Illustration Friday - Speed
Once again, Fortuna spins her wheel in my favor. I had thought about taking a break from Illustration Friday this week; I've had so much going on lately, and I've been backed up trying to meet both personal and work deadlines. But as it turns out, I am able to use the drawing I did for this month's Journeys book project (this month I had Debbie Weber's Energy as Movement book) to illustrate Speed as well.
Sometimes the energy of the universe seems to move around and through me with incredible speed. My senses become overloaded between processing the information I need to function in the practical world, and channeling the inspiration I need to create art. But when I can still myself and just let this energy flow, it's exhilaratingly beautiful. The experts seem to agree:
The energy of the mind is the essence of life. - Aristotle
There is more to life than simply increasing its speed. - Mahatma Gandhi
What kind of scale compares the weight of two beauties, the gravity of duties, or the ground speed of joy? Tell me, what kind of gage can quantify elation? - Ani Difranco
This drawing is intentionally very busy to convey the feeling of energy, speed, fragmentation, and elation.
(micron pen & prismacolor markers on 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper)
posted by carla at 11:22 AM
76 Comments:
Beautiful. I love the feeling that ur illo brings to me. Look at the leaves flying around... I just love it!
I love the way the particles of sun turn into leaves! The flowers growing on the robe and the amazing movement in this is magnetic. I can't pry my eyes off this lovely!!! So glad you were able to fit this in!
May I be the first to say, please please do not take a break from Illustration Friday (selfish of me, huh?)! I love opening your page every week and knowing that I will find a feast for my eyes. This one is just spectacular and fitting to the topic. I love the energy flowing from the sun and back from the tree. The quilt-like dress and hair are wonderfully intermingled. If you must take a break, I will be sad, but will understand! :-)
P.S. How did you get your Microns to take so well to the watercolor paper? Mine start to run out...
The colors are so wonderful and the message is just great. So glad you fit IF in your busy schedule--your entries are always so much fun.
Lovely work Carla and lovely decription of the work too.
It really helps you to see when such good words accompany the image.
Tom Byrne
Everything, each object on the move, a little whirlpool, looks like the wind is moving through her and out, I like all the bits of color, very enjoyable to look at.
WOW! I could just stare at this allllll dayyyyyy longggggg. In fact I looked at it for awhile. Carla this piece is incredable! The detail, the colors, the flow...amazing! I want to keep looking at it to see what else I missed.
Really amazing piece.
a.
Beautiful.... a MAGICAL quilt. Luv this one, bunches!
So wonderful and splendid... time for a picnic in dreamy land!
Fanciful smooch,
The Tart
i think you have tried to minimize your time and yet, still come up with a beautiful illustration without putting away your forte. you have a way with making your artworks really outstanding by making use of colors and pattern and well balancing of time and expertise.
you are so creative and your choices of quotables quotes are perfect. i like them all.
Everything flows in this piece. A definite swirl of energy
and emotions. Every time I let go of the chaos the energy flows smoothly and swiftly. beautiful piece! the journeys book will be awesome
Amazing illo, love the movement and teh beautiful patterns !
Wow, all the wonderful color!
Strong patterning here. This is one of your better pieces. My favourite part is the tree (awesome) and the way you've evenly spaced the leaves coming down to make both a foreground image and a background pattern. I'm glad you had something to pull out this week, Carla, as I doubt I'll have anything ready in time with my multitude of other projects/pressures happening right now.
Great colors and energy capture.
the swirling of the leaves and sun rays blend in perfect harmony, matched with the cover she embraces which grounds her to the earth as the mulit-colored patched land. Life moves, creates weaves and stands still to soak it in.
Wonderful illustration!
lovely, serene and dreamy.. a great treat to the eyes!
mmm... if you look at this before going to sleep.. I will have beautiful dreams! hee {{huggss}}
Movement and beauty of contemplation, that's what makes me think about.
Your work is not only beautiful but makes you think, really like it :)
I think this one is more colorful, powerful and narrative than your other works. It is astounding to see progress and speed, as you have been moving ahead in your art.
Wov, there sure is a speed of nature growing in your beautiul illo. I can almost hear the sound of plants popping out. The colouring is very sixties, I remember I used that patchwork quilt technique, too when I was in my late teens. A very beautiful drawing and a special thanks for waking the memory.
thank you for your comment. I liked you work very much, they are so delicate and poetic.
its great!
my first impression when I saw your illo was - time running... and running without stop
nice design and colors for a very good idea!
your art has an 'innocent' , peaceful touching very personal. unique
I liked it
Carla, beautiful work as usual! Are you by any chance a fan of A Confederacy of Dunces, the book? Your reference to Fortuna caused me to ask. :-)
Ah - you are most perceptive, Willie! Yes, indeed:>
I don't feel fragmentation when I see this. I see the world quilted together in one glorious blanket.
Beautiful illustration. The details I go gaga for.
This is stunning Carla!
beautiful illustration... wonderful words.
WOW! Your illo is amazing. I love it. Absolutely beautiful.
love
This is really gorgeous. Such a terrific illio.
I love the quotes too. The one from Ghandi is something I am going to copy and read over and over. This really hits home.
XOXO
Inretesting interpretation of the theme,and beautifully done, as usual. I'd love to see the actual artwork...looks like there must be lots of marks and textures that get lost in the reduction, but it's still quite rich and luscious.
Your illustration and post are both very beautiful. I love how the woman and the earth around her seem to be woven together in a magnificent quilt like pattern. The colors are amazing.
this is beautiful! how long did it take?
