Sleeping Beauty Day 15

In a rush today, so i'll just say I am activley experimenting with blue "nocturnes" now : )

Sleeping Beauty Day 14

Fifteenth birthday for the princess:

Another image I am currently working on - bulbs which grow in my garden painted from memory. I do love watching the days grow longer, and bulbs appearing at this time of year : )

Today I am mulling over an idea for a painting in blues inspired by Edmund Dulac, who I think was in turn inspired by Whistler.

Sleeping Beauty Day 13

Here is the latest in the "Sleeping Beauty" story - the king thinks he can avert the evil spell by having all the spinning wheels burnt:


I added more paint to this dragonclef because when I had the earlier version printed, it came up very insipid:

Finally, yesterday I went to see the fabulous exhibition "The Age of Enchantment": http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/exhibitions/default.aspx. Highly reccommended! I was so excited to see more original illustrations by Kay Nielsen, Edmund Dulac and Aubrey Beardsley.

Sleeping Beauty Day 12

The twelfth fairy softens the wicked fairy's spell. It felt right for the queen to be holding her baby for this one - protection.

Sleeping Beauty Day 11

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159083635715740914"

Here is the wicked gift!

I've also been painting dragonclefs again - here is one:

Sleeping Beauty Day 10

Oh dear, I am somewhat behing with this story. It has been a trying couple of days, and today I am under the weather physically - all my own fault for eating something yesterday that I know I shouldn't. Also, I lost my sketchbook in central London on Sunday, so have been forced to try to remember all the rest of the images I had planned for Sleeping Beauty, and noting them down in my brand new sketchbook.

Anyhow, this image has been completed for a day or so, and I am working on the next one. Depicting the wicked fairy part of the story is proving an interesting challenge - it is very rare for me to paint anything other than happy pictures!

Sleeping Beauty Day 9

Here is today's : )

Sleeping Beauty Day

A dastardly migraine kept me away from my paints for a few days. Fortunately, I am much better now, so here is the next in the Sleeping Beauty series.

Sleeping Beauty Day 7

Fairy gift number two : )

Sleeping Beauty Day 6

The first of the fairy godmother gifts for the princess : ). This week is going to be such good practice of drawing fairies!

Sleeping Beauty Day 5

Something else I am working on at the moment: I think it would make a nice greetings card, possibly for Valentine's day. It is also playing around with an idea I have for a later Sleeping Beauty illustration.

Here is today's image for The Sleeping Beauty: a golden place setting for a fairy : )

Sleeping Beauty Day 4

Painting today's image has been a real challenge! Getting a recognisable party into 1.5 square inches.. Otherwise today i have begun playing around with ideas for Valentine's cards, and reviewing my portfolios.

Sleeping Beauty Day 3

Sending out invitations for the party to celebrate the birth of the princess.

Sleeping Beauty Day 2

Here is the new baby princess

First painting of 2008: Sleeping Beauty

I LOVED painting the advent calendar each day so much that I have been thinking about how to do something similar for January, and naturally my mind turned to children's stories! "Sleeping Beauty" resonates a lot for me at the moment, so here is the first illo - 'hope you enjoy ; )

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I am still on holiday, and being delightfully indolent - no painting yet this year! Pen and pencil have found their way into my hands, and I am dreaming up a Sleeping Beauty idea, so watch this space.

Also planning to go to this exhibition, which looks fab: http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/exhibitions/default.aspx

Society of Secret Fairies Twelve Days of Christmas

Here is the delightful package I received from secret fairy MaryBeth (http://marybeth494.blogspot.com/)! The perfect gifts suggest she has been delving into my blog, and her garden themed re-write of "the twelve days of christmas" is a really imaginative idea. Impossible to pick a favourite - the cheeky little frog, lucky ladybird, Mrs Tiggywinkle and the gorgeous dragonflies will all be found homes in my flat when the Christmas decorations come down on January 6th.

Thank you so much, MaryBeth : )