Triceratops flying-brush and ink wash

Have to love dinosaurs and especially triceratops.

A simple illustration that I did for my son. Got to get around to getting this on his wall. Still inspired by the work of another artist that impressed me enough to pick up the brush and create a illustration.

Did a light pencil sketch that came rather quickly. Arches watercolor paper with a walnut ink.

I like it and hope to do more.

Hope you like it too.

I will post it on Illustration Friday for the topic of sky.

Dinosaur on a bicylce ink wash

dinosaur on a bike

Dinosaur on a bicycle ink wash.

When I first started working with pen and ink, I used to color all my illustrations with ink, instead of watercolor. I had never used watercolor before, and for years I played with washes of ink.

Now I’m just on a small role, taking some Dr. Martin inks, diluting them with water and seeing what I could create.

Noting says fun than doing ink washes of dinosaurs, so this is the second in a series, until I get bored, of distracting projects that are too much fun.

Scanner may not pickup the color and gradations exactly, but it is pretty close.

Hope you enjoy.

Dinosaur Eating a Book for SCBWI Bulletin


I was recently inspired to play with a ink wash after seeing some beautiful work from a fellow artist. I took some Walnut ink that was sitting with my supplies, pulled out a sheet of hot press watercolor paper and began to play with the brush.

I am pretty happy with the work, though I wish the line work was a little thinner. It has been some time since I have done a complete work in brush that wasn’t digital.

I mixed a small bit of black ink to try to darken certain sections and to give it depth.

The subject is for the SCBWI bulletin, which has to do with book reviews.

The best compliment is that my son wants it on his wall.

https://stepheningram.com/2012/09/dinosaur/