September Doodlings

(For Sunday, connecting to BlueChairDiary's Sunday Sketches.  Visit there to see other participants.)

Well, September is practically over, Fall is here and I have neglected this blog, I see.  I've been in a sort of funk, just tired I guess.  We've all seen those movie plots about the writer or painter that is struggling under a deadline and is behind and/or lost his muse--that's been me!  I did do another illustration but chose not to share it--it will be a surprise when the book comes out. 

I did do some fun stuff, not related to my book illustrations. 

I took a simple drawing, and tweaked it a bit:

then I painted it---just for the fun of it! 

Hope to have some progress on the book illustrations to show you next week!  Wish me luck!

Icy Stairs

"I wonder why grandma doesn't like the stairs,

Is she scared of them?

I wonder why grandma is slow on the stairs,

Does she think they are slippery?"

(Quote from Grandma Doesn't Like the Stairs children's book by Linda Pruitt)

I have shared my scary page with you in a previous post and now I have finished working on the slippery stairs page. Previously I shared the preliminary sketch of the slippery stairs page in my Sunday Sketches post. (You can find it here.)  I made notes at the bottom of my icy page sketch as to the progression that I wanted to paint the final art.

Working on the page, I wanted it to look more icy and not just snowy.  I found that making it look right was most difficult. I did a practice sky wash with a second wash for the clouds; you can see it in the left top of this next picture.  Then I added the liquid mask, which was a very old product, I think I will need to buy some new masking product.

 Here is how it turned out:

I don't think it turned out like the image I had in my mind.  I was envisioning using a little lavender color in the final work, and the old liquid mask did not erase well,  so I am considering doing it over again. 

Have your say: You think it turned out enough like the sketch?
Linking to BlueChairDiary Sunday Sketches.