"Endless Love"

Valentine's Day Card Illustration, 2014

SCM Transportation, Somerville, MA

Mixed Media

© Laura DeDonato

 

Endless love... and the SCM Transportation vans driving over the hills and far away, spreading love. Happy to be able to do this year's 2014 Valentine's Day card for SCM Trasportation! Too bad this year's theme didn't require me to buy extra chocolate for reference!

Commissioned Map, 2013

Mixed Media, Digital, 36" x 24"

© Laura DeDonato

Maps take many forms, and have different purposes. Some show you how to get some where and others show the journey. This "map" poster, printed 24" x 36", was commissioned as a gift that combined personal lyrics and places the recipient has traveled. Starting with their hometown of York, Maine, it spirals in towards their current home. It is a reminder that home is where the heart is.

"City of Champions: Football"

Summer of Work and Learning 2013

Outdoor mural 21ft x 54ft

While I love flowers, sports and portraits are always at the top of my list for favorite themes.  I was over the moon to get the opportunity to design a football themed mural with the Patriots and Brockton Boxers for this incredible wall.  It took me 4 years to get approval for this wall, and it was absolutely worth the wait!  It's located at the corner of Belmont and Main Street on The Money Market building (245 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301). 

The mural's backdrop is Brockton High School's Marciano Stadium, including the 2 ton, 20ft statue of Rocky Marciano.  The mural includes Brockton standouts Greg McMurtry (top right) and Jason Vega (bottom left), both of which spent time with the Patriots.  Coach Colombo, the winningest coach in Massachusetts history over his 34 years with BHS, celebrates on the shoulders of his players.  He is flanked by Patriot legends and Super Bowl Champions, Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi.  Gillette Stadium (top right) and one of the many state championship trophies (center) also appear in the mural.    

 I am so proud of my interns' dedication and hard work, and I had another amazing summer with Nan Shea. It's our biggest wall yet, 21.33' x 54' and required me to learn how to operate a scissor lift!  I'm excited to see what the 2014 Summer of Work and Learning has in store for us!

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

Winter Dreams - Sneak Peak

Holiday Card Illustration - detail
5"x7" Folded Card
Mixed Media
© Laura DeDonato

The best of both worlds... I have thoroughly enjoyed the recent, but unusual 60 degree days, sipping gingerbread coffee and painting this winter wonderland scene for a client's holiday card mailing. I have to wait until it's sent out to share the entire image, but I couldn't wait to share a detail of it... Enjoy!

It's a Wonderful Life!

"It's a Wonderful Life"
Ursuline Academy's Brescia Ball
Brochure Cover, 8.5" x 11"
Mixed Media
© Laura DeDonato

I had the pleasure of working on the print material for this year's Brescia Ball. I was excited to be able to incorporate a painting into the design and enjoyed the early start of the holiday season in my studio! Above is the brochure cover, the same theme follows through in the invitation, rsvp, directions and envelopes.

It's a Wonderful Life!

Holiday illustrations based on
"It's a Wonderful Life" theme, Mixed Media.

Holiday season is in full swing
with holiday cards and event invitation illustrations!

Two versions of an illustration commissioned for an upcoming event's invitation and print materials (they're using the top version, but I always love to look at saturated versions). The event logo will go in the center red ornament. Once the invitation packet is mailed, I will post the complete designs.

When I was asked to sketch ideas for an "It's a Wonderful Life" themed event, I thought back to the many times I've watched that movie with my family...I mean it's on every Christmas! I thought about my favorite scene when George Bailey returns home, the ringing of the bells on the tree to give Clarence his wings, and the uplifting moment when his community pitches in to help him and his family. This moment was my inspiration for this piece.

These illustrations can be modified to accommodate any logo. Please contact me to use these illustrations or to commission your own!

Educational Mural

"Rising", 2011

Keith Center
175 Warren Avenue, Brockton, MA 02301

Adding some color to brighten up downtown! This is the second mural at the Keith Center and it is in view of the 2010 Shoe Industry Mural on Legion Parkway. The Brockton Mural Crew is taking over the area!

This year's Summer of Work and Learning program mural has been well received by the community and visitors using this entrance to the Keith Center. With the support of the program, the 21st Century, and BPS we were able to get the dumpsters to the right of the mural moved. It can now be viewed from Warren Ave, Legion Parkway, and Frederick Douglass Ave!

We'll be starting the search for next year's wall soon, so send us your ideas!

Pathways Center Mural

"The Road Not Taken"

Pathways Center panel mural
Downtown Work & Learn after-school program
Keith Center, Brockton, MA
2011

It's all finished and up in the Pathways Center! I'm so proud of the students and their hard work, it looks amazing. There have already been some great stories about teachers and visitors talking to the "student" in front of the mural, asking them about it and then discovering that they were only talking to a wall. Priceless.

Now it's time to gear up for the summer mural program! See you all outside in downtown Brockton!

A Wedding in Mexico, how it should be remembered...

Every bride and groom wants their pictures to capture their wedding day. The perfect image to remember your perfect day. You deserve it! But, sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate. (Sorry bridezillas, you can't force the sun out of those clouds.) And, as great as Photoshop is, sometimes you just can't get the lighting, contrast, colors, composition the way you want them. Here's where I come in. A painting is a great way to create the day as you remember it, in all its glory or maybe the way you always pictured it.

I was commissioned to paint this portrait as a wedding gift, a "fun picture" they thought would translate well into a portrait. The photograph was fun, a couple on the beach with the groom in a bright orange swim suit. The only problem was that the photograph was very dark, I could barley see their faces. There just wasn't enough sun to bring out the turquoise water, blue sky or his orange trunks to do it justice.

Here's the reference photo I was given for the portrait:

See what I mean?


Well, with some other photos and some magic I created a painting worthy of their big day (I think):


Congratulations to the couple, it looks like their wedding was a blast!

Update on the Pathways Mural

"The Road Not Taken"/Pathways Center
6' x 11' Panel Mural

Here's an update for the Pathways Center mural in progress at the Keith Center. It's slowly coming along, we're starting to add texture, highlights and shadows.

The mural will have two cut out life size figures in front of the mural, deciding which path to take. It will be installed at the end of a long hallway, where you can go left or right. People from all over the city come for meetings, workshops, and programs in the Pathways Center.