A Lilac Fairy preview

This week I’ve been working on drawing for a lilac fairy fairy painting. I started the idea well before the lilacs were blooming and finally this week they are.

My tiny dip pen used to outline the drawing.

What's up?

Upcoming Show: Gen Con Indy Aug 15-18 See me there!

I apologize for being lax about updating my blog in the last year. With moving to a new state and then several times in a year I got a lot less art done. Then my book proposal was approved last spring and I had to work overtime, suddenly painting and draw more than I had in a couple years while juggling the shows I had already paid for.

"Fantasy Fashion Art Studio" will be an watercolor fantasy instructional book following my paintings step by step and giving tips for finding inspiration and creating different costume styles and eras for your characters.

The book is finished and due out in this month. This is one of the first paintings in "Fantasy Fashion Art Studio" by Meredith Dillman

When I was looking for an idea for a flower based fairy, these purple bellflowers were coming up all over my garden. They are really quite weedy, which was an advantage since they were one of the only things surviving without rain.



Creeping Bellflower - Ink and Watercolor 2012 - Prints of Creeping Bellflower

Flower Fairy ACEOs

My recently painted Wild Iris, Sunflower and Pink Peony ACEO watercolors. I tried a new technique and stained the paper with tea first. It gives a nice effect but makes the paint work differently.

Mermaids, cats and dryads

It's about time I update, since there are three new paintings. Prints of all are now available. If you are interested in originals please inquire by email.

Morning Glory Fairy - 5x7 watercolor

This fairy was inspired by the morning glory flowers in my garden. All summer I waited for flowers to bloom. Finally the purple plants did in July, and I thought the blue flowers never would. The blue plants looked thin and stunted, and nowhere near the size of the others. One of them finally had a bloom in august, and the flower was 3 times the size of the purples and stayed out all day. Of course it needed a cat with matching blue eyes.

• Morning Glory Fairy Prints

Curiosity - 2x16 watercolor

I don't often paint mermaids because I always come up against the same problem - What are they doing? This mermaid was looking at something, probably a bubble before I found some amazing jellyfish photos and was inspired.

• Curiosity - Mermaid and Jellyfish prints

Forest Dryad Portrait - 5x8 watercolor

A beautiful face peeks out through autumn leaves and branches.

• Dryad Prints

Glow Fairy

This glowing moth-winged fairy watercolor was painted almost entirely at Anime Central this year. It is 4x5.5 inches in watercolor and ink.

The original painting is for sale on Etsy.



Below are some step by step photos I took while painting over 3 days.

Fanciful Notions - A Victorian Sewing Fairy

I imagine this fairy is having a wonderful daydream of the fancy fashions she wants to create. She wears and appropriate outfit, complete with a hat that takes the shape of a pin cushion and measuring tape ribbon, and wings made of sewing scissors and lace.

Fine art prints of Fanciful Notions are now available. Scroll down for a detail image of the painting. Many of the details are too small to see at web size unfortunately.

Illura - Fairy of the Moon and Stars

Illura is based on an older painting from 2005. I had always liked the character design and colors, but felt the pose drawn was awkward. I decided to paint a new version of her last winter. I turned the former art nouveau border into a theatre stage.

Fine Art Prints of Illura are available in several sizes.




Illura painting from 2005

Summer Sun and Blossoming Spring

I finally finished the Spring and Summer paintings. I really love how they turned out! Both paintings are 5x11 inch watercolors made with archival paints and paper. Click the links below to see the entire painting:



Summer Sun was inspired by sunsets and Fuschia flowers.
Prints are available here




Blossoming Spring was inspired by Cherry and Apple blossoms of Spring. Prints are available here


If you haven't seen the previous paintings, you can see "Fallfire" and "Queen of the Night Sky" in detail on my site. Many people have been asking me to make it into a series of of 4 seasons for years.

Spring and Summer works in progress

I started working on two paintings to complete a series started with Queen of the Night Sky and Fallfire. I hadn't planned to make the seasons, but most people assume that Queen of the Night Sky was meant to be winter, and I've gotten a few requests. Spring is cherry blossom based and Summer will have a sun motif added to match the stars.



Below is a mock up of my planned colors. They never end up exactly the same in watercolor but it helps to know what I'm doing first.

Flower Fairies

Red Poppy Fairy - For sale on Ebay
Size: 5x8
Medium: Watercolor



Fuchsia Fairy - For sale on Ebay
Size: 5x7
Medium: Watercolor

Hibiscus Fairy

My latest painting (actually finished the first week of Jan actually, along with another) - A brightly colored Hibiscus Fairy with a cute calico cat. I'd like to think fairies have their own miniature kitties, because I'd sure have one if I was a fairy.

Hibiscus Fairy
size: 5x7 inches
medium: ink, watercolor

The original painting is for auction here. SOLD

Small Book Illustrations and new necklaces

I just added a bunch of original paintings from my book to my Etsy shop. All of them are priced under $40-85 and are matted to fit standard frame sizes: Originals on Etsy



Dark Fairy
Flower Fairy
Water Elemental
Wood Fairy

Medieval Costume Fairy
Nature Costume Fairy
Modern Costume Goth Fairy

Pixie and Bluebird
Fairy Mushroom House



I also have several styles of necklaces available now. I only have a couple of each of the dog tags, so when they're gone they're gone. I most likely won't be able to make them again: View Necklaces

3 aceo paintings

These are all up for sale on Etsy:
Slavic Girl - Red Panda - Fae girl (interrupted)

Fleur d'Amour

8x10 watercolor and acrylic painting
Prints available


This was inspired by an older painting from 2003, that I wanted to revisit:

toned Fae drawing 2

Pen and ink on canson paper

The Original is for sale on Etsy

New art & updates

These paintings have been finished for a while, and now I'm finally getting to posting them. I'm really proud of the dragon. The acrylic over watercolor really worked well for it. I don't think I would have been able to do the same with watercolor. Yay for progress!

Wishing on a Star
Limited Edition prints available here


Darkwings II
prints available here


Sky Dancer
prints available here


New prints added to site:
Wishing on a Star
Darkwings II
Sky Dancer
Undine
Forest Unicorn
Fairy Gossip
Other products:
Longcat and Fox magnet sets

Fairy Queen and another drawing

ACEO: Faery Queen
medium: watercolor and acrylic
Original for sale on Etsy




Drawing #2 Moonlit Escape
medium: ink, acrylic ink
Original for sale on Etsy

Watercolor Made Easy: Fairies & Fantasy

Finally I am ready to take pre-orders of the book I spent half of 2008 illustrating. It features walkthroughs for 12 paintings as well as pages on techniques and ideas for painting fairies and backgrounds.

I'm taking pre-orders for signed copies on my website. I will also include a mini of the cover art. The release date is March 1, but I may be able to get them from the publisher earlier.

Pre-order link

Last painting of 2008

Ring of Seasons
6x8 watercolor
Original for sale on etsy





Thank You notes featuring this design are available in my etsy shop.

Rose Fairy

Rose Fairy
3x5 watercolor
For sale on Etsy