Thank you all for your kind comments! rectite23 - this took several hours. I worked on it for a few days last week in the evening, a couple of hours at a time, and finished it up Saturday morning. Once I did the basic shapes, I worked on the patterns within the shapes, and when I had enough of that done to get an idea of where I wanted to start coloring, I kind of went back and forth between linework and color.
This is so beautiful! Just looking at this illustration paints a beautiful story! I love the colors, the lines, and the "feel" it gives me as I look at it. I am glad you decided to do this week's illo (like many others...I look forward to seeing your piece!).
FANTASTIC!...
I'm visiting your site for the first time. Your work is so beautiful. And as a quote junkie, I am copying a few of these down! Thank you!
The speed of the world whirls through me at times too, and then I need to find back my center. But I don´t look as lovely and beautiful as your Lady then :)
Great quotes! (Amazing to think at what time Gandhi must have said that already...)
I was curious to see how you would interpret this week's theme and as usual you have done a stunning job. Thanks for the visual speed treat :-)
Multicolour dream coat! Beautiful, Carla!
I came by to see what you came up with for Speed and was not disappointed! You've used some very beautiful colors. Fortuna always reminds me of Ignatius J. Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces.
This is beautiful, love the colors and the motion all over - really, really nice.
My first impression was that the Beautiful Patchwork Woman was being chased by the Autumn Leaves of Doom.
The universe rushes through my brain all the time- I wish I could hold on to a thought through the cotton candy of my mind.
Great work! Good use of negative space, and the abstract is very captivating. Although it would have been nice to see a bit more of a color theme.
Oh Carla! I love all the colors and detail you put in it! And, always enjoy your writings of course!
This is beautiful and complex. Bears a longer look. Nice stuff, I love it!
Just captivating.I think this is one of my favorites of your work. I so admire the amount of love and thought and detail you put into your painting.
ohhh she is so pretty! like a fairy or godess that became human for a day... *sigh* ..can I make a wish?
Gorgeous as always! I love the intricacy, flow, and detailed description. The mood is so calming and serene! Love it!
Beautiful drawing, and wonderful color pallette!
beautiful, i only recently discovered illo friday and im already becoming quite a fan of your work. i love the way you handle so much detail and intricacy without things things becoming too 'claustrophobic', and your colours are gorgeous.
Hey Carla- I know my comment won't mean much since you already have 53!!! Anyway, I really like this pattern/kaleidiscope "Lucy in the Sky w Diamonds effect. I think its your best one yet. Do more.
Your illustrations are always so unique and highly artistic, Carla.
Gorgeous colors and patterning. I love the way she seems to blend into her landscape, but seems isolated from it at once. I love those botanical beauties along the edge of the hill there, and woven into her dress.
Wow, such an awesome tapestry of colors!! My eyes are following all the shapes around and around.
I really like the sweet little line of flowers and the cool tree.
Brimming with energy and fits nicely with "Speed" too. Like the intertwining and flowing.. a kaleidoscopic landscape, and the hair to leaf a cool touch. So many features to this, one of my favourites. Here's to energy!
This is beautiful!! Full of rhythm and joy!
Oh Carla - this is just amazing! The colors and the details. I find this illustration of yours just absolutely gorgeous! I love the tree and her hair and her quilt looking dress. Beautiful.
beautiful colors and a wonderful illo. also, nice to see another connecticut IF'er!
Wow! BEAUTIFUL! :) i love everything about it!
I'm always so impressed by your artistic style, your use of color and your vision. This is another lovely piece, Carla. I love the patchwork quilt effect, harkening to the idea of life as a tapestry. :0)
So beautiful. The leaves amonst all are lovely.
What a coat of many colors and with the whirling leaves it practically dances off the screen!
But at my back I always hear
Times winged chariot drawing near - Andrew Marvell
Carla, this picture beautifully captures the swirling passage of time, the perplexity of hindsight, the unravelling of memory, the integrated tapestry of life - a wonderful picture!
Ooh--lovely!! There's a lot of motion in those swirls of color!! Nice piece!I like the ponies and their poem, too!
Beautiful! I love all the details, you must be a very patient person!Thanks for the nice comments on my speed entry this week :-)
Carla,
Words are just not enough to express just how gorgeous this image is!!!! The details and the patterns are just beautiful!!!!! You are really a very talented artist!!!!!! Absolutely a gorgeous image!!!!!!!!
Hey, great looking work! I love the use of patterns and your color choices. Quite unique style!
Jim
I love your drawings and paintings and I love the quotes and poems you include. Glad you didn't quit Illo Friday (c'mon, whats one more drawing?)
Nice! I like the strong colors and all the movement.
www.wynlen.no
Another beautiful illustration, Carla. I like the array of textures and colors that make it so exciting to look at.
Beautiful swirling motion displayed here. Wonderful feast for the eyes. Is ethereal the word I'm looking for? Way cool, anyway.
Wow! You've put so much detail into this piece. I can appreciate that. I'm such a stickler for the little things. This is a beautiful design, and your colors enrich the layout. I like your qoutes as well...I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, when he said, "I drank what?"
Your paintings are as lyrical as you are. Beautiful!
Lovely!
I have such enjoyment looking at your art!!
~annax
All had been said! Love the patterns and energy in the piece. :)
Love the details in this piece. Adore your explorations they are always a delight! So much energy here, I agree.
-Marjorie Ann
Post a Comment
<< Home