Getting Out of the Comfort Zone

On June 16, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, Illustration, Paper-cut art6 Comments

Hola, I am back! The family and I had escaped Iceland for a while to load up on as much vitamin D as possible. After an extensive road trip in Spain and a stop over in Switzerland I am all tanned, inspired and ready to get back to work!

Something a bit different to start with and that I have been working on this spring.

I had a creative block in January and an artist friend suggested to me to just try something completely different. An that I did. I bought a gouache set and a bunch of papers. The result is an almost finished picture book about the weather and some bad first gouache painting attempts.

I had a lot of fun with making paper-cut pictures and I am very happy with the result. I used gouache for the details. Here is a first peek. What do you think?

Fly Away with Me

On April 25, 2023April 27, 2023 By MelIn ArtLeave a comment

Quick postcard sketch. Watercolour, ink and coloured pencils.

Copy of an older Mr Fox ink drawing.

Jungle Plates

On April 23, 2023June 16, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, IllustrationLeave a comment

Design practice for a set of jungle themed plates. I used the same drawings as for the dominoes and edited them digitally.

Space Friends

On April 17, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, Illustration2 Comments

I took an illustrator course in February which pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to do my first digital drawing. I also learned how to do design sheets and pattern designs. I also became a lot better with my time management and to-do lists… somewhat 🙂

If anyone is looking for a great course, I can highly recommend this one at WeIllustrate.co.uk.

Happy Monday!

Illustration practice IV

On April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2022, Illustration1 Comment

Another slight changed master copy. My favourite so far. It will get a spot on the wall for sure. You might be familiar with the boat crew. Original illustration by Janosch.

Ink and watercolour.

Have a great weekend!

My version

The original by Janosch.

Illustration practice III

On April 13, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2022, IllustrationLeave a comment

Another attempt at a master copy with my own spin. As a child I absolutely loved the stories and illustrations by Janosch. Maybe you have come across the Tigerente (lit. tiger duck)at some point? Absolutely love his whimsical style and his bear and tiger character. However, instead of copying his character I sneaked in Mr Fox’s cousin.

Meet the Artist

On April 11, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, IllustrationLeave a comment

Adding a new piece to my portfolio. Almost happy how it turned out. This is the third version. Ink, watercolour and coloured pencils on mixed media paper.

Updated: Making Bubbles

On April 8, 2023April 7, 2023 By MelIn ArtLeave a comment

I updated the bubble image digitally as I did not like it previously. Now it has a lot more bubbles.

Happy Easter!

One Week 100 People

On March 28, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, character design, Illustration1 Comment

It took me much longer than a week, due to the flu, but I eventually finished them all. I also was colouring some of them in and still want to colour in the rest. I really struggled in the end to get to 100 but I can also see a definite improvement from the first page. I haven’t been drawing people for a while, so this was a great exercise.

Next I think I will do 100 animals 🙂

Making Bubbles

On March 20, 2023March 19, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, IllustrationLeave a comment

Something easy and fun on this Monday morning. Started to experiment with collage and gouache. It´s a quite calming activity I have to say.

I still haven´t finished my 100 people as I have been working on different projects. Maybe this week.

One Week 100 People IV

On March 13, 2023March 13, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, character design, Illustration3 Comments

I got knocked out by the flu last week… fun times… But I managed to make it to 71 people so far. I will keep on going all the way to 100 until the end of this week. It also takes me longer as I want to colour them all in.

One Week 100 People III

On March 8, 2023March 8, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2023, character design, Illustration3 Comments

Here come number 10 to 14. Combination of watercolour, coloured pencils and for number 12-14 I used olive green ink for the outline that I bought some time ago but never used.

In the Water

On March 2, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, IllustrationLeave a comment

As previously written, I love water. I started cold-water dipping a couple of years ago and absolutely love doing, especially in nature. But also every swimming pool in Iceland will have a cold water pot next to the hot tubs. That makes it even more enjoyable jumping from hot to cold and back.

Here is another watercolour practice from a year ago. Watercolour on hot press paper.

2111 swimming fish_watercolour_Melanie Franz

Underwater

On March 1, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, IllustrationLeave a comment

Another watercolour practice on cold press paper. I do love swimming and being underwater is amazing. Unfortunately I never met a rock n roll starfish before.

Hello, who are you? II

On February 27, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2022, Illustration1 Comment

Part II of this little story. An illustration from last year. I haven´t done part III yet…. will do so today. The weather is the same here as in the picture.

Part I you find here.

2203 great dane and duck_watercolour_Melanie Franz

The Sleeping Giant

On February 25, 2023February 23, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, Illustration, watercolourLeave a comment

Watercolour and pencil illustration inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro´s book The Buried Giant and Iceland of course.

The weather today really invites to keep on sleeping. Enjoy your weekend!

2111 sleeping giant_watercolour_Melanie Franz

What are you doing? III

On February 24, 2023February 23, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, Illustration2 Comments

And last but not least, the third image in this little series. Here are one and two.

What are you doing? II

On February 23, 2023February 22, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, IllustrationLeave a comment

Here is part two of my little children story in 3 acts. Part one you can find here.

Forest Party

On February 21, 2023February 19, 2023 By MelIn Art, Artworks 2021, IllustrationLeave a comment

Another older illustration of mine from winter 2021. I think it was right after I bought another bunch of my Caran d´ache Luminance pencils and one of the first attempts to use them.

The illustration is watercolour, ink and coloured pencils on cold press paper.

A forest party of my favourite animal characters.