Illustration Friday - Fresh
I was a very quiet little girl who spent most of her grade school days reading books, escaping into the wonderful worlds I found there. I had a couple of best friends, but for the most part I kept company with the many characters I met in the pages of the stack of books I would carry home from the library each week. Like many quiet children, I was often teased by the popular girls, and although I pretended not to care, of course my feelings were deeply hurt. That might have been why I liked Charles Perrault's story, "The Fairies" so much. It's a story about a fresh girl who gets what she deserves.
Once upon a time, there were two sisters who couldn't be more different. The older sister was nasty, rude, and arrogant, and used to being spoiled. The younger sister was kind, soft-spoken, and often pushed around by her older sister. One fine day, the two girls went to draw water from a well. There they met a gnarled old hag who asked them to help her fill her pitcher. The elder sister was rude, refusing the help the old woman (who happened to be a fairy in disguise), but the younger sister very sweetly offered to help. The fairy then rewarded the girls appropriately; the fresh sister was punished by having toads and lizards and snakes come out of her mouth every time she opened it to speak, whereas the younger sister was rewarded with the gift of flowers and jewels spilling from her mouth with each word.
Yes... it's another one of those metaphorical cautionary tales... You can read the full text here:
The Fairies by Charles Perrault
posted by carla at 8:04 PM
37 Comments:
I don't get it. Why did the younger daughter settle for some schmuck who just wanted her for the rocks that fell out of her mouth? And as for the elder sister- why did she die? She couldn't have starved, as she always had some yummy fresh reptiles & amphibians to chew on.
Great picture, of course- it looks like art from a victorian cameo
You have such a distict style--I love it.
This story reminds me of the many multicultural variations on the Cinderella story -- a unit that I taught to younger grades for a couple of years. It's a fascinating look at the way cultures link through stories.
Perfect illustration for the story, too, Carla. I love the 3D effect around the frame.
This story reminds me of the many multicultural variations on the Cinderella story -- a unit that I taught to younger grades for a couple of years. It's a fascinating look at the way cultures link through stories.
Perfect illustration for the story, too, Carla. I love the 3D effect around the frame.
I love your painting and you always have great story!! I almost forget about this story .... it's a wonderful tale!!
I enjoyed reading the story and the image that goes with it most especially. But they are both beautiful in your drawings and the older sister doesn't look wicked although there is a difference, or shall i say that real beauty really comes from the inside....i love the flowers and the color of the hair of the elder sister.
beautiful story and very nice illo.
Hey Carla, great story! Your painting would make a wonderful cover for the book! Have a good week!
Great story, and even better illustration to go with it. I find drawing facial profiles challenging, but you've done a fine job here. I like the colors and symbols you've chosen to distinguish the two sisters. (and on a more girly note: the red head's hair is to dye for. Nice highlights :-)
lovely illo! i especially like the detail of the flowers, and how the flowers and the snake seem to float atop the frame. and i like your choice of black for the background.
i'll be frank, though - fresh flowers and jewels comin' outta my mouth seems more like a curse to me (though admittedly better than frogs and snakes!). ;-)
good work...
I like the flowers and the snake detail too.
:o)
Makes you wonder what becomes of popular girls...
The illustration fits the story perfectly. The emphasis on the nasty daughter's hair (which you've executed sublimely) is a good choice. After all, she's the one that's used to being spoiled.
Hi Carla, nice illo, espec. the snake and flowers that give the perspective. But also the story behind it.
ohhhhh, love the readhead's hair color & texture.
would love to see you do a version of her as your mermaid. please draw a guy next...with your style he would be so handsome : )
always beautiful work with a classic story. always the teacher...such a nice way to have continued education for we adult bloggers!
lovely story, it reminds me of Vrouw Holle and of course i don't know the english name of that fairy tale...
but i do know that i like your illo, especially the expression of the girls and the depth you added to the flowers and the snake.. :)
I loved that story when i was a child!
Carla :) I loved this story as well as a child and now as an adult, and was very much like you as a young girl. My books were my friends (I think this comes from being the child of an English professor).
This is a lovely interpretation of the theme as well as a wonderful interpretation of the story. Bravo!
You must be talking about Miss Daze and I. She is older. In regards to the image, I see this as an honest self portrait we all can relate to. I also think the lady on the right is much more attractive };-}
nice carla!
Carla, thank you so much for visiting my site and leaving a comment. Things do appear out of nowhere in the fridge. I wonder if that is where the socks from the dryer sneak off to.
I do believe that Anon is mistaken again, though. Obviously she is the rude one and therefore the eldest. I happen to be the redhead, though, so in that respect she is correct. };-}
Fairy tales do offer a place to escape for kids of all ages ... great choice of colours that show a lot of contrast and makes the illo so luminous. I too think the fairy has played a nasty trick on both sisters, I wouldn't want stuff spewing out of my mouth everytime I speak ... !
Great idea.
I love the frame with flowers and snakes.
Nicely done Carla.
Very nice. Seems like a cross between victorian and 60's psychedelic art.
Hi Carla..I too like the girl on the right...such a pretty illo.
Please continue to provide the great stories!
Thanks for all the nice comments, very uplifting! I especially liked your catnip insight on Joli's EEGs blog.
=^..^=
Carla, again I love your stories and your illustrations.
I do a lot of reading now but didn't do that much when I was a child. Not sure why. So for me your stories are special.
I also like the girl on the right and the colors in her hair.
beautiful cameo
Thank you all for your nice comments. Several people commented that the fresh sister is prettier. I wanted to make this not about looks but about words (or actions). Anonymous brought up the idea that it's a self portrait we can all relate to, and I have to agree... I think most people have both aspects in them. And for those of you who said it would be a drag to have stuff come out of your mouth everytime you spoke...yeah, that would get pretty annoying, even if it were jewels and flowers. Too bad there isn't an on/off switch!
really interesting !so nice that you write something too. it takes us closer to your ideas when creating.
and thank you for your comment on my illustration ;) really kind
I think the biggest treat about your work Carla is that you always spend some time to bring us a little tale or story to go with your artwork. Fairy tales = always a gold star in my book! Great stuff.
Fine work, here...I'm impressed!
Nice illustration... great border work
I love fairy tales, A WHOLE LOT, and this one reminds me of a book I have about a girl who cried flowers. Now that would be awesome to illustrate wouldn't it? Maybe I'll recommend it as a topic. It may confound some people, but probably not you or I!
Your childhood sounds a lot like mine, and we seem to have turned to some of the same things for solace. Thanks for sharing the fairy tale, and for the excellent illustration!
Good story and illustration of it. What worries me is I'm the eldest in our family and my sister is lovely... oh oh!
Nice illustration, I love long red hair. I have that story in a book, but I had forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me.
wynlen
Hi Carla, I love your story and illo. The quiet girl sounds alot like me when I was growing up (plus a thick pair of glasses from reading too much). :)
Lovely illustration!! I like the frame... I also like the story...I can very much relate. Wonderful work Carla!!
You've captured the sense of the story very effectively, but I'm most struck by the differences in the colour between this and "Borderline." Your colour-work is excellent!
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