illustration friday - communication

illustration friday - gravity

texture

Top is my grandmothers hands the bottom is my skirt. Both have their own crinkly texture.

psuedo screen

I can make my own screenprints, even if its only virtual. I love pink but I understand it might not be suitable for a baby boy....this is a portrait of my baby before going to bed at night, complete with comb over.

melbourne morning

I am getting better at going out with a little baby- here is my morning snapshot, I slowed down to enjoy what I could see. I knew I could do it, I just have to keep doing it. Notice my new red sneakers, I love them.

dear (dog+bear)

I'm working on some drawings to then make into a soft toy and some magnets. This is a 'dear' dog+bear, I thought it was better than a 'bog'. I have another small drawing with spots, inspired by a small puppy dalmation I see each morning. I want to learn to screen print as I would love to put these kinds of images onto Pei's clothes. It is amazing how many boys clothes are covered in army related images, camo fatigues etc.....awful......I dont want to buy those kinds of things so try and get things without labels and lots of business, fortunately you can buy plain stuff quite easily. I will get onto that screen printing.........

little scruff

I saw this little scruff ball dog down the street, I have not really drawn the most striking characterisitc which was his amazing eyebrows, like John Howard's but bigger. He was such a lovely little thing, the kind of dog that when you talk to him, he looks at you with shiny eyes and gives a wag of his tail. I like these kinds of dogs.

illustration friday - crash

shimenawa

I have so many small notes in my memory of little details of my travels, especially in Japan. This beautifully written passage from a very beatuful book sums up much of my experience "The washcloths were my first exposure to the attention to detail that characterises much of Japan-both visually and socially. I soon came to realise just how much thought lies behind appearances and actions there, and that these details of beauty and nuances of word and deed are both expected and appreciated". The book is called A year in Japan by Kate T Williamson isbn 1-56898-540-1, a collection of beautiful watercolours and notes about her year. The middle image is a drawing from the book - click on the image to see the beautiful detail and read the perfectly balanced passage. The top and bottom photos are of shimenawa, found at temples and over many doorways at new year and various other significant places, essentially they keep bad sprits away, but they are also an integral part of the design and image of sacred places. This shimenawa is also a lucky charm where you can stand underneath and throw a coin up into the straw and hope it gets lodged there. It is luck for marriage. More bizarrely, the shrine listed on this link is the exact same one as the photo I have included here. It is a significant shrine in Japan, located in the complete boondocks of Japan. Its just down the road a bit from the place that sells the latte art coffees.

latte art

Back to the coffee's....the cafe I go to everyday also has some girls who work there. I'm satisfied now as they know my order and say hi......I thought I should also say a big hello to my usual guy and it has worked, he has no choice but to say hi back! The coffees above are not served there, sadly. This is an old photo taken at a cafe in Japan. It is the most beautiful latte art I have ever seen and every time you get a latte, it has a different design. There is a latte art competition, check out the designs. There is the same design featured-the little face. It has to be the same guy right? Btw, he uses a tooth pick to make the designs, so beautifully Japanese.

those days

Those days were pre-baby, where we could do whatever we wanted. I was looking through some old photos and remembered how exicitng it was to see these famous and beautiful art works at Musee D'orsay in Paris, France. These days are also exciting but it is a different kind of excitement. I like this excitement better as it requires many layers and is longer lasting.

friends

I am lucky to have some of the most lovely friends in the world. Thanks to you all for your ongoing love and support. Here is Longlong with his friend Barney.

aussieness

It was so nice to go to the bush and walk amongst the ferns and trees. The usual smell of damp has gone with all the dry weather but it is still quite green. I love to go to these kinds of places and see these kinds of objects, compositions, colours and sounds you can only experience in Australia. We took Peipei for his first introduction, it is a very special place as this is the place that my darling proposed to me, so now we are +1, he can know about this place too.

milk food

Heres a couple of examples of food I have eaten during my 'recovery' after the birth and nourishing foods for milk production. Top is stir fry crab, middle is fish noodle soup and bottom is pippi and mussell soup. All fish and seafoods are good foods for getting back into shape and have helped me to feel really well. Fish congee which is a type of rice porrige is also lovely with lots of thinly sliced spring onions and a drop of good quality soy sauce. I must admit, these foods have all been cooked for me by my dearest husband, I am lucky!! I am back to cooking and will cook a typical Japanese dish tonight called oyako don. This translates as mother and child as it is made from chicken and egg.