Interactive Project- Stage 4 done!

Stage 4 of the interactive project is complete! I got Jim to draw this stage out of the hat (ok, the margarine tub) and niina's spotted mini flying elephants were picked out. (Do you think they're mini? They're smaller than normal though, hey?) I love polka dots, circles and spots so I was happy to do this one! By the way Niina, I saw those cute little elephant mugs on your blog- is this where your inspiration came from for the suggestion? Did you know- every time I go shopping at Safeway I see those mugs and am always tempted to get them. I don't need any more mugs but they are so damn cute I might just have to get them! They're a good size too.

I now need another 10 suggestions. Click here if you'd like detailed instructions of this project. Some important things to keep in mind:

I need ten suggestions only in the form of comments on this post for the next stage.

Every comment from each stage goes into the draw to win the final completed painting.

If you don't have a link in your comment I can't contact you if you win, so if this is the case, send me an email to tell me the name you commented under. Then I'll have your email address. (Used strictly for the purposes of this project only.)

Remember you don't have to suggest an item for me to paint, you could tell me to do some sort of pattern, write something on it, use collage, draw something in outlines, glue some sewn felt birds on.. whatever!! Let your imagination run wild.

Have fun!

I've been so busy..

I have painted the next stage of the interactive painting so I shall upload that soon. I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner! The pic is a little glimpse of some of the stuff that's going on in my studio at present. Some is exciting, some fun, and some just plain old illustrating!
A huge thankyou to all the lovely comments regarding my Nan, you don't know how much it all means to me. You are all such a nice bunch! I like to think she's in a better place now. That goes against all my non-spiritual beliefs but I don't want to think logically about it.
Well, I just checked the painting and the paint is almost dry.. it's so cold here today, it's taking it's time. I really really hate the cold, I'm already feeling it and it's only Autumn... or 'fall' for some of you foreigners. My feet are freezing. I think I get extra cold sitting at my desk and not getting any movement into me. I'd love to have big warm baths all the time but we're on water restrictions so it's a bit of a guilty pleasure.
I feel like I haven't 'blogged' for ages, but I guess it hasn't been that long. It's just that alot of stuff has happened between posts. Jim & I are starting to plan our future house, I'm commissioning a fabulously talented jeweller to make my engagement ring (more on that later!) and of course the funeral, and general illustration work that has kind of piled up and snowed me in.
I'll be back with another post very soon.. promise.

Goodbye, Nan.

My Nan passed away on Friday morning while I, my Mum Sue, my Aunty Di & my cousin Kerri sat by her side. Tomorrow is her funeral. I will be putting her dedicated copy of the book and a personal letter I wrote to her today in her coffin. (Coffin is such an awful word.) She always told me I'd grow up to illustrate Children's books.
Thanks Nan for the endless squiggles you used to do for me to finish off, the big cold glasses of apple juice, always having a supply of chocolates, having a great sense of humour, making me feel special and always making me feel like I could tell you anything. You've finally gone to join Pa. He's been waiting for you.
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I'll be back in action creatively next week. Take care all :)

Stage 3! (Yes, I'm still alive)

Still here folks, just been busy, busy, busy! Here's the next stage, suggested by Christine which was to have some more kids sitting listening to the story aswell. I decided to make them blue kids just for fun, because I can.
Here's some close-up detail:
I now need another 10 suggestions!
The highlight of my day today was picking a handful of cherry tomatoes and two big pumkins from our backyard. Just wanted to add that in. Oh, and I hope none of you caught the spammers comment on my last post! I know it was an actual person as you have to type in that little code. Shame on you, whoever you are.

Stage 2 completed

Renee, you must have this game rigged, because your name got picked out of the hat again! The fun thing about this is the challenge I have trying to make the suggestions tie in together. I'm looking forward to the next stage.. I shall now wait for another 10 commandments!

Stage one complete!

So here's the cherry blossom tree that was suggested by Renee Alam- Julie style! I added the ground in too, under artistic license! See the previous blog entry for the full details on this project. I'm now waiting for the next ten suggestions for stage two. Just remember every ten comments from each stage go into a draw to win the final painting!
Renee Alam, can you please email me (contact is in the sidebar) incase I need to contact you in the final draw. This goes for everyone- you don't need to leave a link with your comment but please email me your details aswell so I can contact you if you are the winner.

Link love: I love apak.

Interactive project is here!

Ok, I've been plotting & scheming up a fun interactive project for a while now, and it's here today! I have no idea how this is going to work out, it could well be a total disaster, but I think it will be a fun process. What I'm going to do is an interactive painting, to your instructions, my beloved readers. Here's how I think it's going to work:
There will be ten stages until completion of the artwork. Each finished stage will be posted here and on my flickr page. Today I'm starting with stage zero. Then I'll take the first ten commands in the form of comments here on my blog and put them in a hat (or most likely a bowl of some sort!) and the one that I draw out is the command I shall follow. Then at the end of the whole thing, each ten comments from each ten stages will go into the hat-bowl and I shall draw out a winner who will be sent the painting as a prize!
Rules: Please post only one comment/suggestion per stage, but you may post a comment at each seperate stage if you wish. If anyone puts more than one suggestion per stage I will only use the first suggestion in each draw.
Comments on what to do can be specific or they can be vague. Examples of suggestions: Draw a dog with an overcoat/ cover the background in squares/ put a sticker on the painting/ paint a green cloud/ collage a whimsical tree.. Anything!!! Use your imagination! I'm interested to see how this is going to come out.
Here's stage zero (The image area is approx. 30 x 40cm or 11.75 x 15.75in):


Have fun! Depending on the outcome and it's popularity I may get prints made at the end incase any participants or anyone else for that matter would like a copy.
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Now I'm ending this post with something funny.. a little pic that my partner Jim did. I love these little characters, he's drawn them on a piece of paper with information that we need so every now and then I get to see them and have a bit of a laugh. He's one of those people that "can't draw" but I just love these guys- I think everyone can draw in their own little way. Don't you think!?

Finally, some photos from the book launch!

It's been a long time coming, but here they are. I eventually get things done that I need to do, sometimes it just takes me a while, but I do get there! Here's myself and Tony Wilson with the book The Thirsty Flowers on the day, with some photos below of the reading, the exhibition, a girl studying the book quite hard, and some of the crowd from the start of the day. You can see a couple of extra photos on my flickr page.
I loved speaking to individuals about the book, and the signing was alot of fun. It was a cold melbourne day, but that didn't stop the celebrating. I enjoyed the day (even though I had some nerves- I'm not a centre of attention type of gal) and before I knew it, it was all over. I could've drank champagne for the rest of the night!
The original work was displayed in the Books Illustrated upstairs gallery, and alot of it has now been sold but am expecting to get some pieces that are still available online soon incase anyone is interested in owning an original.



So that's about it for that. I'll be back soon with updates on all the stuff that's keeping me busy lately. New artwork, new items for the shop... I've got so many things on the go that I really don't know how it fits in with me actually being a lazy person.