How I Create an Illustration 2

Muriel Feldshuh was kind enough to invite me to participate, for a second time, in her traveling children's picture book artist quilt project. She sent a kit containing a lovely note, a blank square of muslin, packing, and a self addressed, stamped return envelope. How could I refuse?

The first muslin square I painted is in the red quilt above. Feldshuh's quilts exhibit in galleries throughout the United States.

For the new quilt, consisting of Brooklyn based illustrators, I chose an icon that both represents Brooklyn and my picture books. This is a sketch of a book cover test for MERMAIDS ON PARADE. The publisher thought it was "too old" for the age level of my book.
I still love this sketch and I've wanted to use it somewhere else. So, I did.

I work with a copy machine. I cut out extras and fixed some lines. Then copied again. There's my outline.

I copy once more, and experiment with paint on the paper first. I discovered my glitter nail polish made a quick drying sparkle over the paint. Yippie, no glitter mess.
Using a lightbox, I trace the mermaid's outline onto the muslin square with pencil. I lay down shapes of pure colors.


Now I add some details to the under layers of paint.


I add purple pen out line and carefully brush in the glitter. I do not want paint or glitter to spill onto the muslin outside the mermaid outline.


Remember to always ventilate while using the nail polish in large areas. I painted by an open window.


Finished art.



Mermaid Art : Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg