Writing Process Blog Tour, Part 2, from sketch to painting

Here's part two of my Writing Process Blog Tour post. I was traveling when Kate Sullivan invited me to participate, so I wrote it on my iphone, and promised to show some samples of sketch to final when I got back to my studio. 

Hudson at the Beach

I started making rough storyboards in my sketchbook. This sketch drew upon my memories of an actual beach at Cap d'Antibes, Plage de la Garoupe. I ended up making this illustration a landscape (horizontal) spread to focus on the water's edge and make the figures larger.

I went to iphoto and found some photos I had taken in Antibes, Cap d'Antibes and Nice a few years ago. 

Using the photos I sketched a rough composition at 100% (16x10).

On another large sheet of paper I refined the sketches of individual people using a 00 watercolor brush and black ink. You may recognize some of these poses from the photos. Others I invented, like the kayaker.

I scanned the ink drawings and started moving them around in photoshop to try out several compositions. I lived with them for a few days before deciding which one to paint.

Though I liked the ink lines, I wanted to convey the feeling of being at the beach, light and airy like an ocean breeze, without heavy lines. I transferred the composition to watercolor paper with a light pencil. I wish I could show you this sketch, but I painted over it. Normally I scan and save the sketch in case I don't like the way the painting turns out.

On a scrap of watercolor paper I first experimented with colors before I started painting.

Here is the final painting.

I painted the dog with the frisbee separately and added him in photoshop. I left space to the right of the kayaker for the text.

fin