Ink & Fairydust: Fairy Tales!

Hello! I am proud to announce and display Ink & Fairydust Magazine (click on the link!). This issue is special to me for 2 reasons: 1) it's about fairy tales and fantasy, which are always the best topics, and 2) because, ahem, well, I illustrated the cover and one of the little fairy drawings inside. This is my first time illustrating something published, so, I am rather excited about it. I am so glad to be a part of such a fun project with such lovely people.

And, of course, we need a quote about the topic. Here is one by Mr. Lewis that I found recently:

“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” -C.S. Lewis

Arthouse Sketchbook Project

       As I mentioned before, a loooong time ago when I did regular posts (who am I kidding- I've always been ify on that particular subject) I told you about the Arthouse Sketchbook Project that I started. Below are a few excerpts from what I have done so far:

          When signing up for a sketchbook, you have to chose a topic. Their list of rather vague topics leave lots of wiggle room. I chose, "the secret and how to tell it," for mine, and the title is Childish Things. Yeah, that's going to allow me to draw pretty much whatever I want. Just what the secret is, I don't really know yet, and it so far it hasn't really mattered. I figure it has something to do with imagination, common sense,  childhood, etc. Just think, of course, what Chesterton would say on the matter. 

       I am also TRYING to start painting digitally with my new bamboo tablet and Painter X. It's rather very very difficult, but, I am doing my best to teach myself. 

     Now some quotes on the before mentioned theme:

“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” -C.S. Lewis

“Grown up, and that is a terribly hard thing to do. It is much easier to skip it and go from one childhood to another.”-F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Well, one can't get over the habit of being a little girl all at once.”

-L.M. Montgomery

Miyazaki is at it Again!

      I am sure some of you are familiar with The Borrowers by Mary Norton? Well, Miyazaki is doing a spin off of the books with The Secret Life of Arrietty.

I am so so so so SO excited! I have never actually read the books... I have always wanted to, and I have watched a movie or tv version with Ian Holm when I was little. Anyway, the point is, I think this is rather perfect! You've got a lovely little British-like book series about little people who live in houses and collect, or "borrow," things from the "human beans," such as scissors for weapons, and a japanese movie maker who excels at lovely and gentle details. 

      Now, there may be some kind of new age spin to it all about protecting the environment that's not in the books, but still, I will take what I can get. And most likely, I will be taking my little sis to see this. I will probably enjoy it more than her, but it may be a good opportunity for some sister bonding time.

Below is the official trailer, which I haven't watched yet, but I imagine it is decent. 

If you are not tempted yet, here are some lovely adorable movie stills:

And NO WAY! It's Miyazaki's birthday today! (or, for ten more minutes at least- it will be midnight soon) Happy Birthday Miyazaki!

Fairy Sketch and a Fun Project

As you may know (I don't remember if I actually told you or not) I am an illustrator for Ink and Fairydust Magazine, and I recently did this little pen and ink sketch for one of the illustrations.

Recent news? Well, I have a new macbook and I am trying to teach myself some graphic design/digital art basics, and I discovered Doctor Who:

I find both of those things very exciting. Harry Potter and Doctor Who all in one year- what will Mary discover next?
      Also, a friend recently directed my attention to this fun looking project. I am going to try it out I think. Not that I need another project to barely finish, but, I do my best. It's a fact that you just never know what will become of things- even the unfinished ones.
   In the mean time, I continue trying to develop my skills through Drawing Tutorials Online.

God bless! I hope you all have a lovely new year of 2012 (not sure where the following quote came from, but I found it from a friend).

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." - Neil Gaiman

A Bit of Magic for the Holidays

I found this monstrously cute dwelling on Mark Shea's blog. Do yourself a favor and click on it.

.... Ahem, however, I'd rather do without the compost toilet. I've actually had to use one of those before. I don't plan on repeating the experience.

Fairies, Christmas, and the Doctor

 It's been a while since I have posted. I have been busy working everyone's last minute vacation hours at work, trying not to spend all my money on lovely presents for lovely people, trying to do some drawing tutorials here and there, and falling in love with Doctor Who in between.  

    I bought my sister a book of Flower Fairies for Christmas- partly for me, partly for her. I want to practice drawing children's faces, and the faces in this book are adorable. Besides, I've always like the Flower Fairies: they are old fashioned and proper. 

   I am particularly fond of this little guy:

(I am having some difficulty with the formating in blogger lately- thus the reason all my images are in the middle, and not put stylishly on one side or the other. I am sure I must have selected some option that has caused this, or something like that. I hope to fix it soon. This is annoying.)

