Di

Years ago I bought my first domain name and launched my first portfolio site. Originally I wanted ‘tatterhood.com’ but it was taken. So I tried for several other names, all of which were taken, and finally settled on ‘dragonideas.com.’ I am a very patient person (when I want to be). I am used to spending years on projects or waiting for particular items to be available. Time passed, and eventually ‘Tatterhood’ was mine and I had no need anymore for ‘dragonideas.’

Down fell the dragon, down came the site and yesterday it exhaled its last breath. But all is not lost. Here is Di, a friendly dragon I sketched and coloured, that lived on my old site. I think she’s cute.

F is for Fox

Watercolours, pencil crayon and markers on watercolour paper (some development can be seen in previous posts). The fox halteth always, for the right legs are shorter than the left legs.

For more info on all your favorite medieval beasts, visit The Medieval Bestiary or your local library.

Medieval Animal Alphabet - Fox Watercolours

The second step in the ‘MAA’ series is transfering the image to watercolour paper and laying down a quick wash of colours.

A few weeks ago I completed what I would call a insignificant feat. It was the result of bizarre yet unimportant circumstances that were prompted by the gnawing of time and ticonderoga. I finally “finished” a sketchbook. I have always favored loose printer papers stuffed into binders and book jackets instead of the neat, collected fine bristol of sketchbooks. There are many sketchbooks that I had begun an artistic relationship with, only for me to scoff at them and turn them away leaving them empty hearted, save for the kiss of a graphite sketch spread across a page or two.

I can only guess that one book finally got to me, whispering to promise to collect memories and ideas. And in just over a year, I found myself sketching, drawing, inking, experimenting, life drawing, making notes for our game, developing postcards, designing wedding invites, writing down recipes, blue-printing logos, creating costumes…and coming to the last page. It was finished.

So I turned the book around and started drawing on the backs of already filled pages. So far, no smudging or mixing of lines. I can only hope the journey back will be as fun as the journey there.

Few of the pages would interest anyone, but I think I will be brave and post a few of them.

Medieval Animal Alphabet - Fox Sketch

This is how all of ‘MAA’ illustrations started out…just as a quick sketch in a little black book.

Napoleon Screen Printed Tie

This is another gift I created for my Dad. I screen-printed part of an image from Napoleon Crossing the Alps onto a silk tie. I also gave him a gift that wasn’t homemade by me, but still had that homemade touch; a golf towel with a Napoleon quote embroider on it, completed by Tattletale Designs. She did a fantastic job (all of her work is so professional and classy!).

Bring on the weekend I say!

Animal Activities- 4 of 5

Play, you crazy cats, play. Play in the new year.

Pencil crayon with marker outlines on cardstock. 4 of 5.

2009 has already started for most of the world, but right now for me it’s still 2008. It was a hard year, it was a good year, it was a sad year and it was a ‘suddenly Canada is smothered in snow at the very end of the’ year. 2009 can only get better or worse, 50/50. For now I can show you some holidays gifts I made for family in ’08, now that the year is wrapping up.

I (nervously) asked the very funny and very talented Kate Beaton if I could put one of her comics onto a cookie jar. This comic to be exact. My dad is a big history-fan of Napoleon. And he likes cookies. I imagined he would like her comics too, so as an xmas gift I painted a little cookie jar.

Napoleon Cookie Jar

Poor Napoleon, how salty his cookies must taste from his sad, sad tears. I filled the jar with cookies (and English Mints and licorice) and sent it along with other Napoleon-related gift items (that I shall post in the future).

(The new section added to gallery is called ‘Craftyness’ with the idea that all things ‘crafty’ go there; so it’s not a showcase of projects that were a result of my ‘craftiness’.) …and…is that music and meowing that I hear? What are those crazy cats up to this New Years?