Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who are moms!
Daisies happen to be one of my favorite flowers, and I always get excited when I see the multitude of oxeye daisies blooming all over the countryside around May. They seem to embody expressions of joy, childhood, and innocence. Daisies also hold special meaning for my wife and I, a symbol of our marriage. When we were about to be engaged, I prayed for a sign that my wife was the one I was to marry. No, I’m not referring to the “she loves me, she loves me not” test! What I asked for was to spot three daisies growing from one stem. A bit silly, perhaps. But about a year later, we were engaged and scouting out the site of the outdoor wedding we were planning when I received the answer I was looking for—in the middle of our path that day, growing alone from a patch in the recently mowed lawn, were three daisies, all sprouting from a single stem.
This illustration of a daisy is a study I first sketched in pencil, then inked using a Hunt Globe dip pen. I colored it using watercolor pencils.
Beyond my affection for daisies, spring is my favorite season of the year. After the cold, barren winter, the earth gives birth to new life and new hopes. A wondrous array of beautiful flowers spring forth, and everything is fresh and alive again. It is an exciting time. Let’s celebrate the bringing forth and nurturing of life this Mother’s Day and the ultimate Source of that life.
What are your favorite facets of spring? What does springtime mean to you?
I just finished revising the 9th illustration of my picture book. The colored pencil illustration features these delightful children, and you can see how I have transformed the original sketchy style into something much more rich and defined. I also tweaked their features and made some modifications to the girl’s hairdo—thank goodness! I’m continue to work toward completing the picture book I’ve written and am currently illustrating. On to the next illustration!
I recently illustrated a wonderful children’s book written by Vermont author Susie E. Caron entitled Twee’. From the book’s cover: “Twee’ is an adorable character in the first allegorical picture book from Susie’s ‘Between You And Me Series.’ She is a little pine tree who believes everything belongs to her – including the right to complain. When a boulder drops down unexpectedly in front of her and blocks her view, she is more than frustrated – she is stuck! Later a violent storm alters her thinking and her feelings begin to change. Join Twee’ as she makes this inward journey to learn about herself and how to relate to another who is different and separate but who has purpose, no matter how humble.”
To create the illustrations, I first sketched them in pencil, then scanned and finished them in the computer using Adobe Illustrator to simulate a soft, ink-and-wash technique.
I enjoyed illustrating this book and believe you and your children will enjoy both reading the story together and the endearing character of Twee’. The book has been released and is now available to order from booksellers. Click here to order the book from Amazon.com and click here to learn more about the book and its author.
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