39. Dreams

Another late one, another forfeit, another haunting refrain in the night... Well. Two of the above!

This illustration did use a reference photo, from what may be one of my favourite films of all time, at least so far. I think David Lynch is amazing and this film, Blue Velvet, and Dean Stockwell's rendition of In Dreams both have a special place in my heart: my boyfriend gave me his DVD of the film not too long ago and I think I must have watched it about 3 times within about a week or so. Now, having seen Twin Peaks, Dune, and Mulholland Drive, I'm a total Lynch convert.* I'm quite happy with how it turned out, since I think it's such a great scene and wanted to try and do it justice in come small (yellow, square) way. 

This was quite a quick one, which may explain why it's a bit crooked! It's based on the Paradox Stairs (actually called the Penrose stairs or Penrose steps) in Inception: an impossibility in the real world, but something that can exist in the film's malleable dream-reality. I made an initial sketch that was more equilateral, but I forgot to take into account the different levels of the steps and winged it, leading to some inaccuracy. I think I could have got away with another step on the top left since I've just realised that the number isn't equal on each side, but all in all I'm pretty happy with how plausible it looks!


*I initially wrote 'I'm a total convent', but if you heard some of the things I say in casual conversation, you'd know for sure that that's definitely not true.

38. Abandoned

As well as being late to do some of the Post-It notes, I've also recently got into the habit of uploading pictures in a rush and then not actually writing the text of the posts until later. Guilty on both points this time. These Post-It notes were supposed to be Saturday's, I actually did them on Sunday and uploaded them then, and now it's Tuesday and I'm just now writing this.

This theme was interesting - so many possibilities! I couldn't get over this idea of the baby abandoned in the handbag from Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (let me just get my confession out of the way and reveal that I've only ever seen the film and not the play, and have actually never read anything by him - a travesty which I hope to remedy soon). The handbag would have had to be a real beast of a bag, maybe sort of like Mary Poppins', which itself is basically like the TARDIS - bigger on the inside and probably just as capable of interdimensional travel too. Anyway, I love the story, though it's sad to think of how happy it is in juxtaposition with how sad Wilde's life became. 

This image doesn't strictly convey the idea of something being 'abandoned'; more like something 'imminently to be abandoned'. This is an illustration of the point in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film where a rowboat ends up facing off against a ship (can't remember exactly which one) as Captain Jack steals the HMS Interceptor. I drew it from memory because I was too lazy to look it up, though my subsequent uncertainty over exactly what happened in that scene and looking at the ship's appearance and proportions, I think I could really have done with some more research and a reference picture: it looks like the ship is riding on the back of a whale and that's what the officer is so worried about!

37. Eyes

I did actually draw this one on the night it was due for, so no forfeit this post. It is, however, not drawn on a Post-It note, like the images in the last post, because I left my Post-It notes at work on Friday (the ones at home I stubbornly insist are too yellow). I quite like the change, though I do really love those notecards. This drawing is of the character in the film Pan's Labyrinth, whose eyes are in the palms of his hands, and it was also drawn without a reference image because I didn't have Internet access that day. I'm very happy with how it turned out, though I honestly haven't looked up the film stills or the character information since. It just didn't really occur to me to (lazy) and part of me is too creeped out to do it now, but my ego also seems to be too proud to face the disappointment of having made a mistake.

36. Precious Treasure

I have a new dongle! (Thanks to T-Mobile's excellent customer service!) This is the first of a few late posts, partly due to my lack of Internet connection (and laziness, which may already be a familiar theme...) - the first drawing was done without a reference picture, and I'm actually pretty proud of how it turned out, especially the hands and feet:  

Yes, it's Gollum with the One Ring. Some might say predictable, I say the logical choice. Also, the movies are great, including The Hobbit, Part I. 

My second, forfeit, drawing is a collection of all the things I would try and take with me if the flat was on fire. It includes the standard things like phone, passport, and money, along with some things which are standard to me, like family photos and laptop, but also things like shoes and a coat, because it would be awful if you became homeless in a fire and didn't have any shoes to stand around waiting for the fire brigade in. I've just realised that I didn't include any keys, but I suppose that, although it seems harsh, you wouldn't actually need them if your home burned down.

Apologies for the interruption to this service

Hello anyone and everyone, I just wanted to apologise for the erratic updating of this blog recently; I know it's not in line with the nature of the challenge and it's also disappointing for anybody who might be checking here regularly, so I'll try harder not to let it slide.

I am actually up to date at the moment, but updates for the last two days have been postponed due to... ahem... problems with my dongle*. After 3 months' loyal and unstinting service my wireless broadband contract ran out yesterday, leaving me once again with no connection to the Internet. I'm writing from an undisclosed location (undisclosed due to the extreme disapprobation I would receive from many different directions were it revealed) where I don't have access to the latest photos to upload them, but I'm looking to purchase a new dongle* as soon as possible so that I can catch up on overdue posts. Until then, please bear with me.

Have a lovely weekend, everybody :]


*Heeheehee, 'dongle'...!

35. Hold My Hand

Since this entry was not just uploaded but also completed late (it was for Wednesday but I crashed and eschewed all creative initiative that night), I've uploaded an extra Post-It note as a forfeit again. I admit that I rushed them, but I'm happy with how they came out despite my lazy effort.

I spent the evening watching Les Misérables, after a friend recommended and lent it to me, and weeping profusely at various points - I'd never seen the stage version or heard many of the songs before and now I'm hooked and want to watch it again (though at 2 1/2 hours long it's a stretch). The theme reminded me of Valjean and Cosette in the forest, so I did a quick image based on that. It's definitely clear to me know that I need a lot of practice drawing hands.

With that in mind I sketched this. I've seen some illustrations similar to this before and love the tangled-up effect and the intricacy involved, though I often underestimate how tricky they must be, despite looking straightforward to draw. The anatomy, shape, and detail of these hands aren't perfect, but at least I got some practice in, as well as having fun doing it! I've read in a couple of places that you should draw and do what it is that you find difficult to draw or do, rather than avoid it - it's the only way to improve. It's a good lesson.

34. Stars

I spent a little while wondering what I could draw for this theme, until the answer hit me like a high-speed wombat convoy (not bricks, everyone always gets hit by bricks): today I won the LimerichallengeTM of the day for the first time (I was runner-up once before - see entry 29. Happiness)! Aside from making me very happy (and slightly smug - just look at that smugface there), as the day's winner I got to put two stars on the competition scoreboard over in my friend's office - I can't believe I didn't hit on the connection before! For info., the limerick theme was based on the keywords 'esteem' and 'waffle', and the entries were incredibly varied and often hilarious!