ragamuffins

Illustration Friday 'Bottled' and 'journey'

2011-04-14T21:36:00.005Z

Having been bottled up in the office all day, Jake felt free as a bird behind the wheel of his cabriolet!

Having fun with collage!
Because I was so late posting this it has run into the next week's topic which luckily enough is 'journey'.

Warning

2011-03-11T22:25:00.002Z

Illustration Friday 'Warning'
I didn't get the background done in collage so I photoshoped in a simple red one just to have it up for Illustration Friday, but I'm too late anyway!
Oh well, if I ever do finish it properly I'll post it again.

Illustration Friday 'Layer'

2011-02-21T23:54:00.003Z

Agatha may not have been the best layer in the coop,
but there was nobody like her when it came to a scoop!

For the birds.

2011-02-18T15:19:00.001Z

A real favorite of mine.
Sorry it doesn't fit on my blog properly, but click on the youtube in the bottom right corner and then watch it in full screen.
Enjoy.

The ice book

2011-02-07T09:18:00.002Z

The Ice Book from Davy and Kristin McGuire on Vimeo.

This is magical.

Dandelion clock

2011-02-06T08:44:00.003Z

Thematic Photographic is 'Singles'.
My photo has a solitary spider and if you think about it, you hardly ever see two spiders hanging out together, do you? Except the hatching of baby spiders then there's hundreds all milling around!
The dandelion clock doesn't really portray singles, but I love them and after all it is a single head albeit of multiple seeds.

Curves

2011-01-31T20:57:00.003Z

Thematic Photographic is 'Curves' this week.
This is a close-up of my hydrangea, one of my favorite flowers.

Blue footed Boobie

2011-01-24T21:03:00.009Z

Thematic Photographic is 'Blue' this week.
So here's Stanley, my Blue Footed Boobie, whom I made a couple of years ago.
In fact he's already featured on my blog with his pal George.
He's a bit of a twit but I'm very fond of him!

Carnivorous plants

2011-01-21T10:11:00.004Z

I took these photos at The Chelsea Flower Show in 2006.Their bizarness really caught my imagination, I'd never come across them before. They look like a gathering of little aliens, deadly aliens if you happen to be a curious insect!
They're tropical pitcher plants aka nepenthes aka 'monkey cups' because monkeys drink the water that gathers in them.
I'm submitting these photos for Thematic Photographic.
I'm a week late, but the theme was "far from home" and as these plants originate in tropical rain forests, I felt it was fitting!

David Attenborough's documentary is well worth a watch.

Follow that rainbow.

2011-01-08T22:45:00.004Z

Thematic Photographic this week is "Wet"
We get a lot of rain in Ireland, but at least we also get a lot of rainbows, silver linings and all that! Oh ya and pots of gold hidden by leprechauns too!
Not that I'm religious or anything but as a kid suffering rainy summer days I liked the story in the old testament that when Noah and the Ark landed God promised that there would be no more floods,(what a liar) and the rainbow was the sign that the sun would shine again.
Hope is powerful, ask Annie....the sun will come out tomorrow...!

From the origin to the extreme!

2011-01-06T21:35:00.009Z

Original

Black and white

Photoshop here we go....

My favourite!

With a little more colour...

And a step too far!

All the best in the new year to everybody, and happy Women's little Christmas:)

Agreeable Tiger Moth

2010-10-16T19:51:00.005Z

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Turning Colder'
I haven't been out with my camera recently, so I trawled through the archives and decided to give this guy a requiem.
He's an 'Agreeable Tiger Moth' as far as I know, which isn't very far!
I've no idea who he was so agreeable with to warrant such a fine name, maybe he nods his head a lot after crashing into the light bulb a few hundred times:)
Anyway he was chosen for this chilly theme because it looks like he has on a large fur collared cape .
And I think these moths die as the weather turns colder.
If I didn't know any different he could simply be in repose, like a mini Dracula moth!
After all they are both night creatures.
Halloween must be getting to me:)

Illustration Friday 'Transportation'

2010-10-12T14:04:00.011Z

Illustration Friday is 'Transportation' this week.
I'm afraid mine is a rerun , but I thought it was quite fitting for the theme, the transportation of pollen by Mr. Busy Bee.

Blue eyed Spider monkey!

