I wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorite pieces that I created in 2020, and also share a little bit of the backstory on each one.
“Steampunk Fairy” Colored pencil on Strathmore toned gray paper.
Here is “Steampunk Fairy,” which I created as part of the collaborative show that I put on with two local artists. The entire show was steampunk themed, and I had fun designing fairy wings that might exist in a steampunk universe. This piece sold during the show; an artist friend and fellow gallery member purchased it. I know it went to a good home.
Every piece has its challenge, and this piece’s challenge was definitely the intricacy of the wings. After I finished this fairy down to each painstakingly detailed gear, I tortured myself further by putting the character into another drawing!
You can read more about our steampunk show here.
“Large Crescent Moon” Watercolor and colored pencil on Bristol board.
Above is “Large Crescent Moon” done in watercolor and colored pencil. I’ve always loved the idea of the moon watching over us while we sleep (until it, too, eventually drifts off) and I have a lot of childhood memories of great picture book illustrations of just that. I wanted to do a few of my own - this one is probably my favorite.
“Moon Potion” Colored pencil on Strathmore toned tan paper.
As you may have figured out by now, I love designing for holidays. Above is “Moon Potion” which I drew last year around Halloween. I’ve drawn several witches, but this was probably the first one I’ve drawn without the iconic hat and broom. She does, however, have the cauldron. Like many of my pieces, I actually began this a year or more before its completion, and put it away when I got stuck, then took it out again several times while I tried to get unstuck. These pieces always have at least one tricky component that stumps me, and I just need time to work the mental block away. On this piece, two components stumped me: the contents of the cauldron and what the color scheme should be. I left much of this uncolored for several months because I was afraid I’d choose the wrong colors. I knew how I wanted the hair and that was about it! But then I finally jumped in and made the potion such a neon green that there would be no turning back, and I built the rest of the colors in the piece around it.
“Harvest Moon Fairy” Colored pencil on Bristol board.
Ah, fairies. One of my favorite subjects! The fairy lore I like best is the kind that tells stories of fairies who live everywhere, from kitchen cupboards to moonlit gardens. Every place and every time should have a fairy looking after it. The fairy above appears during harvest time, right when the moon rises. I drew her as part of another collaborative show from 2020: I worked again with Rita Hill, this time to illustrate the theme of harvest fairies.
You can view Rita Hill’s work here.
“Folktale Week 2020/intro” Colored pencil on Strathmore toned tan paper.
At the end of 2020 I was excited to participate in an Instagram illustration challenge of which, in its previous year, I had only been a passive viewer - #FolktaleWeek! There is nothing like a good folktale or fairy tale, and if those stories aren’t inspiration for illustration then nothing is. Above is my rendition of Little Red Riding Hood, which I chose as my first illustration of the challenge. I set out to create this illustration with one thing in mind: I was determined to keep to a red and green theme! I love color, as you may have figured out, and sometimes I love it so much that I want to use every possible color. For this illustration, though, I wanted a more subdued palate, with red as the focus.
You can see all of my #FolktaleWeek2020 illustrations on my Instagram @ninaboydart
“Hot Air Balloon Pilot I” Colored pencil on Strathmore toned tan paper.
To close out some of my favorites from 2020, here is my favorite piece from the collaborative steampunk show I put together with two other local artists. This piece is the first in my series telling the story of a young pilot’s life. Here she is, just a girl, ready to pilot her first hot air balloon. Who knows how this first journey will change her, and what other adventures it will spur her to seek?
I was very proud that this piece also made the paper as part of their write up about our show. That show was one of my favorite experiences to date as an artist. There is nothing like working night and day putting together an exhibit and having a stellar turnout - especially in September of 2020.