Dr. Wintermute from "Splendours and Glooms" by Laura Amy Schlitz

I just finished Splendours and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz. It's a fantastic book! So this is my second illustration inspired by a book I've been reading - I want to try and keep this up with anything I read that I really enjoy.

Initially, I had planned to draw the two main characaters, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. They are great characters; in fact, all of the characters are well done, even the villains. Any one of them would make a good illustration, but for some reason Dr. Wintermute spoke to me. I even knew what I was going to draw for the other two and his character took over my imagination instead. Maybe it's because he's a father and I am as well, but, whatever the reason, I felt like drawing his picture.

Back to the book - I highly recommend it! #SplendoursAndGlooms #LauraAmySchlitz

Halloween House

My painting students asked if I ever did anything creative, since I teach them still lifes. I told them I prefer it, and said we should do one next week. They all shuddered in horror at the thought of doing something creative with paint. So I decided to compromise. This is my house, but not my house. They have to bring pictures of their own house, and get all Halloween with it. They have a model, so it shouldn't be too overwhelmingly creative... or at least that's what I'll tell them (I feel like I should cackle gleefully).

Bridget Bishop

Starting a new thing here - I've decided that whenever I read a book, I ought to illustrate something from it. I just finished "Witchcraft at Salem" by Chadwick Hansen, which I picked ip in the Salem Witch Museum bookstore. After reading it, I was inspired to do this portrait of Bridget Bishop.

And Halloween coming up as well wasn't a bad incentive either.

According to Hansen, there were a lot of innocent people executed in the Salem witch craze, but Bridget Bishop was not one of them. Totally a witch, willing to use image magic to get back at people she didn't like. And creepy enough to freak people out enough to believe her curses actually worked. So a good first choice for my drawing project, especially in October.

As for the book, I can't recommend it highly enough. Aside from being really informative, it's just so well written that it was a joy to read.

On a completely unrelated note, I think "Chadwick Hansen" is the best name ever. Had I known about this book earlier, I may have named my son "Chadwick Hansen Valentino." I told my son about this. He said if I had, he would have always harbored some resentment towards me as long as he lived. So probably for the best that this is a recent find.