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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: botanical, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 12 of 12
1. Watercolour Fun: Orange Flower

It's wonderful to be able to have time to just have fun with paint again. No idea of what flower this actually is, but a few appeared in the garden and seemed perfect as the subject for a bit of experimental play ...

 

Orange Flower by Floating Lemons

 

 

I did say experimental, didn't I? This is pretty far removed from the precise, detailed drawings I normally do ... but what a wonderful experience, splashing around with water and colour. Still feel that it lacks depth and am almost tempted to keep at it, but won't - that's enough for the moment. I remembered to take a couple of photos somewhere along the way:

 

Orange Flower 1 by Floating Lemons

Orange Flower 2 by Floating Lemons

 

I used watercolours - a small Winsor & Newton travel box, on a square 7"x7" Stillman & Birn sketchbook with smooth, extra heavy weight paper (180lbs/270gsm) and a variety of watercolour pencils for a few extra details at the end. Wonderful paint time on a drizzly, dreamy day.

If anyone knows what flower that is, please let me know!

Wishing you a colourful week full of creativity. Cheers.

 

 

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2. Botanical Knits

I recently finished working with Alana Dakos on her newest book, "Botanical Knits." The patterns are inspired from plants, trees, leaves, etc. I love the designs (as always when looking at Alana's stuff) and once again wish I had the physical dexterity to knit. 



Working with Alana (see also "Coastal Knits" and "Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf") is really great because there is a lot of room for exploration. For example, she gave me several photos of her knits...


...along with images that inspired her to create the patterns. Then essentially said, "here is what I created, now you create something." So I did.





If you have the book you could play a fun "Where's Waldo" trying to find where some of the illustrations ended up. The interesting thing for me is to see what made it into the book (of course not all do) and where. 

Alana also asked me to design the title. Always a fun challenge. She wanted something natural, rustic, with tall letters, almost like they are growing. So here are some examples I came up with.




But ultimately this style was the winner (see above cover).





Another interesting request was for the resource page. She knitted little leaves out of the fabric she used for the knits in the book, and used those as reference for where she got the yarn. Photos of the knitted leaves were eventually placed onto an illustration of a tree branch. You can get an idea for it from the color studies. You will have to buy the book to see how it all really comes together.  :)


Thumbnails.

Color Studies.

Final Illustration.



 That's it! Thanks for reading.

2 Comments on Botanical Knits, last added: 2/24/2013
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3. Fliegenpilz

Amanita muscaria
I've always wondered why so many people are obsessed with this pretty, but toxic, mushroom. It's associated with fairies, and often found in books with gnomes and fairytales. Looking into it, there is a lot of druidic background to the Fly Agaric, and there are a few opinions on how it got it's name. It's more than a little mysterious, and amply deserves a spot in my October gallery.

0 Comments on Fliegenpilz as of 10/8/2012 10:36:00 AM
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4. Illustration Friday: Popularity


While some would do anything to win a popularity contest, others would rather blend into the background.
Ravens don't bother with such choices.
I guess this one didn't get the memo!

This was an exercise (mostly in frustration) to get my drawing/painting hand loosened up from it's rustyness of late.
I just let it take me wherever and just had fun.
Watercolor, botanical rub ons, gel pens, colored pencils and ink. 

Happy weekend!

xo
Lo♥ 

23 Comments on Illustration Friday: Popularity, last added: 2/14/2012
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5. IF - Perennial

For this week's Illustration Friday topic, I decided to play with watercolors and created this little painting of one of my favorite flowers - poppies (which I think are a perennial flower, but I could be wrong).
This painting is cobbled together from several photos I'd taken when we lived in Los Angeles. This type of poppy (Alpine poppy?) was a popular garden flower in California. I remember seeing sizeable beds of them at my husband's office and we had some smaller collections of them at our little apartment complex. I always looked forward to their blooming every spring!

This painting is for sale - here - at my Etsy shop.

2 Comments on IF - Perennial, last added: 7/26/2011
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6. Interview with Nancy Traversy of Barefoot Books

Nancy TraversyThis episode is part of our Publishers Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

It’s easy to forget that the amazing books we read are the products of publishing companies that exist within what some call a flawed economic model.

