Bear Scare in progress... rough color study

This was a challenging color study, but I finally got a magical & nice fire lit feeling. I did this rather small, and messy on Abode Photoshop with my Wacom Tablet. I did this just to work through color ideas without being committed or risk messing up a real painting! I can't wait to watercolor this, it will be so fun! All this planning & process work is the hardest part of illustration for me. This time really pays off  so than when I sit down to paint the finished piece it is so much easier to tackle and relaxing. Traditional painting is still my favorite process for creating artwork, even though using digital media is a super helpful tool :)

Bear Scare in progress... light & value study

Working in Adobe Photoshop with my handy Wacom tablet. This is my rough plan of my paintings values. Feeling rather rusty! Not sure if I'm getting the feeling I want from the fire light, but I will work it out more in the color study, my next step. Keep posted to see :)

"Bear Scare"- my thumbnail sketch & larger line drawing

My sketch and larger drawing from the story-

        "Snow White and Red Rose"

I drew inspiration from the scenes below 


"One evening, as they were thus sitting comfortably together,
some one knocked at the door, as if he wished to be let in.
The mother said. “Quick, Rose-red, open the door, it must be
 a traveller who is seeking shelter.” Rose-red went and pushed
back the bolt, thinking that it was a poor man, but it was not; it
was a bear that stretched his broad, black head within the door.

 Rose-red screamed and sprang back, the lamb bleated, the dove
 fluttered, and Snow-white hid herself behind her mother’s bed.
But the bear began to speak and said, “Do not be afraid, I will do
 you no harm! I am half-frozen, and only want to warm myself a
 little beside you.”

Happy 2012- Goals-

So this year I will post my process work for you all to see. As I work on illustrations I go through a series of steps to design, plan and create the final piece. I often start with a story or idea I want to illustrate. My first project of the year is to illustrate a few scenes from a Grimm Tale, see the story below.

I took some notes on the scenes that interested me and sketched a few thumbnails to find a fun composition. Check in often to see how my pieces evolve! Enjoy!

                                                           Snow White and Red Rose
                                                          by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm