Illustration Friday - Clean

My Dad has been scanning in slides and negatives from our childhood. I went around to my parents' last night and one of the photos Dad was showing me was a baby me sitting in the back garden, up to my shoulders in fallen leaves. I think that's why this image came into my head when I saw the topic "Clean". Also, Dad has always been big on sweeping leaves, even to this day. My sister and I were distinctly less convinced of the need to sweep them up; I think we are intrinsically less neat than Dad.

Anyway, I dedicate this week's drawing to Dad. And the leaves (which continue to plague him by falling from the trees around about his house).

Book Cover - Mirrors of Casalasandria

I drew this book cover from my friend Tim. He has written a series of books about a cat called Mr. Smith and a girl called Miranda. No prizes for guessing who is who! The nasty two headed monster is an Acid-Gum Worm...he drools acidic bubblegum...

If you're interested in the book, check out this link here. It was fun to have to draw something "to order". I tried to make the characters resemble their descriptions - there's nothing I hate more than cover art where the characters look nothing like their descriptions (the hero with black hair, when in the book he has blond hair, for example). It shows the illustrator didn't even bother to read the book!

Etching - Gnarled tree

I've put this one up at the request of my husband. He really likes it. Certainly, it freaked out my boss at my old workplace - he thought it looked visceral. This imprint was done in black ink.

Poem - Night Flowers

Well, I'm a little nervous about posting poetry, but hey, if I'm daring enough to post artwork I can do anything. I wrote this poem a long time ago after walking home on a warm spring night.

Twelve o'clock; midnight:
It is dark.
The familar street
has become a pool of swimming darkness.
It is silent.
The roar of a car can
be heard breaking the still black night.
As I walk,
the tiny pebbles underfoot
press into the soles of my bare feet.
Then I smell
in the darkness
the heavy, rich scent of flowers filling the still air like a cloud.

Illustration Friday - Opposites

I was daring enough to try watercolour this week, which is not one of the mediums with which I am most comfortable. These fish are yin and yang fish - inspired by koi I saw in Japan. I really wanted to get the ripples to be more striking - I think that's something I'll have to practice.

I don't know why, but when I read the Illo Friday topic, this funny little cartoon popped into my head. I guess I thought of the saying that "opposites attract"!

Photo - Mother and child

I don't know why, but this photo has been in my head lately. Maybe it's because my own baby is about the age of the baby in the photo, and also loves to "stand up" and smile to see new people.

This photo was taken in Laos on the Mekong. I'm not even sure of the name of the place, or if it had a name - it was just a couple of booths by the side of the river. I couldn't speak much Laotian and the mother couldn't speak much English but we nevertheless had a very friendly interaction as I admired her adorable baby.

I gave the tour company with whom I went to Laos a copy of the photo and asked them to try and ensure that the mother got it. I don't think the mother would have a photo of her baby otherwise, and it's so candid and beautiful. I really hope that the mother and baby (now much older) are well and that they did get the copy of the photo.

Illustration Friday - Sacrifice

Well, I'm a total convert to Illustration Friday. Thank you to all the lovely people who left comments on my last drawing. It's great to get an opportunity to see everyone's different interpretations - really inspiring.

This week's theme is Sacrifice. My husband and brother-in-law were suggesting that I draw something bloody, but I thought I'd try for something slightly more subtle. The image which came into my head was the scapegoat...the goat which was sacrificed for the sins of others. So here's the poor old goat.

We've been in Sydney visiting my cousins and aunt and uncle so the drawing is just on a page from my moleskine. Thanks to my cousin Jackson for helping me find some good images of goats so that I could draw my idea!

Etching - Running Horse

My husband put in a special request that I post this etching to my site. It doesn't quite fit on our scanner, but you can still get the idea.

This version was done in green ink; I have another version in brown ink.

I like the "plate tone" in the background - looks like sweat and steam coming from the horse.

Photo - My favourite photo

I think this would be my favourite photo of any I have taken. I took it at Ankor Wat as the sun was setting. I asked the monk if he would mind me taking a photo, and he said that was fine.

As I was taking the photo, I said "Oh, your bag matches your robe, that's cool!" This produced the shy smile in the photo.

Illustration Friday - Skyline

This is my first attempt at Illustration Friday. This week's topic was "Skyline".

I completed this sketch using coloured pencils and fine liner. I'm not totally happy with it (I think I should have made the dragonfly bigger). But it's not too bad for a first effort.