The week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Hero". And this little diddy
was influenced by my Grandma Amy...who was and always will be a hero to me. Though she looked NOTHING like the generic styled "Super Gram" illustrated here. NO buns or glasses for my Granny and she hardly ever had any gray hair. She didn't wear her apron like a cape either...but, she WAS beloved by ALL her 6 grandkids and she served up a delicious "Sunshine Frosting" cake.
I'm not blown away by this little painting, in fact, I'm a little embarrassed about it. Still, I'm glad I did it. I haven't painted in a long, long time and it just felt kinda good to give it whirl. I should have "designed" this more...you know, paying more attention to composition and character, but, ach, I didn't. Just decided to doodle a light sketch on to a scrap of Stonehedge paper ( such yummy paper!!) and start painting. I did find myself missing my computer while working on this...I missed not being able to change colors on the fly, tweak things, etc. I had hoped doing a little painting would "loosen" me up but the opposite was more true. Argh. Maybe next time!
33 comments:
I like it. I like all the different characters you have in this illustration, and although I don't usually like pink, it looks good here. I know what you mean about not being able to loosen up doing a painting. When I try acrylic paint I always ends up over-doing it instead of loosening up.
wynlen
wynleDesign
i love illustrations of children faces, they are so cute and ilke the hair of the grandma!
One of the nicest on this week's topic.
You may not be thrilled with it but I love it. Great concept and colors!
Hee hee --love it! Would make a great children's book illustration.
I love this Paige! I know what you mean about painting again. I feel somewhat embarassed sometimes... I use my computer like a crutch. I need to paint more!
I love it Paige! Your my illustration hero! That cake looks delicious!
Best,
-Steve
Hey youse guys...THANK YOU! Special thanks for Noah's Dad and Wynlen for making me feel "less alone" regarding the whole painting issue.
The background was originally a nice light pink with little clouds but the little clouds were too distracting making the whole think too busy. So I painted over and over and ended up with this lazy solution. I also ended up with too many midtones. I'd love to redo this...either as a more thought out painting OR in illustrator/ photoshop. Whatever, We'll see what happens when I get back from another little vacation.
Steve, Grandma's cake was the best ever...very delicious indeed. She'd usually color the frosting yellow and call it a "Sunshine" cake but at our request, we might get her to color it pink or green!
She was the best!
Embarassed?! This is WONDERFUL! Anyone who offers a Sunshine Frosting cake is a hero in my book too! ;)
Hi Paige,
How are you?
You made always happy illustrations!
I love love your sweet style very much!!!
As for me, I making Animation now. haha very busy everyday but I am happy now! I will visit to LA next january!!! I want to meet you again!!
anyway, yes sweeet illustration!!
I like this alot. I like that the cake is ever so slightly tilted and the kids are adorable. And, of course, the grandma is awesome.
many thanks! It is so nice to "meet" and hear from you fine, fine folks!! Your comments make me super happy.
Paintmonster!! Marty!!! YAY!!! So happy to have you drop me a line! I've missed you! I so look forward to seeing you again this next January! I loved you and all your friends and cannot wait to see you again.
I love this, Paige. GREAT faces on the kids. Their noses make me happy. I so know what you mean about the computer and the incredible un-ease of working with solid materials. I've recently been working on a series of woodblock prints and I sure wish I had an undo key when the wrong little chip of wood goes flying away from under my knife!
Annie B
Hurray for analog!
I acknowledge your professed embarrassment, Paige. Still, I think this is a delightful illo—dare I say moving? Makes me miss my own heroic gramma. *sigh*
Your wit and insight astound me, you know?
Have you ever heard of, even read, a book called Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch? So-o-o inspiring and empowering. A chapter in the book speaks to this matter—the crazy, and occasionally wonderful, things that a medium can do.
Anyhow, I think your gramma painting's super and the cake looks extra tasty.
Really cute illo, Paige.
One of my favorites for the week - from the cake to the apron-cape, to the kids, to Grandma's wonderful face and hair -it's really quite lovely. It's a blessing to have such great memories too. So nicely done!
I love this too Paige, the apron "cape" is the most perfect touch, and is what makes this such a delight, an everyday ordinary "superhero" Granny !
the colors are wonderful too, and I for one find the background ("lazy solution"?!) to be just right !
this is wonderful...I love everything about it, including your fabulous story.
violetismycolor
I love the glee on their faces and rosy cheeks. Your Grandma obviously brought a lot of sunshine :)
I think the spontaneaty in this composition works well. Maybe you need some distance -time- to not focus on what disturbs you about it.
I think it's fantastic that you picked up a brush again. I don't think I could survive without an undo button. It's a lovely piece and there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
this is awesome and just makes me miss my grandma. all of my grandparents are gone and i miss their charm, love, and the way they make others feel special.
your painting is wonderful.
erika
http://www.five3.com
wow, this looks great. i'm not much of a painter so i'm jealous that this is your first attempt in a few years!
That's adorable. Generic Geriatrics are fun to draw!
It's moving! I also think that my grandma is hero too!
wonderful illustrations...i love your use of bright colours!
Cheers,
Violette
www.violette.ca
Me want that cake! Very cool style and colors here. And I understand about going "back" to painting, as sometimes I mentally try to "undo" that last stroke of paint that I didn't like. But here, Paige, you got it goin' on! Very lovely characters and composition. Fun! Me eat cake now!
wholly cow! thank you all so very much for your encouraging words and the lovely comments. I am touched by the responses to this. I think Grandma Amy would be touched as well.
I guess I won't give up on doodle-painting yet!! Thanks again...and it looks like I have lots of new blogs to check out.
Hey, Uloo! I'll look up that book. If YOU liked it, I am sure to like it too. We need to catch up soon. I'll send ya an email in the coming days.
Oooh! This is really nice (in so many ways)! I REALLY like the looser-more-painterly style you've got going on in this piece. I hear you when you say you *feel* it didn't come out as you had planned or that it's not as loose as you were going for. Despite your feelings, the painting is great! Do some more in this style, please? I know it's uncomfortable (at the moment) but in the end, it turned out nicely, and it was well-received by your adoring blog buddies!
i just stumbled on your blog via the blogger dashboard and i have to tell you that i absolutely LOVE that painting. all of the work i've seen here is great but this is my favourite one! it looks like it's from a children's book from the 50's or 60's! so vintage looking. you shouldn't be so hard on yourself!
Love your blog
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i love illustrations of children faces, they are so cute and ilke the hair of the grandma.
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