Karen Gillmore Art

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Tag Archives: character design

The Cold Beasties

June 5, 2017by karencomics 7 Comments

Sometimes, usually in situation comedies, one might end up going to the wrong party instead of the intended festive destination. Maybe the address was garbled, maybe the wrong kind of […]

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Colouring Pages, It's an artist's life

Bunnies and Squirrels!

December 31, 2016by karencomics 7 Comments

On the last day of the year, what better thing to do than to draw! I’ve been working on some character drawings, and decided to practice a bit of digital “inking” […]

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Character Design

More Inktober Drawings

October 15, 2015by karencomics 2 Comments

I’m really enjoying Inktober (see my last post for more about that), especially with these little elf characters I’m designing! Here are three more little guys that I’ve done in […]

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Ink, Inktober

Mermaid Maquette: Armature

July 3, 2015by karencomics 5 Comments

My webcomic, Mermaid Music, is between chapters right now, and while the next one is under construction (I’m currently in scripting mode), I thought it was a good time to […]

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Polymer Clay maquettes, Sculpture

Meet Sami Redwing

January 24, 2015by karencomics 3 Comments

Here is young Sami Redwing, in colour at last. She’s the hero of The Mermaid, on which I’ve been making good progress. I plan to launch the webcomic version (at […]

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Character Design, Comics

Creating Comics Characters

January 23, 2015by karencomics 2 Comments

This is the second of my Friday night posts for my comics class. If you’re not in the class, don’t worry, this is for you too! I hope these posts will […]

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Character Design, Comics, Comics Class

The Neighbourhood Cats

September 10, 2014by karencomics 4 Comments

A couple of months ago, I had an article in the Hillside-Quadra News, our local neighbourhood newspaper, and I mentioned when I posted about it here that I was thinking […]

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Comics

From Yukon to Beach

August 11, 2014by karencomics 1 Comment

Whoosh! I’m here and gone again – back from a fantastic convention in Whitehorse, Yukon, which I will tell you more about when I get back from a much-needed vacation. […]

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Comics

Tabby Tallulah in Colour

August 3, 2014by karencomics 12 Comments

Summer Art Challenge Day 42 — making art every day Yesterday I posted Tabby in ink; today she has dressed up in colour. She’s one of those rare female orange tabbies, […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

Miss Tabby Tallulah

August 2, 2014by karencomics 4 Comments

Summer Art Challenge Day 41 Here’s a new character, Miss Tabby Tallulah. I wasn’t sure what colours to make her or her clothes, so I’m going to wait until tomorrow to […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

Top Hat Dog

August 1, 2014by karencomics 2 Comments

Summer Art Challenge Day 39-40 — making art (of some kind) every day! Meet Mr. Phineas Wintergreen-Smythe III! He’s based on one of the sketch cards I did last week, and […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

More Silly Animal Characters

July 23, 2014by karencomics 3 Comments

Summer Art Challenge Days 30-31 — making art (of some kind) every day! Right away, I must confess; I did not draw yesterday, nor did I paint, sculpt, collage, or otherwise make […]

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Drawing-a-Day

Melody, the Music Muse

July 16, 2014by karencomics 5 Comments

Summer Art Challenge Day 24 — making art every day! I’ve embarked on a multi-day project, which I’ll post when it’s done. It started last night when I decided to listen […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

A Dragonfly Fairy

July 11, 2014by karencomics 4 Comments

I love watching dragonflies. Shimmering in the heat of a summer day, shiny as the lake they swoop over in their zig-zag search for tasty prey, their slim bodies gleam like […]

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Drawing-a-Day

Look out, it’s Ma Raccoon!

July 10, 2014by karencomics Leave a comment

Summer Drawing Challenge Day 18 Not long ago I did a little doodle for another one of my animal-in costume characters, Ma Raccoon. I figured it was about time I turned […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

A Merfolk Feast

July 5, 2014by karencomics 12 Comments

Summer Drawing Challenge Day 13 I’m narrowing down the look of my merfolk for my in-progress graphic novel/webcomic The Mermaid, with the help of a lot of suggestions here and […]

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Character Design, Comics, Drawing-a-Day

A Merman, Maybe

July 2, 2014by karencomics 16 Comments

Summer Drawing Challenge Day 10 Continuing my obsession with designing mer-people characters, I had an interesting conversation with my comic-jam friends tonight at our weekly get-together. I asked them what […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

Mermaid Character Studies

June 30, 2014by karencomics 16 Comments

Summer Drawing Challenge Days 7 & 8 My next graphic novel project has mermaid characters in it. But for the purposes of this story, I was bothered by the idea […]