2010-10-09T19:42:00.011Z

Now I know I messed around in photoshop with this photo, but amazingly, the blue eyes are for real.
They call her Ol' Blue Eyes and she lives in Fota Wildlife Park where you can read all about her.
I didn't notice her blue eyes when I was taking the photograph as she was too far away. It was only when I saw them on the laptop and even then I thought it a trick of the light, the blue sky reflected. It is so unexpected.
The idea behind turning it into black and white was to try to high light the blue eyes, but I realise that it actually just discredits them.
I've put in the original photograph below just for the unbelievers!
I do like the black and white though, it reminds me of the old Tarzan movies I loved as a kid.

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Branched'
Well Ol' Blue Eyes would have branched out into the modeling business, given her most unusual features, had she been given half a chance.

Carbon footprints

2010-10-06T21:56:00.005Z

Illustration Friday's theme this week is 'Beneath'.
These are my baby's footprints at six months old.

May the grass be always green beneath your feet, my darling one.

I used beetroot juice for the original, which came out a lovely soft baby pink, perfect!
But it has faded terribly since, you could hardly see the print when I took a photo of it.
So off to photoshop we go and kill all the cuteness.
Now it's more like a thermal image or what a carbon footprint might look like:)

Mosaic floor in Honan Chapel

2010-10-01T21:47:00.006Z

As I was going through my photos for this weeks Thematic Photographic, which is 'Parallel', I came across these photos of the Honan Chapel's mosaic floor by Ludwig Oppenheimerin 1916.
It's a stunning work of art, my photos do not do it justice.

I love that Oppenheimer seems to pay little or no deference to the fact that it's a catholic church floor he's designing .
You are greeted at the water font by the twelve zodiac signs and then ushered up the aisle by what looks to me like a Japanese river god, but maybe it's meant to be God pouring forth life, or something!

It's been a few years since I took these photos, I'll have to go back with my camera and get the full story.
I cant remember, but I've a feeling Adam and Eve should be around somewhere.

Old fashioned pram in applique

2010-09-28T22:28:00.005Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Old Fashioned'
I nearly did a self portrait as I'm feeling a little out of date and out of touch with what's hip today!
There, see, I bet nobody says 'hip' anymore.
Well as you can see I went for an easier option, an old fashioned pram in applique.
If only I had an old fashioned Nanny to go with it, I might even get round to sewing it all together:)

Still life in black and white

2010-09-26T21:15:00.007Z

This maybe taking the Thematic Photographic theme Still Life a little too literally!
A couple of dead things(a butterfly and a daddylong legs) and a scull on a bed of feathers, taken to the extreme in photoshop.
I may have got a bit carried away but it was great fun!

Circus McGurkus inspired Illustration Friday.

2010-09-22T20:13:00.003Z

This weeks Illustration Friday's theme is 'Acrobat'

Well,little Larry the Lemur is always pretending to be a circus performer, right now he's imagining he's an acrobat balancing precariously on the tight rope at dizzying heights, never before seen, in the big top of the stupendous tremendous Circus McGurkus.
And drum roll.....

Old celadon Lister generator

2010-09-18T20:43:00.005Z

The theme is 'letters' this week on
Thematic Photographic
This is a photo of an old broken down abandoned Lister generator, well a piece of it anyway.
The reason it caught my eye is that the crackle of the enamel reminded me of the beautiful Chinese celadon pottery .
And I liked the backwards letters!

Illustration Friday "Proverb"

2010-09-13T21:55:00.003Z

Just having a good old gossip.

Darling duckling

2010-09-11T20:40:00.004Z

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Reflective'.
I've put up the close up 'cause I want you to see how adorable the little darling duckling is, but I really like the way the space around him emphasizes how tiny he is in the full photograph.

Illustration Friday "Dessert"

2010-09-08T22:39:00.003Z

Yippee, banana split for tea! His favorite dessert.

I'm still trying to develop a style, and work on backgrounds which I find really difficult. So this week the lemur was done in watercolour and then put into photoshop for the background.
I'm not sure if the two work together, what do you think?

Thematic Photographic "Transportation"

2010-09-03T21:42:00.004Z

The lemurs run wild at Fota Island wildlife park, it's great. They roam around in gangs, chasing each other and anyone with banana!
This fellow is hitching a lift from the rangers jeep, 'cause he knows that there's food at the end the ride.

Illustration Friday "Immovable"

2010-09-02T20:44:00.002Z

Well I've done as much as I'm going to do on this.
Not cause I'm satisfied, far from it, I'm just tired of kicking a dead horse as they say, horrible saying really.
Anyway I did learn a lot about photoshop, like for @&*% sake don't forget to use new layers!

