This is Anthony. A very long time ago when our son and his best friend were small children my husband wrote several stories to entertain them, stories that were only illustrated in their imaginations. Some weeks back, after reading Anthony's story again, I decided it was well worth the process of turning it into one with pictures. Well, I'm going to try. Other than drawing the limited number of pictures done in pen and ink for the Adventures Ink blog, I've never done a series of interrelated illustrations before. Although the fact that these will be in full color makes the project that much more complicated, I hope I'll have them all done within the next few months.
Drawing pictures is always a bit like exploring a new landscape in that you never know what or who will meet your eyes when you turn the next corner. After a couple of false starts Anthony showed up quite fully formed almost immediately. A picture somewhat like this one will be the first - I say like this because what you see above is an ink and watercolor wash I did today as an experiment. So far I have nearly a dozen reasonably complete pencil sketches of the story in its entirety that I don't plan on posting until all are done. I'm just afraid I'll either lose interest or the thread if I post them too soon but in the meanwhile there may be a few Crow pictures if he feels like posing again.
For now, and until I'm done with Anthony's story (which actually has a very different title), I'll likely post to the blog without drawing a separate picture nearly every time. How on earth did I ever start that habit?
Would you believe we've been having another blizzard here - at least that's what they call it when there's any snow at all with sustained winds blowing at 40+ mph. Maybe we should rent out a room to anyone who'd like to experience a North Atlantic winter for a few days. We'll even open and close the windows to provide sound effects.
♡
I'm so delighted that you are doing this project and we'll get to see more of your lovely illustrations. Have a joyous time with it!
ReplyDeleteI just read the news about the blizzards in the Maritimes and wondered if you were affected in Halifax, so here is your answer. Sorry to hear that is so. Thanks for the invitation - I'd love to visit you but not in a blizzard. I've gotten too soft on the west coast, yet I remember well the winters of my youth.
You always say such nice things, Marja-Leena. I'm happy to be working on it but I hope you won't mind waiting a while for the results.
DeleteYou think you got soft living on the west coast? :-)
i am looking forward to seeing the whole of this... i adore your illustrations with their charming whimsy. do you have plans for this as a children's book? i love all the fauna around the cute characters in the center.
ReplyDeletehoping you don't freeze up there in that frozen north you live in. it must get really cold coming off the atlantic like that...really? you'll do the sound effects!? :)
xox
I'm looking forward to seeing all of it too and sometimes wish I could just wave a magic paint wand at the paper rather than building the details in such a painstaking fashion. I will come and you'll be among the first to see. As far as a book is concerned, perhaps I'll be discovered. :-)
DeleteYes, it does get very cold here in winter. Right now it's 30 with 30mph winds that are making it feel like 3. Yikes.
xoxo
Anthony has a following already. Looking forward to hearing his story. Sorely tempted to take your offer for a room with musical windows. Do you take requests?
ReplyDeleteHe is sweet, isn't he? The better news is he's funny too (Jer does comedy much better than me).
DeleteWe might manage a very limited repertoire as it gets too cold if we open them wider than high C.
" Too cold if we open them wider than high C"...... I'm hooting with laughter..... So I'm assuming wider is lower in pitch..... Less wide might terrorize all the neighborhood dogs.... Or call whales.... Maybe send messages to outer space.....
DeleteThat's exactly what happens :-) We've even had a couple of arctic wolves scratching at the door.. or they could have been aliens. Whatever, we didn't open it.
DeleteAlien arctic wolves?! Lucky they weren't whales. The door would have been no barrier.... But they' have been looking for Anthony,not you :0)
DeleteAlien polar bears too - never mind the regular ones. Poor Anthony has enough problems as it is :-)
DeleteAnthony is a cute character. My granddaughter will demand I read the same story to her over and over. Reading or telling stories to the young is the funnest thing in the world, let me tell you :)
ReplyDeleteIt's good you do. No matter how many times you read the same story it's always a little different.
DeleteGotta second (or sixth or whatever it is) everyone else on the impending story. And your future travel agency, Troo Kvlt Excursions.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Randal. You know how it goes with creative endeavors - keeping pencil sharp and fingers crossed.
DeleteToo Kvlt Excursions, indeed. 48 hours of howling winds to share with the lucky adventurer.
Anthony is very likable, as are all your characters. Looking forward to more. Let's get through March, just let us get through March...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like Anthony. His story is taking some effort on my part but I think I'll eventually get there. Yes, let's just make it through March - I'm planning on being grateful just getting to March.
DeleteThe way you're spending your time this winter is to our benefit. With or without the sound effects.
ReplyDeleteAnthony is terrific. I love his sidelong glance.
How sweet of you to say so, my friend. We'll see how it all turns out but in the meanwhile, I'm glad you like little Anthony's looks.
Delete