Back in the creative ring...

After a period of creative frustration, my right hand seems healed back to its old self. I tested it out over the last few days with some intensive making, and said limb came up trumps. I'm back in the ring!

I discovered last Friday, whilst browsing a local paper, that an art exhibition run by Byron Community Centre was accepting entries in several categories. The closing date was the following Monday, which meant I had the weekend to get sorted. There was a watercolour and acrylics painting, 'Celestial Ocean', ready to go, it just needed framing up....

                                                     
I also wanted to put in one of the little dudes I make up, under the sculpture category. So, creative chaos ensued. I'm definitely not a neat person when amongst it. I like to be able to see all the beads, fabrics and wools I'm working with, which tend to be spread out all over the place. It's a bit like collage in three dimensions.

The head, especially facial features, is probably the most time consuming single part. I make it, then hands and feet out of Super Sculpey oven baked clay. Strengthened with lengths of wire inserted as a kind of armature. Then a body out of felt, and finally the clothes go over the top of it all.

Its a very organic process, no preliminary drawings, I just play with the clay. Then get inspired by the materials I have to hand. Often gathered at op shops, garage sales, as hand me downs or from chuck out piles.

Hopefully, resulting in the birthing of a little dude with character....

                                          

                  
I put my registration through yesterday. Now its a matter of waiting for the results to come in, to see if I get hung. The Byron Arts Classic exhibition goes up in early January and runs for a week.

Tai chi dragon....

I drew up this Chinese Dragon with calligraphy, that reads as Tai chi, for my teacher, who practices in the Yang style. Tai chi is an ancient 'internal' or 'soft' martial art, that has many movements sourced in observing nature, aswell as the more familiar kicks and punches. It is a very slow, graceful form, a kind of moving meditation. The different lineages, or styles, are usually named for the families who practiced, and passed them on.

Portrait of Amma...

I drew up this portrait of Amma, the love guru, for a devotee. A lady who is unwell in the moment but of strong spirit. I'm not really one for guru's, but a friend who spent time at her ashram took me, and a carload of other women, to see Amma. Her thing is to just hug people. Not a mwa mwa dahlingk type hug but a bountious embracing and holding. She hugged more than 1000 people the night we saw her. For hours on end, she hugged. Amazing. In India she sometimes embraces people for days on end, literally. She's pretty cool. You can read more about her and the other works shes involved with here.

Echidna tatu design...

Mika's back....

After a hiatus of several months, Mika, and her kids book story, are back on the drawing board. Shes had a makeover, as have the other characters and general style of the illustrations. The goal was a mix between traditional drawing and folk art. So Ive penciled in about seven of the twenty or so illustrations needed.

Im working on Arches100% cotton 185gsm watercolour paper, which is a bit lighter than Im used to, hence Im having to learn how to 'stretch' paper. Yep, like you do with canvas only different. Apparently it makes for ease of paint flow and stops buckling from washes.

Basically I got a 4 ply board and estapoled both sides and the edges to prepare it. Then you soak the watercolour paper in water for about ten minutes. Lifting it out you place it flat onto the prepared board, wiping off excess water. Then using special tape, which has a glue that activates when it gets wet, I taped the picture, with pencilwork side up, down to the board. Making sure to press out any bubbles or buckles. Ive just done this process with my first drawing, so apparently now i leave it to dry out on a flat surface, and then its time to add some colour to Mika's world. Exciting...

Little spirit....

Nicks Dragon....

This dragon was about 3 days in the birthing, designed to go in Nicks bedroom as a complement to a Tibetan prayer rug. Its 120cm by 40cm in size. Now that its finished itll be a little hard to give it over! Hopefully its 'schizy' enough for his tastes....

Green Turtle....Vulnerable species....

sketch based on a photograph taken by Dr Andrea Marshall in her work with manta rays www.queenofmantas.com

Carnaby's Black Cockatoo... Western Australian endangered species....

Natural history illlustration....

Before we moved from the urban jungle, I had applied to Newcastle Uni for a place in their Bachelor of Natural History Illustration, and to my surprise was accepted, but by then Id signed the lease on our new home, furthur north, and so was no longer able to attend. Recently I was delighted to find a new course of similar tangents run by Leonie Norton, externally from Sydney. Its a self paced process, periodically sending assignments in for feedback and comment. Modules include drawing techniques, painting techniques (largely watercolours) and then sections on reptiles, birds, mammals, plants, shells, feathers, crystals and rocks.So Ive begun study after recieving the first module last week.