Paper Elephant

2010-08-31T23:07:00.006Z

The theme for Illustration Friday this week is "Immovable".
I've called this one above "paper elephant", a bit obvious I know, but I like the slightly juxtapositional word play.
For some reason it reminds me of a childhood riddle... Which is heavier a ton of feathers or a ton of rocks?

Anyway below is a work in progress, Very slow progress since I'm relearning as I go all that I've forgotten of photoshop( which wasn't much to begin with).

Thematic Photographic "Flowers"

2010-08-27T12:41:00.003Z

This is a photo of last years peonies. They're so voluptuous but far too transient. Their gorgeousness becomes all too much and they literally bow down with the weight of their beauty.
That is if you don't stake them properly which I learned the hard way this year!

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us. ~Iris Murdoch, A Fairly Honourable Defeat

Illustration Friday "Atmosphere"

2010-08-23T13:53:00.004Z

I can hardly believe it's nine months since my last post. Having just got back into the swing of it after the birth of my daughter, I accidentally killed my laptop. Death by drowning in milky coffee or so I thought! Turned out it just needed a little time to dry out and detox. I don't know how long this actually took as I had given up hope, it was my partner took a notion to try turning it on again, probably due to my moaning and lamenting driving him mad!
So to cut a long story short, I'm back ...again!

A dangerous entanglement

2009-11-29T07:36:00.006Z

The topic for Illustration Friday this week is 'Entangled'
Well Mr. Snaffles is beginning to regret becoming entangled with this little cutie pie.
He just hopes she doesn't turn out to be a bunny boiler!!

Night lights

2009-11-26T20:52:00.001Z

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Buildings'
I took this photo as we were driving home this evening, with thematic photographic in mind.
It's just a car show rooms but lit up and blurry it looks to me like some kind of modern coliseum . I've always loved night light photos but this is the first time I've done one myself. Of course it's just a digital snap, no tripod, shutter delay or any of that technical skilled stuff involved but I quite like the result myself:)

My first book

2009-11-25T10:12:00.004Z

I've heard it said that everybody has one good book in them.
Well I'm proud to say I've just finished creating mine!
And here it is... ta-da!!
Hope you enjoy it and mores to the point I hope it entertains my four month old baby girl.
I certainly enjoyed the making of it, words are so over rated, don't you think?

I'm back

2009-11-24T22:31:00.003Z

Took a little time out there for myself but I'm back.
Feeling a tad rusty on the old key board, so without further ado I give you Mr.Snaffles dancing to some strange olde worlde music that he found on line.
This is for Illustration Friday whose topic this week is 'Music'.

Homemade Cushion

2009-05-19T17:36:00.005Z

Inspired by a program on telly 'Kristies Homemade Home' I made the Bolster in the top photo to go with the cushions I had bought,(2nd photo).
It wasn't quite what I had in mind to start with,I was actually thinking light airy delicate pretty floral patchwork....
But after scouring all the charity shops and haberdasheries in Cork for pretty patterned cottons all I ended up with was an old wool blanket and the notion of dying it the colour of my couch.
Which as you can see from the photo didn't exactly go to plan either!
I recycled an old pair of brown cordroy jeans for the leaf motif.
They had been hanging around waiting for the weight loss miricle!
Anyway I think it's a good enough effort for my first homemade cushion and at least I finished it which was touch and go for a while.
I have a tendency to loose faith in projects halfway through!
So I now feel quite satisfied and comfy on the couch:)

Swine flu

2009-05-16T13:16:00.003Z

Just being silly!
Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Contagious'

Darling Starlings

2009-05-15T20:39:00.005Z

I have recently moved house from rural to more urban settings.
Luckily there is a small but beautifully landscaped garden with the new place.
But this post is about my new feathered friends, the street wise starlings.
They really are an urban bird, I never had them in the garden of the country cottage.
I do miss my blue tits and my cheeky robin but these guys are a scream.
Literally..
They always announce themselves with a rather raucous greeting.
It is almost like a challenge to Miss Tippytoes whose cat food they are coming to raid.
And they do have a very musical song as well when they feel like it.
I am able to stand in the kitchen with the door open poised with the camera but I find that the click of the camera startles them unless there is some other background noise to drown it out.
So as long as the radio is blaring or the vacuum cleaner is on I can click away without bothering them in the slightest!
It's all about what you're used to!

