Year 4 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 2

Week 2: Feathered animal.

Watercolour painting of an extinct, feathered Velociraptor, based on my own photograph of a model featured in the Tyrannosaurs exhibit of 2013 at the Australian Museum, Sydney. Highlights and shading in white pigment Signo, watercolour pencils and black finepoint Sharpie. In 2010, scientists discovered proof that many dinosaurs had feathers and, through a study of fossilised melanosomes (pigment-bearing organelles), they were able to ascertain some of the feather colours of Chinese dinosaurs!

Year 4 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 1

Week 1: Whimsy.

"Ready for a night out." Sketch in black Sharpie, watercolour pencils and white opaque Signo pigment ink on watercolour paper.

Update:

Week 1: Whimsy II.

"Working for peanuts." Watercolour and brown, black and white markers.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 52

Week 52: Reflection.

"The witch's mirror." Sketch in black and silver Sharpies, with red, yellow and blue coloured pencil.

Update:

Week 52: Reflection II.

"Duck on the pond." Freecut silhouette symmetrical collage using metallic bronze card, watercolour pencils, white Signo pigment ink and black Sharpie. Based on a photo viewed in Google Images.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 51

Week 51: Celebrate.

"Celebrating in their snowglobes." Sketch in watercolour, and black and brown Sharpie on watercolour paper. Snow created with masking fluid.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 47

Week 47: Buildings.

"1960s Street". Sketch in finepoint Sharpie, with watercolours, white opaque Signo, yellow pencil and collaged road markings on watercolour paper. Based on a photo found in a Facebook image search.

Update:

Week 47: Buildings II.

"King Kong hug." Quick sketch in black and brown Sharpies with highlights in white opaque Signo and watercolours.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 45

Week 45: Zebra.

"Deconstructed zebras." Freecut zebra silhouettes in cartridge paper, collaged onto card and striped fabric.

Update:

Week 45: Zebra II.

"What's black and white and red all over? A sunburned zebra and a newspaper." Freehand sketch of a zebra in black Sharpie with a watercolour wash and collaged newsprint. I found an ironic headline to suit this big news week.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 42

Week 42: Dog.

Freecut silhouettes collaged onto metallic card. Halogen light, indoors.

Update:

Week 42: Dog II.

"Bonnie." Watercolours on damp watercolour paper, black finepoint, white opaque Signo and brown Paint FX. Based on a 1962 photograph from my own collection.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 39

Week 39: New Zealand.

"Kiwi." Watercolour, finepoint black Sharpie, white opaque Signo and watercolour pencils on watercolour paper. Based on a photo of a kiwi found in a Google Image search.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 32

Week 32: Hairy.

"Orangutan at Perth Zoo." Freehand watercolour on textured paper, with white Signo highlights. Based on my own photograph.

Update:

Week 32: Hairy II.

"Cousin Itt and the Shaggy Dog". Charcoal sketch with black finepoint and white opaque Signo detail. Inspired by a publicity pic for TV's The Addams Family.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 31

Week 31: Realism.

"Portrait of Ian and Jack" (from a personal photo) in HB graphite and yellow, red and blue pencils on a black Sharpie easel. I hope this fits with the theme. I was inspired by some art examples in online articles on realism. My original intention was to draw an artist and two sitters, perhaps as less-than-real cartoons, with only the "painted" canvas featuring the realism. But I came to prefer the white space.

Update:

Week 31: Realism II.

"Elephants at Perth Zoo." Freehand watercolour on textured paper, based on my own photograph.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 27

Week 27: Canberra.

Finepoint black Sharpie on white cartridge paper, with highlights in watercolour pencils and opaque white Signo ink. Inspired by the current Australian $5 note and a holiday photo of my dog, Jack, on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin.

Update:

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 25

Week 25: Invention.

"Professor Pat Pending builds the better mousetrap." Black finepoint Sharpie with watercolour, based on several cels of the character from TV's "Wacky Races".

