Daily Illustration #99: Forget-Me-Nots (New Digital Painting)

Today's illustration is a new digital watercolour painting of Forget-me-nots in ArtRage 4.

By the wonders of digital art, it comes in two flavours, with and without a background.

Please do let me know in the comments if you have a preference between the two.

Either way-enjoy!

Update on June 5th 2022: There is now a new set of forget-me-not designs and info about them here.

Daily Illustration #97: Fluffy Bees on Fluffy Catkins

OK, so this is another challenge that may or may not have come off. The other day we saw the fluffiest bumblebees, feasting on fluffy catkins. It was all pollen and cute delightfulness.

Have had about zero time to complete this today, but wanted to do something towards capturing the moment before the feeling faded, even if I come back and readdress it in much more detail (and fluffiness. Did I mention the fluffiness? ;-)
 later.

More tomorrow.

Daily Illustration #96: Zebra

Wanted to draw a zebra weeks ago, but am glad I left it this long, as he was surprisingly tricky. Just like dogs are defined by their fur, this guy is pretty much completely defined by his stripes. (It turns out that even zebra manes and tails are stripey, which I'd never noticed before).

Anyway, this was daily illustration 96. Just four more days to go until the end of this challenge.

(In answer to a query about this, after the 100 days, I'll still be drawing on most days, and posting often. It'll just give me more time for eg, paintings that take longer than a day to complete, and learning new techniques).

More tomorrow.

PS.(April 7th) In relation to the Creative Everyday "Rainbow" theme for April 2016, someone asked about adding a rainbow. This was the thought I had. Didn't like it at first, but it's growiug on me...

What do you think? Do you prefer this zebra plain or "rainbowed."? Please do comment and let me know what you think.

Daily Illustration #95: Spring Has Sprung (New Digital Painting)

This new illustration/digital painting (pen and watercolour effect wash in ArtRage 4) is a simple celebration.

For the first time this year, it's been warm enough to walk through a local nature reserve without a coat, in the sunshine, and notice flowers blooming (like this magnolia).

So it's definitely time for a celebration. Spring has sprung!

Daily Illustration #94: Whale Patterns

It's day 94, so am coming into the last week of this 100-day challenge.

Rather than slowing up, decided to have a go at something new for me: three co-ordinating patterns.

They're based around the idea of the epic whale migrations that every mother blue whale makes with her calf up the Pacific coast of the US, which blew me away in a documentary, in its scale and audacity.

These patterns aren't that audacious-but hopefully give you cute whales!

Daily Illustration #93: Rose Floral Chintz Pattern

Can't get over how different this floral pattern is from the original Day 91 picture I reassembled into pattern motifs, as discussed here.

It took so long, and having added in extra bits, it might actually have been quicker to re-draw just the motifs from scratch. But that's another story.

I'm loving how this pattern turned out, especially on laptop skins and many other things available here.

Daily Illustration #92: April Fool Web Clip Art

Just a quick reminder about April 1st (which it may or may not already be depending on when and where you are reading it). Also gives me a chance to sketch a person whilst still having fun with the outfit.

Feel free to use this as an April 1st graphic in any web clip art  context (it isn't high res, so not suitable for printing). Links appreciated but not required for this one, and have fun!

Daily Illustration #91: Rose Quote/Sketch

Have been doing a lot of rose drawings-this might even go on for a day or two. May or may not keep the words on this image to the right. What do you think?

Daily Illustration #90: Berry & Leaf Pattern

This started as an experiment in simpler and less focal pattern-making. (Sometimes I still need to learn that it's OK to whisper, sometimes ;-).

But once the leaf motifs started forming ogee-ish shapes, it morphed into an experiment in making a (geometic-ish) design with organic motifs.

Add in the red and the green, and suddenly, I'm up to my old tricks (ie making a seasonal design (in this case, something quite Christmassy, like napkins do you think?) at an entirely inapporopriate time of year.

But in any event, think I'll keep the pattern. What sort of items do you reckon it would suit? Please leave a comment and tell me. 

Daily Illustration #89: Tabby Kitten Sketch (& New Digital Painting)

Seem to have gone through a range of animals to draw in this project-and forgotten the animal rulers of the internet: cats! So thought would rectify that with this tabby kitten today (still in ArtRage 4).

Daily Illustration #88: Happy Easter Rabbit Digital Watercolour

Happy Easter from a digital watercolour Easter rabbit in ArtRage4...

Daily Illustration #87: A Cheerful Ditsy Tulip Pattern

Just a simple little tulip pattern today, to cheer things up with a blast of spring.

Daily Illustration #86: Brazilian Dancer (New Digital Painting)

Today there was blue sky, stuttering Spring...and a bank holiday. So we went into town, where amongst other things, there was a trio of Brazilian dancers. I think they were promoting a restaurant, but they drew a crowd.

Though people and faces are not normally something I tackle, the whole spectacle was so beautiful, so welcome and so fun, I had to try to capture something from it.

So, with the caveat that the real girls had so much more sparkle (in all senses) than is here, enjoy this Brazilian girl until I learn to do her (even) better justice.

Daily Illustration #85: Quick Sketch of Our Scabious Flowers

So we've just got some scabious (or "pincushion") flowers for the second year in a row-mostly because they are utterly "bee-friendly" and fit neatly into the window-boxes.

What I'd forgotten is how strange they look at the beginning. The weird "saucer" shape has such a straight bottom and a virtual right angle to such a thin stem.

Will probably draw them again later in the year, just to show you how they've changed.

But now all we need is some sun and warmth to keep them growing, and get those bees interested.

Daily Illustration #84: A Love Letter to Brussels

Something very different today. Just wanted to express my support for the people of Brussels (a lovely city whi was fantastic to visit and full of friendly people). Please share if this resonates with you too (you may need to click on the image to read the text. Back to happier art tomorrow.

Daily Illustration #82: Purple Pansy (New Digital Painting)

OK, so this took *much* longer than  I thought it would. But today's illustration/digital watercolour painting/sketch of a purple pansy turned out OK in the end, and is (sort of) a good sibling for yesterday's iris. Enjoy!

Daily Illustration #81: Iris (New Digital Painting)

A new digital painting for today's illustration. Digital watercolour of an Iris, in ArtRage4.

More tomorrow!

Daily Illustration/Doodle/Sketch #80: Being Happy

The last thing I expected to doodle today was a person, let alone a cartoony sketch. Never mind, here it is!

Daily Illustration #79: Red Hibiscus (New Digital Painting)

Our hibiscus is 35 years old this March. He originally belonged to my Mum and stands 10 feet high in our sitting-room (and yes, he *oes* get pruned). So this is his 15 minutes of fame...:-).

Daily Illustration #78: Cherry Tree & Blossom (New Digital Painting)

In reality, the cherry trees here aren't quite as advanced as this one. But they will be soon, as the blossom buds are just appearing. So I expedited them a bit in this new digital painting (in ArtRage 4). Enjoy!