February Desktop Calendar – 2012: Valentine Kiss
Better late than never, a very, very pink and girly Valentine Desktop wallpaper for February. I originally made this a few years ago, and have just added the February Calendar and extended the size. I do have a blue version if anyone is interested. :)
WIPS: Lino Cutting
Due to design commitments, family life, sick children, CCN, tax returns to be submitted etc, it’s been quiet here lately, and little time for personal art projects, like my my water colour paintings, lino cutting, my mood cubes and many other projects. However, I have made a firm resolve that despite all these pressing demands, I will make time for my own stuff shit or bust!
So, to that end…I have been working on my latest lino cut this morning. Now, firstly…it’s been a while. I had to abandon the last piece I was working on as I over cut basically, and ruined it. I may try and rescue it at some point when I have time. This is what I am working at the moment, and decided to base this design on one of my leaf illustrations, and keep it as simple as possible. As you can see I am using the bench hook my husband made me, which is brilliant. This was his own design, and he knocked it up in an afternoon, and it’s perfect. I can cut away safely without putting my fingers in any danger.
Monday Mood Board: Crimson
My new thing starting this week, a mood board. A montage of photography and art. This week, Crimson. The word comes from the Spanish ‘cremesin’ and the Arabic ‘qirmizi’. The dye was made originally from an insect found in the Mediterranean. Crimson is the colour of passion, portents, the riqsque, liturgical, danger and joy. Too much an assault on the eye, a dash is a splash of excitement.
Inspiration…
Comes in many forms and from many places. One of my artistic inspirations comes from a source that I have returned to many times and in fact has inspired me since I was a little girl, and that is the art and design of both Japan and China. I have been collecting Chinese and Japanese art, porcelain, and embroidered silks since I was a young girl. I visit the Chinese and Japanese permanent exhibitions at the V&A on a regular basis and have been doing so for years, and I own many, many books on the art of both cultures. So, it’s no surprise therefore that I would revisit those themes and motifs periodically.
Recently having purchased new water colour paints, it was a natural progression that I would get out my books on traditional Japanese and Chinese art and see what I came up with. The style and motifs of traditional Japanese art lend themselves very naturally to a rendering in water colours. My last water colour piece and this one take their inspiration from specifically Japanese art. This work in progress is based on an 18th century silk weave wall hanging featuring many of the traditional and symbolic motifs of Japanese art; water, peacocks, parsley etc. I won’t go into a lengthy explanation of why I like this particular art form, or why it inspires me, because in truth, it speaks for itself, and anyone familiar with traditional Japanese and Chinese art will understand completely. How could fail to be impressed and taken over by the deceptive simplicity, beauty and symmetry of Japanese art.
Sadly, I was hoping to have this finished by now, but due to my little girl being ill, I have not spent much time in my studio this week, and most of my painting has been done at night by the light of lamps (hence the glow). However, I plan to finish this by the end of the week. This and my recent flowers painting are just the start of what will be an ongoing series of water colour pieces. Originals and prints will be available to buy.
#2/52- Doodle a Week Project
So, this is this weeks entry for the Doodle a Week project I started on Flickr. In the mood for cakes and inspired by my little girls cup cake drawings she did a few months ago (which are on my bedroom room wall, there is NO room where her art is not featured), I present ‘Cupcake’. I am quite taken with the cup cake theme at the moment and have been looking a lot in confectionery windows, not only that, it’s a theme that everyone loves. Not just to drool, though that goes without saying, but also to take some shots, I as I want to do a series of digital illustrations around this theme. The common ‘cup cake’ has transcended itself and the varieties, colours and shapes are diverse indeed, almost too good to eat some of them. Why is it do you suppose that the image of a cupcake appeals to so many people? Is it the pretty colours, the roundness and texture, what it evokes. I just know that the more I look, the more cakes I see!! What about you?
Lorrie Whittington
Visual Artist and Designer
Chichester, UK
Welcome to my blog. Hope you find something to interest you. Please do leave a comment, I love to get feedback and to make new friends.
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