I certainly think my
skills improved throughout the year which I credit to the previous year’s practice
creating miniatures. I was amazed how much that practice paid off and think it shows
when I switch to larger illustrations. This year I also happened to create the
smallest illustration I have ever made so let’s start there!
Fellow artist Sea
Dean introduced me to this niche little movement of postage stamp art. The
operation is run by Friends and Faux https://friendsandfaux.wordpress.com/info/
and the idea is that each artist creates an original piece of art, the size of
a postage stamp, in the allotted spaces on the reverse and then mails it
forward to another artist until all the slots are filled. Once it is complete
the postcard is returned to Friends and Faux to be displayed. Below is my teeny
tiny addition to the postcard I was sent followed by the postcard as it was
when I sent it off to its next destination.
Lion Cub postage
stamp
Watercolour markers,
Prismacolour pencils and Sakura white gel pen on Bristol vellum card.
Postage stamp, approx.
0.9 x 0.6” (or 2.5 x 1.5cm)
Friends and Faux
Postcard ready to be mailed!
Next up is a piece I
started in 2013 but never quite got around to finishing, that is until January
2014 when I decided I really must put the final touches to it. Completing
the below magpie was very satisfying especially since it had been on my ‘to do’
list for quite some time. I’m not sure why but I really like magpies (aside the
awful noise they make) and had wanted to make a larger illustration of one for
quite some time. I also wanted the challenge of attempting to draw wings in
perspective and boy was it a challenge. I was pleased with how this turned out
and it was also well received among my peers.
Even better this
image ended up being selected for use by Darcy Nybo in her short children’s
story named Emma Jean Finds a Friend, fantastic! More on Darcy and story
illustrations later though since that didn’t happen until 2015.
Treasure Seeker
Waterman ink,
Prismacolour pencils, Micron ink and Sakura white gel pen on cartridge paper.
Letter, approx. 11 x
8”
The below
illustration was created for a monthly competition set out by Colored Pencil
Magazine. I
recall agonizing over this illustration for a very long time. It took well over
a week of short (3-4hr) drawing sessions to reach completion. Oddly, once I
decided to draw the line and call it done, I was quite dissatisfied with the
final. I think this occurred purely because I stared at it for far too long and
because I compared it to the many other artists who drew from the same image.
After a time, I grew to love it and now believe it is possibly my best
realistic cat portrait to date!
One honour was that
Colored Pencil Magazine bumped me into their advanced category instead of
adding me to the beginner section as I had specified. I chose beginner because
it is very rare for me to work purely in coloured pencil and nothing else.
Hey-ho they obviously assumed I was a pro with this medium! Best of all this
kitty was matted and framed and has now found a new forever home. I’ll admit I
was a touch sad to see it go but also ecstatic to know that the buyers fell in
love with the piece – there is no greater accolade as an artist. ^_^
Cat in a Sunbeam
Waterman ink, Micron
ink, Prismacolour pencils and Sakura white gel pen on Bristol vellum card.
Letter, 8.5 x 11”
Below is one of those
pieces that just seemed to sit on my desk forever. True it is a fairly complex
layout but somehow it always got put on the back-burner. The reason for this is
probably because I had so much else going on and I knew that this piece could
wait. Yes, it’s another story related image! I quite enjoy creating layouts so
it was a lot of fun trying to design what a section of the central part of the
main city would look like. The large block on the left that has a diamond
pattern is part of a huge spiral tower. The diamond shapes are meant to be
slotted together pieces of vibrant green glass that shimmer when they catch the
sunlight. I’m assuming they don’t reflect enough light to start any fires!! I
do hope to eventually colour this layout, perhaps digitally but hey that might
take another three years.
Draygun City Layout
Prismacolour
col-erase pencils on cartridge paper
Letter, 8.5 x 11”
The below three
illustrations were created for an Erotic art show. Now ‘erotic’ would not be my
usual choice of subject but I thought it would be interesting to give it a go. I
decided not to do anything too risqué, so don’t get your hopes up lol. Racy art
really isn’t my thing and of course my mind went straight to my fictional
characters. Since I nearly always draw the figures of my characters before I clothe
them I figured it wouldn’t be too difficult to do a few shirtless examples. I
chose men over women because I figured more artists would draw women and
popping a few men in there, even cartoonish ones might balance it out.
We were also asked to
add a one-line statement for each entry so I decided to get artsy and make a
short poem for each one which I will include under the pictures. Also, yes,
these three characters were purposefully designed to look similar to one
another.
This first one below
is actually a print from one of my original ACEOs that I first created for a
theme week challenge in one of the ACEO groups I belong to. I think the theme
was either roses or valentines but can’t quite remember. This image was the catalyst
for the theme of my ‘erotic’ pieces and dictated which other two characters I
would draw. I’m not sure why I decided to take this route because I’m not well
practiced at drawing flowers and roses aren’t something I revere trying to
render.
The character’s name
is Adeth and the print was created using Hahnemuhle fine art paper then embellished using watercolour
markers and Prismacolour pencils. I decided to recolour and re-edge the whole
image to make the colours more vibrant than the original so that it would
better tie in with the rest of the set.
Roses are Red
Embellished Print,
Watercolour markers and Prismacolour pencils on Hahnemuhle fine art paper
Letter, approx. 11 x 8.5”
Statement:
Roses are Red and
Adeth is blue,
This poet’s hand
outstretched
In hopes you approve.
The below character
is named Luk. I decided to add a bit of magic into this one with the
telekinetic floating rose petals. This character is meant to look a bit sickly,
mean and um, well strange since he isn’t the most balanced of personas. I
imagine being in Luk’s boudoir would make anyone feel uncomfortable, including
him lol!
His World
Watercolour markers
and Prismacolour pencils on Bristol vellum card
Letter, 11 x 8.5”
Statement:
Fragile beauty and
broken grace,
A fading flower
reflects this space,
Stay here he beckons
and my world embrace.
Another weird one;
the below character is named Kale (yes like the vegetable) and he’s a few to the left of sanity. What I really wanted to capture with this piece was a piercing
gaze which I think I achieved. I imagine locking eyes with this character to
feel quite intense as though he is looking right into or through you.
Awakening
Watercolour markers
and Prismacolour pencils on Bristol vellum card
Letter, 11 x 8.5”
Statement:
Bright night of
jagged thorns,
Twisted vines at breaking
dawn,
Light once lost, ever
scorned,
Awaken now to new
ties formed.
Sadly, the show ended
up being cancelled due to lack of interest. This last piece however did make it
into a different show to which I attended the opening. I recall it was winter
and utterly freezing outside so I had on a huge purple duffel coat with my
fluffy hood drawn tight to a close. The second we stepped into the gallery I
roasted in that coat because it was a packed out with people! I’ll admit I was
surprised just how many folks turned out to see the art on display that night
and being nervous just made me sweat even more intolerably – argh!
Glad to say I did get
to speak to a few of the patrons despite the fact that it was difficult to hear
anyone above the chatter. I was asked by one person what the roses meant in ‘Awakening.’
They wanted to know the significance of the vines being threaded through his
arms. To this day I don’t have a great answer to that question beyond, ‘he’s an
insane and sadistic character that self-heals.’ It was an answer that got a
look of intrigue that’s for sure!
Anyway, that’s all
from me for this entry, see you again next time :)
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