Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Illustration Friday: sink


Okay, I made this picture just for this topic. It was supposed to be someone sinking back into a swirl of negative thoughts, a miasma. I am totally swamped with end of the semester grading, and trying to sort out all the messes I've let accumulate all semester, and feel like it would be all too easy for me to succumb. My model actually looked desperate, like there was no helping him.

But somehow he turned out looking positive, like he's totally enlivened, invigorated, by tapping into all the wild craziness around him, so it's not fitting my idea of this topic at all. And now that I think about it, that's the way I probably am too. I may feel desperate, and all too susceptible to sinking into the morasse (however you spell that word), but it just won't happen. I put on the emotional brakes, and ignore it, and pay more attention to other things--like the web of tree branches against the gray sky outside my window.

This picture also reminds me of my very first picture for illustration Friday, that I posted in January of 2009, almost three years ago. I've really come a long way since then, and made a lot of pictures.

7 comments:

  1. Another wonderful illustration. Isn't it funny how, what we're really feeling comes out in our artwork - whether we even know we're feeling that way or not!

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  2. It's good to stay positive, your model has the right attitude! Great illustration.

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  3. He is definitely going up instead of sinking down... but it's great! :)

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  4. Hey! What if you turned him upside down? :)
    I think we see his uplifted eyes and perhaps he is looking to heaven, or it could be the curl of his mouth, just the beginnings of a smile, confident, subtle.

    Yes I have enjoyed watching your work grow, it's always been vigorous and dynamic and held our interest, but I think there seems to be confidence in it now, as if you are goining somewhere and each new work takes you another step in that direction. Your work is good and it's also unique and I think that's what makes it special.

    Merry Christmas from here. I hope santa brings you another several litres of Ink so you can make more work :)

    see you!

    PS thank you for all your kind and insightful comments on my blog this year!

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  5. He definitely has a positive expression. It's as if he's looking into the future, like a father time, emerging from the sand, with a vision of good things to come.
    I really enjoy your handling of the ink pen. Your work is well crafted.

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  6. I like your description of your intent...and I very much like the way this came out. Very successful!

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  7. Defintely has a positive feel. Reminds me of having a messy head (inside) and then finally being able to see through it - a glimmer of clarity and hope. Love this one...

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