Daisy Chain

Did you know that daisies have long been associated with innocence and unaffected simplicity? After doing mounds of research pertaining to floral symbolism for my thesis, I suppose I'll be spending the rest of my life picking at hidden meanings in paintings. Of course, Victorians would have read such paintings as open books (Victorian ladies dedicated much time to florigraphy, the study of floral symbolism). But now we must content ourselves to imagining what it would be like to speak a language of flowers.

Here are some flower quotes that "grew" on me ;)

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity. ~John Ruskin

A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books. ~Walt Whitman

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay, "Afternoon on a Hill"

Not worlds on worlds, in phalanx deep, Need we to prove a God is here; The daisy, fresh from nature's sleep, Tells of His hand in lines as clear. ~John Mason Good

More Photoshop Fun

Messin' Around

I just spent some time today playing around with Photoshop brushes, and this is what happened. I had alot of fun changing settings and discovered that I can get the same ink painting effects in Photoshop that I get with traditional india ink. Hmmmm. This has been my one frustration. How do I get that wonderful, hand drawn feel, especially when it comes to lettering and inking. Answer found!!!

IF Emergency

Once again, my brain spits out something very strange for the Illustration Friday challenge this week. Well, let's face it people, this would be a dire emergency for most anyone. However, I heard of a guy recently who puts his cell phone in the oven (don't try this at home, kiddies) every time he drops it in the pool, and it still works!!! Amazing!

IF Missing

I've been "missing" my childhood lately. Sigh. The child is diving into a pool filled with yesteryear's faded memories. He he. Some people have asked me how I make illustrations. For this particular one, I painted everything in photoshop and then added a scanned texture over the background to add some depth.