Going AWOL for life (well, not really...)

So I disappeared for a few months, wasn't that interesting? Sometimes life can throw you a curveball and you just have to go and deal with it. I'm back now, though, and casting a cold eye over my work...and while I can see the first fumbl9ings of an idea, there's nothing really substantal there yet. Time to roll the sleeves up and start thinking outside the box - stay tuned!

Work in process, with a working title!

This is my 'Icy Lady', the piece I'm working on at the moment, sorry about the darkness of the photo. It's 60cmX60cm, and acrylics on canvas.

She looks a bit 'big handed' at the moment, but so was the original model! I'm also trying to get some green undertones into the shadows of this figure. I think it seems to be working!

Vulnerability

Vulnerability, acrylics on canvas

This is a small canvas (30cmX40cm) but there is something I really like about it; maybe it's the pose of the model (I used it for a small watercolour previously) or the abstract, yet organic, background.

I think I'll try to take a better photo of it tomorrow in the daylight, as there is a bit of shine from my camera flash. I've also decided that I really like the juxtaposition between the figurative foreground and the abstract background and I already have an idea for another piece that plays with this contrast

Art Squared: 'Vulnerable', 'Spring', and 'Faded Memory'

Three wee illustrations (4"X4") in watercolour and ink on paper.

Illustration Friday: Save

Save me, it's a jungle out there!

Acrylics on Canvas, 70cm X 100 cm approx



I think it's the positioning of the hands, but there is something about this painting that reminds me of Penelope Pitstop ... save me, save me!

Storm Coming...

'Storm Coming'

Acrylics on Canvas

50 cm X 50 cm

It seems I spoke too soon earlier, I actually finished this piece today - go me! The text on the canvas is a new departure for me and there are elements I really like about it. I can see myself integrating text into my work again.

So, onto the 'Save' piece tomorrow, for illustration Friday, and then I want to do a few 'miniature' paintings and see what happens....

Edited to add: I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'text, what text?'

To make a long story short, I decided that i didn't like it on this canvas after all (artist's prerogative!) although I still love the concept. Maybe I'll use it for a collage piece, not sure yet....

Ye Olde Works in Progress.

So, this week's prompt for Illustration Friday is 'Save', and I've got just the painting for it... If I get it finished in time...

It's acrylics on canvas and is roughly 70cm X 100 cm, so it's a bit on the large side, but I do like the almost 'Penelope Pitstop' pose she has, with her pleading hands.

Help, Help, save me!




Also, my 'Storm Coming' painting is coming along, although I'm having trouble working with the eye. All the same, I think I should be moving along to next layer of this painting tomorrow and adding my 'text'.

Then I think I'll leave it be and consider it done!

Drawing by Me, Colour by Photoshop!

Another first for me.

I did the original line drawing, scanned it into the computer and used photoshop to play with colour and textures. I can see why a lot of illustration artists use this technique nowadays. It does take a lot of the fear out of it (because you can always take a step backwards!) and it's a lot of fun playing with the textures!

One thing, though,I'd definitely be a lot less timid about my pencil and marker lines next time, I think they're too 'sketchy' here!

New Scanner/Printer - Mark 2 - and ACEO's

So I took advantage of late night shopping and went into town to get the printer exchanged. After much discussion and waving of receipts (okay, I'm exaggerating a little :-P) I got a different one and brought it home. I've just set it up and it works.

Yay, much throwing of confetti.

I decided to take my new toy for a test drive and scan in an ACEO 'triptych' I'm submitting to an online magazine. For those of you who don't know, an ACEO is short for ‘Art cards, Editions and Originals' and are basically really, really tiny artworks (2.5 X 3.5 inches)

Dragon Landing (watercolour and ink)

Grrr, Argh!

I’m definitely having one of those days.

This week, my scanner decided to go to that great big scanner heaven in the sky, so I decided to get a new one (all the better to upload my Illustration Friday piece, my dear.)

So I go shopping and discover problem number one; a plain, simple scanner is actually a bit difficult to find, nowadays, it seems to be all about those all-in-one scanner/printer jobs.

Well, okay, I said to myself, I could probably do with a more modern printer, anyway….

I buy the thing, I get home, and what happens?

It doesn’t work! Nothing, nada, the power connection is dodgy as far as I can make out.

Grr, argh….

Here’s my Gruesome Goblin (uploaded with my dearly departed scanner) who looks how I feel!

Works in Progress and the Workings of my Mind

When a Homage’ can be a Work in Progress.

I always remember the advice I got from a tutor, many years ago:

When the ideas aren’t flowing, keep drawing, even if it’s only a sketch of the view from your window, or the milk carton in your fridge. Sometimes the mind can come up with some amazing stuff when your hands are occupied.

And this is what I had in mind when I decided to have a go at Illustration Friday this week.

The prompt?

Homage.

Which, of course, got me thinking; I mean, should I try for a homage of a person, or an artist, or artistic style? In an effort to get the creative juices going, I looked up the word ( using the power of google ;-P ) and came up with this, an old entry from Webster’s dictionary:


Definition:

\Hom"age\, n. [OF. homage, homenage, F. hommage, LL.
hominaticum, homenaticum, from L. homo a man, LL. also, a
client, servant, vassal; akin to L. humus earth, Gr.? on the
ground, and E. groom in bridegroom. Cf. {Bridegroom},
{Human}.]

1. (Feud. Law) A symbolical acknowledgment made by a feudal
tenant to, and in the presence of, his lord, on receiving
investiture of fee, or coming to it by succession, that he
was his man, or vassal; profession of fealty to a
sovereign.

