Lost in the Wild Wood Christmas card by Rodney Matthews Studios

New Christmas card for 2021

Earlier this year I did a pencil sketch featuring Mole and Ratty, 'Lost in the Wild Wood', as in The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The drawing, to be enhanced with a sepia effect, was intended as CD cover art for my musical interpretation of the scene. Alas, other work got preferential status, not the least of which were new illustrations for our planned second Yendor animation, and the music has not yet been done!
When we posted the pencilled image on our various social media platforms (on October 1st), I was asked several times – “when are we going to see a colour version of this piece”, to which I answered, “I don’t have the time!” Sarah however, persuaded me that a colour version was a must and so it was, kicking and objecting (against a metaphorical half nelson), I was directed towards my drawing board.
Using my watercolours, I hand-tinted a sepia-tone giclée print that Sarah had prepared on heavyweight paper for the purpose. My own reservations quickly fell away as I realised that we had a retro Edwardian-styled image that would not have looked out of place on a traditional Christmas card.
Available to buy now here

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