yay! look what came in today!

I love how Mike packaged it. I love having the coolest looking package in the mail boxes area!

Very excited to start working on this book. First of all since it already have such a fun summery feeling, and second, because I just got new watercolors that I'm very exciting to use.

Last two in Ballookey's: Bear Hare Air and Snail in Phlox

"Bear and Hare went by Air"
my illo of San Cassimally's kids' book
Animal Carnivalacrylics
click image to view larger

Snail in Phlox
half a collab for Mike
Faber-Castelle pigment pens

I have completed (I think) the work in this rotation in Ballookey's Mole.  (I may do a little tweaking here and there.)  Now I will begin working on the pocket item(s).  With Andrea, I prepared a lot ahead during the period before the rotation exchange began.

Ballookey in Aya's Round 4

I shipped this to Andrea via Priority yesterday (Tuesday). As a point of order, I don't know if we're shipping on the 15th every month (in which case I'm late) or if we're shipping on the 1st (in which case I'm either really REALLY late, or a little early. But, BUT this round I'm going to try not to let it stress me out! :)

Aya started her book with the theme of dreams, daydreams and nightmares, and I felt like continuing it. This illustration didn't come out as well as I'd hoped, but it's based on a daydream probably common to those of us who have to sit in traffic. In LA, if it rains, people DO NOT handle it well on the freeways. One day, stuck on a rainy freeway, I wished I could be riding to work on a train. Then I started imagining how the train would look - very ornate, all glass and metal that tinkled and chimed as it rocked it's way to it's destination.

This would NOT be a practical thing for hail.



So while the color came out a little murkey, and there's parts I'm not happy with, there is one thing I'm happy with: I committed to the detail. Several times as I was sketching, I either wanted to cut corners on the design, or just ditch the idea and go with something easier (and probably better suited to my lack of skill) but I forced myself to finish it the best I could. I really wish I'd taken good photos of the finished ink as that's maybe when it looked best.



The next two pages are dedicated to a nightmare. There were a few nightmares I could think of to illustrate, but one day while working on the first few pages, this popped into my head and I felt it was honest and a little personal, and so therefore probably better than trying to illustrate the nightmare where I accidentally cut my toe off with the toenail clippers. ;)



And lastly, the beginnings of a collaboration with Andrea. I counted the pages in the book and it seemed like I could probably do a few more pages, but I decided to wait until it came around the second time before I got greedy.



I tried to paint a mare to look like she was simply a void, full of stars. I like the way the dark blue came out.

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

SWA Barf Bag Art Project
"McNasty Before Boarding?"

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

Collaboration part 1 for Aya Rosen to complete in Mary Taitt's Moleskine

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

"Organic Garden"

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

A Girl Called Summer!

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

"Oops There it Is!"
SWA Barf Bag Art Project

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

Funky Fish

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

Tired of Fighting for Peace!

Moleskine Exchange IV

Moleskine Exchange IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

Biker Buddy?

Moleskine IV

Moleskine IV, a photo by Mike "Dakinewavamon" Kline on Flickr.

Collaboration with Mary Taitt for her Moleskine

Collab with Andrea "If you Play your Cards Right"

Collaboration with Andrea

Detail

I think I have completed my collaboration with Andrea (although I may see something later I need to do.)

Ballookey's Arrives

Ballookey's Moleskine arrives in Detroit
in time for spring.

2-page spread
Glechoma hederaceae
click images to view larger

Glechoma hederaceae
botanical diagrams

Glechoma hederaceae
botanical painting, acrylics

I am sorry to report that I am not only still sick, but I am also getting worse rather than better.  I have a medical procedure scheduled May 30, which is supposed to help and I hope and pray it does.

I kind of messed this up a little, and I apologize.

A peak at Aya's

A hasty and blurry peek at the next two pages in Aya's. I stuck with the theme of Daydreams and Nightmares. These two pages illustrate a daydream, but are quickly becoming a nightmare. I was pretty happy with it when I'd finished inking all these fine lines, but now that I've added watercolor, it's muddier than I wanted and the lines are hard to see. I'm going to hang onto the book tonight and try selectively touching these pages up before I send it on.

Mailed Andrea's off to Mike

pear sketch

waiting

Mailed Andrea's off to Mike, made a couple very quick acrylic sketches on the envelope.

Fail Whale from Andrea in Ballookey's book.

