adept at drawing human characters, so I normally try to avoid doing so. But of late I'm learning to face my fears (yes, ouch), to explore them and embrace them. The result has been surprising ... I'm discovering a new world full of creative expression and, dare I say it, joy. So when I saw that one of my favourite online 'schools', Make Art That Sells, was offering a children's illustration course, I jumped at it. They've started us off with 5 days of preparation, beginning with character exploration. Well, below you can view a few of my tentative sketches -- and above is, I hope, my final result. Minette ended up finding me, and I think we're both fairly pleased at ourselves and looking forward to getting to know each other better.

 

 

It's only a beginning and I'm aware that I have a lot of work ahead of me. Clearing the dark, scary corners of my inner world is not an easy task. But if these are the discoveries I'm going to be making because of it, well, pass me that broom as I'll be sweeping away quite happily no matter what I find. I'm in this for the long haul, so I welcome all challenges that come my way. I hope Minette and I will remain friends for a while ...

Painted in a Pink Pig sketchbook with Staedtler pencils and Winsor and Newton watercolours. Cheers.

 

Save

Animal Sketches

 

 

I love exploring. Here, I'm getting to know my animal friends better. Drawing them, and drawing them, and drawing them again, in as many ways and mediums as I can think of, until I discover their true characters, what lies behind the bare sketchy bones, and they finally allow me to truly see them so that I might place them on a page in a style that they're content with. I think I'm getting there, finally. It's a slow process but full of fun. Below are some of the stages I went through, and close-ups of the sketches of my little panda and his friends, the red panda, golden monkey, Temminck's Tragopan bird, and a mouse ... I still have to add the leopard cat, he'll be along soon. I'm learning patience ... but in a positively joyful way.

 

 

I think they're beginning to trust me now! We seem to be enjoying ourselves superbly, which is good news as we have a long journey ahead together. More coming soon. Cheers.