Kathleen Bradshaw

“Ancestors” – a series of mono print experiments I’m playing with #monoprint #Speedball #roller #reliefink #acrylicwash #artistsoninstagram #artistsofinstagram @illustrationacademy @visualartspassage https://www.instagram.com/p/B_yej-GHTo8/?igshid=t8a8mjy9rznb

Brrrrr! #northwind #aesop #kidlit #kidlitart #illustration #illustratorsoninstagram #illustrator #illustratorsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B4xuRqNn8zz/?igshid=1fkdqqr9d4eki

@VisualArtsPassage assignment: Illustrate “Blue.” This isn’t the piece I turned in, but it’s the one I wanted to. I’m a Blues fan. While sketching out ideas for this assignment, “Two Trains Runnin’” came on the PBS channel I had on in the background. It’s about two groups of young, white fans of the Blues, searching the backroads of Mississippi in the early ’60’s for Blues musicians Son House and Skip James. When I heard Mr. James falsetto singing “Devil Got My Woman” from the stage of the1964 Newport Folk Festival, I knew that’s what I wanted to paint. I wish I could have kept the energy of my sketches. On one there is a note to myself, “need more reference.” Not so much. It’s important, but, as @sterlinghundley says, “Don’t become a slave to the reference.” The piece loses energy, when we let the reference material overpower our vision. I’m making a sticky note for next time. It will say: • Think –– Create ––Respond –– Repeat (a version of another @sterlinghundley bit of wisdom) Mark-making needs to be on purpose, towards a predetermined goal, always keeping that goal in sight. Done right, the piece will speak back, and the outcome will reflect that dialogue between artist and artwork. Reference came from the documentary, from the scenes of the Newport Folk Festival. I believe the photographer was Dick Waterman, one of the Blues fans profiled in the documentary. Waterman was known for his photographs of Blues musicians. He went on to revive the careers of Son House and Skip James. He also went on to work with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, and Eric Clapton and became one of the most influential Blues promotors of the twentieth century. #blues #painting #art #artist #artistofInstagram #artistonInstagram #instaart #instaartist #mixedmedia https://www.instagram.com/p/B19utnCnIZI/?igshid=hn5wz9nu1gjv

Happy National Color Day! I made this digital sketch after studying Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American artist who combined a Western style of painting with the calligraphic brush style of the Chinese Sung dynasty. Mr. Wong was brought to the United States by his father at the age of 11 and spent 3 weeks in a detention facility waiting for permission to join him. He endured much hardship as a child and a young man, but persevered to become one of the most significant American artists of all time. While working at the Walt Disney Studio his ethereal style influenced the look and tone of the movie Bambi, though he was not credited for it at the time. Mr. Wong went on to create preproduction illustration for Warner Brothers, gallery paintings, greeting cards, painted silk scarves, and the most incredible kites I’ve ever seen. There are short videos about him on YouTube, and the PBS American Masters documentary “Tyrus” is worth watching. #illustrator #illustration #artistsoninstagram #inspiration #tyruswong https://www.instagram.com/p/BpP6FeeHv0S/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h31c8r8kvh4q

Playing with #inktober Day 2 Tranquil Gerald has taken a well-deserved vacation. Imagine the luck of finding a fishing spot that no one else has heard of! #inktober2018 #artistsoninstagram #illustration #illustrator #penandink @jakeparker https://www.instagram.com/p/Bot5BWWHngR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=6yoe8ah28xx3

Playing with #inktober Day 8 Star #inktober2018 #penandink #artistsoninstagram #illustration #illustrator @jakeparker https://www.instagram.com/p/Bot4PelnV6p/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bbz5j5auxtqj

One of the best things about our backyard is the assortment of critters that come and go. Rarely do they stay still long enough to study, but one day I discovered a poor little mole, who had fallen victim to the neighborhood tabby. For some reason, she dropped him before doing much damage – beyond snuffing out his little life. I set about sketching him for reference. Horrified, my youngest set about chastising me for my callous indifference to his terrible demise. I consoled her by giving up a little bamboo gift box I’d been saving, lined it with a remnant of pink silk and gave Mr. Mole a proper burial between two sweetgum trees. I promised to abandon my scientific sketches and immortalize him as a picture book character instead. So here are some sketches of Mr. Mole, or Walter as 3-yr-old Grand decided to call him. Mrs. Mole is headed to the gym. She plans to stay in shape and outrun that ol’ tabby every time. #watercolor #coloredpencil #acrylics #charactersketch #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artistsoninstagram #artistsofinstagram

Customer service phone-call doodle. I'm on hold. Chicken? Fish? Chicken Fish! #sketch #caricature #illustration (…still on hold)

Future Monarch

Wild Hair

Happy #Halloween #inktober

“To understand is to stand under, which is to look up to, which is a good way to understand.” – Sister Corita You matter.

Little Red #fairytale #illustration #librarylove A librarian once reported that she heard a mother ask Albert Einstein what books her child should read in preparation to become a scientist. His answer was fairy tales. He said creative imagination is the essential element in the intellectual equipment of the true scientist, and that fairy tales are the childhood stimulus to this quality. Isn't it nice that #imagination, #creativity and #science all go together? #steam

Seeing things in things. #sketch #illustration #caricature

Back to work after a great weekend with writers and #illustrators for #children #illustration #illustrationart #artistsoninstagram #artist #watercolor #fantasy

Watercolor warmup