Phew! I think I started this one at the end of October and I just finished it today. If you're not familiar with the story of Snow White and Rose Red, you can read it
here. (It involves an evil dwarf and a bear that turns into a handsome prince!)
Today I realized that instead of the twelve fairytale illustrations that I was hoping to finish this year, I've completed seven. Sigh. Hm.... I still have ideas for more fairytale images, but I'm not going to be able to finish them by the end of the year (and things are going to start getting busy busy starting in January). So, I'm not sure exactly what to do. I hate to leave a project unfinished. I'll think of something. And in the meantime, if you'd like to see how the other fairytales turned out, you can click on each of the names below.
Three Billy Goats GruffSnow WhiteThumbelinaBeauty and the BeastThe Snow QueenBaba Yaga
Well, here she is finished... the fearsome
Baba Yaga. I really enjoyed this one, although if I was going to do it again I think I'd try to make her a little scarier. Maybe make her hair a little more wild and frizzy. And I also just learned that in some versions of the story, Baba Yaga has iron teeth, and sadly, I didn't give her any teeth. Next time, Baba, I'll be sure to give you some fierce chompers.
I still haven't decided which fairytale to do for October. I think I'll look back at your suggestions from previous months. And if you have any new suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
I've decided to change the name of my
"2012 Fairytale Project" to "Twelve Tales". Its a bit easier to say, and well, it just sounds cooler, no? I think I'm two or three illustrations behind at this point, but I'll get caught up eventually (er... I hope).
For September, I'm working on Baba Yaga.
Baba Yaga and Vasalisa the Fair is one of my favorite fairy tales (its full of such cool symbolism and was nearly the subject of my grad school thesis project). But, in the interest of expediency and trying to get caught up with things, I decided to do a simple scene of Ms. Yaga, sans her chicken leg house, skull lanterns, or the fair Vasalisa.
I'm especially excited to ink and paint this one and am planning on pulling out the old masking fluid, which for some reason, I haven't used in years.
Monday Greetings! For April's fairytale illustration I decided to use
June's suggestion of
Beauty and the Beast.
I've had a hard time getting started on this one as I'm not in the habit of drawing beastly characters and I couldn't get the Disney version out of my mind. But after coming across
this illustration by Edmund Dulac, I started to feel free to experiment. It's fun to be drawing a character that's so different from my usual fare and I'm excited to try a new way of working for the final illustration. I wonder what will happen.
Also, remember the
bat boy photo that was in the tabloids years ago? I think I must have inadvertently been channeling that when I drew the sketch on the lower left. Creepy.
I decided to save "The Golden Bird" for another month and to do "Thumbelina" for March instead. Here's a detail of little Thumbelina with the field mouse.
In other news, Abigail Halpin has decided to continue her Comic Diary, which makes me really happy.
Also, in non art related news, March is Endometriosis Awareness month. Around 10% of women suffer from Endometriosis. If you're curious about Endo, you can read a little about it here.
Seven is still great - more than one every two months!! They are all gorgeous; I reallly enjoyed seeing them all.
I love this! Very cute
So lovely)
Really sweet!
Wonderful - Baba Yaga is my fav!