I thought I'd have this one finished by now, instead this version might be as finished as it's going to get. This is how it looked a few days ago before I added what feels like too much colour to the original illustration which is still sitting on my table (probably not for much longer). That's the trouble with watercolour - you don't get to start afresh once something has gone wrong.. never mind when you get part way through a painting and begin to wonder just what you were thinking about when you drew it in the first place.
I'm going to blame it on a winter that's gone on too long and leave it at that. Meanwhile, captions are always fun if any come to mind.
April now and the temperature's supposed to rise above freezing presently.
♡
btw:
Did you know William Morris invented modern fantasy fiction in the late 19th century as a way of challenging the robot-mentality of his own time? That’s the core reason that his fantasy novels have been completely and systematically erased from our collective memory.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteSo as the temperature’s rising above freezing maybe it’s time to put on your blue suede boots and whistle in the spring. That water color has rustic appeal and plenty of fine detail for me to observe. I didn’t know William Morris invented modern fantasy fiction in the late 19th century but he certainly was remembered for a lot of other things. Like decorative art and artful expression to politics and to champion Marxist ideals. Just to add yet another dimension apparently he began his youth as a novice in the Nazarene’s order.
Best wishes
Hi Lindsay,
DeleteMy first meeting with William Morris was through reading The Well at the World's End and The Wood Beyond the World in the late 1960s right after reading Tolkien for the first time and learning he'd been strongly influenced by Morris. Later when I learned about his earlier projects I was even more impressed - especially interesting was the fact he was adamantly opposed to modernism. I've always felt much the sam (as you've probably guessed).
All the best
Do I see Chidou the wizard, and Spitfire, the friendliest dragon on this planet?
ReplyDeleteAs for 'the trouble with watercolour' and that 'you don't get to start afresh once something has gone wrong': That reminds me of (how) life (works). :)
Oh! And April did, 'of course', start on 'high fuel'. :)
DeleteYes, you do. :) I thought you'd be likely to remember the original pencil sketch, Sean. I rather like Spitfire in this one but I wasn't happy with the version of Chidou or Lana's g-g-g-grandfather either (far too stiff and confrontational for my liking). Anyhow, as I seem to be somewhat haunted by the story I expect I'll try again one of these days.
DeleteYou're right about life being like that.
ps: Yes, now there's another reason to have a good story in hand :)
The little girl's expression seems to say it all: He's a little creepy - kind of like a clown in the sewer: we all float down here.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
You got it in one, OB. Dragons can look harmless and giant crows may be trustworthy, but that old guy looks suspicious.
Deletelovely, thanks for sharing x
ReplyDelete