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

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!

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. 

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.

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!

 

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!

 

 

 

 

Orange Hat Publishing



 

This book, "Little Mouse Finds a New Home" by Liz Siivola is coming soon.  It will be published through Orange Hat Publishing, a small self-publishing business, family-owned, based in Wisconsin. If you're interested in self-publishing, I highly recommend checking out Orange Hat. They are personable, affordable, and fun, especially the owner. Here is the website: www.orangehatpublishing.com

 

I would say this opportunity came to me by chance, but we all know God has his hand on every detail of our lives.  Certainly, I did nothing to seek out illustrating.  I have been a stay-at-home-mom for six years now, taking care of two little boys, now ages 3 & 6. Before that, I was an art teacher. My degree is in art education, with a minor in English.  While staying home, I have volunteered at the youth center in town, where I led an after-school art program for 5 years. The plan was to go back to teaching in a couple years when both my kids are in school.

 

Who knew that this year I would be making art for children's books? Who knew a friend would introduce me to a friend who would introduce me to illustrating? And now, this is my 4th book! I owe so much to Orange Hat, who opened my eyes to a world of possibilities!

 

I often wonder if I will return to art education, or if God will lead me somewhere new with illustrating?

 

Little Mouse in the Closet

To see the full process, click here:
http://brittanydupont.blogspot.com/2013/03/thumbnails-roughs.html

 

 

Pecos Bill

I had a bit of a break in the illustration process, so I grabbed the time to paint a variant cover for my husband's indy comic. It also coincides perfectly with this week's Illustration Friday topic, "Wild."  Here is the link to purchase Pecos Bill #1 here: http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7435

For updates on the progress of #2 coming SOON! And more fun from Brian Du Pont at Colring Book Press, click here: http://colringbookpress.tumblr.com/

Land Ahoy!

 

I might have gotten a little carried away with this character sample. The client only asked for a boy with red hair, wearing a towel like a cape. It sounded like a specific boy, and I couldn't decide on the hair. Or the nose. Or the shape of the face. I took it as a chance to experiment with drawing different faces. It was fun!

 

 

 

As I drew, I was inspired by my son's imagination. I drew other sketches. A boy on a tire swing. A boy pretending to fly "up, up, and away." And a boy looking through a telescope. I loved the latter, and decided to take it all the way with a watercolor. 

 

 

Drawing little boys is definately my #1 interest. Even before I had sons, Peter Pan was my favorite character. Since then, I fell in love with "The Little White Bird" by J.M. Barrie. I love the magic of childhood and imagination, and the adventures of boyhood are the most exciting! I plan to read that book again sometime. Just think of the inspiration!

 

 

 

Pecos Bill

A variant cover I did for my husband's awesome comic book, "Pecos Bill." Since the legend of Pecos Bill has no ending, Brian's imagination ran wild with the idea of Pecos Bill, living in the modern day West. It's full of action, entertaining villains, and wild references to the American legend.

 

Check out the comic at:

http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7435

 

And see the progress as he works on the second issue of Pecos Bills Here:

http://colringbk.tumblr.com/

 

 

IF: Storm

This week's www.illustrationfriday.com word: "Storm"
I loved the popcorn dragon so much, I decided to draw him again!

IF: Myth

Illustration Friday Word of the Week: Myth



Unfortunately, I didn’t get this one posted to Illustration Friday on time.  I didn’t intend to participate this week, being preoccupied with my son’s birthday, and a commissioned piece due at the same time. But the idea of a dragon popping popcorn stayed in my head until I just had to get it on paper at the end of the week. I’m glad I did!  If I’m going to do a myth, it’s got to be dragons. I know it’s typical, but I’ve got boys at home. They don’t care about mythology! But they can sing every word of “Puff the Magic Dragon” from string and sealing wax to giant’s rings and painted wings.  Plus, home-popped popcorn is a favorite of my family. The boys watch it popping over the stove, giggling with excitement at every pop.

Hey.. Painted wings! “Wings” is the word for this week.  Hmmm….  Ideas are brewing…

IF: Ocean

Illustration Friday word for the week: "Ocean"

 

My little boy has been into Titanic for a couple years now. It's kind of an odd thing for a boy to like until you realize its just a glorified "CRASH" in the water.  I have looked at many books about Titanic and watched him reenact the scene in the bathtub many times. To him, it's a cool crash. But I can't help imagining those women, sitting in the lifeboats, watching the Daddies die. 

IF: New

When I think of the word "new" the first thing that comes to my mind is a new baby.  This might not be as unexpected as the approaches I took for other Illustration Friday words, but it is certainly my content area.  I feel I nailed the word "new" rather than simply "baby."
I am inspired by what I heard Marshall Arisman say in an interview, which was to explore your choice content, draw what you know about, and style will develop over time.