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Character Design, Drawing-a-Day

A Feisty Mama Raccoon

June 26, 2014by karencomics 11 Comments

Summer Drawing Challenge Day 4 Raccoons have been much on my mind lately, what with drawing the character of Renfrew  for Spam and the Sasquatch, and discovering that the mysterious […]

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Character Design

VANCAF Bliss

May 25, 2014by karencomics 1 Comment

I just got back from VANCAF, the Vancouver Comic Arts Festival. It’s rather like TCAF (see my earlier posts for descriptions of that), but on a more intimate scale. The […]

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Comics, comics conventions, It's an artist's life

An Expressive Cat

April 27, 2014by karencomics 7 Comments

Just a quick post tonight — It’s been a long day of watercolour painting! I thought it might be interesting to show some different expressions of Spam the Cat from […]

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Cats, Comics

Spam-the-Cat Gets His Stripes

April 7, 2014by karencomics 4 Comments

Spam the Cat Maquette went for his first outing yesterday, and charmed his adoring public — but without his stripes. Tonight I finished his paint job so that he is […]

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Character Design, Polymer Clay maquettes, Sculpture

Technique of the Week, or, finishing Spam the Cat (part 4)

April 5, 2014by karencomics 4 Comments

It’s been ages since I worked on my Spam the Cat polymer clay maquette, and I’m attempting to get it finished for the comic conference at Camosun College tomorrow. So […]

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Character Design, Polymer Clay maquettes, Sculpture, Technique, Technique of the Week

Aunt Root — a character maquette

April 4, 2014by karencomics 1 Comment

Aunt Root is a character in my soon-to-be-online webcomic, The Mermaid. She’s a rather crusty character (with a heart of gold, or at least really good brass), and because of […]

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Character Design, Polymer Clay maquettes, Sculpture

Telling Tales

March 25, 2014by karencomics 6 Comments

This is the cover to my first comic book, a collection of several short stories (a few of which can be found in the sidebar to your left!). I hadn’t […]

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Comics

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The Quadra Cats, a webcomic

The cover of Takeout Planet, the first book in the Quadra Cats series

When the neighbourhood cats meet a takeout-obsessed Alien Cat, they become impromptu ambassadors for Earth! Updates Mondays and Thursdays.

Mermaid Music, a webcomic!

Mermaid Music, Book One cover

Mermaid music is the story of a girl who accidentally runs away to sea, and finds herself in deep water indeed! Click the image to read the webcomic from the beginning.

All text and images © Karen Gillmore 2014 -2017

...except as otherwise noted. If you share, please link back to this blog — you'll feel a warm glow right in your karma!

Celtic Art

Wolf and the Stones (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)
Wolf and the Stones (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)
Wolf and the Stones (pen & ink)
Wolf and the Stones (pen & ink)
Eostre (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)
Eostre (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)
Eostre (pen & ink)
Eostre (pen & ink)
Celtic Green Man (pen & ink, watercolour)
Celtic Green Man (pen & ink, watercolour)
Celtic Green Man (pen & ink)
Celtic Green Man (pen & ink)
Celtic Dragon (pen & ink, embellished version)
Celtic Dragon (pen & ink, embellished version)
Celtic Dragon (pen & ink, outline version)
Celtic Dragon (pen & ink, outline version)
Elemental Steed: Air (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Air (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Water (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Water (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Fire (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Fire (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Earth (acrylic)
Elemental Steed: Earth (acrylic)
Elemental Manifestations: Water (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Water (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Fire (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Fire (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Air (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Air (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Earth (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Elemental Manifestations: Earth (pen & ink, watercolour, collage)
Celtic Seahorses (linocut on banana paper)
Celtic Seahorses (linocut on banana paper)
Celtic Seahorses (pen and ink)
Celtic Seahorses (pen and ink)
Celtic Seahorses (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)
Celtic Seahorses (pen & ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)

