All colored in

OPO final

I finished this commission last week and I must admit it was one of the more difficult ones.  It was on the smaller side at 10×8, but there was a lot of detail packed in there. Between the stone accents, the offsets, the brick, and the grand staircase/entryway, the facade was quite complicated.

And then there was the truck.  Having never drawn a vehicle before, I approached it with trepidation.  Plus it was such a prominent feature that held some importance to the client and the building owner as the gift recipient, I almost felt more pressure getting the truck right than the building itself!  LOL  As such a bright color, it could easily have overpowered the large building behind.

Still, I am happy at how it turned out – as is the client, which is the most important thing.

A new commission

pencil drawing

Inked up

The season for Christmas commissions has finally started for me.  This project is a little bit unusual.  I have never drawn a vehicle before, but I had a request for this one.  This is an old decommissioned post office in Missourt that was sold to a private owner who has turned it into offices for entrepreneurs.

One of the tenants commissioned me to paint this as a gift for him and wanted me to include the owner’s bright red truck.  I believe this ranks right up there with the black dog for my first pet portrait commission in the difficulty (and trepidation) scale.  Still, I think it is turning out right and my husband says it looks good. I have it mostly done now and letting it sit and percolate a day or two before I ship it out.  There are a small new home portrait and a dog portrait in the queue next so there will be lots of work to show up until Christmas.

The Boise Union Block Building

The Union Block building

Inked in

I’m back to Boise again with the old downtown Union Block building.  It’s a sandstone structure designed by John Tourtellotte – the same architect who did the Waymire Building I drew last summer.  It was built in 1902 and refurbished in the 1990’s after being slated for demolition.  I am so glad it was saved.  Too many of these great old buildings are gone all across the country and Boise seems determined to save its heritage.

Surprisingly, it is not named for trade unions as I initially thought, but is a referral to the Civil War, a dig of Northern sympathizers against Southern ones some 40 years after the war.