This artform has always fascinated me, its detail and precision both a reproduction of natural beauty and an accurate description of the subjects characteristics which served as reference well before the age of the camera, and indeed still do today. Already my 'eye' is shifting, once you begin to look for natural source material the world comes alive with potentials and observation kicks in. Im enjoying the process so far....

ladyhawk....

little dudess....

Mika's coming along....

After many failed attempts, Ive managed to trim Mika's story down to about 730 words, owch, and have broken the text up into whats on what page. It seems a childrens picture book is from 500 to 1000 words, with the latter pushing it. The time has come to refine the scribble of my storyboards into individual roughs, and insert the more detailed pages Ive done, into a 'dummy' book thats the size it would be if published.

Already this is clarifying where images are flowing and interestingly composed, or a bit constipated or obvious. Im having to create backgrounds, depth and make sure that Mikas character, and the style of it all together, has continuity. That she doesnt age 5 years from one image to the next and is easily recognisable as herself, which has meant leaving some earlier drawings behind.

I'm yet to see the larger drawings Ive done scanned, and then reduced down to the 21.6cm X 21.6cm, and how they look. They're some in the post i hear! All i've seen are the photos Ive taken myself, not great quality thanks to a slight tremor that appears whenever I really want a clear shot. Ive found a printer nearby with an A2 scanner so next week ill take in some of the bigger works, 42cm x 42cm, and see how they turn out reduced. Im hoping the detail of the pencil work will shine through. Also time to invest in one of those multiskilling printer slash scanner slash photocopier thangs. Although writing text by hand does have a certain ambience...

Well, back to the drawing board for me...

Mika's story...

When I wandered onto the path of writing and illustrating a kids book i didnt really know what id stumbled into in terms of the process. The characters and worlds have evolved, seeming to continue too, through the combination of clarifying both text and images. Most childrens books are 32 pages long, so ive done a rough, or three, mapping out of what text, plus visuals, goes on which page. Some images will be double page spreads, others single page focus. The actual point where you turn the page can build suspense or drama, so its another tool.

Simply illustrating the words works sometimes, but there are times when a little mini story can take place in the visuals aswell. Something to be spotted, or a reappearing theme. My pencil marks are getting a little less anal and tight, some fluidity is creeping in, I figure if you're going to make strokes they may as well be fun to do, otherwise the tedium of drafting a full page could quite possibly create insanity! Mika herself is becoming less a babushka doll and more a girl, which is interesting. Im learning the importance of quick gesture and composition sketches to bounce ideas around, rather than launching into detailed drawing....

Im drawing double size, so that in reduction, detail work looks fancier. That means Im working on a square 42cm by 42cm for a full page, or 42cm by 21cm for a smaller image. The goal is to work up a 'dummy' book the actual finished size I would want if its ever published. So once I gather enough illustrations im happy with and the texts refined, I'll scan them and reduce them down, print them up and glue them into a mock up thats 21.6cm square. I decided to go with the square for something a little different.

An excellent side effect of these processes is that i just have to do research in the small peoples section of the library, watching programs on tv and movies aimed at the younger side of humanity. Although hopefully Mika will be enjoyed by grown ups that are reading her tale too. Ive shown the story so far to a several teachers, one who recommended ages 5 and up, but that said she also reads to babies and toddlers. Apparently theres no 'too soon' (or 'too late') when it comes to reading. It can only serve to increase comprehension and language skills.

Raven....

Mika....

"Once beyond time there was a very ordinary town. In the town square was a very respectable statue of the mayor, with the words “It’s just always been done that way.” Here dwelled a boy, named Mika, who’s favourate words were “Imagine if?”." 

It seems that drawings of characters that started off as tangential and experimental fun are coming together into a story as time goes on. I have notes, some roughs of illustration ideas and am now doing more detailed versions. Im chewing through the pacer pencil leads! Also happen to be enjoying the process.This is something Ive wanted to do for a long time thats evolving organically...   

cup o tea....

The wheel turns...