After Dinner Diversion

This is an illustration for a little story I've written. It is progressing at a snail's pace, but I hope to finish it some day. Bloody footprints in the hallway! The plot thickens.

After Dinner Diversion

Another illustration underway. A green corridor. Have a nice weekend!

After Dinner Diverson

I was working on illustrations for some stories last year, and then I sort of just put them away for a while. One of the stories, The Boy from a Paper Moon, I've decided to put away for good. I was not happy with the consistency of the illustrations or with the story. But this one, The After Dinner Diversion (working title), I've decided to take up again. It's about a dinner party/murder mystery. In this illustration an old woman is gnawing a bone. If I have a resolution, it's to finish the other half of the illustrations for this story.

After Dinner Diversion

Working on another illustrations for my slowly progressing illustrated story. There aren't enough hours in the day, days in the week, weeks in the year, etc.

And I'm posting a picture of my favorite mustard with which no sandwich or hot dog is complete. Mr Mustard. Hot!

After Dinner Diversion

Some illustrations in progress for my little story in verse. It's about a dinner murder mystery. I'm about half way through the 30 necessary illustration, if anything about this project can be considered "necessary"!

The After Dinner Diversion

Unpacking my boxes, I found a work in progress, illustrations for my little story in verse that I'd put aside. I am taking it up again and hopefully, will finish it this year.

After Dinner Diversion nos. 11 and 12

I am a little bit short of the midway point, but as I explained yesterday, this project is going to go on the shelf for a bit while I work on my family friendly fairy tale. I feel a little bad leaving it half-finished, but I promise to finish it before the end of the year.

After Dinner Diversion nos. 9 and 10

There are more happenings at our Dinner Party. The doctor, maybe, has gotten fresh with the young miss. The rest of the company dreads the widow's casserole. Even though these are comic looking characters, as you may have guessed, this story will soon take a dark turn.

Just recently I've been challenged to write a story suitable for a general audience, and though it was very tough, I think I pulled it off. I will soon be putting The After Dinner Diversion on the back burner and focusing my attention on making the best illustrations possible for my new fairy tale for a general audience. I hope you will not be too irked by this detour. I will return to After Dinner now and again, and fully intend to complete it by the end of this year.

After Dinner Diversion no. 8

The doctor's wife is in high spirits!

After Dinner Diversion no. 7

The first course has an ill effect on Sir Colin!

After Dinner Diversion no. 6

Miss Poole inspects the silverware.

After Dinner Diversion No. 5

Oh, no! The casserole has hairs in it! Gasp!

Anatomists and some After Dinner Diversion

After Dinner Diversion Numbers five and six.



Some details of my Three Anatomists painting.

After Dinner Diversion No. 4

Back to the story I was illustrating- The After Dinner Diversion of Miss Tangerine Broom. It is a murder mystery at a dinner party. The guests are arriving.
The eminent doctor and his Mrs. arrive at the dinner party.

After Dinner Diverson no. 5

The widow arrives with a casserole which causes some consternation amongst the guests. The sketch begins.

After Dinner Diversion no. 3

No. 3 is finished. A young ingenue under the stars.


Yes, I had to look up "ingenue" to spell it correctly.

After Dinner Diversion no. 1 and 2

Here is number one. I've decided to go with a green and salmon color combo throughout. Also, I'm purposefully emulating the style of Henry Holiday's illustrations of Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark. This heroine is having a dinner party. I've modeled her after me, it's more like me from ten years ago, before my kids gave me this crease on my forehead, but still, a lot like me.



Here is our first dinner guest. He's a saucy one. Entirely invented. I'm not sure who he's inspired by. There are always characters rattling around my thinkbox. Maybe when he's fleshed out you can tell me who he reminds you of.