On this edition of Just One More Book, Mark speaks with Nancy Traversy, co-founder of Barefoot Books — a company the publishes books to inspire and educate our children as the caretakers of tomorrow — about her decision to pull their catalog from big box bookstores such as Borders and Chapters, and turning Barefoot Books green.

You can learn more about Barefoot Books by visiting their website, barefootbooks.com. (NOTE: the website automatically plays music)

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6 Comments on Interview with Nancy Traversy of Barefoot Books, last added: 7/25/2007
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7. Interview with Rick Wilks of Annick Press

Rick WilksThis episode is part our Publishers’ Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

A publisher was once asked how someone could start a small children’s book publishing company in Canada. The response… “start a big one and wait”.

On this edition of Just One More Book, Mark speaks with Rick Wilks about the thirty-two year evolution of his independent children’s book publishing company, Annick Press, from two books per year by kids for kids to thirty amazing titles each year. You can learn more about Annick Press by visiting their website, annickpress.com.

Photo: Annick Press

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0 Comments on Interview with Rick Wilks of Annick Press as of 7/10/2007 10:31:00 PM
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8. Interview with Stacy Nyikos of Stonehorse Publishing

Stacy NyikosThis episode is part our Publishers’ Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we’re running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

Did you know that sharks are shy? That squid can be any colour of the rainbow and light up like fireflies? How old were you when you learned these facts and how did you learn them?

Mark speaks with Stacy Nyikos, author and President of Stonehorse Publishing, about her company’s mandate to publish books about the world’s most exotic animals and wildlife. You can learn more about Stonehorse Publishing by visiting their website, stonehorsepublishing.com.

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0 Comments on Interview with Stacy Nyikos of Stonehorse Publishing as of 7/9/2007 9:42:00 AM
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9. Interview with Dana Goldberg of Children’s Book Press

Dana GoldbergThis episode is part our Publishers’ Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

In 1975 the movie Jaws scared us out of the ocean, the Red Sox lost the World Series and Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize. It was also the year that a publishing house, Children’s Book Press, set out to connect children with rich and varied cultures, their emerging identities and to each other – something that children’s books just didn’t do.

Mark speaks with Dana Goldberg about the unique vision and staying power of Children’s Book Press. You can learn more about Children’s Book Press by visiting their website, childrensbookpress.org.

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1 Comments on Interview with Dana Goldberg of Children’s Book Press, last added: 7/13/2007
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10. Interview with John Thompson of Illumination Arts

John Thompson of Illumination ArtsThis episode is part our Publishers’ Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

Children’s books can be for much more than entertainment and education. They can help children understand themselves, the world around them and how to make each day great.

Mark speaks with Illumination Arts founder John Thompson about making the move from adult to children’s publishing, spirituality in children’s books and the economics of the publishing industry.

You can learn more about Illumination Arts by visiting their website, illumin.com.

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0 Comments on Interview with John Thompson of Illumination Arts as of 7/6/2007 7:24:00 AM
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11. Interview with Jessica Grass

Iris the DragonThis episode is part our Publishers’ Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 9 2007.

One in five children suffers from mental illness. That’s a pretty significant statistic to be lacking of quality resources for families and caregivers. So, when her own son was diagnosed with mental illness, Gayle Grass took matters into her own hands. She created Iris the Dragon, a series of picture books to help children and educators.

Our guest on this edition of Just One More Book is Jessica Grass, head of marketing and education for Iris the Dragon. You can learn more about Iris the Dragon and the books in which she appears by visiting the website, iristhedragon.com.

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0 Comments on Interview with Jessica Grass as of 7/3/2007 11:13:00 PM
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12. Interview with Bruce Glassman of Red Cygnet Press

Red Cygnet LogoThis episode is part of our Publishers Showcase, a special series of interviews with children’s book publishers, which we are running during the weeks of July 2 and July 10 2007.

A baby swan, or cygnet, is not remarkable to look at though it will grow and be nurtured into a beautiful bird that we know as a swan. That image is the concept behind Red Cygnet Press, a publishing company that searches for and helps first-time children’s book authors have their work published.

On this edition of Just One More Book I speak with Bruce Glassman, co-founder of Red Cygnet Press.

Participate in the conversation by leaving a comment on this interview, or send an email to [email protected].

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5 Comments on Interview with Bruce Glassman of Red Cygnet Press, last added: 7/20/2007
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