Asterios Polyp

Such an amazing comic! It’s beautiful to hold and read, and an expertly modern piece of literature where the style is the content and the content is the style. David Mazzucchelli uses opposite colours very effectively, and the prevalence of purple with yellow is beautiful and unexpected.

What I am enjoying most so far is how much can be imparted about something by the way that thing is drawn. For example, take a look at the variety of drawing styles used to describe the faculty members below:

And the simplicity of the following panel is all the more powerful because the way the two characters are drawn tells so much about who they are and how they are feeling.

It’s exhilarating to read something this good!

Acrylic ink + cat + carpet= temper tantrum

To start the morning, I thought I’d work on my sketchbook. I’ve been enjoying acrylic ink lately, so that was my medium of choice. Acrylic ink is permanent, water-resistant and quick-drying. It’s a gorgeous, sunny morning and a whole family of house finches are fighting over the feeder. I can only enjoy this pleasant view from the table in the living room – the carpeted living room.

Turns out, it was also the perfect morning for being reminded why I chose the little room with both a door and laminate floor as my studio.

Ambrose is a very whiny cat. He whines even more when it’s sunny outside. He whines even more still when Josh is away. And he really likes to sit on whatever you are doing that isn’t taking him outside. I know all this.

So why, you might ask, did I tempt fate by bringing my lovely bottle of dark umber acrylic ink out to the living room table to work on my sketchbook? Because I was still half-asleep? Possibly. Because it was so nice there I didn’t consider the consequences? Yes. Because Ambrose is a maniacal genius who can control my mind and make me do things I wouldn’t normally do? Unfortunately, no. This one’s on me, as much as all my yelling and swearing and stomping was directed at him. Perhaps scrubbing the spilled ink from the table, the carpet, my foot and Ambrose’s paw could be considered therapeutic?

I’m sure I’m not the only one with stories of art-ing and crafting supplies falling into the hands/paws of children/pets. My Mom still tells the story of three-year-old me cutting her in-progress tailored French silk blouse to ribbons with pinking shears! How ’bout you, what kind of stories have you got?

The Happiness Project

One of the best things about having time off is letting your morning start slow, with really good music. Charles Spearin’s Happiness Project was the perfect thing for this morning. If you click on the link above, you can give it a listen. Mrs. Morris is awesome, but I have a soft spot for Vittoria. The video below offers some background and nice imagery.

New painting, old camera

I’ve finished another bird painting, this one with a little hermit thrush. I had the luck to see one in the backyard a few months ago and posted a sketch and picture.

I am really enjoying playing with the textures and effects possible with acrylic paint, but do not enjoy trying to get a decent photo of them!

I have been using a cheap little digital point-and-shoot for my web pics, but recently upgraded to a nicer camera. I took these pics before I got the new camera, but I can hardly wait to figure it out and get some decent pics of my paintings.

The Sketchbook Project

I came across something called The Sketchbook Project through a blog I follow. It sounded pretty neat: an international call for artists to participate by ordering a sketchbook, filling it with sketches based on one of the suggested themes, then returning it to be part of a touring exhibition and eventually catalogued at the Brooklyn Art Library. So, I ordered my book and I’ve started sketching. My theme is “in flight”. It’s intimidating to look at the wonderful sketchbooks of past years, then look at the blank pages in my book. At least, when I’m feeling cheeky, I’ll be able to say I’ve shown in New York! Hee hee hee…

It was a secret, so I forgot about it.

I was asked to make this painting by a friend as an anniversary gift for his wife. It was a big secret, so I couldn’t post it when I made it, and then I forgot to post it altogether. Anywho, it’s based on this little wooden clock from a while ago and playing with flat and perspective painting styles. Happy belated anniversary you two!