step-by-step

Friday, February 24, 2012




1.) final banner illustration 2.) tight version thumbnails 3.) final revised thumbnail

I've been wanting to document my collage illustration process for ages & recently as I was creating the website banner illustration for Erika at Little Bird Night Owl I remembered to take photos along the way. I plan out the steps quite meticulously & methodically in my head first (figuring out all the layers & choosing the various techniques and mediums) and because of all this forethought an illustration like this once finished is almost exactly like the picture both Erika & I created in our heads. hooray !

Materials I've used: heavy water colour paper, acrylic paints, Golden matt medium (much like modge podge), exacto knife, sharp blades & scissors, assorted vintage papers, water proof smudge proof pens, gouache paint, fine brush, black acrylic ink, glue pens for all the little itty bitty pieces that need to be glued (I love me a glue pen !), a cutting mat & table top light table.

I LOVE doing custom freelance work of any kind so please contact me if you'd like me to make something for you. I have reasonable rates, flexible payment plans, & even pro-bono for non-profits & good causes (animal rescue organizations especially welcome). If you have questions about prices, time lines &/or the process please ask me in the comments or email me.

Erika bought one of my Lil' Owl calendars I sell my things at Freedom Clothing Collective in Toronto. She loved my owls & contacted me though my portfolio site (clearly indicated on every page of that calendar - marketing, marketing) & asked me if I'd like to design her banner thinking my style would be a good fit for her vision - a very fun project - thanks Erika !!





9 comments:

  1. Oh wow!!!! That's sooo pretty! Love to see your process too. Fascinating. This reminds me of Blackbird by the Beatles (even though the bird in the song is not an owl...)
    My favorite cover of the song is by the King's Singers: http://youtu.be/ywkarAwB0W8

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  2. Very sweet. I like the colour palette too.

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  3. thank you so much for sharing your process - I really enjoyed seeing it and love how it turned out!

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  4. This is fabulous! Think about submitting to PaperCrave Blog?!
    Tail wags,
    ~moose

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  5. You 100% BRILLIANT!

    I love this Susan...Would love to see all the thumbs as big originals...So gorgeous. You must use flying night owl sometime, he's lovely...I can feel his forward movement...

    XO's to you all...

    {ps. working on that letter...slow going here these days...}

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous presentation.. such beautiful detailed work.. everyone of them was a winner and a delight..
    You are an amazing designer!!!

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  7. i loved seeing that come together :)

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