random stuff n' stuff in mike's book

I liked working on a larger scale in Mike's book, though the pages were thin, allowing watercolors to easily bleed through. I ended up basing an abstract doodle on the splotches on the other side, which was lots of fun. I found the watercolor Moleskines are excellent for using India inks and watercolor paints, if anyone's looking for a good, durable book for wet media. In the meantime, this baby is heading out in the mail to Ammon in chilly, snowy Pennsylvania (from chilly, icy Virginia).

the duck stops here

More Stuffage.

The ink leaking through from the fourth piece to the third piece is the reason I hate moleskins. The second one down is a bad self portrait print (drypoint on plexiglas) and the colored squares are acrylic on bristol. That is Les Stroud in the fur hood.

The Bluebird of Happiness Revisted and other Moles Sketches

The Bluebird of Happiness Revisited and other Moles Sketches, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. The others are called Self Portrait of the Artist speaking to her muse (maybe it should be called listening to her muse) and "Surviving the Holidays." Click images to view larger.

My sketches lately have been a little sketchy, I think because of impending deadlines and insufficient time due to holiday commitments. (Not that they're ever that great.) These are my last three from this month and the books have been mailed.

These three were done by a combination of image-transfer and watercolor (and goauche and pen and ink in some cases). I created the originals in Photoshop (all from scratch) (well, the bluebird was from a scanned watercolor, posted earlier today). I printed them and transferred them to the paper and painted over the images. I had intended to do more of a collage type of thing, but this is what I ended up doing. I painted the bluebird page with gesso and the other two transfers were done with acrylic medium. The moles don't work well with water colors and I don't know why I keep trying.

Mike's Big Book

Garishly Square - 1/9/09

Big Book Bot ~ 1/11/09


Left Side: Lines ~ 1/11/09

Right Side: Windows & Doors - 1/12/09

Pink Eye ~ 1/13/09

This one is inspired in part by Jess' eye photos on Flickr, have you seen 'em? They're gorgeous!

Mike's Polaroids

two more for Andrea

fleas' motel (coloured pencils and found paper.mate)


coulrophobia (polychromos pencils)

the first, I was doodling ideas for linocuts I might like to try, maybe not so many colours... the second, well, enough said.

Two in Steve's

1) "Night Fishing" after "Shack Medicine" by Thomas Wood
2) "The Kiss that Never Happened.

Midas's wife looks more gold in the book than in the scan. (And didn't come out as good as I'd hoped, sorry)

A burning obsession

http://www.baggelboy.com/

a message to michelle

That's not a Moleskine! It's a SPACE STATION!

I got Mike's BIG book yesterday. The size of it scared my pens! Just kidding.

Y'all have done some lovely work in this book. Here is my first page, more to come.

Happy Friday!

Austere ~ 1/8/9

Ball Point Pen Question

Ian's latest post resparked a question I have had: does anyone know of an archival or illustrator's ball point pen? I read about such a thing in a not so new book and have not found the one that was mentioned. Does anyone use one?

I have used Nexus art pens but I really disliked them because the skipped constantly.

first two in Andrea's

ruben with found paper.mate (found paper.mate)


why?!!! (felt pens)

Ruben has an interest in comic strips and is an on-line buddy. Clearing out my work bag - which is really just a day-sack like kids use for school - for the new year, I came across a black paper.mate, the cheap kind you get in office stationery cupboards. I think it came from one of those. Anyway, it's very good on moleskine paper.
The second is inspired by an expression on the face of the lead character in a French comic strip I found in a Paris newspaper - I only pinched the expression. This was drawn while listening to an album by Oliver Nelson which I bought for the title alone... It's kind of weird but I think I'm getting used to it.

Happy New Year.

Ellie and Ollie are Friends

Ellie and Ollie are Friends, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. In Steve's
Moleskine, with all the purple pens from Andrea.

POW!

POW! By Mary Stebbins Taitt. Milo is on the left and I am the right
(Why am I always being violent when I believe in peace?) It just
seemed like the appropriate follow-up!

I have no idea what I was doing here:

stylized... ink... things... in Mike Kline's book

Today I sent Mike's book to Andrea...






(It's really too bad, but somehow Math Dragon's head was blown off before it had a chance to be drawn... blame artist angst)



(wtf?!)

(I'm just glad the holidays are over)