Tuesday 6 August 2013

ON THE DARK SIDE FOR TAKE A WORD

Click to enlarge
WOW, I never expected that to appear!

How does inspiration come into your minds?  If I'm given a topic that interests me, inspiration often just shoots straight into my mind as an image, and excitement makes me want to get it down on paper right away.

When I saw the theme of "Dark" for Take a Word this week this image flashed into my mind straight away, and I had to get the initial sketch drawn before my brain started adding other ideas.


I saw the word Dark as part of the title for an imaginary book, a gory murder novel.  It's the type of book I haven't read for years so I don't know where it came from.  The page above shows what appeared when I picked up my 'rough' sketchbook to quickly scribble down the initial idea.  No neatness in that sketchbook.

The advantage of a quick sketch like this is that it gives a chance to see if something needs changing.  I realised I was wrong to have the girl's eyes closed because she just seems to be asleep.  I also decided that there would be too much bright red if I did red drips.


Fabriano Fat Pad, 300g HP
In a 'proper' A4 300g sketchbook I made a start on the final piece with Pitt Artist's pen for the head and black acrylic ink for the rest of the cover, slopped on with an old half-inch acrylic brush.

I had fun adding the black ink drips, which ran right down the page and onto the newspaper that I'd fortunately had the sense to place underneath.  Gorgeous black ink to play with.

When you're doing drips you have to accept that once dripped they are what they are, unless you want to start the whole thing again, but I was quite happy with the way these turned out.

I used red acrylic paint for the blood and the spatters, and added the text on Photoshop since I will never be able to write well enough for a book cover.


So this is how my final image was created.  When I asked Dev if he thought it was good enough to post for TAW's theme of Dark, he said:

'Well it's good, but I don't know if it represents the novel because I haven't read the book'.

Nor have I.  No-one's written it yet - so if anyone out there wants to write the story, I'll provide the cover picture for you.


Also linking with Paint Party Friday and Manon's Paper Saturdays.

21 comments:

  1. You make me smile this is fantastic and so creative...well done my dear.

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  2. I love to come here and not just see your art, but read your words. I feel as though I am sitting with in in your kitchen having coffee. Well done!

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  3. Love this gory-story creation! Valerie

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  4. W0w that is so good I actually thought it was a book cover and your initial inspiration... so funny...Excellent work Jez!! You had me fooled.... You could easily do book covers!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  5. that's so awesome!!!you did an amazing job here!!!!

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  6. A fantastic Dark piece and very creatively made.
    Anni

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  7. You just know I love this in all it's drippy creepy goodness. I think I need to take a page out of your book and jot ideas down immediately as they occur in my brain!

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  8. This is wonderful, Jez...spooky and mysterious...perfect for the DARK theme!!

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  9. Fabulous and kind of creepy. :) Love it!

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  10. They say you should never judge a book by it's cover. However, I know it's that is the first impression you get, so the cover is just as important. Yours would definitely grab someone's attention, and they would know what the subject is. I believe you should write the dark novel or poem to go with this book cover, since you're so good at it too. Blessings!

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  11. Wow you have quite an imagination.Happy PPF.

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  12. Very cool outcome from great idea! I'd want to read this book! HPPF!

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  13. Marvelous take on the phrase...it certainly is Dark after Dark. Hope the book is as good! xox

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  14. Great book cover for a book yet to be! Looks like a murder mystery I would read (but not write).

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  15. What fun your imagination can have when pointed in the right direction! Love the book cover Jez:) HPPF

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  16. Wow, what a page! :-) Ready to print!
    Thank you for sharing the process.
    Ilona xx

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  17. Great cover , I'm sure it will be a wonderfully scary book! :)

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  18. Dramatic! Looks like an interesting read! :^) patsy

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  19. Wonderful post - Love the illustration - but don't think I want to read that book when it is written - LOL

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  20. Definitely dark! This piece jumped out of the gallery at Paper Saturdays - I read a lot of books based on the cover and this piece would definitely make me read the dust cover!

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  21. I would like to read this book!Great work of art again!

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