Octopus and the tree

Nancy...this is a fairly small piece...only 12x16 inches, on illustration board, using aniline dyes, windsor newton watercolours, and good ol india ink...no stops are used, prefer to do all lining with a brush...(good number 000 sable)
started colouring in the front bits, tree and octo...still unsure about what colour for the ceph (all the way from a blue ring to a red )...had to tint the octo slightly red anyway to take a bit of the "bite" away from the fruit...
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I will ask about the use of the image for screen savers...not sure about the print though...might be a bit of a conflict, as all my work is copywritten...will check on it!
greg
 
The image as it exists right now would make a very attractive poster. :smile:

BTW, the gray rock formations in the background? I just noticed that the third from the left resembles one of the giant stone statues from Easter Island. 8)
Is that just a happy coincidence, or is that part of the underlying story?

--Carl
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The whole process is wonderful to see. Thanks for showing us the steps of your craft. I can't begin to fathom the brushwork with India ink - everything I do is changeable - this is what computers do well - so something in which a mistake would be the end is far out of my depth! Awesome.

Melissa
 
Jean, I've always found sable to be a better vehicle for watercolour, though my brother likes camel hair, and he uses the same brands...personal choice, I guess...and yep, I use a variety of pens, from good ol quills to rotrings...(me in an art store with money is scary...)
funny bit: Shanlyn just found out that the brushes are made from sables that are killed...she thought they shaved them ! Can you imagine shaving a weasel??? (note: wonder if they could use nair?)
WN has a good line of brushes, the newest ones are Utrecht...a sable blend, probably sable and camel.
 
cthulhu77 said:
Jean, I've always found sable to be a better vehicle for watercolour, though my brother likes camel hair, and he uses the same brands...personal choice, I guess...and yep, I use a variety of pens, from good ol quills to rotrings...(me in an art store with money is scary...)
funny bit: Shanlyn just found out that the brushes are made from sables that are killed...she thought they shaved them ! Can you imagine shaving a weasel??? (note: wonder if they could use nair?)
WN has a good line of brushes, the newest ones are Utrecht...a sable blend, probably sable and camel.

Thanks......I'm a student so budget is a consideration!!! I used to use rotrings but the nibs died and no one is importing them into NZ any more. I'm now using staedtler mars professional in various sizes. They seem to be a good substitute!!

J
 
:notworth: Very nice!!! How did I miss this? Quite a talent you've got there and I must say I am envious!!!! Fascinating to see the whole process from an idea to the finished peice!

Carol
 
Thanks Carol! Yeah, I am pretty happy with it also...may end up doing a kid's room with a similar mural now...that would be fun.
Jean, Mars are great pens...a little more fussy about cleaning though...you may need to get a vibrating cleaner...(I don't have one, but my brother swears by them) You might want to try Sakura graphic disposables too...they are available in archival grade ink in all of the sizes...saves on the clogging issue!!!!
greg
 
This is the bit of prose my brother is hand lettering to go next to the illo:



" At the great beginning of Time, there was a great tree, Tane, and his roots drank from the world and his branches held up the sky.
But mischievous creatures from the void stole his leaves, leaving him cold and hungry.
They hoped that he would fall down, and then the world would end, so that they could have all the earth to themselves.
The Father looked down, and saw all of this happen. So, he called out to one of his daughters, Rapani, who dwelled in Te Kore Nui, to come and guard the tree of the world.
She swam and swam, and arrived just in time, for only one fruit was left. All of the evil people were frightened away by her waving arms and angry demeanour.
Eventually, the fruit will fall, Tane will crack, and the world will end, so that Rapani can return to the void, but that fruit will grow into a new tree, and a new world.
And, it will need a new guardian."
 
cthulhu77 said:
Jean, Mars are great pens...a little more fussy about cleaning though...you may need to get a vibrating cleaner...(I don't have one, but my brother swears by them) You might want to try Sakura graphic disposables too...they are available in archival grade ink in all of the sizes...saves on the clogging issue!!!!
greg

thanks for that....so far so good re the cleaning. they don't seem to clog much. I took Steve's advice and I've been using velum for my drawings .......much better (ta Steve :notworth: )

J
 
oh yeah...less cotton, more hard surface. Do you like illo board as well? (Vellum is hard to move pigment on...)
 
strathmore makes a really nice series of illustration boards...cold (smooth) and hot press (rough) that work well for pen and ink...the cold gives you more detail, but won't hold pigment too well (have to use a fixative).
One of my favorite surfaces, next to canvas and rice paper...
greg
 

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