Illustrations for Thumbelina Reimagined
Watercolor, Ink, and Digital Media, 2019–Present
If you’ve heard the version of Thumbelina with a tiny, obedient, and helpless girl at the mercy of toads, who awaits rescue from one child marriage after another, drifts without aim through the woods, and is incapable of doing anything but singing sweetly, then you haven’t heard the real story. For several years, Claire Loon Baldwin has been developing a collection of illustrations for her fantasy novel-in-progress, reimagining Thumbelina as a feminist fairytale epic for middle grade to young adult audiences.
The project began in the summer of 2012, when Claire worked in Glacier National Park. The moss and lichen gardens, rocky streams, and wildflower-filled alpine valleys would become the backdrop of her story. The resulting Thumbelina story is an immersive work of imaginative realism, weaving together children’s and young adult literature, feminist themes, and a beautifully biodiverse environment.
The Opening Scene of Alena Thumb
Claire created this illustration of the opening scene of Alena Thumb in 2023 with watercolor and ink, and finished it digitally on Procreate.
The process was spread out over a year. Claire began by rendering it digitally in Procreate, then printing it with permanent ink onto Arches watercolor paper. She then painted it with watercolor, and added ink for emphasis. Last, she scanned it, then added finishing details in Procreate.
To download the first illustrated chapter of Alena Thumb, click the button below.
Character Ideation and Design
In 2022, Claire Loon Baldwin created a character concept design for Thumbelina, reimagined as a feminist adventurer and woodland barterer. Her ideation process began with researching traditional clothing made from plants throughout human history. She then sketched a wide range of character silhouettes, expressions, and clothing.
Once she'd settled on a character concept, she drew a 'turnaround', showing the Thumbelina character from both the front and the back, along with a variety of expressions, and important belongings.
Illustrating the Fairytale World of Thumbelina
Claire Loon Baldwin has created a wide range of illustrations depicting the world and characters of Thumbelina, using ink, gouache, watercolor, and digital media. Her style is partly inspired by Golden Age illustrators such as Arthur Rackham.
The black and white illustration, center, reimagines the iconic lily pad scene in Thumbelina - in this version, the protagonist takes things into her own hands. It was created with ink blots that were edited into a digital illustration.
