Illustrating Silas Watts

Silas Watts, The Highly Electric Lightning Bug, is the tale of Silas, a little bug who uses his unusually bright green glow to rescue his mother when she is kidnapped by an evil bat. This first illustration created was actually from the end of the story, but we wanted to start there and post on Facebook to see what fans thought.

Author, Brenda, sent me this fun image of a real bug that looks like it’s wearing a pilot helmet and goggles. She asked if we could base our main guy on this.

Here’s our storyboard… I think these pencil sketches are always my favorite part.

One challenge of this project was to get a glowing neon green that would print successfully, and I credit my dear friend Rebecca who helped me do that.

lightning bugs flying

Ad Design | Visit us

sample color ad

Not only does the Mathews Maritime Foundation restore historic boats, and teach skills like boatbuilding to the community, this busy group also cares for thousands of museum artifacts donated by local families. The building that currently houses their collection, however, is small and could be missed. Through promotional materials like this ad, they can get the word out – encouraging visitors to stop in and explore.

Bold contrast catches the eye, and the colors reflect the culture of the Chesapeake Bay. I chose photos that glimpse the variety of the foundation’s work and mission.

To learn more about the Mathews Maritime Foundation, visit their website.