Collage Experiments
Black Clouds SurroundI have always enjoyed collage illustration, and over the past year or two have been developing the style of my ‘random poems’, incorporating watercolour (simulated in Photoshop) with the collage, on a vintage paper base.
Here are a couple of recent experiments in pure illustration (that is, no dada-style or random poetry as I call it). The illustrations about different aspects of mental health are portfolio samples, the concepts for them developing and fermenting in my head as I leafed through magazines, cutting out likely photographs, amputating an arm here, a head there. They were very fun to assemble – there is often an element of humour in my work (black or otherwise), and so much potential for it in this kind of collage.
Don’t Be Who You Aren’tI am also experimenting further with more traditional pen and ink incorporated with collage. There are pros and cons to both traditional and digital illustration, but I enjoy the different freedoms of both.
May Days
It’s the last month of autumn, and we really have entered the season’s final glory days, for winter is coming!
This illustration of Havana, Cuba is so cheerful it is a suitable send-off – I only wish I was celebrating the last of autumn there. Some of those flowers look like hibiscus, a flowering tree that holds fond memories for me: there was one planted by the door of a house I once shared with a friend. The flowers were bright fuchsia pink.
Another friend of mine, who is Mexican, told me that in that country hibiscus water is the ubiquitous drink served at table – she had never seen the tree before! She had only seen hibiscus flowers in their powdered form, before they are added to a jug of water. Of course, once I showed her a picture, she realised she was quite familiar with the trees, and just how common they are here – in this part of Australia at least.
I wonder if they drink hibiscus water in Cuba?
London’s Calling!
Bang-bang-bang! February, March, April in one volley! Helloooo! How is your autumn (or spring if you hail from northern climes) treating you? 2015 is whizzing past – I can’t believe it’s been so many months since I last posted – I have been preoccupied with other doings. I am enjoying this calendar this year very much I must say. It brightens up the kitchen nook where it hangs.
In February I daydreamed about the Amalfi Coast, in March the cherry blossoms of Kyoto beckoned, and now it’s London enticing me with dreams of travel. It’s been years since I ventured overseas – past time to start planning another adventure!
Paris in January
Here we are on the flipside! New Year’s Day. I hope you all had a wonderful, safe and happy evening and are recovering nicely today. The real fun begins tomorrow – when all those New Year’s resolutions go into action.
My calendar for 2015 is called ‘Travel the World’, from the Rifle Paper Co. The delightful illustrations are by Anna Bond. I’m hoping the calendar will motivate me to save my pennies so I can look forward to an overseas holiday this year. Hmm, perhaps I should make that hope official and make it a New Year’s resolution? Happy January Snapettes – make it a good one!
Two Vogue Covers
Christmas And After, Vogue December 1918, illustrated by Helen DrydenOn the penultimate day of Christmas … No, of the year, my true love said to me, you shall have two Vogue covers to enjoy! Yes, I have been most remiss in posting on SNAP of late, but let’s finish the year with a bang!
I must say I very much enjoyed my Vogue calendar every month this year. I thought these last two were particularly lovely images. For November, there was a Helen Dryden illustrated cover from December 1918. The cover was titled, ‘Christmas and After’. Of course, the cover reflects the era: World War One ended on November 11 in 1918 – hence the rather tattered French flags and ribbons and those refreshing winds of change.
Christmas Number, Vogue December 1930, illustrated by Georges Lepape Georges Lepape brought me the December calendar page, from ‘Christmas Number’, November 1930. This is such a beautiful, simple and elegant cover, don’t you think? Whenever I see an old cover like this, I want to wave it under the collective noses of Vogue editors worldwide. See, you don’t need a zillion coverlines! Sometimes a picture really does speak a thousand words!
I hope you have had a wonderful November and December … and are gearing up for an awesome finale!