Coloured Pencil

"Two Lips" — from a photo I snapped of a bunch of tulips someone had given me. As the petals started to fall away, they got more and more interesting. This one took quite a long time, lots of burnishing.
“Two Lips” — from a photo I snapped of a bunch of tulips someone had given me. As the petals started to fall away, they got more and more interesting. This one took quite a long time, lots of burnishing.
"White Rose" — I took a bunch of white silk roses into a class I was teaching one day, and we all had a good time trying to make them look natural, adding backgrounds and suggestions of colour.
“White Rose” — I took a bunch of white silk roses into a class I was teaching one day, and we all had a good time trying to make them look natural, adding backgrounds and suggestions of colour.
"Sheltered" — a demonstration on doing an underpainting in dark grey pencil to establish the values turned into this.
“Sheltered” — a demonstration on doing an underpainting in dark grey pencil to establish the values turned into this.
"Broken Seashell" — I like to pick up broken seashells, because their curves are challenging and fun to draw. For this one, I used a technique I often use for figure drawing — woking on toned paper and just picking out the deepest shadow and the highlights with white and black pencils.
“Broken Seashell” — I like to pick up broken seashells, because their curves are challenging and fun to draw. For this one, I used a technique I often use for figure drawing — woking on toned paper and just picking out the deepest shadow and the highlights with white and black pencils.
"Falling Apples" — When I teach a coloured pencil workshop, I often go buy a bag of apples and hand one out to everyone. Apples are excellent subjects for learning how to build up colour from light to dark. After my demo, he whole class goes back to their tables and becomes very quiet for a while — silence is the sound of creativity! One class I actually had time to draw my apple several times on the same page.
“Falling Apples” — When I teach a coloured pencil workshop, I often go buy a bag of apples and hand one out to everyone. Apples are excellent subjects for learning how to build up colour from light to dark. After my demo, he whole class goes back to their tables and becomes very quiet for a while — silence is the sound of creativity! One class I actually had time to draw my apple several times on the same page.
"El Morro" — the famous landmark fort at the mouth of Havana harbour. I got really caught up in the rocks on this one.
“El Morro” — the famous landmark fort at the mouth of Havana harbour. I got really caught up in the rocks on this one.
"Pink Rose" — One of the most burnished coloured pencil paintings I have ever produced. This little thing is the size of a greeting card, and it took me many hours.
“Pink Rose” — One of the most burnished coloured pencil paintings I have ever produced. This little thing is the size of a greeting card, and it took me many hours.
"Bear Hangout" — from a photo I took in Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. There were no visible fences, and everyone wanted to know how I'd gotten so close to the bears! Usually I would just smile and look mysterious.
“Bear Hangout” — from a photo I took in Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. There were no visible fences, and everyone wanted to know how I’d gotten so close to the bears! Usually I would just smile and look mysterious.
Woman in Blue — indigo and white Prismacolor pencils on toned paper
Woman in Blue — indigo and white Prismacolor pencils on toned paper
Relaxing Woman — burnt sienna and white coloured pencils on toned paper; a fifteen minute pose
Relaxing Woman — burnt sienna and white coloured pencils on toned paper; a fifteen minute pose
The Blues — Indigo and white coloured pencils on toned paper _ ten minute pose
The Blues — Indigo and white coloured pencils on toned paper _ ten minute pose
Man Forming a Triangle — coloured pencils on toned paper. Going through my sketches, I was amused to see how many similar poses I've drawn over the years — there are only so many ways the human body can fold up, after all. I thought this drawing made an interesting comparison with the previous one.
Man Forming a Triangle — coloured pencils on toned paper. Going through my sketches, I was amused to see how many similar poses I’ve drawn over the years — there are only so many ways the human body can fold up, after all. I thought this drawing made an interesting comparison with the previous one.
sm flower demo 9
"Golden Retriever" — coloured pencil. I got the detail of the brush in the background by indenting the paper through a piece of tracing paper with a pencil. The tracing paper protected the working paper from the pencil, and I was able to lightly colour over the indented lines with my coloured pencils, building up layers of mixed colours. I eventually decided the white lines this left were too stark, and went in with very sharp pencils in different colours to tone them down.
“Golden Retriever” — coloured pencil. I got the detail of the brush in the background by indenting the paper through a piece of tracing paper with a pencil. The tracing paper protected the working paper from the pencil, and I was able to lightly colour over the indented lines with my coloured pencils, building up layers of mixed colours. I eventually decided the white lines this left were too stark, and went in with very sharp pencils in different colours to tone them down.

