These next two illustrations were so satisfying to work on. I absolutely relish the challenge of producing work that will fit the writer's brief and always seek to do so in a way that offers a little personality to the image. Storytelling without the use of words. Satisfying too, that they have been published on my birthday. It's a very special birthday treat!
The lovely writer Hannah Bullivant (read her blog!) has written a very pertinent article in Amelia's Magazine about the pressures of mass consumerism, and offers solutions to counteract this. Hannah writes of ways in which you can be imaginative, resourceful and thrifty as an alternative means of spreading goodwill AND keeping your sanity at Christmas.
Illustrations were requested to portray these themes, so the first is an image of the craft of Polish Christmas card making and the little girl is my 8 year old friend Mia, borrowed from her mother for a craft workshop a couple of weeks ago, which had been generously organised by the band Kotkid Dwa (spot us on their website if you can, big kid, little kid...!). I discovered this event, courtesy of the fabulous Amelia's Magazine.
The second image is a character, literally in full consumer swing! I wanted to use the brief to show the Ying and the Yang of Christmas. The thoughtful, creative, socially/environmentally aware and generous side against the greed and frenzy of what should actually be a reflective and spiritual time for us all.
beautiful illustrations! really love the first one
ReplyDeleteHi Matilde,
ReplyDeleteI am really late, but thank you for your lovely post about the article, and my blog! And a very belated happy birthday to you too! I tweetedhappy birthday to 'Wuuf' on the day and didn't realise until later that your twitter name is 'wuuff'! So, my apologies!