Best Two Years x 6

This is a family missionary portrait that continues the Isaiah theme of "How Beautiful Upon the Mount." This one carries the scripture to a modern application, "And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!" Mosiah 15:16. It's important to recognize that the scriptural patterns continue to ripple into the present.

You can check out the earlier three paintings from this ongoing series on my website www.davidwilsonillustration.com

Displayed in the picture are artifacts and mementos that represent missionary service from my family. My father served as a missionary in Japan-a letter of his, his hand stitched hymnal (Shoto Wilson), my own mission to Brazil-Portuguese Bible,worn shoes, letter, & missionary papers in the shoe, my brother & brother-in-law's missions to Italy- name tag, letter, another brother's mission to England-His tie & Book of Mormon, and a younger brother who has yet to serve-his journal. All missionary service is focused on the Savior Jesus Christ.

I wanted to show the growth that occurs laboring, studying the scriptures, & serving as well as a family bond that grows even stronger through serving the LORD.

Hope the explanation of the painting hopes you enjoy it a little more. Toodles.

Oil Sketch

Here is a small oil painting I did the other day. I really love doing these quick paintings, there is a lot that stays fresh in the shapes and color. However, they generally lack substantive depth.

This one has a lot of personal meaning since I'm giving to my mom for Christmas. I did this painting in celebration that I am not the artist I was before. When I was about 12 my mother asked me to paint a nice picture for the house. I was twelve and very angst, so I painted an abstract interpretation of a suicide that had taken place in my middle school. Skeleton's, black and gray, very sparse color-yeah, like I said, I was 12.

I scoffed at being asked to paint a "nice picture." I didn't do "nice."

This painting is bright, playful, uplifting and hopeful. There has been a lot of maturing and self-evaluation happening. While there are real dark emotions and negative things that need to be addressed in life, I know that don't need to wallow there to be "artistic." Life generally is bright and hopeful; I hope you enjoy the post and will excuse me for sharing something personal.
Merry Christmas, a season of glad tidings of great joy!

Backwards

These little acrylic paintings I did of my brother's struggle with ADD; I thought it worked out perfectly with the Illustration Friday theme. Sometimes we all end up a little backwards, even after the simplest of tasks.

Tooth Time

Here's one character I made up for a series of tooth adventures. There will be a cowboy(floss), rocket ranger(toothpaste), and celebrity (toothbrush). I'd like to incorporate a female tooth as well to make the set be more gender neutral, let me know if you have any ideas.

When an elf gets an idea...

A little known fact: When an Elf gets a good idea a bright incandescent bulb doesn't appear, but a whole strand of colorful Christmas lights. This Elf is looking for the burnt-out bulb in his string of good ideas. The Elf joins the Snowman & Santa that you've already seen. Thanks to Mark R. for pointing me toward increased saturation.

Enjoy, I'll try to post all three together to show the Christmas character set.

I said SKAT, not cat.

Here is a painting I did as a self-promotional piece. The primary reason, I've never painted animal characters before! I know, I know, but it's the ugly truth. I had a blast with the cat's facial expressions & humanizing the anatomy.
I've also discovered that I unconsciously try to break a story down to it's minimalist components, a good AND bad thing.
It's now open to criticism, how can I improve? Thanks to you all!

Dave

By the way, my wife and I added a baby boy, Caleb Wilson, to our family on Sunday. You may see a surprisingly good looking young model appear in upcoming paintings.

Vector Sketching...what a blast!

A few nights ago I took a small sketch of my youngest and decided to turn it into a digital sketch. Usually I'll work in Photoshop or Painter, but I had a ball for a couple minutes putting this quickie together. What a pain-free process! I'll have to experiment a little more later.

It's always nice to take a breather from some of the more intensive work projects-I've got three paintings on my easel right now that are begging for more and more time. I'll be sure to post those as they wrap up.

See ya' next posting.

Divine Potential

Here is one piece I really had fun doing, Divine Potential. The Laurel and the Flower are each symbols of glory & grace. The Flower, still blooming represents the process of growth and refinement that we go through. This flower in particular is a symbolizes feminine beauty and womanhood. And of course being crowned with laurel and hallowed by a mature bloom tells of the divine nature of woman.

It's a painting that I could really enjoy packing some meaning into.

Congrats to Brandon Dorman

Congratulations to Brandon Dorman for his new book WIZARD out this summer from Greenwillow. Greenwillow is a Harper Collins imprints. They are the only imprint I know of that treats their bookmaking friends like family. (Brandon, let me know if your experience was otherwise.)Jack Prelutsky authored the book so it only goes to show how much confidence Paul Z has in Brandon.

Santa's Comin' to Town

Since the weather's not warming up as summer approaches, I thought I'd continue the x-mas icons. Ole Saint Nick for you comments and suggestions.

I'm going to try to post one serious image as well as this playful during the week. I'm so often torn between the two. Some of the serious themes are so rich in content that painting becomes like meditation. The playful ones are my way of laughing out loud...quietly.

Anyway, let me know what you think. Either here or on my website www.davidwilsonillustration.com

Classic Boy Toys

Here are four drawings I did for a packaging company called Temkin International. I had so much fun drawing these that I fear I may have gone a little overboard on the details. This is about the size of the drawing that I took into Photoshop to color digitally. Enjoy.

I should have these up on my website, www.davidwilsonillustration.com, in a couple days.

On a more serious note

Here a painting I did a while ago called Come Ye to the Waters. It's based upon the scriptural themes of Christ as the Living Waters as well as the ole' "he leadeth me beside still waters."
I've isolated her in the wilderness (Idaho near my in-laws) much the way we're placed in a harsh and demanding world, but a place where we can also find beauty and enjoyment.

Anyway, a painting I loved putting real meaning into, and downplaying it's meaning into a simple subject. There's a lot to be said for subtlety, especially in religious work.

Sorry about the camera distortion.

Frosty

Oh for heaven's sake! A blog should be blogged, so here's another image. I've been trying to expand my style into the cute and cuddly, so naturally snowmen and Santa came to mind. Here's the Snowman to be followed by Santa soon.

This started as a 30 sec sketch, went to a 15 minute acrylic study, and then to a 30-40 min piece. I'll include as much as I've scanned in.

Some strong improvements in character, modeling, & design, but it also lost something in being worked over. Se' la vi (you guessed it, I don't speak French).

Self Portrait

Here is a recent portrait of mine. Oil on panel .

Let the games begin!

Welcome one and all to the inaugural post of David Wilson's Illustrator Haven. This blog follows the misadventures of an illustrator on the loose, namely me. Feel free to visit my website at www.davidwilsonillustration.com

To friends old and new, thanks for stopping by; I'd love hear about what's going on in your lives and about the windmills that we're always chasing.

I'll be posting images and discussions from my professional work as well as personal projects. All postings on this blog welcome your criticism and comments.

Let the games begin!