Thursday 15 January 2015

Colouring the Portraits.

I talked to Sadhbh about her colouring of this piece and when I asked about her approach this is what she had to say;
I love black and white illustration so when I go in with colour I have some fear that I’ll take away from the original line-work. Conversely I want to impress upon it my own personality which is challenging again because it exists already in black and white upon which the viewer has impressed their own personality. I wanted my colouring to have a natural yet fantastical feel. I wanted to honour the intricate drawing with involved colouring. In the end it is an experiment rather than the definitive, it’s a chance to play around and ad a different kind of vibrancy without taking it too seriously. Though within minutes of finishing I start to think its lame and there could be a better way to do it. Sigh.

I wish I could have such a detailed head-dress, though probably what I’m really wishing for is a fantastical world in which you could wear such a head-dress and not look like a lunatic walking around. It reminds me of the old BBC Narnia series, which I loved, the nymphs and such-like. Although it’s likely more my personalised nostalgia vision than what was actually described in the book or portrayed on the screen. But in a land of myth where animals can talk anything is possible.

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Splitting Borders No.185, coloured by Sadhbh. The initial inspiration for this strip was a trip Sadhbh took on the train to Belfast. It was an attempt to capture the sense of stillness of the observer as they watch a train rush by, confronted with a blur of details and the drawn out passing of the expanse of carriage. The rainbow colours reflect the internal experience of the passengers who come from all walks of life to merge on the journey, held safe from the external heat of the train's speed.