    Anyway, so there was a Doctor Who Christmas special on, I watched it, and I am officially hooked. At least, to the 11th Doctor. I rather love him rather a lot. I will try to spare you too many quotes and general fandom, but the last thing I can do is promise that the Doctor won't make an appearance now and then. For now, "bow ties are cool." 

    I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Water Lady

I don't know if she is an elf or a nymph or human. She just is. It's based off a drawing in Guide to Tolkien's World: A Bestiary by David Day. I think it was a sketch of Goldberry, I am not sure. Anyway, I did my own variation of it.

Mr. Tumnus

    Sometimes I just have to watch the beginning of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe to make things all better. I absolutely love the snow scene at the lamppost. Here is a quick sketch I did during/after watching it:

Admittedly, he is a bit baby faced.

Snow! Narnia. Christmas.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Belated Birthday Hobbits!

     And a happy Hobbit Day to the rest of you! Technically, that was yesterday. September 22nd is Mr. Bilbo and master Frodo's birthday, but I didn't realize it until the later morning hours, and didn't have time to draw and post properly the day of. However, I did find a website that said the week containing Sept. 22nd is considered Hobbit Week, so if you haven't had a chance to celebrate properly, you still have almost two days left! I celebrated by watching the Fellowship of the Ring extended version (for fans, there is a HUGE  difference), while drawing these pictures. Can one draw and watch at the same time? You tell me. Did I succeed? To be perfectly and entirely honest, I do think it takes away a bit from the drawing, but, I wanted to do both, and I didn't have time before work to do them separately. I had fun anyway. I think I will have to reread my Tolkien collection soon! There are so many things I have forgotten, and that makes me exceedingly sad.
      I picked out a bit from the "Long Expected Part" chapter of the Fellowship, because I thought that the most fitting.

'You mean to go on with your plan then?
'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it.'

It is based off this:

Inside Bag End, Bilbo and Gandalf were sitting at the open window of a small room  looking out west on to the garden. The late afternoon was bright and peaceful. The flowers glowed red and golden: snapdragons and sunflowers, and nasturtians trailing  over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows.
    'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf.
    'Yes," said Bilbo. 'I am very fond indeed of it, and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday."
     'You mean to go on with your plan then?'
     'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it.'
     'Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to you plan-- your whole plan, mind -- and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.
     'I hope so. Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday, and have my little joke.'
     'Who will laugh, I wonder?' said Gandalf, shaking his head.  
    'We shall see,' said Bilbo.


Happy Hobbit Day to you all!

              

 

 

 

Harry and Hedwig!

What you guys don't know about Harry Potter is that he stole Hedwig from me.... when I was living in Ireland..... on the coast with my wild ponies and painting studio. But I still drew him out of the goodness of my heart.

    One of my favorite activities for a Sunday afternoon these days seems to be taking a movie I have seen, and drawing from it- especially if it has cute little kids in it. Yesterday I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I tried drawing Ron- but it wasn't ideal, and I cropped him out of the picture to the left. I will have to draw him some other time. Besides, I got distracted drawing the picture below. Once I  can across that scene, I had to stop all I was doing and draw it! It's such a pretty movie! I love the snow parts! I love snow! (just shows how, again, Hedwig is my owl, and should be returned to me)

    

I am trying to fill up space so I can get to the next picture. 

     

It's not working.

Oh look at that- how did that extra space get there? 

By the way, I have started the fourth Harry Potter book, and it's only been about two weeks. I will have this done and the last movie watched before you know it! But then I will be sad.... oh well, just can't win. 

   Yay! Now we can get to the next picture! 

          Aren't they cute? Isn't the lighting lovely! I enjoyed myself with this one- and I put in a bit more time on it than I usually do while watching a movie/drawing. 

    Quote time. 

"God made us for joy. God is joy, and the joy of living reflects the original joy that God felt in creating us." -Pope John Paul II

"Literature and fiction are two entirely different things. Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity."- G.K. Chesterton  

I found that last quote on facebook of all places. I would like to read the rest of what he had to say on the subject someday, but for now the quote will do.

    Oh, ran across Brenna the kitty yesterday, doing her usual thing: sleeping anywhere that most people (or kitties) would not. She always does this! This is actually a rather comfortable place to find her sleeping.

LOAD ALREADY! I have a book to read!

Mischief managed.

May 9th, 2011: Illustration Friday

So I am starting something new- I am going to give a go at participating in Illustration Friday, where you doing a drawing based on the word of the week, and they post it every Friday. Now, I am not sure I will do this EVERY Friday, but it's new, and i can see it being handy on those far too frequently occurring days when I can't think of what to draw. I think it looks fun, and fun is good.

