Its funny how inspiration strikes and how it moves you into areas you hadn't considered. I have never been an illustrator. My mind needs a physical object in front of me to produce art. My imagination doesn't soar into places of wonder where magical creatures sit easily in familiar settings. But occasionally, just occasionally something lets me put the ordinary into not quite so ordinary settings.
Ages ago I started a symbolic self portrait which is still unfinished. I had finished about two thirds of it, the rest remains empty, due to my inability to think up something clever or creative to put in there.
Recently I revisited some images from Rima at The Hermitage. If you've never seen her work or read about her lifestyle, I'd strongly encourage you to do so. Its a magical journey into another world and one that provided me with the inspiration I needed to sketch out this thumbnail of my initial 'J' and some things that relate to me. Its the beginning of a more detailed piece that will be transferred to a sheet of........not sure what yet, as I haven't decided on the medium or whether it should be graphite or colour. I'm leaning a little towards Graphitint pencils as they can provide a soft muted shade which I think is what I want in this piece.
6 comments:
Thanks for the inspiration Jeanette! I am going to grab my sketchbook to give this idea a try. I love illustration but like you, I don't usually work from my imagination.
Your J sketch is wonderful. I like the 'related' items that you have chosen. Thanks so much for telling us about Rima. What a blog! One could get lost there for hours, not to mention her blogroll. My studio is bigger than the truck they live in! Definitely an alternative life style and I am sure we all end up asking ourselves, 'But could I?' Humm...
Lovely start to this. Very interesting. I have no imagination like you, I need to see something. You are doing great.
I'm with everyone else and tend to need something in front of me to paint. I like what you're doing and since we share the same initial, maybe I could just use your painting as my portrait. Whoops, I don't really have any connection with fish - oh, well, maybe the next one!
Off to check out the link on Rima! Thanks for providing it!
Teresa, the sketch just seemed to flow so who knows what the end result will be.
Isn't Rima's work and blog amazing? The lifestyle has its appeal is some ways too, but I can understand the problems associated with it too.
Jo, thanks. I admire people who can put down on paper these fantastic scenes that flow from reality into the bizarre. I don't think my imagination is strong enough to do that.
Funny Jan. The concept isn't new and I'd love to see what you created with your initial and what things you'd choose to represent you.
Its an interesting exercise and more challenging than you'd think.
from what i know of you, Jeanette i think you've represented yourself very well here.:) working from imagination does have it's challenges as you've witnessed from watching my blog. i can think up things easily enough but translating them to paper? that can get kinda dicey.
I find it interesting that you say you are not an illustrator (illustrated life?) as your a lot of what you do feels that way to me.
Lovely way to show the different parts that make up you.
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