Category: Illustration

January 29, 2015

Scream. Cry. Love. Hate. Repeat

Daire’s Dragon Photo 4 (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Prologue

I’ve been sporadically working on my son’s Dragon and have some in-progress pictures here. I was inspired by a picture he drew with passionate energy. The post has been a lovely vignette of an enchanting kids painting in-progress (written with a touch of sarcasm).

But now

I could scream

Maybe I did. I can’t remember clearly. There was a rush of something – maybe adrenaline – that clouded my vision, my heart beat accelerated and a trembling wave of shock radiated from my chest. Thinking rationally – gone. Control of my hands – gone.

The watercolor has a mind of its own! I can’t control it! Oh My God! Its running all the way into the green! The yellow! Oh no the yellow! All the hours in this painting lost. Where are the Q-Tips! They aren’t working! F*ck Watercolors!

I dropped the Q-Tips and brushes.

I. Must. Walk. Away.

Breathe.

I hate this painting

It is so trite and cliche. I’ve seen it before, not original, definitely done somewhere else by someone else more skilled. A kids vision. Not sophisticated. I’m stealing his vision because I have no vision. I’m an idiot in over my head. The rainbow is too much, I can’t handle it. This is taking me too long.

I love this Painting

I love the story. I love my son. I love the way this painting has pushed me. I love the crazy colors. I love that Daire made the lower jaw bigger because when the dragon closes his mouth you can’t see how big his teeth are. I love that he breathes fire and water and stars. The dragon has no arms. Poor little arm-less dragon, I love you.

Sigh.

And Repeat.

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January 8, 2015

Daire’s Dragon in Progress

Daire’s Dragon

Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. This drawing is my son’s most recent dragon. A dragon that spits fire, water, rainbow, stars, snow, and anything else that comes to my boy’s mind. I love the energy that went into his frenzied inspiration as he drew and told the story of this dragon. I love the large lower jaw and teeth, the chicken legs and ultra-fancy wing. The composition of the body is a dragon meets T-Rex meets Tasmanian devil without arms. Fierce but friendly, a dragon that means well, powerful and ultimately scary but awe-inspiring. As I watched this dragon unfold, and listened to Daire’s story, I knew I had to paint this one.

PHOTO 1

I’ll be updating this blog post as it unfolds and posting new updates on this Pinterest board: http://www.pinterest.com/marikareinke/watercolors-in-progress/):

Daire’s Dragon in Progress 1 by Marika Reinke

Photo 2

Daire’s Dragon Progress 2

Been working on adding more basic decoration to all of the dragon, working in one green for the body with the intent to bring in other shades later for depth. The wings are shades of pink, purple and cobalt blue and all shades within in but I’ll come back to them and bring more shading in as well.

Photo 3

Daire’s Dragon Photo 3

I’ve deepened the coloring in the body and wings and started coloring in his fire, water, stars breathing capability. I haven’t decided if he is sitting on a cloud, a rainbow, the moon, a tree, a flower yet. I just can’t seem to decide, maybe I will ask Daire himself.

More Progress

Further progress is highlighted in this blog post. Scream. Cry. Hate. Love. Repeat

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October 31, 2014

2011: Dragon in the Tree

2011: Dragon in the Tree copyright Marika Reinke

When he was two years old, my son would point to our purple blossoming plum tree and tell me about the dragon there. “But its okay.” He’d reassure me. “He is our friend.”
Watercolor 18″ x 24″

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Original Painting: SOLD

Personalized Limited Edition Print (of 25) : $65

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October 22, 2014

2011: Fabulous Vanity

2011: Fabulous Vanity copyright Marika Reinke

Mirror mirror on the wall…
A Queen plots murder to be crowned the most beautiful in the land. Forget royalty, Beauty is the ultimate Power, and cannibalism is an acceptable price to pay for it.

Watercolor 24″ x 18″

October 19, 2014

2010/11 Bear in Ballard

2010: Bear in Sprinkle Park copyright Marika Reinke

2011: Bear and Dragon copyright Marika Reinke

My friend wrote a children’s story, Bear in Ballard, based on the true story of a bear spotted on the streets of Ballard a few years ago. The story depicts the bear as it cavorts and explores major landmarks in the area like Cupcake Royale and the Locks. She flattered and intimidated me when she asked me to illustrate it. Though I had my doubts, I love this friend and admire her spirit and vision. I wanted to work with her so I agreed. I finished two illustrations. Bear and Dragon is an interpretation of an elementary school playground. Bear in Sprinkle Park takes place by the library being led by the moon and followed by a police dog.

Unfortunately, we didn’t finish this project. But the project taught me how to merge my style with story telling, a true challenge.

October 16, 2014

2004: Garden

2004: Garden copyright Marika Reinke

Opposites are not linear, but circular. At the extreme of one sits its opposite, always in contact with one another in a dance, not isolation. If the opposite of love is fear then the opposite of suffering is inspiration. A garden personifies inspiration. It is creation, beauty, growth where once stood loss, suffering and death while carefully and lovingly tended. You could not have one without the other.

watercolor 9″ x 12″