Watercolours

"Mount Baker Dreams" — The ferry from Sidney BC to Anacortes , Washington puts in at one of the islands in between. This is what I saw from the dock.
“Mount Baker Dreams” — The ferry from Sidney BC to Anacortes , Washington puts in at one of the islands in between. This is what I saw from the dock.
"Sunshine" — funny how cats always find the warm spot in the house!
“Sunshine” — funny how cats always find the warm spot in the house!
"Bones of the Earth" — a mountain in the Montana Mission Range that has an oddly shaped top above the treeline. It is not a volcano, but I suspect there is a hollow at the top with a lake. However, I did not climb up there to see.
“Bones of the Earth” — a mountain in the Montana Mission Range that has an oddly shaped top above the treeline. It is not a volcano, but I suspect there is a hollow at the top with a lake. However, I did not climb up there to see.
Wickaninnish Wind — This tree stands by the parking lot at Wickaninnish Beach , in Pacific Rim National Park.
Wickaninnish Wind — This tree stands by the parking lot at Wickaninnish Beach , in Pacific Rim National Park.
"One Perfect Rose" — an anniversary card I made for my husband some years ago.
“One Perfect Rose” — an anniversary card I made for my husband some years ago.
"Willow Banks" — part of a large wetland park at the base of Montana's Mission Mountains that I visited once.
“Willow Banks” — part of a large wetland park at the base of Montana’s Mission Mountains that I visited once.
"Rainbow Pebbles" — many of the techniques described here are used in this painting
“Rainbow Pebbles” — many of the techniques described here are used in this painting
"Winter Tree" — a Christmas card I did for a friend; the white was all masked off with masking fluid, after which I could paint freely, knowing all that lovely snow would be preserved in pristine white paper.
“Winter Tree” — a Christmas card I did for a friend; the white was all masked off with masking fluid, after which I could paint freely, knowing all that lovely snow would be preserved in pristine white paper.
"Storm Building" — I used a paper towel to lift colour out of a solid sky wash for the clouds, then dripped in a bit of grey, then more water for the backwashes.
“Storm Building” — I used a paper towel to lift colour out of a solid sky wash for the clouds, then dripped in a bit of grey, then more water for the backwashes.
pebble sampler — I make samplers of many of the techniques during class, using pebble shapes.
pebble sampler — I make samplers of many of the techniques during class, using pebble shapes.
Wildly blooming
Wildly blooming
"Haunted River" — painted over a saran-wrap texture in multiple glazes; an example of mixing paint on the paper.
“Haunted River” — painted over a saran-wrap texture in multiple glazes; an example of mixing paint on the paper.
"Night Lights" — the background nebula-like blooms of sky colour are salt; the individual stars are dots of white ink.
“Night Lights” — the background nebula-like blooms of sky colour are salt; the individual stars are dots of white ink.
"Long Beach Sketch" — the backwashes created by dripping water into a wet wash created the clouds and the misty effects in the rocks on the right.
“Long Beach Sketch” — the backwashes created by dripping water into a wet wash created the clouds and the misty effects in the rocks on the right.
"Edge of the Woods" — I started with very light washes to build up the background and lighter tones of the foreground; the dark trees went in last.
“Edge of the Woods” — I started with very light washes to build up the background and lighter tones of the foreground; the dark trees went in last.
Cuban Tree
Cuban Tree
The UFOs are coming! Or maybe they are flying hats. Suggested by one of the students, I thought it was a great idea. This demo used salt and gouache to make stars and the explosions (or maybe they are fireworks). The city is just simple brushstrokes with a flat brush.
The UFOs are coming! Or maybe they are flying hats. Suggested by one of the students, I thought it was a great idea. This demo used salt and gouache to make stars and the explosions (or maybe they are fireworks). The city is just simple brushstrokes with a flat brush.
This demo was to blend a nice sunset wash, and to show how to make very quick trees with brush scribbles.
This demo was to blend a nice sunset wash, and to show how to make very quick trees with brush scribbles.
This demo was to show lifting paint out of a blended wash (and add some more for shadows) to make clouds, and how to make aerial perspective by making distant things lighter and bluer. I wasn't sure what the landscape was going to be, it sort of evolved as I went along.
This demo was to show lifting paint out of a blended wash (and add some more for shadows) to make clouds, and how to make aerial perspective by making distant things lighter and bluer. I wasn’t sure what the landscape was going to be, it sort of evolved as I went along.
Demo to show masking (I masked off the blue areas), and how to draw people in about ten seconds! This is kind of a bizarre picture because the blue areas look like holes in the sky, but I kind of like that effect.
Demo to show masking (I masked off the blue areas), and how to draw people in about ten seconds! This is kind of a bizarre picture because the blue areas look like holes in the sky, but I kind of like that effect.
"The Sky's the Limit" — a tiny painting, 4x6 inches, in which I demonstrated lifting wet paint to reveal the light.
“The Sky’s the Limit” — a tiny painting, 4×6 inches, in which I demonstrated lifting wet paint to reveal the light.
"New Horizons" — watercolour, 4x6 inches
“New Horizons” — watercolour, 4×6 inches

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