Saturday, January 03, 2009

People Series, challenge 28



Just adding a new photo. Punched up the color a bit with some ink pens I got Monday. I also touched up the book a bit. Added the title. What else would a Raven be reading but Poe. I also photographed it with no flash.

Quoth the Raven by Ann E. Ruthsdottir

I had a hard time understanding the color concepts for this challenge. Finally I just decided to do it; then learn from the comments. I got some inks for Christmas, so I was anxious to try them out.

My first idea was to do a portrait of my daughter, maybe 24x30. Luckily, someone on QA suggested doing Raven post cards. Much better to paint smaller, especially since I haven't a clue how to use these inks. I really wanted to paint with them. However they ran and bleed so I'm glad I decided to work small.

I ended up using some colored pencils to add darker colors. Although this is NOT strictly a 'people', I think this Raven has enough human characteristics to quality. I think the background is the zinger that lets the Raven capture the stage. Of course the orange form fitting leggings also might qualify. I realize the colors are NOT that of a real Raven, I just thought they were FUN. I view this as a cartoon, so it should look like fun. It is totally different from anything I have ever done before. That really excited me. I have a hard time drawing small [or actually working small at all], so I drew typing paper size then shrunk it down with a scanner I got from Freecycle. It was all fun except the binding. That took hours and is still lumpy.

13 comments:

  1. Hi Ann, This is a wonderful little piece...you can draw! Very nicely done The attitude of the raven comes across as confident and scholarly. I really want to know what he is reading!
    Good work.
    Cynthia
    PS...I think you did get the color concept, I think the zinger is that glowing yellow book

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  2. Ann, the raven is great. I agree with Cynthia, the yellow book is a great zinger.
    I admire you for working so small.

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  3. Ann.... your 'raven person' is so adorable, so cheeky and so appropo to the size you worked in. I would agree that your complementary color is enough to qualify as a 'zinger', anything more would take away from him and his personality.
    Lovey piece!

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  4. Ann... love your raven cartoon. I agree with the others that the zinger is the yellow book. Well done. What a fun result!

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  5. Ann. . . you have used the inks propensity to run to your advantage. The resulting color shifts look very painterly. Yet, you have managed to contain the hard edges where needed. It seems I'm always enlarging my drawings, so it was fun to read your comments on reducing your drawn image. Well done.

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  6. I love your raven, and the wonderful pun in the title.

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  7. Ann, that is just the cutest raven.
    Great drawing skills

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  8. Hi Ann,
    Your raven looks very scholarly, and is very well done. You did a fantastic job with the dye paints. I have found that testing a fabric is important to find which ones the dye won't run on. You handled the running very well. Joni

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  9. Your raven makes me smile! This is a very fun piece. I love the colours and the way that you have used the stitching to add detail.

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  10. Hi Ann - What a charmer! I am so envious of your drawing ability - this fellow is so full of personality. He looks quite taken with himself. I can't say why I have this impression but that's what is fun. Thanks for sharing this.

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  11. Oh, boy. Now I want to try those paints, too! Very nice. Your raven has personality and the yellow book is just right....and of course, he'd be reading Poe. :)

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  12. Ann. . . the "bump" of color really works nicely.

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