2. Respect or reverential regard; deference; especially,
respect paid by external action; obeisance.

All things in heaven and earth do her [Law] homage.
--Hooker.

I sought no homage from the race that write. --Pope.

3. Reverence directed to the Supreme Being; reverential
worship; devout affection. --Chaucer.

Syn: Fealty; submission; reverence; honor; respect.

Usage: {Homage}, {Fealty}. Homage was originally the act of a
feudal tenant by which he declared himself, on his
knees, to be the hommage or bondman of the lord; hence
the term is used to denote reverential submission or
respect. Fealty was originally the fidelity of such a
tenant to his lord, and hence the term denotes a
faithful and solemn adherence to the obligations we
owe to superior power or authority. We pay our homage
to men of pre["e]minent usefulness and virtue, and
profess our fealty to the principles by which they
have been guided.

Go, go with homage yon proud victors meet ! Go,
lie like dogs beneath your masters' feet !
--Dryden.

Man, disobeying, Disloyal, breaks his fealty,
and sins Against the high supremacy of heaven.
--Milton.


\Hom"age\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Homaged}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Homaging}.] [Cf. OF. hommager.]
1. To pay reverence to by external action. [R.]

2. To cause to pay homage. [Obs.] --Cowley

So, when we pay homage to someone, are we truly giving fealty? Is an artist giving up their free will to the original concept? I started thinking about icons, and the double meaning there, too, and my brain went off on a total tangent. It quickly became clear, to me, that my homage may not be a homage at all, but an allegory about they way we look at the world, and who we consider worthy of fealty, nowadays. Who, exactly, do we bow down to?

Our leaders, our Gods, Posh and Becks?


So, first came the doodle. For me, the first image that came to mind was Marilyn Monroe, one of the biggest cultural icons of the 20th century, and still a strong influence. I seem to see her image everywhere. On posters, on bags and purses, even cutlery. What is that, if not homage? I mean, when you think of a blonde in a white dress, who comes to mind?

I used the 'triptych' format on purpose, It was a art form developed to facilitate worship and prayer after all, and painted my 'Marilyn' figure.

All Hail Marilyn Monroe...

I then decided to play with the idea some more and got out my water colours.

I had great fun with this, with some rather silly touches (Like my tiny figures in the top corners wiith shades) and decided to work some more with the composition on a larger format


Which is how I ended up transferring this composition to acrylic on canvas board - still not finished, as you can see. Hopefully, it will be finished by Friday. I tend to take forever to finish a piece to my satisfaction!




And Now for Other Pages From my Idea Pad


Something Fishy Happening Here?

I was playing around with illustrative styles, and came up with this, which may actually make it out of my sketchpad, and become a proper piece.

I like the connection between the waves and the figure; aquatic without wandering in to the realms of the mermaid (although there may be a selkie element) and my free floating fish do appeal to me...





Ratty Strikes Again

And my habit of have an inner narrative going, while doodling, strikes again. Usually, it all disappears from my head the moment I realise what I‘m doing, but sometimes I remember snippets. Like for ratty here….








And my Other Work in Progress….

And I even made a wee bit of progress in that other Work in Progress I’m in the midst of. I think I’ll call it ‘Storm Coming’, it seems apt:




You know, I think I may have to come to terms with the idea that I may be a surrealist at heart….

Painting on a Sunday

So it was a lazy, hazy (although not very sunny) Sunday afternoon, and I decided to take full advantage of my ‘free gaff’’.

I plugged in my MP3 player into the speakers and picked up a paintbrush, revelling in the freedom of painting with loud music without having to worry about disturbing anybody else’s peace.

At the moment, I’m doing a series of paintings in acrylics on canvas and playing with the juxtaposition of figurative art and symbolism. It’s still getting off it's feet, as I’m using both new media (acrylic on canvas), and new styles and techniques.

I have two paintings done in this series already, but I feel they’re really just nibbling around the edges of the new style I’m forming:







The third painting, however, seems to be taking a step closer and I’m quite happy about the direction its going

It’s a work in progress, and these are quick snaps taken on my digital camera, which isn’t the best in the world, but it does get the idea across, I think…

This is the initial sketch



And my initial marks on the canvas...

Illustrations and me

And so it begins!

I thought I'd post an illustration to get the ball rolling! This piece is called 'Sleeping Beauty', which was commissioned for an article called 'Adoption and Myth'.

I'll be posting other pieces over the next few days, including new work, as well as my musings about my work , and maybe a dash of angst - hey, it is a blog, after all. What were you expecting... reticence?

At the moment, I'm trying to write and illustrate my own children's book, as well as get a one woman show off the ground. The former is a wee bit of a pipe dream and I don't know if it'll go anywhere (but I'll share my sketches and illustrations here, anyway!) The latter is actually in the works, and stressing me out like mad

Other Illustrative artwork will be posted here too, as I tend to go off on tangents on a regular basis.

GALLERY

This is where I'll post all the finished paintings I've completed since starting this blog! I'll be adding to it as I go along

The 'Inner Life' Series




ACEOS, (Artist Cards Editions and Originals)

ACEOS are tiny little artworks, 2.5"X3.5" in size, and are produced by many artists nowadays as a way of making art affordable to many people who normally couldn't afford to original art for their homes.

Dragon Landing (watercolour and ink)



Art Squared (Art2)


Art Squared wWorks on the same premise, except these works are a bit larger (4"X4"). Most of my Art Squared pieces are watercolour and ink, with a dash of goache, on paper.