Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16 Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16

#ItsAdvent Day 5

Candle Illustration by Amber Lynn Benton for #ItsAdvent 2016

I had a fun time with this candle illustration. I duplicated the light pattern around the flame and enlarged it in the background setting the layers to multiply to achieve a more glowing effect. I used the sienna in the background to better illustrate:

'a light shining in the darkness but the darkness does not overcome it'.

It's a good image for these dark advent evenings.

I feel like this illustration came together the easiest of any that I've done so far. That makes sense, right? I've begun to come up with a workflow that is suitable for this style.

Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16 Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16

#ItsAdvent 2016 Day Four

Christmas Pear and Christmas Dove by Amber Lynn Benton for #ItsAdvent 2016

I really love the color scheme and folk painting look of this illustration. I began drawing a pear and before I knew it this sweet bird had decided to move in. It made me laugh to think of a partridge in pear rather than in a pear tree. I think she looks more like a Christmas dove, though, don't you?

Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16 Amber Lynn Benton 12/5/16

#ItsAdvent 2016 Day Three

A Figgy Pudding by Amber Lynn Benton for #ItsAdvent 2016

This illustration looks a bit out of place in the rest of my collection but I still like it. I think a couple of things happened here. There just wasn't a place to include some of the pattern motifs I've been working with (other than on the plate). The other contributing factor is that the brushes used in this illustration are not consistent with the first two illustrations (or the later ones).

I began this illustration in a new document and do not yet have my brushes saved to their own library. So I had to make some new brushes and the settings were different. It was after completing this illustration that I set up the template file that I'm using for the rest of the collection.

I drew this in honor of my friend Shelley Brandt of Figgy Pudding Designs. Merry Christmas, Shelley!

Amber Lynn Benton 11/22/16 Amber Lynn Benton 11/22/16

Advent 2016 Illustration Challenge

This image will take you to my Instagram account where you can follow my #ItsAdvent illustrations!

It's just a few short days until Thanksgiving and then the Advent season is upon us!

I've already started rearranging furniture, cleaning, and making room for the tree. The boys annual Christmas visit to their grandparents is planned and maybe - just maybe - this will finally be the year of the Tasha Tudor gingerbread house. I can always dream right? (Especially when it isn't even Thanksgiving yet!)

It's hard to believe that it's been only a year since I carved out this little studio corner in my bedroom and began to take myself seriously as an artist illustrator. Last year I joined in another artist's Advent Instagram challenge and I had a lot of fun. This year I decided that I wanted to do all 25 illustrations for Advent for my portfolio which meant that I needed to begin planning in October!

As I got well into the planning and working I was having such fun that I decided to invite other friends and fellow illustrators to join me. You can use this challenge in whatever way you want - draw handmade Christmas cards or ornaments, create finished pieces for your portfolio, or just have fun while you're cozied up on these dark evenings. (Be sure to use my hashtag #itsadvent or #itsadvent2016 so I can see your work!)

Below is the Advent Challenge Calendar. Feel free to pin and or copy and share the image. I'll be posting this to my Instagram account in just a couple of days. If you want to join in on your own Instagram account just regram the calendar!

Click to open a larger version to download and share!

I also created an image for Instagram that is unbranded (without my logo) for your to use on your own accounts.

Here's a blog button! (Until I figure out how to do a grab box on Squarespace, though, you'll have to just download the image and then use this posts url -- http://www.amberlynnbenton.com/blog/advent2016illustrationchallenge -- as the hyperlink for your image.)