This week's word is Beginning. And so- tah dah!- I did another dragon..... I like dragons. I wanted to make the boy hobbit like, although I think his limbs turned out rather long, making him look a bit too tall for a hobbit. But I liked the way he looked, and so was too attached to erase and redo him. I had fun doing this one.

I love my dragon! And I like the boy- even if his hands are a bit big, which I just now noticed....

You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
~C.S. Lewis

April 15th... No Drawing Yet, But A Funny Story (a.k.a an excuse)

So... I was going to go to the YMCA and Stations of the Cross, and then come home and spend a lovely evening drawing something (I want to do a drawing of a more happy persuasion...). But, yeah..... something happened: I had a headache before leaving, and so I went to the cabinet to take an advil, only, I took a sleeping pill by accident! So yeah... I BARELY jogged half a mile and had to sit the whole time during stations, and have been a zombie ever since.... Maybe I will draw SOMETHING later tonight, even if it's just a salt shaker. I will try, that is all I can promise.
      And for some reason the boys (I have two younger brothers) are walking around the kitchen communicating by saying only "coo coo".... when you're drunk on sleeping pills this does really strange things to your head.... just sayin.
     Oh! And I have been thinking that along with my own drawings, I may post artwork that I like by other artist, living and (mostly) dead. I just get so excited about stuff and want to share! I'm sure you won't mind. I hope.

An hour or two later:
Ok! I did a quick sketch! I remembered that I told a friend I would do a quick unicorn sketch for her, and so here it is. I have to confess I only spent like 10 minutes on it, but I intend to get her a more detailed drawing in the  future.

Ok... so there are flecks of some ferin' substance on this.... there must have been dust or something on my scanner.

     And here is my painting by someone else for the day. I have no idea who this is by; I found this in a magazine, but it didn't have a name or source, and I couldn't find it on google images... so I suppose we are out of luck this time. But I love it! It may be my current favorite of the Child Jesus so far. 

Absolutely lovely! I wish I knew who did it. If anyone knows, please tell me. 

     Since we are kind of on the theme of the Child Jesus, let's use a St. Therese quote for today:

"If I did not simply suffer from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I look only at the present moment, forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future. When we yield to discouragement or despair it is usually because we give too much thought to the past and to the future. "-St. Therese of Lisieux

March 21st, 2011: Another Crying Dragon

This is roughly based on Reepicheep and Eustace in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I always loved this scene, and the idea of a big physically strong dragon being comforted by the little mouse with a big personality. I liked the opposites- which was what I was aiming for with the size of the huge puddle of dragon tears, and the little tiny handkerchief that the mouse offers the poor dragon. How could the little clothe wipe all those tears?

I have also been working on a painting or two as well. So just because I am not posting drawings as I should does not mean I am not busy.
Oh, and I shall be out of town for nearly a week starting Friday, and I do not foresee computer access. But, I do hope to draw while I am gone, so maybe I will have a few things to post when I return.

When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you sometimes find that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out in the open and has other people looking at it. -Winnie the Poor.

Very true, silly bear. Very true.
And it does seem I am very fond of dragons does it not? They are growing on me I must admit. 

March (I don't want to say it) 15th, 2011: Eustace is afraid!

Ok, so yes, I am a biit behind schedule.... I have excuses, but I am too tired and impatient to get this post done to mention them. So here is my sketch of the day! Again, I am working on princess Eustace for my friends story. I'm thinking there needs to be more people in it, more like a busy court. But here it is:

Trying to think of a quote or some nonsense to say... hmm..... Ah yes, some St. Therese. She's been reminding me of this a lot lately; which, I guess it is always a good thing to be reminded of:

"If I did not simply suffer from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I look only at the present moment, forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future. When we yield to discouragement or despair it is usually because we give too much thought to the past and to the future. "-St. Therese of Lisieux

March 7th: Mermaid Nearly Killed

So I got back from an absolutely lovely girly time with my friend over the weekend. I inked in my Little Mermaid picture, and I nearly killed her. Yes, is is a rather darker sad story, but I did not intend for such gloom as this. I do like it, but it's not the completely sweet suffering little mermaid I had pictured. Heh, I think I did FAR too many ink washes, the many layers seemed to get a biiit chalky. But anyway, it's been a year or so since I did a pen and ink, and I do miss it. Hopefully I will keep with it and get back into practice with it.

Again, not what I had planned, but maybe I simply do not have the control over ink to get the result I wanted. She doesn't have the ink black hair and pale skin I wanted. She's not delicate enough. She looks slightly mischievous or threatening than she should.  Heh, I mean, I haven't done this in a year... of course I want it to be PERFECT. What else would a sane person expect? I do like  how that bit of tail fins look....
     By the way, I have just discovered Jeeves and Wooster. Life now has a whole new meaning. I say, I'm rather dashed! Whato whato whato! I say! I feel rather blitheringly tired! Tootle pip!

