![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPRStcZE5ycXVanCPVJZX-K-skOsLDpc0S7k5rD897IwzaOIzG9amyI-Xe2dkUeryTQZOYHe3Uq0Wjpr4ZeCsXMbRTTzx2kDWl7apcw-v8_4wvZzrmtTeYRMTGMPuIx79sJuU/s320/DT_001.jpg)
Started the piece out with this little thumbnail sketch. At this stage I'm mostly thinking of shape, concept and composition, so I keep things really rough to maintain a simple, easy read.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi4LYOJ9jZLCpTLT-rlJLrCgYmbhcSRaAgEObHXcH-KTYji37K94KRHNNzYN7sOawyy6b3xZGvLd64ONs5Qn69HT-3sK5ht1WM8eF_81fNUpnslVmy8YvBE4g67jEN3mFipkS/s320/DT_002.jpg)
Next I cut the illustration board to size, tape off the edges, and lay down the base color for the background.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gTVnwsN1ZF6s5yUI0V4wPmzblMefrdJY-WHWEMvUgKwfjqcdmrcGIVAX43yZcJeY2EL52WrJHlE-chs7e0QvPQWCKEheeplyI57H-CZZhzdNb086Jq-XdZxyAoQshMO66Jqp/s320/DT_003.jpg)
Next I painted the base color for the main ground. If I can't find the exact color I'm looking for in paper collage, I'll paint the color I need on water color paper, then cut it to fit the BG. That's what I did in this case to make the hill.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTSPcpAQ4Nzsel3NKPmmPXXIf2P55sDKqhCxyrbolCtsseZTPmbr6gfwB9gZZtBpIKAEA2sOKGSNz0uqD3IEOn8TIk6yW-Zc1XqOYdikmhVUk-X-WTfjMIPx39SdJZz21nULx/s320/DT_004.jpg)
Next, before I cut out and glued the train tracks to the base hill, I painted the rocks in that are usually below train tracks. Then I glued on the paper collage train tracks and added two more levels of hills with more acrylic paint on watercolor paper.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoXIPqtlXw6N2BfifmIANvb1mUMwn3DKOAaA35AUB_EOtYDGtD-hmtd8yFy_ETn_xv4j6OVn4QwvnHX-mu7bU2fFBwul-4wbU1Qe2TmEAAsHBbL90md0Agrj8rukUlkHKIutf/s320/DT_005.jpg)
Next, it was time to begin laying in the different levels of flowers and plants. I cut these out of Acrylic on water color paper and magazine pages. I then did a light color wash over the hills to darken them a bit, and to add a little more blue to them. Plus I painted in the small flowers covering the hill the train will be on.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasI1venzzTPO_LNK-Q7TXkvwz8j3WXHKRrX15HxMU9BKLrV_LqNKogYirGypWOKWLv33vAvN67oM8wOcZNgpe5PK6KtiUZgD-rfgbAEZ0NzTjn5p3biiAZyFSSbCCVx36PVwI/s320/DT_006.jpg)
This is just a photo I took of the collection of paper scraps I gathered to begin to construct the train and the dinosaurs ridding in the train.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF1iAIAwnUGt_j7B65brMuext3tl97SefRgialBjqixF6nRVIfX9trqwsdbDwMSMdXMQ46ZyIIwwo1d9T4GNrnAvxDXB5qFW7CoAeZktWtwyBgayxg2WVSgteu4ON4nRkNeWi/s320/DT_007.jpg)
beginning to glue and lay out the shapes for the train.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJabNcYqFhAI77RYPIXqbg5Ha61gL7Yz3UeIUGTdRpR9zst1gWOmwfJbXLlRMi41G63Le96Bm0G6nXsId5Z43gEabklE_CCw5JxdZDHYU1aMhSAdXWFR0AckdUuYJfdqmSYry/s320/DT_008.jpg)
Next, adding more detail to the train, adding in the sun, and a little hobo snake friend cruising through the grass, maybe looking to hitch a ride.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxngNwUvgR1qpjszyqKyxdgTqCLImlWegDk9K8Mms0j2HH2VnNkIv7ocFOUNkEgra6lG8RWDZNgmCUuOzQV8sFlC1PCMG3EiB9Z_e5_6NXbYboto0FyZWut7HfSve1EEic7-aF/s320/DT_009.jpg)
Next, a combination of painting in the various Dinosaurs on the BG with Acrylic paint and some paper collage elements, while adding more bits and pieces of detail to the train.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO7Sgbs0cE-izPIXzMf_ghoq1foQpnh1PxLNTERagoI3R-Gip69934AJKImnN4CezfjHDg0uxJclLV1gFSYmMGqGm-Ha-GrYZwCNfkoPRLVS_cjaP4emt0jgKJ5ZEgHNFXxWa/s320/DT_010.jpg)
Almost done, adding on the eyes and various detail to each of the dinosaurs like hankerchiefs, conductor hats, and smiles.
Lastly, the finished piece. I added the little boy last. He was also a combo of Acrylic paint on the Background and paper collage elements. Added in the birds, the train bell, and smoke coming from the trains engine.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lZ0bRttsdLp__WM9Ubr2fBJh2bo_Ph91UEmB1VjSWXKKz63rleio_MpYg0-QQ7OdK5gSvwMIqR-WHRID4aVuem6mydDUNWxlaKbLkJR1y1rgYGSTq8B1BWFJzMG58Qlxy5L7/s320/DT_Steps_006.jpg)
The piece above was done as a commission a little while back for a little kids room. The little guy loves Dinosaurs and Trains (who could have guessed right?)
When I was growing up, I LOVED Dinosaurs, so getting the chance to paint some Dino art for a new fan of Dinosaurs was really fun for me, I had a blast with this painting. I also documented a bit of my process on this one, below are a few scans and photos I took in various stages of completing the piece.
Dinosaur Train
8" x 12"
Acrylic & Paper Collage
2010