Illustrations in Honor of Saint Patrick’s Day
I have spent a considerable amount of time in Ireland over the years. It’s a truly charming place with lots of spirited people. This post features a few illustrations in honor of Saint Patrick’s day, that were Irish-inspired. Of course, there are a couple of WSJ style hedcuts!
Character Illustrations in Honor of Saint Patrick’s Day
Not long ago, I created several portrait illustrations for a yacht club in Ireland. Among these were two famous Irish characters…
One of the members posing as Grace O’Malley, the noteworthy Pirate Queen. Grace’s meeting with Elizabeth, the English Queen, was carried out in Latin, as it was the only tongue common to both. Interestingly, they died in the same year.
Patrick, the foremost Irish saint. This illustration was derived from a stained glass window. It is, therefore, a bit stylized. Patrick was actually from Britain. He was kidnapped by Irish pirates as a youth and spent 6 years a slave, looking after animals in Ireland before escaping and making his way back to Britain. After becoming a cleric, he returned to Ireland to bring Christianity to the people.
My family and I used to stay at a house in Quin, near the airport at Shannon. The ruins of an abbey were right next door. We loved climbing all over that monument. Later on, I made this illustration featuring Quin Abbey, onto which I added a portrait of Maureen O’Hara that I photographed from a television screen. Strangely, it turned out to be a successful piece.
Spot Illustrations in Honor of Saint Patrick’s Day
My wife and I purchased quite a lot of crystal in Ireland over the years. I thought it would be challenging to render this exquisite candlestick…
It took a bit of time to produce, but I captured it in the end. I rarely include solid black in my drawings. This illustration is an exception. I felt I had to utilize the full spectrum, black to white, in order to convey the clarity and depth of the glass.Speaking of glass, I propose to you a toast this Saint Patrick’s Day. I wish you Great Luck and Happiness!