New Clothes
From the emperor’s new clothes
Watercolor, ink, pencil | 7 × 9 inches
"The Emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put his new clothes on him, one garment after another. They took him around the waist and seemed to be fastening something - that was his train-as the Emperor turned round and round before the looking glass.
'How well Your Majesty's new clothes look. Aren't they becoming!' He heard on all sides, 'That pattern, so perfect! Those colors, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit.'
Then the minister of public processions announced: 'Your Majesty's canopy is waiting outside.'
'Well, I'm supposed to be ready,' the Emperor said, and turned again for one last look in the mirror. 'It is a remarkable fit, isn't it?' He seemed to regard his costume with the greatest interest.Behind the scenes…
why this was made
inspiration mood board
custom made for an art exhibit in honor of a friend turning 60. this person loves his clothes and has impeccable style (I once witnessed a stranger ask him on the street if they could take their picture with him because his lilly pulitzer suit was so stunning!) we're pictured here because my wardrobe choice was validated since we showed up in matching outfits (unplanned)!i love to see how other artists have solved the same problem. textures, colors, body poses, expressions, composition ideas...they all inspire me to stay in line with my artist heritage and continue the legacy of traditional storytelling. look closely and you'll see just how these ideas work their way into my work. look even closer at my version and you'll find a personal touch - my friend's favorite animal is hiding in the painting!
sketching….
final composition
my composition sketch. it's small. it gets printed out larger and i use it to start adding details to the characters and setting elements using tracing paper overlaid on top.once I have the details added, i bring it all back together in Photoshop (great for making small adjustments to each figure and element)...print that out and use it to transfer to watercolor paper. the process is multi-step. some would advise to cut corners here or there, but i love the time it takes. the joy lies in the process!