Sketches of the Hawker Triplets

I sketched and penned a portrait of the Hawker Triplets last night, from my web comic Swan Eaters.

Pencil sketch....

Peter, Salem, and Ivan, all penned and ready for paint.

I have wanted to do actual paintings of the Hawkers for a while and since lately my mind cannot stop firing up new stories and images of them, now felt like the time.

Sweet, gentle Peter

Brave, clever Salem

No good, rotten Ivan

Right now I am most pleased with the line work in Salem's hair, and the goal is not to mess it up.

As for a background, I'm a bit torn. Part of me wants to have circus curtains or stylized embellishments, like the side show posters of yore.

More like Rice Chex girl, but okay....

This girl looks complicated. 

I could be over thinking it, this blue background is nice.
And really, the triplets aren't even part of the act.

These old posters are so pretty.

Awww....

However, another part of me wants to set them inside one of the caravan wagons. Or perhaps outside. Painting a gypsy wagon sounds like a lot of fun, but probably something a little too distracting for a background. I would love to set at least one of the Hawker portraits (I plan on doing others) inside a wagon with some of the bone displays and pickled punks a classic traveling show would have.

I'm sure Morbis Hawker has a few of these jars.

I've always wanted to draw
this skeleton from the Mutter Museum.

I may opt to set them outside the side show tents, with some bunting and lanterns. I'm just not certain yet. Might as well stop typing about it and start painting it, I suppose!