outdoors

Wood Lands Map

| terriaw

There’s always a big list of ideas to draw, brewing in my head. My husband recently suggested I draw a map. Which I jumped on right away. I love looking at maps!

This illustration project was a lot of fun to play make believe and dream up a new wood lands.

Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm

I started out with a version in my sketchbook using colored pencils. I loved it so much I did a second version on Arches paper with watercolor paints so I could have it as a stand-alone print.

Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm

This illustrated map is full of deer grazing in a clover meadow, fox and raccoons drinking from a river, bunnies romping among the trees, squirrels hanging out in their tree hollow, turkeys chasing each other, bear surveying the woods where their secret den is. There’s also a crow and hawk flying overhead.

Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm
Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm
Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm
Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm
Woodlands map by Terri Wilhelm

Fallen logs allow for crossing the river and tracks help you make your way on the trail. A couple run-down outbuildings might be a good spot to rest and have a picnic.

January’s great illustration project was all about Stargazing, February was all about this woodlands illustration map. Stay tuned for next month’s great illustration project!

Woodlands Advent Calendar

| terriaw

I had a lot of fun making this Woodlands Advent Calendar in Melanie Chadwick’s class.

Woodland Advent Calendar by Terri Wilhelm

The front piece is a tree with doors cut into it for each day. I painted the background with watercolor and the tree with colored pencils and Neocolor II wax pastels.

Woodland Advent Calendar by Terri Wilhelm

The piece behind is a grid of woodland flora and fauna illustrations for each day of Advent.

Woodland Advent Calendar by Terri Wilhelm
Woodland Advent Calendar by Terri Wilhelm

I also cut out a mat frame to put over the illustrations so I could display this all year long.

Woodland Advent Calendar by Terri Wilhelm

I adore Advent calendars so I’m already starting a second one with a frosty blue background for winter animals.

New Wild Things Collection

Wreath drawings by Terri Wilhelm
| terriaw

I started a new collection in my online shop called Wild Things, which is filling up with more fun products with my illustrations printed on them, such as ornaments and postcards, new tote bags, stickers and coasters!

Wreath drawings by Terri Wilhelm

I adore doing these nature-inspired wreath illustrations with some of my favorite sayings in my sketchbook with watercolor and colored pencils, and then turning them into fun products!

Ornaments by Terri Wilhelm

Ornament by Terri Wilhelm

Ornament by Terri Wilhelm

Ornament by Terri Wilhelm

Coaster by Terri Wilhelm

Stickers by Terri Wilhelm

A few screenshots from my online shop of new products:

Tote bag by Terri Wilhelm

Coasters by Terri Wilhelm

I’m always drawing, practicing and filling up sketchbook pages with nature-inspired illustrations so check back for more fun projects!

I Love Stickers

Animal Faces Sticker Sheet by Terri Wilhelm
| terriaw

I love stickers of all kinds so I’m having lots of fun creating stickers with a variety of my illustrations, and creating illustrations that I can turn into stickers. I’m also working on getting my artwork printed on coasters and ornaments.

Thankful Sticker by Terri Wilhelm

Animal Faces Sticker Sheet by Terri Wilhelm

Animal Faces Sketchbook by Terri Wilhelm

Stickers by Terri Wilhelm
Stickers by Terri Wilhelm

I have sketchbooks full of illustrations that would work perfectly for stickers and sticker sheets, coasters, ornaments and more, so stay tuned!

Let me know if you’re interested in any of the stickers featured in this post!

Daydreaming Fox

| terriaw

Remember this illustration I did in my sketchbook of a daydreaming fox? I used watercolor for the background and base layer and colored pencils for the details.

With a little Photoshop magic, I turned it into a badge for advertising my illustration business on Illustrators For Hire.

I recently had the illustration printed on a coffee mug and a zipper pouch! How beautiful are these!

Check them out in my new nature center gift shop!

New Collection – Great Lakes Wildlife Products

great lakes wildlife mug by terri wilhelm
| terriaw

I’m so excited to announce that I have a new collection of products to share with the world with my Great Lakes Wildlife illustrations printed on them!

