Making the book: Skeleton leaf.

When looking for some leafs for the cover, I also found a skeleton leaf. These are beautiful and think would look lovely pressed into the top of the paper/for the cover. I’ve looked up various ways of speeding up the corrosive process and plan to make some skeleton leafs myself.

Health and safety –
If you have sensitive hands, wear gloves.
Take care when handling boiling water.

How to:

1) Gather leaves (apparently waxy ones work best) and place them in a pan.

2) Get sodium carbonate (‘washing soda’) and add 3/4 cup of washing soda and 4 cups of water to your pan of leaves. Alternatively Pour 600ml/1 pint of water into a large pot. Add 100g/4 oz of biological detergent.

3) Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the leaves simmer.

4) Leave for up to 2 hours (/1.75 hours). It will look really horrible, but apparently that’s alright. Add more water when the soda starts to crystallise on top.

5) Fill a glass dish with cool water, then transfer your leaves into the dish. Use a blunt brush to remove any pulp remaining on your leaf.

6) Remove the leaves, rinse with cold water and – tadaa!

Scenery

Using macro images for the scenery of my images will not only allow me to show the size of the creatures, but could also make for some interesting scenarios.

Images taken in thick moss:

To be continued…

Text

To go a long with the illustrations I wanted some relevant text.  I’m considering using both original text, and old folk tales/nursery rhymes. Research to follow…

This message was sent to me a while a go, I’d like to edit it and use it as one of the short stories in the book.

Suzie Grieve:
“I am the sun,
and the moon.
We meet at the eclipse.
it’s a date.
but they know we can never really meet.
Mass destruction of the planets and all its lovely creatures.
but do they not deserve that?
Or are they forever destined to the fleeting glimpses of one another lights”

Excerpts:

Sarah Davey- “A song from the elves, tippled with drinks”

Traditional rhymes:

Alouette

Alouette, gentille alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
Je te plumerai la tête. Je te plumerai la tête.
Et la tête! Et la tête!
Alouette! Alouette!
A-a-a-ah.

The translation:

Lark, nice lark,
Lark, I will pluck you.
I will pluck your head. I will pluck your head.
And your head! And your head!
Lark! Lark!
O-o-o-oh.

“Look into the eyes of a big black cat,
Green as the emeralds on a rich man’s cap.

Wish a wish as strange as witches,
wich black cat flew off on her broomstick.

See the gallant knight in brightly shining armour,
Emerging from the depth of the thick black night.
See the dashing stallion streak as fast as lightning,
white as the blanket on the ground as he goes.

See the distant castle turn into a tower,
Prison of a princess guarded by a beast
See the coach of pumpkins waiting to collect her
its been waiting there one hundred years at east

See him climb up the twine of her long flowing locks,
He places a kiss on her pale ivory cheek
locked in an embrace in a cage without exit,
there destined to stay ’till the end of time.
See the gallant knight imprisoned by a princess,
guarded by a beast in a false fantasy.

See the emerald eyes of the big black cat
Look into their depths but never look back

Beware of security, where is the witch?
With the black cat, they flew off on her broomstick.”

June Williams

The wood nymphs were minor goddesses and beautiful nymphs who were depicted as young maidens who inhabited the trees, woods, groves and forests of Ancient Greece.

The Dryads lived forever, the Hamadyads lived only as long as the trees they inhabited

Forest, Tree and Wood nymphs were quite fragile, delicate creatures but would punish any thoughtless mortal who had somehow injured a tree
My Dog
To Pan and the Dryads here
I dedicate my hunting spear,
My dog, the bag that holds my store;
I am too poor to offer more!

Nay, but my dog I cannot spare!
He must return my crusts to share,
My daily rambles to attend,
My little comrade and my friend.

Macedonius: 6th century A.D.

Illustration ideas – Draw an evil “lark” with other creatures.

http://www.lugodoc.demon.co.uk/VISITORS.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=sue+blackwell&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=MbopU6iIItOWhQfs74CoAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1919&bih=864

http://www.google.com/search?q=sarah+morpeth&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=VLopU_3jOMeThQfq9YGwDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1919&bih=864

http://www.google.com/search?q=rob+ryan&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ubopU8HnE5O5hAeViYHwDQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1919&bih=864

Sketch book – Figure

Artist: Salvador Dali – Draftsman

Salvador Dali was born in 1904 and died in 1989, aged 84. He was a Spanish artist who worked in all sorts of creative fields such as Painting, Drawing, Photography, Sculpture, Writing and Film. He has many different art works, many famous and memorable such as The Persistence of Memory (melting clocks), his works with elephants with long spindling legs (Used to illustrate War Of The Worlds), and illustrations for the following works:

Salvador Dali illustrations for Don Quixote.
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/tag/salvador-dali/

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I find this inspirational as it is all drawn as though in a sketch book style, and even though the art style is not consistent he still manages to relay the story to the reader.

Salvador Dali’s illustrations for Romeo and Juliet:

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These illustrations are more colourful, with loads of hidden images/meanings. The more you look at these artworks, the more separate images you can pick out.

