in progress

in progress, originally uploaded by islets.

Inspired by my kitten face mug I made for Anabela, I'm making another attempt, this time with text, to sell on Etsy. I think I'm finished with the kitten part now I'm working out ideas for text on the other side.

12_09_08, originally uploaded by islets.

detail of a stone wall.

11_20_08, originally uploaded by islets.

A recent doily drawing. This one in the smaller, 8 inch diameter. A gift.

raffle mug

12_04_08
Originally uploaded by islets

I sold a similar mug to this one recently on Etsy. I'm really enjoying the 'birch and shapes' motif and I plan to make more like it. I attempted to incorporate a fox into the design but I'll have to practice a little more to make it look the way I want.

This particular mug is going to be a raffle prize for the annual holiday / fundraiser party at InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre. I'll be sad to see it go but I hope whoever gets it enjoys it!

kitten loves kibble

kitten loves kibble
Originally uploaded by islets

When Anabela bought me this vintage Fire King-style mug, I intended to decorate it and offer it for sale on Etsy, but after finishing it I decided to give it to her. Maybe I'll try another version soon to sell.

11_30_08
Originally uploaded by islets

Testing out making blog entries directly from Flickr.

A sketch for a new project idea on a larger scale than what I'm normally accustomed to.

A new drawing for Etsy (a new version of an existing drawing).

I finished off a recently posted drawing with some white gouache. I like the subtlety of the white on the manila card.

Also, I'm offering this drawing for sale at http://fieldguided.etsy.com.

Hmm after scrolling down it seems I have some further improvements to make on my colour correction skills. The photo in this post is more accurate in the rendering of the manila card.

Note: photo removed because I couldn't stand the bad scanning job I did on it.

The start of a new drawing. I haven't decided how but I plan to incorporate some colour on the right side. The paper is a nice vintage punch-card.

A photograph I took yesterday showing some current projects I'm working on. These days my 'studio' consists of a narrow table against the wall where I have my laptop, scanner/printer and a few task lights. It seems to work alright.

At the top left is a small plaid patch of a cape made by Anabela, resting on a dressform in the hallway. Then comes the Olivetti typewriter, then my work area. I'm hoping to make a series of drawings on the vintage punch-cards that Anabela gave me a few years ago (one is visible in the middle of the photo, with some scribbles and tentative drawing experiments on it. At the time of this photo, I was finishing up one of my doily drawings.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, The Balcony, 1879-80, Etching.

I'm posting something not by me today. The etchings of Whistler are a major inspiration for my work. Years ago I took a number of printmaking courses and Whistler's etchings were a constant source of ideas. His style has continued to influence me even now that I no longer create etchings of my own. The simplicity and boldness of his line-work and the sparseness of his compositions feel very contemporary to me. People often point out the unfinished, sketch-like quality of my drawings and I take that as a compliment. Whistler's etchings demonstrate to me that a piece does not have to appear "polished" to be complete.

This is a crude scan from an old exhibition catalogue I have. Click the image for a larger and better view.