Preliminary Sketch - Lady Bug & Snail

© kathleen rietz

It's always interesting to see how other artists work, and I enjoy it when they post their progression of a work of art on their blogs. I learn a lot from it.

This is a new illustration I am working on. I did a pencil sketch first, transferred it onto illustration board and tightened up the drawing. Then I placed tracing paper over the drawing and worked up a color comp with Pantone markers on the tracing paper. I then went in and had some fun with pen and ink. I do not usually do that part, but I was actually liking the way the color comp was looking as an illustration, and wanted to experiment a little to see if I could make it look "finished". I sort of like the brightness of the Pantone colors and how they bleed into each other on tracing paper, and the character of line which flowed from my pen quill.

I hope I end up liking the final color illustration. If not, at least I have this one...which I am actually kind of liking!