allison sommers art.

the last leg

5 x 7 gouache on illustration board.

go, boy, go!

...I think he's had enough.

the first amphibian

4.5 x 6.5 oval gouache on illustration board.

"Hello, there, friend..."

This piece came completely out of left field-- I did the lineart in a bar on a whim (since it's so close to my upcoming August show, I always have some primed illustration board in my bag to work on-- it's a sickness, I tell you!) and the setting developed as I was painting.  I'm so surprised by it-- I wasn't planning on it being this dark, but I really love this place I discovered, so safe and dreamlike... I had to restrain myself from painting prehistoric insects slicing the air...

I don't know if it's readily apparent, but our little adventurous friend has a Darwin fish on the back of his boat. 

the arrival

11 x 14 gouache on illustration board.

I am so very happy to be able to share this piece at long last.  I've been thinking of this place for a very long time; the size itself of this piece, since I've gotten so accustomed to working small, is really satisfying-- you can really get lost walking around in it, if you know what I mean.  Buy yourself a sausage, or perhaps a slave-boy, while you're there.  Watch out for those damned aukle birds, though, they'll snatch away either in a moment.

click for details.

This was definitely one of those sorts of rabbit-hole pieces where the details could be laid on (and on, and on) until one's eyes roll out of one's head, but for sake of deadline and sanity let's call this one done.

//edit: I added a pic of the inside of the beast.  Now my geekiness shall be revealed to the whole world, not just those who can stick their face close enough to this in person to see...

letters from home

3.5 x 5.25 gouache on illustration board.

Private moments with Private Pfefferkorn, dreaming of beautiful breasts and alpacas far far away....

Click for larger:

new print

Hello, folks--

Just wanted to let y'all know that Thinkspace will soon be releasing a new print of mine, Preflight.  I'm very very excited about it, I've already seen them and they look brilliant!  Hahnemuhle paper is so beautiful, it really captures a surprising color depth.
The Specs:
“Preflight”
Giclee print on Hahnemuhle Museum Etching paper
Hand-signed and numbered by me
8x10” (6.5 x 8.5” image area)

I'm in the process of considering edition size right now-- let me know in the comments whether you might be interested.

the arms dealer

4.5 x 3 gouache on illustration board.

making deliveries to the innocents... only the necessaries...

I don't know quite what happened with this scenery-- I was thinking more of Asia when I painted it, but I feel like it reminds me more of Hawaii.  Oh well, I've been to the latter, and not the former.

Anyway, happy weekend, all!  Kiss your mother.

crowded waters (the crabshell boat)

2.75 x 4.25 gouache on illustration board.

I grew up around boats.  We didn't always necessarily live close to the water, but, as a family of sailing enthusiasts will, we always managed to find our way to it more weekends than not.  I remember as a kid being completely fascinated with the harbor, maybe even more than the open bay/sea-- hanging my head over the boat, or over the dock, and trying to will the water a little clearer to see what's on the bottom and the pilings.  The interesting things underwater are so much closer in harbors, I suppose.  There was also always for me the absolute horror of falling into the water, so close to the unseen greeblies hanging on the boat & docks, waiting to snag or slime you.. eeeeeuch....    ...and even just the proximity of other boats was tantalizing, like houses that are too close together-- always a chance to glimpse someone else's life.  Or, at least, someone else's weekend.

Anyway.  I don't think these weekenders in the crabshell boat are faring very well-- all these nasty nouveau riches clogging up the harbor and all.  Steady, boys....

This piece is tiny... click for details:

the pied piper

10 x 8 gouache on illustration board.

pied piper, candyman, one-man-band... This guy has it all.  (what I wouldn't give to have a pushmipullyu wagon...)  I love thinking of the noise this group must make as he leads them off to....

What I love is the discomfort I feel seeing candy mixed in with meaty steaks.  I wonder-- would you pluck that black-and-white cookie to eat, even after resting a while in that hot wagon? (I think I would.)

click for details:

I slept better last night.

gouache mini on illustration board, 1.5" x 2.5 in.
click for details.  The hardest to do were his closed eye & head hairs-- I waited in between breaths because my hands were too shaky otherwise.

I love gouache.  It's so beautiful... the color just punches even at such a tiny size....

bullyproof.

8 x 10 gouache on illustration board.

If only we all could be so lucky to have this sort of fierce protection through the primary school years...
During recess I remember distinctly that the playground slide was actually my own personal apatasaurus, but alas, he never came to my rescue. :)

click for details.

I was inspired by a book of vintage photographs of the Raj while I was working on this piece... far be it from me to flatly romanticize somewhat dark portions of our history, but my my are some of those outfits & fabrics & architectural ornamentation some of the finest in imagination...