March 4th, 2011: Andersen's The Little Mermaid Unfinished

Yes, I have been slacking. Well, actually I have been quite busy, just not with drawing. I've discovered that deadlines for scholarships/applications are much sooner than I thought, and so I have been working like crazy on portfolios and essays. But today, even though I was not feeling very well, I did start an ink drawing. I read Andersen's The Little Mermaid, and, of course, I loved it and wanted to draw it. Yes, I am doing lots of fairy tales lately. But I am doing that on purpose, because 1), I have never read them before, and 2), I knew they would be fun to illustrate. So here she is, the Little Mermaid. The story IS NOT like the disney version, as I am sure you can imagine. She is a beautiful, sad, "quiet and thoughtful" creature, who wanted more than anything to acquire an immortal soul(mer-people do not have immortal souls or after lives) by winning the love of a human. She fails, more or less, but do read the story anyway! She is a very heroic mermaid.

I am leaving for the weekend, and so I will probably not finish this until Tuesday. But I do plan to finish this using some ink washes, and maybe a touch of color here or there. For my other plans (as if I have that many) you will just have check later!
       "Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any moment, and being love is a supreme creative act." -Charles Dickons

"I always remember to forget those things." Winnie The Pooh

February 26th: Turin Kills Beleg

    Today is a bit more somber than the princesses and dragons and mermaids thus far. I decided to get out one of my favorite books, Children of Hurin by Tolkien, and draw one of my favorite scenes from it. I love Beleg, and I almost cried the first time I read his death scene. (Warning: do not EVER grow to love any of Tolkien's characters from The Silmarillion, Children of Hurin, etc. He will kill everyone off, as he did my favorite, Beleg Cuthalion.) This is a rather rough quick sketch, and I am not happy with Turin's closer arm that's holding Anglachel. The foreshortening is rather pitiful. In fact, it is pitiful everywhere else too. Just goes to show again that drawing from life is so much better for natural looking results; but, one doesn't always have that option. But I DREW today! Maybe I should have practiced piano, considering I have a lesson on Monday that I am NOT ready for, but still! I drew! And I am over all pleased with the overall feeling of the sketch.

        "Beleg drew his sword Anglachel, and with it he cut the fetters that bound Turin; but fate that day was more strong, for the blade of Eol the Dark Elf slipped in his hand, and pricked Turin's foot.
        Then Turin was roused into a sudden wakefulness of rage and fear, and seeing a form bending over him in the gloom with a naked blade in hand he leapt up with a great cry, believing Orcs were come again to torment him; and grappling with him in the darkness he seized Anglachel, and slew Beleg Cuthalion thinking him a foe.
        But as he stood, finding himself free, and ready to sell his life dearly against imagined foes, there came a flash of lightning above them, and in its light he looked down on Beleg's face. Then Turin stood stonestill and silent, staring on that dreadful death, knowing what he had done; and so terrible was his face, lit by the lightning that flickered all about them, that Gwindor cowered down upon the ground and dared not raise his eyes."

      Poor Turin. Beheading his best friend who had suffered so much to save him was only the beginning of his troubles.

February 24th, 2011

    This is a sketch from a story I am illustrating for my friend, Benjamin Singleton, called Eustace Pennyworth And the Dragon of Chichester. You can check out his facebook fan page by typing the title in facebook search.  I have done a painting for the same story, which you can see here: http://www.marysullivanartwork.com/art/then-he-cried-big-dragon-tears/ . The sketch I did today was an attempt to figure out what I want to do with this scene. I'm not sure I like the composition, etc, but we'll see what happens. I haven't decided if the dragon or the princess should be in front. And I don't know if the princess should be in the water, or on the bank trying to pull off her shoes, or having her crown getting caught in her hair when should took it off, etc.

1st Post: February 23rd, 2011

Officially, the post of the day is the header. But I needed to do a post to point that out. Also, I decided to put the past two sketches I did over the past week. The first is my attempt at copying a Waterhouse while watching Quantum of Solace. Which I thought was kinda lame.  

Note to self: trying to draw while watching an action movie you've never seen before is not the best idea in the world. Fun maybe, but the drawing rather than the tv watching suffers. 

    Another is a lesson or two from The Structure of Man: Drawing the Human Figure From Your Mind DVD set that i am using in an attempt to teach myself anatomy. I have been working on these DVD's for about 3 years now. It's about time I got past the foot don't you think?

How about an art quote for the day: "Art allows us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." -Thomas Merton