01/15/12 - Coloring Dixie

I'm working on several pages tryign to find an appropraite color scheme for each character and their homes. Yesterday I spent the morning working on Dixie, a bespeckled, gregarious bird fashioned after someone who's gone now but I loved and admired for years: David "Dixie" Frederico. He was bigger than life. Friendly, loving, hugely welcoming and a well known character who made Provincetown MA his home.

Although Frederico is the basis and my Dixie embodies some of Frederico's characteristics, the Scootertown Dixie is a bird all his own: he's loving and loyal, warm and welcoming like Frederico but Scootertown Dixie is a tad controlling and an obsessive micro manager. He LOVES to cook and bake, rollerskate and bathe; he loves crafts and has a room in his specifically for creating; he loves to dance, visit friends, he's helpful and an empathetic listener BUT, in my stories, Dixie has to be reminded, once in a while, that everyone has something special of their own to offer.

My camera is on it's last legs so the pics are a little blurry but here's my wordless introduction to Dixie, and Joel - another Scootertown character:

Dixie in his fuxxy slippers. He wears rollerskates outdie his house and fuzzy slippers inside - Dixie loves to keep things clean and neat so all visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering the birdhouse...he likes to wear his comfy, fluffy, pink slippers. They're just cozy.

And, trying to find a color scheme. Again, my apologies for the blurry photos.
(My little Fuji XP has had just about enough of me...)
In the top right hand corner, we see Dixie as a baby bird learning how to be brave and fly with the some loving encouragement of his mom and dad. Mom and dad will be a combo of teal and brown to match the house and signify their framework or structure in Dixie's character.

If you're interested in seeing a larger view of the image just click on the pic.

I'm trying to find a mix of purple and pink for Dixie - and one where he doesn't look like a bruise! I'm pretty happy with this - a mix of gouche, watercolor abd colored pencil. It's clean, pleasant, happy, fresh, springy and fun.

To pruchase a limited edition, black and white/coloring book version of the book visit my Etsy page:

www.etsy.com/listing/82504890/stories-from-scootertown-run-rabbit-run

As Dixie would say "Ciao my friend! Ciao, ciao!!!" (add a very big hug and a very big wave)