Hi all, I got a whole lot of nothing done in Ballookey's book.  I am going to mark my pages and mail it on to Mary as to not make her fall behind.  Never fear Ballookey, I will catch it next time.  I have not had much time at home this month with sick parents and a funeral for my Grandmother in Colorado.

I vow to do better.  I'm still here, just limping along right at this moment.  I will recover!

I did a little decorating in the front of Ballookey's book when I first got it and managed to get the collab page started for Mary.

...And in the pocket

This time, I made the pocket item in the middle rather then at the end of working on the book. I wanted to make at least one thing for Mike's book on my trip and since I didn't bring the book, I decided to make the "something extra" on the plane.

So mike, one more vomit bag to your collection...

5 & 6 in Mike's book

2 more Mayan gods in Mike's book. A very funny god of the underworld and a goddess of suicide (how strange) on the half page. Can't wait to see what Ballooky makes of this.

more pages in Mike's book

I'm back from Mexico! I had such an amazing time, we were staying in the most beautiful place I can imagine, visiting Mayan ruines, swimming in the Caribbean sea and in underground mineral water pools. It was really out of this world. I haven't even scanned my mexico drawings yet, but since I got back I've been working on Mike's book, hoping to finish before the 15th.

I stated this on the day before we left, while I was packing my bag:

One of the things I really enjoyed is reading a book about Mayan mythology and their gods, It's really cool. it seems like the Mayan didn't like their gods very much and sort of treated them like a pesky landlord to whom you have to pay homage and scarify people and animals, but that god's as such don't merit respect or devotion.

One of the exception to the rule was  Quatzo-Coatel, who was actually a man who got reborn as a god rather then a born god. 

The other myth I really like is about Ix-Chel, the godess of rainbows, childbirth and all thing women related, who was stuck by lightning and then got to be dead for half of the Mayan year and covered in dragonflies who sang her back to life.

One and a half more page to go, and the book is really to take off!

Last one in this cycle of Round 4 in Andrea's: Moray Eel

Moray Eel
mixed media
by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt
first half of a collaboration with Mike Kline
please click image to view larger

Normally, When I am doing a collaboration with Mike, first half, I like to work in somewhat graphic black and white to make it easier for him to collaborate with me.  However, I had just received new acrylics from my kids for Mother's Day (HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!) and wanted to play with them.  You know, kids with new toys?

This is a two page spread.  The first 1/4 of the spread (half a page) is with the new acrylics. The second quarter (1/2-page) is with a combination of watercolor, gouache and acrylics.  Then, 1/8 spread (1/4 page in black watercolor, followed by Faber-Castelle pigment pens.  The purpose of all that was to hopefully create something to which Mike could easily attach his work.  (I hope).

Mike, please feel free to change any part of this piece, add to it, darken it, whatever, to make it work with your style.  This could be one long eel, an eel coming out of a hole, two eels entwined, an eel being scooped up by a new, or any number of things--so I hope you enjoy it, Mike.

This completes my work in Andrea's mole.  I have to gather up the pocket items, which I have already posted quite some time ago, and pack up the mole, but since it is Sunday, I cannot mail it.  Mike, it should be on its way to you within a few days.

Ballookey's Collab with Aya in Aya's Book

Just watercolored this in today:
Aya did the left page. I liked the theme and sketched in a scene from a recent dream that I really liked a lot, and it worked well as a transition to her oceanic page.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Me, Mary Stebbins Taitt
with my mother's day gifts
Click images to view larger

Moray eel, in progress
in Andrea's book
with new paints

I was very excited to receive a package from my kids for mother's day, new paints.  I plunged right in and have been having fun mixing violet, yellow ochre and blue in Andrea's book.

I wish a happy mother's day to your mothers, grandmothers, wives or to you, if you're a mother.

Worst Nightmares, Collaboration Andrea and Mary

"When Confronted with our Worst Nightmares
I like to fight back with Flowers"
Collaboration Andrea and Mary
mixed media
water color, acrylic, pigment pens, colored pencil
click image to view larger

I wanted to do the girl (standing in for my child-self) in water color, but ended up coloring the background with black Faber-Castell pigment marker (A gift from Hennie Mavis) and then painting over that with glazes of blue acrylic.  I drew the flowers on the girl's pajamas with colored pencil and then painted them in with watercolor.

I have a lot of dreams of being chased down dark alleys by men who intend me harm.  They are nightmares, because I wake up terrified.  Not sure if that's what Andrea meant.

Click on the image to see it much larger.

I am still sick and my work is going slowly.