Inspiration

I know what you're thinking... two posts in less than twenty-four hours? After days and weeks of silence? Well, I spent this evening looking for reference for my book project this term (I will be posting about this shortly... I promise I won't keep you waiting much longer. I know you're waiting on the edge of your seat...) and was even looking back at some of my older work and portfolio pieces for style inspiration. As I was doing so, I realized that because I don't yet have a full working website, some of my favorite things have never been posted. So here we are...

This little study - a test illustration that I did for a picture book idea - is one of my absolute favorite pieces -

It's hard to say what it is about this illustration... there are some images that just work. In this particular case, it's how I felt painting it, and how easy and right it was.

I have a bad habit of stressing about finishing a piece rather than enjoying the act of making it: from the first barely-defined thumbnails to final sketches to the finished paintings. Who knows whether I'll decide to bring in elements of this style, but I do hope that while it's tacked above my desk in the studio I'll be able to capture the peace I felt creating it, the swoosh of paint effortlessly washing across the paper, the simple joy of painting.