Twelve signs of the zodiac:

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(To be continued…)

Artist: Brian Froud – Illustrator

Brain Froud who lives with his wife, Wendy Froud, in Devon are both fantasy artists.
Brian Froud first worked as a costume designer for films such as David Bowie – Labyrinth (Image shown above). Wendy Froud is a American doll-artist, sculptor, and puppet-maker, making individual creations of mythical/fantasy creatures.
I have been inspired by one of their  books – ‘Lady Cottinghams Book of Squished Fairies’. Supposedly  Lady Cottingham ‘took the infamous photograph of a group of fairies that was authenticated by Conan Doyle, but later discredited.”
This was created with watercolour and pencil. I find the different creatures unique personalities fascinating and wish to create similar illustrations but in my own style.

Vlog interview

For the Vlog Kye, Sam, Vinny and I are planning on having a group Skype chat casually discussing the questions, and answering them in depth.

Questions:

1) Why did you chose a fantasy theme?
Brief – I got the inspiration from Brian Frouds book of squished fairies and It’s inspired me to develop an illustrative style of my own in a fantasy theme.

2) Would you like to develop this into an actual book a like Brian Frouds?
Brief – After Barry suggesting me writing my own short stories to go with the illustrations/other way round, I think it would be good to give it a go.

3) What kind of media are you planning to use?
Brief – I would like to work with all kinds of media, maybe making a scrap book filled with pictures of the creatures alive (manipulated by  photoshop), drawings of them and writing about the experience of seeing them.
Squashed flowers+ bits of nature to create the dresses of the pixies. Then scan them and edit with photoshop to layer them with the nature-faces used in my photography project (same style, recreated. Maybe even using more elf like faces.)

4) What will you use for source imagery?
Brief – Living in such a beautiful part of the lake district, I’d like to use the surrounding landscapes to create mystical scenes. (maybe create a camp out, get models to dress elvish etc)

5) What will the project be called?
Brief – I would like to name it after the place the images are mostly based in, or create an alternative name. “Discovering —–”

6) How will you work towards creating individual mythical creatures?
Brief – I’d like to go out and take some macro shots of bugs and plants etc. Hopefully ideas will develop from there..

7) How will you work towards developing your style?
Brief – I already have a style of drawing from other works…

8) Will you use colour in your images?
Brief –  I plan to work in colour images and drawings, but would like to experiment with black and white, as well as out of date film, photography.

9) How do you plan to present your work?
Brief – This is something I’m going to have to work on. I’d like the finished product to be i

10) Will you be explaining on your existing skills, or learning new styles/techniques?

11) Will the outcomes be digital or physical works?

12) What research will you be doing?

13) How do you plan to organise your time?

SMART Target – Self-Identified.

Remember SMART is:

 

Specific,

Measured,

Applicable:
With the material I have, the resources and current funding I believe I wi

Realistic:
Next I will explain the time in which I think it is realistic to complete my project-

 

Timed: 7 weeks all together.

2 weeks -brain storms, sketches and idea creating. Experimenting with different media.

3 weeks – working up to the final pieces and experimenting with different medias.

2 weeks –  final pieces.

 

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

Self-Identified Project

 

The Title of your Project Brief?

 

What is/are your pathway/s? (photography, sculpture, fashion -earings- etc)
I plan to use photography as a pathway throughout my project as it can relate to any 3d, reference,  descriptive or actual photography work.
Considering  I would like to work along the lines of fantasy creatures, I thought using all kinds of different media would help create more obscure creatures.

What will be your theme? (Multiple?)
Although I know my theme will be based upon Brian Frouds squished fairies work, I would like to expand on that and find my own take on the style. Carrying on metal etching is a big interest of mine, especially when attempting to perfect the skill.

 

What will you say for your statement of intent? (vlog -end of week two)
For my statement of intent I plan to speak about various illustrative artists who have inspired me In my choice of style.
Talk about how/why I will use different forms of media and how they all interlink.
Final project and what I want that to be.

As for generating new, out of the box ideas, Barry intends to do some idea work with us this next week. This will hopefully expand my ideas, as well as research and time conjuring new thoughts.

What resources will you need and what will be available to you?
Clay/Sculpti – my own devise.
Camera – I have my own.
Drawing – do-able.
Metal etching – in photography trade.

What will you be producing for your outcomes?
I would like to create some 3d creations as well as a good amount of illustrations.

How will you divide up your working time proportionately?
I plan keep the first two weeks of the project for research and experimenting.

Who will I need to talk to when seeking advice?
Barry – my tutor for general information and 3D work etc.
Dan – for photography and editing.
Theia – for any form of print making.
Matt- ?

How will you present your work to the group? (week at the end. ‘prezzie’. Subtitles, pre-recorded,  )
I plan to make some form of slide show of my work, possibly with subtitles of important info. Other than that I’ll try to grow a pair and talk infront of the class rather than pre-recording my presentation.