Here's a little peek behind the process I used for the illustrations in the picture book, "There Was an Old Gator Who Swallowed a Moth," written by B.J. Lee and produced by Pelican Publishing. I created the original art with dip pen and watercolors on Arches cold-pressed paper.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMsUvSbQWhdlcnjbua7eUmPedxGLhHEE78xtGrvJfDd18RSiGSj25j9rXoHaFZlCX-tnbZDQGqU59YhdA1ChHRYuUVD2dgkwT0I9Pygde2zpJ2VuA3HqRingFpgKao05pmbbVUykZm1qG/s400/old_gator_pg_30_31_fin.jpg) |
The final illustration. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEFAu7oa8ppZxBei4jTLAA5wOnroE5_yIQhyzo3jTbNV5CcKHs-657dVPulB4JsHoMNX6qo1sDM8NYvybI2VlOYx2ug8LRiPxYIdxVBmkBr5JEygFfz-SFffLE92dZ-s_7SrGlp-X529v/s400/30_31_fr1.jpg) |
It all starts with a pencil drawing. I add tone in Photoshop to create
a value study. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8PoKME3rL4p8AtoEO1Vz5zgM9ign2OKOPKZAWq8cMFJsEtLfa92zou6GA2-M_cLOT6GAxSHgliaEwkxVOcamYGJBsW6z5oakPAQci7yo0DHgyI1AykV-hyQ_G1xDCDUrmBV5nQHoJIl_/s400/30_31_fr2.jpg) |
Here's the ink drawing on Arches cold-press watercolor paper. I use a light
table to trace my drawing. I mostly used a Hunt 101 nib. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJqLlnKJxxcsbdYWoN5ULqTV8QYI6096c1dUJEo92Q5rszxathiC90cUFOcr6YSvymLUJL2WohSZVq_yqEc0WJdl_WtdSGZdcM9jTbIT5hhvXuQZIP6C8K0qjjs2TrNpazx1gGgkJyaHV/s400/30_31_fr3.jpg) |
Starting to lay in the background. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3r8cp3M3WTIRDfWHfLyi9VlGxEAgPohSa6_eq088vfTs0hbWpqlL1uRlQyLxwTyd6KI6P0DjBXB4-QFIbCzU6OghSgK5dcFzwPx93tF18uLu_D3a2P-hcg-TtGtn4-jxBFipAQBZOB6I/s400/30_31_fr7.jpg) |
The background is just about blocked in. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV24jskIbsLumDiluh-ZV5nrcgWNeQl942K27jvGwqIsaYV9yOitEBLOFSRmUsh5E2UN8vmJGjv4IrgRn4k-WmolTekE6Eo3TOXM8wkFq3uGCptHVNmwpZ2YVTJH9UVB7t-O45dJUmrKsd/s400/30_31_fr9.jpg) |
Building up the animals in the foreground. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Iczd2sXjr6kU5WtyZtJDs7zeDwLZS_GHDKJ2IqdHz-nl90JR4QTQh6cJWzhVuaLDhZBF-vf2dsUHdRCqG5AkuASvRjDGf1ds60HeA8N66L0F2E69SXPsk-FWJPsm5Y8anFYGHzvralCO/s400/30_31_fr10.jpg) |
This is my raw scan before I adjust the colors in Photoshop to better match the
painting and fix things up a little. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevgimvlirysbN0dKUKd737V-zcgRDlODw9jD4hNQuN8KqDJMu7AFbMhzC5aNJ3KDcs9cgjH9-5ReImsx7DgSko6_w2yShAaKZgOt5qwLAxxZ1TFvezDluvt3PmjsqyYBq-zbRpEt1wy70/s400/pg30_31_process_screenshot.jpg) |
Here's my Layers Panel to show how much I adjust the scan. I select most major
colors (using the Magic Wand or Quick Selection Tool), Feather the selection about 5 pixels,
and then open up an Adjustment Layer. In this illustration I also copied and enlarged the
gator's left arm. Click to enlarge. |
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