Illustration Friday - Poem
This is a new piece this week and actually is based on a poem.
In 1989 or so, my friend and roommate Jeff Lucas wrote this poem:
“Where all form is thrown aside
incensed and temperamental
the parting of blue waters
then the reaching of hands
tenuous meaning, perception,
marionette,
the deceptions”
Jeff is primarily a musician and you can find his work at his web site: Jeffrey Luck Lucas
I was just starting to draw then. I illustrated the poem in colored pencil (see the bottom of this entry). You know how when you first start anything the first ones aren’t much good, but sometimes you love them anyway? That’s the way it was with this piece. I continue to love it today.
In 1991, I reworked it again with Prismacolor markers. That version didn’t survive very well. It was mostly blues and yellows and I’ve found that almost all blue and yellow Prismacolor markers (at least from that era and probably still today) turn yellow (bright yellow!) around the edges of the original marker color. I know alcohol markers aren’t meant to be archival, but that was my first real world wake-up call.
Anyway, I found the old color pencil drawing and decided it was time for another update. This one is in watercolors and unfortunately doesn’t photograph as well as I would like. It’s about 12″ x 12″ and a bit big for my scanner. I tried every setting and I still can’t capture the delicacy of watercolors. Guess it’s time to do some photographic research.
In other concerns - what happened to summer? We’re getting the Portland winter (but warmer) here in Austin this summer. It rains several days each week and it’s staying cooler (mid 80’s) but really humid. It’s too humid to open the windows until evening so I sit inside painting and staring out at the gloomy sky. I haven’t had to water the lawn once yet this year!
I’m not really complaining. Austin’s summer is the miserable part of the year. Hot hot and more hot for the most part. 96 during the day cooling to 90 at midnight and 80 at 5am. The rest of the year is gorgeous here. So if this is to be the summer of thunderstorms and rain, bring it on.
Hope you enjoy and have an excellent weekend. I’m planning a lazy library, Borders Books and Chipotle burrito weekend. 