Sports Posters

For the past three years, the Oliver Ames Basketball Boosters have asked me to create custom sports posters for the boys and girls basketball teams and cheerleaders for Senior Night.  The posters hang by the entrance with words and quotes that were provided by their parents. 

To create the posters, parents, coaches and teammates are asked to provide descriptive words and a quote to describe the graduating senior, as well as a head shot and a picture showing the athlete in an action pose that represents the player's style or signature move.

Above are examples of the reference photographs that were submitted for the creation of the posters.

I hand draw the bodies for the posters, so the action shot is very important to capture the essence of the athletes.  The head shot needs to be high resolution, clear and with good lighting to ensure it is not pixelated or blurry when enlarged to about 6 inches on the poster. 

The final images are 18" x 24" laminated posters.

Here are the posters for the 2013 Basketball seniors and cheerleaders:

OA Girls Basketball:

OA Boys Basketball:

 

OA Cheerleaders:

 If you are interested in having posters created for any team sport, please contact me at Laura@LNDstudio.com.

On the road to Love...

"Follow Your Heart"

Valentine's Day Card Illustration

SCM Transportation, Somerville, MA

Mixed Media

© Laura DeDonato

The amazing people at SCM Transportation have a great program they run every Valentine's Day called "Paul's Ride."  A gift of $30 underwrites round trip transportation for a rider to visit his or her sweetheart in the hospital or nursing home and $100 covers five round trips.

This year, SCM asked me to create an illustration for their Valentine's Day card to support Paul's Ride.  I had fun creating a custom heart box filled with little chocolates in the shape of the SCM vans.  To create my reference for this illustration I had to take chocolates from different boxes and make the little ruffled cups from muffin tins.  You can view some of this process work on my twitter and instagram @LNDstudio. 

I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day with those who you love, doing the things that you love to do!!

"Miracle on Lowder Street"

Acrylic and Mixed Media
© Laura DeDonato

 

 

 This year's Brescia Ball theme was Miracle on Lowder Street.  Calling on the Miracle on 34th Street movie poster for inspiration, I created an image using the spotlight lighting and larger figure with their arm around a little girl.   

 

The two girls are standing at one the beautiful gates on Ursuline Academy's campus sharing their hopes, dreams and future aspirations.  They are looking off into the distance toward the Convent and the stairs they'll walk down for graduation.  

 

The illustration was used for the cover of the program brochure, RSVP and invitation.  The text and layout design for the pieces continued the light snow falling in the night for a background and used the fonts in the Gala's logo.

 

Dream Street

238 Marlborough Street

Commissioned Acrylic Painting
11" x 14"
© Laura DeDonato

I'm very excited to finally share this painting that I completed this summer.  This is the second home that I have painted on the beautiful Marlborough Street in Back Bay, Boston, MA.  (The Barnes Mansion is on the corner of Marlborough St and Charlesgate.)  Marlborough Street is parallel to Newbury St, Commonwealth Ave, Beacon St and is lined with gorgeous architecture and beautiful gardens.  I love walking through this neighborhood, because it's so inspiring with all of the colors and details.  

My commissioners were going through big changes (congratulations!) and needed more space, so it was time to move out of their Marlborough Street home.  They enjoyed their time so much here that they asked me to paint the front of their building to hang in their new home.  This is somewhere I would love to live, pretty much a dream neighborhood!  Enjoy!

Summer of Work and Learning 2012

In Bloom

Another successful Summer of Work and Learning Mural Team program complete with a beautiful mural to brighten up the facade of The Charity Guild building at 501 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301.  This summer was challenging with extreme heat and no shade from the sun on the 600+ sq feet of wall, but we made it through!  Below are some pictures of the final mural, but you can view all of the final mural photographs and all of our progress work from start to finish at the Summer of Work and Learning Mural Team Blog.  You can also view mural pictures from previous summers.

"In Bloom"

Design © Laura DeDonato

Summer 2012

If you know of any walls in Brockton, MA that would be perfect for a mural, please let me know!

A Commission Come True!

Purple Begonia
Commissioned wrap around Acrylic Painting
3' x 4' x 1.5"
© Laura DeDonato


Most of my work is commissioned, but when I get the rare chance to do a painting for myself I almost always choose between a flower and a portrait. So, when I was commissioned to paint a flower, it was a dream come true.

I worked with the clients to pick the perfect flower and palette for their bedroom. We agreed on a purple flower with lots of petals. Everywhere I went, I was constantly searching for the perfect, inspiring flower. And, one day there it was, a white tuberous begonia. I took a photograph and digitally altered it to make it purple. Once approved, I started painting and 3 months later, the painting was delivered.

I miss seeing it every day in my studio, but I know it will bring happiness to its new owners!



Note: More pictures to come. Due to the paintings large size, it has been difficult to capture its true colors. The reproduction file is currently being retouched to capture the original painting's color.

Edison Indoor Mural Project - Afterschool Program at the Keith Center

Waiting and ready to be hung, the afterschool Edison indoor mural portrait paintings are complete. It will be framed in the Edison Conference room in the Keith Center in Brockton, MA. Preparations for an invention mural mixed with some of Edison's firsts in Brockton have begun and will be painted and installed on the opposite side of the room.

The three panels show Edison as a child, young man and in his later years. Edison's interest in invention and entrepreneurial endeavors was sparked at a young age. The conference room is used for meetings with people all over the state as well as students from Brockton school. The panels will be installed with the young Edison in the middle with the other two looking towards him as a reminder of the powerful contributions one can make at any age and how important trial, error and persistence is to growth.

From Snow to Sand...

Beach Time Memories
Commissioned Family Portrait
Mixed Media wrap around painting
12"x16"x1.5"
© Laura DeDonato

One of the best parts of my work is bringing memories to life, and sometime back to life. The gentleman who commissioned this portrait of his kids for his wife as a Christmas gift came to me with a cute picture. The only problem was that the photograph was a printed scan of the original, which was washed out, scratched and had a fold in it (see photograph below). I was able to take the photo and recapture the memory as he described it in a painting. I brightened the colors and added more contrast and a light source. I also added some textured medium to the sand which gives it a great 3D effect in person. The painting continues around the edges, so it doesn't need a frame, and it draws you in from all sides. The kids are now 18 and 20, so I hope the whole family had a Merry Christmas and enjoys the painting!



Happy Holidays and wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Winter Dreams - Update

Lanam Club, North Andover, MA
Holiday Card Illustration

Painting size: 11" x 14"
Print size: 5"x7" Folded Card
Mixed Media
© Laura DeDonato

I was excited to receive a Lanam Club holiday card in the mail! I had a great time painting a classic snowy scene without needing any snow gear to go outside here in Boston!

Website Updates and Another Sneak Peak!

I recently updated my website and will be adding new sections over the next few months, so check it out to make sure you don't miss anything! LNDstudio.com


I am in love with a portrait I am working on, which will be a Christmas present for my client's wife. I couldn't resist sharing an in progress detail of it! It will be done next week, but of course, I won't be able to share the entire painting until after Christmas!

"Playing in the Sand" - detail
12" x 16" Commissioned Portrait
Acrylic Mixed Media (sand texture!)
© Laura DeDonato

Still trying to come up with the perfect present???
Laura DeDonato Illustration GIFT CERTIFICATES are available, give the gift of custom art! Contact me for more information at LNDstudio@comcast.net