Some Commissions

  

Spring 2015

How wonderful for childhood to have wide open spaces to run

with the pet goats, dogs, willow trees, and cattails! 

Summer 2015

To celebrate 40 years of marriage, this painting recalls "how I met you."  

Summer 2016

Each of these children has a favorite blanket, 

and share magical sibling moments late at night 

talking and giggling amid the blankies and pillows.

Summer 2016

A spirit of adventure hiking in the woods 

marks many memories for this lovely family.

Two Joes

Rocket Launch

Today we launched a rocket built from PVC pipe and 2-liter bottles. Brian and Adam built it with a little Daddy-Boy time and it sure did fly, much to the delight of friends at the park!

I think the charcoal and white pencil easily looks good on toned paper. I'm glad I stole some time to sketch this memory tonight. 

Sneaking the Stockings

Traditionally, stockings are magically reserved for the wee hours of Christmas morning in the Du Pont house. This would afford Brian's mom extra time to sleep when the kids were little. It has been Brian and my grown up pleasure to wake up before our boys, dump our stocking treasures and gorge ourselves on chocolate and treats. But last year, they beat us to it. With quiet little murmuring coming from the next room, we suddenly realized the little boys learned the fine art of sneaking the stockings! We are no longer alone!

Du Pont Dinner Table

Today to unwind I did a little journal - illustrating.

InkTober 2015

I challenged my junior high school students to InkTober this year. I used India ink in an old book, which somebody turned into a journal. The pages of that old book really take the ink very well. Here are some of my favorites.

Adam's crazy hair got even crazier for AWANA one night.

Lucas loves his grandparents' Brittany Spaniel, Daisy.

In Saturdays, we have a "Laundry Party." The boys choose some of their favorite songs for a laundry playlist, reserved only the for folding laundry. We dance around and make an ordinary chore something memorable.  

I always tell my students that if you don't know what to draw, yourself is always available. 

This is my husband's idea of "making the bed."

I drew a group of middle schoolers getting an art lesson. Although this is no one is particular, I tied to represent the general expression of my students when they are learning something new.

And here's my mom and dad, cute and wonderful and dear to my heart as always. 

Biddy Ball

Here's some sketches of my silly boy during basketball practice.

Personal time

This is what it looks like when I try to get some quiet time. I love this season of life!

"Santa Trap"

"Santa Trap" - watercolor

For my family's Christmas card, I printed this watercolor on a 5x7 flat card, and sent them away to friends and family. Believe it or not, last year, Christmas was especially wondrous for my kids because, after years of trying various traps, alarms, and signals, they finally caught Santa Claus. I'll never forget their stunned expressions that magical morning!

Prismacolor doodles

Sometimes I fill in my sketches and life drawings with prismacolor markers.

Inktober Self-portrait

Made a self-portrait and inked it on a whim. The poor Moleskin was totally unprepared.
Why is it that when I draw myself, my normally messy hair looks miraculously good and my face looks 10 years younger? Is this the nature of self-portraits? I know many artists who do this also.
Closing self-portrait thought: Unlike selfies, self-portraits are not evidence of vanity so much as evidence that the artist had very few available models.

Sleeping Baby

After a long wait with a crashed computer, I was finally able to scan in my painting! "Baby's Sleeping," in watercolor.

Romantic Portraits

Through a request, I made 12 watercolor paintings about a newly wed couple,  one painting for each month. I enjoyed it immensely,  and feel my skill with color grew. Here are a few examples of these paintings, and I hope to upload more when I get a chance. 

Art Drop Day

There's some art hiding at Kroger for you to find and keep! #artdropday

IF: Skull

I told myself I was going to do Illustration Friday this week, but when the topic was "skull," I was disappointed. Anyone who knows me, knows that skulls are not my subject choice. But I am happy I pursued the assignment anyway because I was able to find a way to paint a skull so that I like it.  There's a story behind this one. Even if you don't know the story, the painting speaks to me Memento Mori. (Remember you're going to die.) As dark as that seems, it's actually a positive thought that puts priorities in their proper perspective!

The Littlest Birds Sing the Prettiest Songs

I painted this old sketch inspired by a song of the same title by the Be Good Tanyas, a favorite on my children's Pandora station.

Big Hair & Knees-and-Elbows

Sometimes I observe my son and think, "How does his little neck support that enormous head?" But then it's mostly hair. I also notice that he's developing the lanky all-knees-and-elbows look characteristic in older boys. When did this happen?!

Car Seats

I was sitting in the back seat of the car between my two sons when I sketched this. I didn't finish because I started to get carsick. :p

Hopes & Dreams: Wild Animals

"That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind." - C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Christmas 2014

I painted this year's Christmas cards for our family.  The biggest news of the year for us is that we moved. As it turns out, the new house has the perfect colors for Christmas!

 

Tail

This week's Illustration Friday word: Tail.

I wasn't planning on participating this week, but then I got a drawing bug... I'm glad I did, I like this one! I'd love to put it in color with a nice backlight and cast shadows. I'll have to file this in my book of ideas for another time!

No Training Wheels!

Congratulations to my little boy! He worked so hard for this!

 

 

Moustache

Illustration Friday: Moustache

For a several weeks last Halloween, my 3-year-old son would steal my eye liner and pretend to be Zorro.

 

 

Blooms Like Heaven

I found this old sketch of my boys, and thought I'd share. I did it about a year ago. I have moved away from realism so much since then! Stylization is much more expressive and fun, but realism sure looks good!

Sharks Rule!

 These are my favorite two illustrations for "Invincible Me."  What boy would want to be a mere fisherman if he could be a shark and rule the ocean?

 

 

 

Invincible Me!

Presenting "Invincible Me!" by Shawntay Schmidt, illustrated by Brittany Du Pont

 

Shawntay and I are a great fit, both of us having two boys about the same age. This is my #1 favorite topic to illustrate: boyhood! Here a mother dreams of a bright and successful future for her son, but his imagination is much more far-fetching. He'd rather be the rocketship than the astronaut! It's a lovely, charming story, and I enjoyed these paintings immensely!