There isn’t that much to tell, really. I just saw this cupcake in the bakery, took it home, and then took it on a journey through various mediums.

First I sketched it:

Then I created a linocut. Sidenote: this is my first linocut since I took printmaking in college so long ago. For anyone who doesn’t know, linocut is a printmaking technique related to woodcuts. Instead of wood, you carve into a sheet of linoleum.

Instant gratification! At least with the help of a printmaker friend of mine who has all the equipment. You can check out her shop and her brilliant work here.

Of course, I do a lot of realism and lately I’ve been on a realism kick, painting doughnuts and so on. It’s nice to use a technique which forces me to think about line and the bigger picture. There is a rough-hewn, endearing quality to linocut I just love.

After loosening up with these techniques, I finally sat down to paint the cupcake, doing what I do best:

For something a little different, the ground is slightly abstract, featuring loose swipes of light pink, blue, and yellow.

Check it out here in my Etsy shop. When I get an edition printed of the linocut version, that will be up in my shop, too!

See more of my lovingly painted baked goods in my last blog post.