Dodolicious

Working on a larger format, taking a bit more time with so much text in the work. Getting there eventually. 

Still have some shading to do on the ball the Dodo is standing upon and need to straighten up edges and even out paint finishes. 

Think I have improved the Dodo-ness of the bird, however the text will have to remain "naive" and am aiming to think of something clever for the spine. 

Am still loving Dodos.

Dodo in Progress

 

Have wanted to paint a dodo, so am satiating my whim.

Started painting on a larger format cover for this one and have been under the pump to get it looking like I have done anything substantial.  

Unfortunately, my lettering is looking somewhat amatuerish and my Dodo is looking suspiciously seagull like, so will have to do a bit of subtle manoeuvring to make him look more convincing. I think the placement of his eye as well as his overall colouring are the root of my problem.

Some things look so much better in one's mind's eye!

Was surprised to learn that dodos haven't been seen since 1662, I thought they had existed until much later than that.  

Was also surprised to learn how little actual remains and documentation of this unfortunate creature are in existence with some misinformed sites stating that dodos were in fact mythical creatures.   I suppose they are mythical nowadays.

Doodles

Have been looking at street art in class and have been trying to fill pages with pattern and characters.

Have been using reference works, so not all of the characters produced are entirely original, the blonde haired girl which dominates the first drawing is taken from a book on street art.  The sole purpose of the exercise is not to produce a finished work but to work on filling the entire page.  Good fun and very addictive.

Fish Out of Water (just about complete)

 

Fairly happy with this one I think, a little too simplistic perhaps, although it almost has a Deco feel about it somehow.  However, before I use orange again,  I must remind myself that it is not an opaque colour choice!

Fish Out of Water (beginnngs)

Went to view the Churchie Emerging Art Awards at QCA then Oxlades Art Supplies and then had lunch at Kai  San Japanese Restaurant at South Bank yesterday, so therefore got absolutely no work done. 

Have started this morning on another painted book cover from a sketch I drew up in my trusty pocket sized note book that travels with me everywhere.  Hopefully I'll have this finished by this afternoon and then I can start on another.

Not Safe to Surface

 

Another little painted book with an idea that had been rattling round in my head.

Am enjoying painting again and I really like working on a small scale like this.

Sardine Tin

 

Decided to try something different with this book.  

Hadn't painted in a long time and have had an idea for a sardine tin book rolling around in my head for a while now. 

I had been going to cut out a hole in the book and then make sardines with silver leaf to go in the book, however, I decided to spend my afternoon painting the cover with oils instead.  

I did use silver leaf for the base of the sardines, so not totally off the original idea.

Little Black Book of Anthropology

 

A little book on the evolution of man which I picked up from a $1 bin in a second hand book store in Melbourne Central.  Easy to carry home without going over the baggage weight restrictions.

Venetiian Red Napthalene (complete)

 

Played a little more with this book as it didn't seem completely rectified. 

Encircled the void with tacs and added a couple of stamps and a small tag.

All done playing now. Moving on to the next book challenge.

lambs to the slaughter

More books waiting to be made into, hopefully, desirable sculptural pieces.
When asked what I am doing at present, I am constantly amazed by the immediate response people have to books. 
Conversations invariably lead to revelations of fondness for books as objects of familiarity and comfort and also despondency at the possibility of books becoming obsolete through the use of computers.