Penguin Parade

2009-05-12T07:17:00.004Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Parade'

Inspired by 'March of the Penguins'
If you're a penguin person this movie is a real treat, and if you're not a penguin fan you will be after watching it:)

Battle of the daisy dome

2009-05-08T16:06:00.005Z

take a closer look, it's not just a pretty picture, there's high drama going on:)
Caught this little crab spider defending it's territory or maybe even on the hunt for his dinner, apparently their venom is quite deadly if you happen to be knee high to a grasshopper!!

'Yellow' is the theme for this weeks Thematic Photographic
Check it out and join in, there's always great photos to be enjoyed over there.

Blades of glory

2009-04-27T22:03:00.011Z

These beautiful blades of glorious green are shooting up in a pot at the end of the garden.
Not having planted them myself I've no idea what they are, don't you just love a mystery!
Their sturdy structure combined with razor edges and delicate elegance have me enthralled.
There is something about them that satisfies my soul.
The photos do not do them justice but I just had to try to capture something of their character.

Walking with dinosaurs, Gordan's thespian dream!

2009-04-25T17:14:00.005Z

Gordan was delighted to hear about the "Walking with Dinosaurs Live 2009" extravaganza.
He loved theater and always dreamed of strutting his stuff upon the stage!
This seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Illustration Friday's theme this week is 'Theater'
Gordan is done in acrylic on canvas 8" x 8"

Mohican blue tit

2009-04-23T22:29:00.003Z

This weeks Thematic Photogrphic is 'Round'
Check out other roundy stuff here

Pretty as a posy

2009-04-03T21:13:00.006Z

We had a few glorious hours of sunshine during the week, about a day and a half's worth!
Today was miserable, grey and wet.
So to cheer myself up I've posted a photograph I took on the sunny Wednesday to remind myself of the joys of spring and of the summer to come.
Forget-me-nots and primroses, nothing fancy but oh so pretty! No garden should be without them.
Have a look at what I did with my primroses last year, it's pretty cool:)

Narcissistic Kangaroo

2009-04-02T09:47:00.004Z

I just realised last night that I was actually a week behind for Thematic photographic
This weeks topic is 'Reflective'
I snapped this kangaroo at Fota Wildlife Park last summer. It reminds me of the story of Narcissus.

Windblown Sandpiper

2009-04-01T22:00:00.005Z

The lonely flipflop, at the mercy of the ebb and flow of the grey stormy sea, was a poignant reminder that Summer was over. But watching this little sandpiper, scurrying along the shore from one seaweed pile to the next with the wind playing havoc with his feathers, made me smile all the same.

Check out all the other 'Drab' entries this week at Thematic Photographic

Little green jug don't I love thee!

2009-03-31T10:06:00.004Z

I chipped my favorite little cream jug last week.
I can be so clumsy it's excruciating.You know those couple of seconds after an accident when you almost feel you could rewind and do it right instead of wrong and then reality hits there's no undoing the stupidity...excruciating.
I'm so fond of my little jug, I can't bare to throw it out .I bought it in a charity shop about six years ago, so it's any ones guess how old it is.
So this weekend I did a painting of it in watercolour just to immortalise it, and you know what, I think I'll be doing more work involving it. It has such a satisfying shape and delicate colour, no wonder I love it.

Vaguely Matisse style figure drawing

2009-03-30T12:47:00.006Z

I'm submitting these two drawings for Illustration Friday
This weeks topic is 'Poise'
The top one was sketched by looking only at the model, not at the page and done quite quickly.I love this exercise, the results are always interesting and funny.
And then I photoshopped the original in a vague sort of Matisse style
I did the second drawing from a photo of a fashion model in a magazine, I just liked her poise.

Incredible shepherding

2009-03-26T10:47:00.006Z

Found this over on creative evolutions
Isn't it a brilliant concept, is it for real do you think?

Thematic Photographic 'Drink'

2009-03-26T00:09:00.002Z

Spoon-full of water anyone?
Check out all the other 'Drink' entries this week at Thematic Photographic

Illustration Friday 'Subtract'

2009-03-24T16:20:00.003Z

Joshua's hair was really starting to get him down.

It was time to take action.

Wow, looking good, feeling great!
Take one messy matted fur-ball, subtract the excess hair, and voila you're left with one superdupper dapper dog!

