Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 29

Still live from Michigan, USA. Douglas Lake in Northern Michigan, to be precise! The theme is "Plane, so here'a a model plane, created with iridescent Origami paper, which flies over my photograph of the lake at sunset.

Week 29 Plane
Week 29: Plane

Update:

Week 29 Plane II
Week 29: Plane II

"Open wide, here comes an aeroplane!" Paper collage and permanent black Sharpie.

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 28

Again live from Michigan, USA! Sitting here in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on a drizzly Tuesday morning, patiently(?) waiting for it to be Wednesday in Australia, so that I can share my "Week 28: Feather" before I'm out of Internet range for a whole week! Here is some assemblage art, which uses sequins, plastic jewels, chenille sticks, stickered lettering, a touch of gold glitter, a wiggly eye - and real feathers - on a wooden blank of a rather plain bird who now feels Very Pretty.

Week 28 Feather
Week 28: Feather

Week 28 Feather combo
The original blank (right) and an outdoors shot (left and below) of the complete work.

Week 28 Feather outdoors

Update:

When my brother's then girlfriend planned on wearing a Scarlet O'Hara crinoline for a fancy dress party in the late 70s, she ordered him the Rhett Butler outfit at the hire store. He examined it, baulked at the price and, instead, asked me to help him make a crepe paper chicken costume. Girlfriend was appalled - and my brother the chook was startled to meet a butcher at the party, who chased him all night with a giant plastic meat cleaver. Not easy to run in swimming flippers! Based on a Polaroid photo taken by me, the sketch is done in oil pastels on Ingres paper.

Week 28 Feather II
Week 28: Feather II

Week 28 Feather III
Week 28: Feather III

As in Arnold Feather (Jeff Kevin) of "Number 96", inspired by Andy Warhol's infamous Marilyn Monroe artwork. Freehand sketch with black Sharpie on transparent plastic film. Six coloured papers were placed on top, to colour areas with pencils, then placed underneath for individual photography. Six digital thumbnail tiles were then sorted in iPhoto and a final "screenshot" taken.

Saturday, July 05, 2014

52-Week Illustration Challenge, Week 27

Live from Michigan, USA! I've only ever been here in the snow before, but it's summer, of course! The snowman on the right with the "Star Trek" phaser is based on the one made by my penpal, Olivia, and I during out first meeting in January 1984. The little one is based on the one outside our restaurant window in December 2012. The squirrel victim is depicted because - squirrel! Drawn with oil pastels on two backgrounds.

Week 27 Snow
Week 26: Snow

I was thrilled to unite these two long-gone snowpeople, separated by decades, but definitely kindred spirits. Just noticing that the photo of this piece loses some subtlety in the hand phaser, and yet improves the tones on the squirrel. I'm fascinated how oil pastels work, and how they scan/photograph, when the colours are layered - and loving the unpredictability.

Update:
Prismatic origami paper snowflakes on a black card background.

Week 27 Snow II
Week 27: Snow II

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Saying farewell to Ann Arbor. But not goodbye...

Alas, this was my last full day in Ann Arbor for this trip, and plans have now been made to return next Spring, so that I can see Michigan without snow! Including the beautiful old hotel on Mackinac Island, filming location of the 1979 movie, Somewhere in Time, which starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

Day 7 photos:

Charlie Brown Christmas tree
A Charlie Brown Christmas, plus Andorian sock monkey

Day 7 Ian and Dorothy
Ian says goodbye to Dorothy!

Day 7 ST Poster

Day 7 ST Trek

Day 7 ST Nero
The Andorian sock monkey explores Reed's amazing garage sale bargain!

Day 7 Hello Kitty
It was definitely a Very Hello Kitty Christmas for Olivia!

Day 7 We Three
When shall we three meet again?

Day 7 Icicles
I shall miss watching these icicles grow!

Reed & Olivia
See you soon (I hope), Reed & Olivia!