Update:

Week 25: Invention II.

"Invention in the arts." Freecut symmetrical silhouette in black card, plus ribbon scraps, collaged onto a mounted print-out from Wikipedia.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 17

Week 17: Collector.

Matryoshka Batman. Freehand sketches of "Batman" characters (based on photos of my action figure collection) in brown Slick Writer permanent marker, coffee wash, gold Kindy Glitz and watercolour pencils on watercolour paper Matryoshka shapes, collaged onto a separate sheet of watercolour card.‬

Update:

Week 17: Collector II.

"Reverse Santa." Climbs out of the chimney with your treasured collections. Sketch in black Sharpie and watercolours on watercolour card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 14

Week 14: Camping.

Freehand watercolour on watercolour card, with coffee-stained, collaged newspaper.

Update:

Week 14: Camping II.

"One little spark..." Freehand collage using gold and red Quill "Metallique" paper and "Marbletone" cream card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 12

Week 12: Non-dominant hand.

"Komodo dragon." White opaque Signo ink on brown paper, with black ballpoint detail, drawn with my left hand. Based on my own photo of a garden ornament.

Update:

Week 12: Non-dominant hand II

"Easter Bunny". Watercolours on watercolour card. Based on my own photo of my grandmother's rabbit ornament. I am a leftie; his was also with my weak right hand.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 10

Week 10: Animal

"Koala". Freehand cut collage using a remnant of watercolour canvas, a scrap of Quill "marbletone" cream paper, and watercolour on grey card. Based on my own photo. I guess it's a reverse silhouette. The koala only exists as a negative space. The grey card is simply the back of a depleted watercolour paper pad and reminded me of the colour and texture of a koala's fur, so I searched my own albums looking for a suitable pic (actually Perth Zoo during the exhibition last year).

Update:

Week 10: Animal II

"Orange harmony". Sketch in black finepoint Sharpie on watercolour card, coloured with watercolours. Based on my own 1977 b/w photograph of pets Mac and Meggsie "frying their eyeballs" in front of a bar radiator.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 9

Week 9: Watercolour

"Hey diddle diddle, don't stop in the middle..." Freehand watercolour on white recycled paper. Masking fluid stars, with highlights and outlines added in black ballpoint and white Puffy paint. Mounted on black card.

Update:

Week 9: Watercolour II

"Goldfish". Freehand watercolours and finepoint Sharpie, over watercolour wash, on watercolour paper. Mounted on black card. Fish based on numerous photos found in a Google Image search.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 8

Week 8: Horizon

"The art of planking". Freehand sketch in black Sharpie on a folded horizon on grey Ingres paper. Highlights in watercolour and white Signo. Inspired by several photos found in a Google Image search. The radiating effect is a lucky accident of the scanning process.

Update:

Week 8: Horizon II

Cartridge paper collage. There seems to be a slight shadow in the centre. That would be me. The iPhone pic works better than the scan, I think.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 4

Week 4: Swimming

Collaged watercolour and cartridge papers, with Puffy Paint and watercolour highlights and shadows on a background of scrapbooking glitter paper. Based on several images found in a Google Image search.

Update:

Week 4: Swimming II

Black Sharpie cartoons on pearlescent sculptured paper, with salted watercolour highlights, collaged onto cartridge card.

Year 3 of the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 3

Week 3: Theme Park

"The Rotor, Luna Park Sydney." Red and gold Quill Metallique and black card, cut freehand, and collaged onto Ingres paper. Human characters detailed in black and white Sharpie and watercolours.

Update:

Week 3: Theme Park II

In memory of the late S John Ross, silhouette artist at Luna Park and theme parks and agricultural shows all over Australia. Collage and silhouettes using natural shadows.

Week 3: Theme Park III

"Mr Minotaur's A-mazing Theme Park". Black Sharpies, white opaque Signo and watercolour on Quill "marbletone" cream paper. Details in watercolour pencils and some yellow Puffy paint.