I love nature centers and gift shops but I can never seem to find the products I’m looking for. So I created my own – Terri’s Nature Center Gift Shop – which carries a mug, tumbler, water bottle, chili or soup bowl, tea towel, string backpack, tote bag, notebook, gift wrap sheets, zipper pouches and so much more!

It’s a print-on-demand shop which means the item gets printed as soon as you order it and then it’s shipped directly to you. It also means I don’t have to buy a quantity upfront to store in my house and then do the shipping on my own.

I am also working on ordering a supply of items so I can do art fairs next year.

I created the original illustrations on a large sheet of paper with watercolor and colored pencils, inspired by wildlife commonly found in the region where I live, so it’s called the Great Lakes Wildlife collection.

I’ve been ordering prototypes and have been very happy with everything.

I also have a fun sticker shop where you can order some of my nature illustrations as stickers and temporary tattoos. More coming soon!

Stay wild sticker by Terri Wilhelm
Stay wild sticker by Terri Wilhelm
fox sticker by Terri Wilhelm
fox sticker by Terri Wilhelm

Go check out all these new and wonderful goodies! And help me celebrate a dream come true!

If you are a retail store or a nature center interested in carrying these products, please contact me!

Hiking Adventures

| terriaw

I looked at my camera roll for the past couple months and realized I managed to go hiking every week/weekend for over 10 weeks. So many wonderful micro adventures really makes me happy!

I went to Owen Conservation Park a couple times, which is only a few minutes from my office, making it very convenient to go for a quick hike on a lunch break. It sits on top of a hill overlooking part of the city, with prairies full of coneflowers and goldenrods in summer and fall and oak savannas and woodlands. I like to take the most outer, longest trail which goes through both prairie and woodland terrain and is about one mile. What a wonderful mid-day reprieve from sitting in front of a computer!

We hiked the trail close to our house which goes for miles and miles through the city and to the next few towns. It’s an old railroad track that was converted to a trail, used by many hikers, runners, bikers and cross-country skiers and snowmobilers in winter.

I also hiked a few times in the woods at my parent’s lake house in northern Wisconsin, which is always a treat. These trails are so off-the-beaten-path that we rarely run into others.

On another beautiful weekend day, we hiked in the Arboretum, on trails through the Lost City Forest, which was a thick woods and narrow winding footpath trails and a couple boardwalks crossing creeks. It was quite magical with all the cool lichen and mushrooms we noticed throughout the woods.

We hiked one of our favorite places, Indian Lake County Park, again taking the longest trail winding all the way around the park, mostly through hilly woods. Always magical there!

We were lucky to go hiking twice in the same weekend on trails close to our house. One was new to us, Madison School Forest, an old oak forest open to the public and used for school programming. There were so many oak and maple leaves on the trail that we couldn’t see the trail for awhile. We had the place all to ourselves so it was very peaceful and tranquil.

I don’t travel much so love going out on these local micro adventures which are like mini vacations. It’s especially a treat to be able to get out there during the work week. So good for my mental health and my adventurous spirit. I’m hoping for lots of winter hiking in the next few months.

Take A Hike – Christmas Eve

| terriaw

I went for a hike on Christmas Eve with my parents. It was wonderful to try out a trail new to me and so close to my parent’s house.

I was in awe that these great trails and woods are right in the city. What a reprieve and escape from the daily grind.

We saw a few tress that the beavers have been working on. I’ve never seen that before so it was a cool sight to see first-hand. Too bad we never saw any beavers though.I spotted this little bit of lichen which looked like foam – a cool find and great inspiration for a future sketchbook illustration.

The Milwaukee River was starting to freeze so it was mesmerizing to watch the ice dams flowing.

Hiking is a wonderful way to spend time on a quiet holiday. And always one of my favorite things to do, no matter what day it is. I savor these moments of solitude in the peaceful woods.

Take A Hike – Thanksgiving Day

| terriaw

I went for a hike on Thanksgiving day, before the food fest. I have been going to the same trail that’s close to my house because it’s so convenient. I always try to notice different things, such as animals or birds on the move gathering their supplies for the upcoming winter weather, or interesting trees, shrubs and vegetation.

It’s been such a great stress reliever and way to relax and clear my head these days. I’m hoping to continue getting out there at least once a week as we move into colder winter weather.