Illustration Friday: Flying

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Flying" theme is the cover of my 2004 HomeMade Calendar. The image is titled "Flying Home". I have not shown this version but I had to use this for the prompt because it is a signature image for me and I have done this very painting in 4 colour combos, I have made several dimensional versions and a variation of this idea has graced my stationary & business cards. The card below is a reversed version of the stationary card I submitted a few weeks ago. When I have time I try to paint the image I am working on in reverse so I have two versions and I fleshed out the windows a bit more so you can tell these butterflies are houses. This fits the flying theme well too.

Today I had John choose a winner from the pool of submissions for the Uprinting Greeting Card Giveaway and Diana Evans is the winner and she will receive 250 greeting cards!!! I will receive a set for sponsoring this contest on my blog. Tonight I will launch a new Uprinting Giveaway where 2 of my friends will receive 250 business cards so please keep trying because you are bound to win one of these gifts and all you have to do is tell me what you will do with your printed item and who you plan on giving them to :) Thank you to all you girls that participated and Congratulations Diana!!!

copyright 2004 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: impossibility

My submission for Illustration Friday's "impossibility" is a dimensional painting that I created for a family in Brentwood, CA. They commissioned many paintings and always encouraged me to make unusual and unique works for them. It was awesome to make large paintings and get to be kind of "out there" with my ideas and techniques. This image is another version of "Flying Home" but on a magic carpet with paper I made and molded to hold the house. I even sewed little tassels on the edges. The boulders and water are made from wood and I used prismacolor pencils for the jewel like tones in the rocks and painted over the color pencil than scratched away the paint to get the stone like quality. The idea of a flying house might seem impossible but is it? We have been taught that anything is possible, right?

copyright 1995 Valerie Walsh

wood, paper, thread, prismacolor pencila, acrylic paint, foam board.

Illustration Friday: soar

This image is a constant theme in my work and I have painted it many ways,colours, in different mediums, sizes and dimensionally sculpted it too.This version is from my personal stationary except my letterhead would be inserted in the sky. The unfinished illustration below would be perfect for the Illustration Friday's topic "soar" but it keeps getting set aside for more pressing work. Hopefully one day I will see it as I do in my mind in a children's book form titled "Flying Home". That would make my heart soar!


I hope everyone has a fun,safe and very Happy New Year!!!

Illustration Friday: Free

This illustration is my idea of "Free". This was always the cover for every year of my "HOMEMADE" calendar. I have painted this theme in many ways, drawings, dimensional paintings and with different colour combinations so I feel this is my signature painting that best shows what I do and who I am. The real title of this painting is "Flying Home". It' s about finding that place inside of ourselves where we feel adventurous enough to be free but we can always go to that deeper place inside that is safe and feels like home!

this painting was reproduced in the form of calendar and prints/copyright 1999 may not be reproduced without permission
p.s. All comments are welcome and appreciated!