Tim Bowers, children's book illustrator demonstration of oil painting of the cat and the fiddle.

PORTFOLIO-

Children's Book Illustration

Other Artwork

PURCHASE ORIGINAL ART-

STUDIO NOTES/ METHODS-

Roll over preview images for larger view.

1. Idea sketch (pencil drawing).

2. Underpainting- Monocromatic value study (sometimes painted with acrylic washes).

3. Laying in areas of local color (background).

4. First layer of color on main characters, keeping simple shapes of light and dark areas.

Illustration- Oil painting

If the illustration includes realistic elements, I often start with photo reference. I constantly refer to the photos for detail, lighting and texture.

5. Adding color to entire image, allowing the underpainting to show through in various places.

The Cat and the Fiddle

For The Cat and the Fiddle, I photographed my daughter in bibbed overalls. I positioned her and the fiddle to closely match the cat that I had drawn in my initial idea sketch. Then, I took several photos of the arrangement. The photos gave me information that was needed to paint the clothing and fiddle with convincing detail.

It's the combination of an imaginative idea and realistic detail that captures my interest.

6. Adjusting color relationships, textures and unifying all areas of the painting.

7. Finished painting.

Reference photos