Category: Pen and Ink Drawing

fantasy illustration, Pen and Ink Drawing, people, thoughts behind the work

Dear Aunt Lydia

Michele B. Naquaiya

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If you have ever had an aunt Lydia, you might enjoy this post.  She is a caricature  from my imagination.  I think she could be in anybody’s life at any time if they were lucky.  I never had one of these, but I actually have been her to some people.  I hope you enjoy this character as much as I enjoyed creating her.

This was all drawn with a speedball nib in an old fashioned pen holder.   I use red ink very often and like the kind they still sell in a bottle.  If you are lucky enough to find some, try it. I have three shades of red ink. Art supplies and yarn have always been my go-to collections. I’m done with books after changing countries, but inks and pens are still small enough to fit in a suitcase.

The original work was the separate oval pen and ink –a highly detailed drawing with a crow quill nib.  The center was another oval I left blank.  I scanned the drawing into photoshop and then layered another red ink drawing of the lady that was done with a heavy speedball nib of Miss Lydia.  I put her into the center and then I just played around in photoshop– tweeking the images to present something unique. She makes me laugh.

After being without Adobe for a few years because my life was so insane, I am back on my computer and can’t wait to do more.  It is so much fun.

If you want to see this in print check out my online store.

animals, dogs, horses, cats, Illustrations, Pen and Ink Drawing

My Itsy-Bitsy Spider, version 2

Michele B. Naquaiya

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I am having so much fun with this itsy-bitsy spider, I designed a 2nd version.  This one has the equally funky cat with some odd colors and another point of view.  I am partial to the way he appears on devices and kids’ t-shirts.

Take a look here to see him on a product and with a dark background.

once again, here’s the nursery rhyme:

The itsy-bitsy spider
Went up the water spout.
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
And dried out all the rain.
And the itsy-bitsy spider
Went up the spout again.

 

animals, dogs, horses, cats, fantasy illustration, Illustrations, Pen and Ink Drawing, thoughts behind the work

Itsy Bitsy Spider and Cat

Michele B. Naquaiya

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Babies and kids fall for it when you make a crawling motion with your fingers over their sweet little bodies.  They laugh and anywhere from 4 to 6 months will make you a hit.

The itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again

Then there is the never-to-grow up child like myself who still likes to play.  I am playing here with fonts and how they relate to the subject matter. This sweet font is Segoe Print.

Click the link to purchase on various products

animals, Illustrations, interior design, Pen and Ink Drawing, step by step, how to, thoughts behind the work

Rabbit and company, still life, color and black and white illustrations

Michele B. Naquaiya

 

 

This process is really long and tedious.  I don’t understand why I am making so much work for myself….except, I started with this idea and I can’t break the mold now. When you have high resolution images, bottom line is that it is what you need to publish your work.

I first do a pen and ink with fine line nib on to bristol paper, which is great for detail.   If I am happy with that, then I transfer that drawing to a heavy watercolor paper.  I am using my 12″x16″ light table to make the transfer.  I am doing this with a thicker nib and heavy emphasis lines are darkened to balance the amount of black on the page.

Then I scan the b&w into a large scanner and upload the b&w to my online store.  When I have the new darker black and white on watercolor paper, I paint it.  The composition defines whether or not I leave a lot of background white in the image or paint it in.

I have been playing with gouache and my usual clear watercolors, which is either Winsor and Newton or Maimeri Blue.  Why do this complex process?  I have learned a lot by this process.  It is remarkable how if you discipline yourself, you can accomplish a lot.  These drawings are giving me a lot of pleasure.  I can’t wait to get to a place when I can assemble them into some kind of storyboard book.

I studied this book building and illustrating in 1988 with Uri
Schulevitz but here I am now, so many years later, actually stepping into scary waters with a style that is actually the first one I adopted such a long time ago.  I discipline myself to doing 3 things every day, studying Spanish, working on the treadmill and drawing and/or painting.  I actually am very satisfied doing these activities.

I hope people will enjoy what I have to say.  My story really never changes.  It’s only the way of telling it that is new.

You can find my art here.

Illustrations, Pen and Ink Drawing

Fish Paisley, b&w and color

Michele B. Naquaiya

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Fish are one of my favorite subjects lately.  They are accommodating and generous.  They let me play all I want to with their shapes and patterns.  This will be fun to paint in watercolor.  This is another page in my WIP coloring book.  Soon it will come together.  Wish me luck.

If you like it in black and white the way you see it here, there’s another option for your custom laptop setting.

If you want it in color here it is.