Postcard collaboration

2009-01-22T15:19:00.008Z

This beautiful enhanced postcard was created by the talented and ingenious Jen of paintedfishstudio
I really enjoy Jen's blog and I particularly enjoy her pArty posts so when Jen suggested we do a collaboration I was thrilled.
The deal was that we would each enhance a local postcard anyway we fancied and send them to each other.
Jen's postcard is an exquisite collage, beautifully balanced and wonderfully quirky and all the more precious by the antiquity of the postcard.
As you can see below it is postmarked 1916 and not only that, it is of the Art Museum, Minneapolis, such an apt subject matter.

I love it.
You can see my effort over here

Crystalised Ragworth

2008-11-29T18:02:00.006Z

This morning was the first serious frost we've had here, so I wrapped up and snapped a few shots.
Don't they look sweet enough to eat, like crytalised candy flowers.
But wouldn't you know they're actually poisonous, so we'll give them a miss!
I'm posting it up for the topic 'Sweet', this weeks Thematic Photographic

Christmas Party Pals

2008-11-25T08:02:00.003Z

"Is the hat really necessary" grumbled Toby, "yes,"replied Josh "it's a Christmas party for kids, they'll love you in it"
"Well, I feel ridiculous, like one of the seven dwarfs"
"Alright, Grumpy, lets go and have some fun, or is it Dopey?"
"Please, at least let me be Doc"

The boys are working out nicely, now I just have to develop a background style, that's the hard part for me.
Please, if anybody has background tips or ideas, I'd love to know about them.

Opinionated Pals

2008-11-22T21:02:00.003Z

Toby was of the opinion that Joshua badly needed a haircut."I mean really, my dear chap" said Toby "you're looking rather scruffy, I can hardly tell if you're in there, I feel like I'm talking to a giant hair ball"
"Oh give it a rest Toby" Joshua replied "You know I hate going to the barbers, we're not all Dapper Dans like you, you know, and besides the grunge look is making a come back,so chill out dude."

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Opinion'.
These are two characters that I'm working on at the moment.
Joshua is the reincarnation of my Old English Sheepdog that I grew up with and loved dearly.He was a rogue and a slob and a real people person.
Toby is new to me, but he's definitely a another kettle of fish altogether! I wanted to create a contrast in the characters and have always loved Basset hounds, so he seems like a good choice.
Toby is very opinionated and Josh is very easy going, so they should rub along together nicely!

Broken Angels

2008-11-20T20:34:00.007Z

This is a photo of my work in progress from a few years back.
Thought it fitted well for the topic 'Broken', this weeks Thematic Photographic
These are the 'green' clay angels, green meaning they still have to be fired in the kiln, then glazed and re-fired, so basically they're still in the very raw stage and easily broken!

Sorry about the poor quality photo below, but at least it gives you an idea of how they finished up.

Row of Penguins

2008-11-16T13:11:00.002Z

I have a passion for penguins both the feather-back and the paperback kind!!
I'm always on the lookout in charity shops and car-boot sales to add to my collection.
They do seem to be getting scarcer, although you can still buy them in second hand book shops,but that kind of takes the thrill of the "Find".

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Rows'

Pretending to be wise!

2008-11-14T20:27:00.005Z

Illustration Friday's topic last week was 'Wise' and this week it's 'Pretend'
So I'm submitting two in one!
These lemurs are pretending to be the three wise monkeys!
See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.

" Wisdom is a variable possession. Every man is wise when pursued by a mad dog, fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion."

-Robertson Davies

A streak of Red Squirrel

2008-11-06T20:42:00.012Z

I snapped this little fellow at Fota Wildlife Park
Unfortunately the red squirrel is almost as exotic in Ireland as are giraffes and cheetahs!
It was a thrill to get a glimpse of him and believe me that's all it was, they are so tiny and so fast, and perfectly camouflaged in the autumn leaves.
Well not perfectly 'cause they're like a streak of fire when the sun catches them.

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Autumn'

Popper

2008-11-04T12:27:00.007Z

He's a nice guy even if he is a bit vacant!
You know, the light's on but nobody's home:)
Well he's a popper, what do you expect!!?

Illustration Fridays topic this week is 'Vacant'
Acrylic on canvas 8" x 8"

Night Prowler/ Peeping Tom

2008-11-03T22:09:00.003Z

Thematic Photographic this week is 'night'

Photos of my furry friends in Fota wildlife park.

2008-10-13T13:41:00.010Z

"Oh Gawd, here comes yer one again with her camera"

"Just act dumb"

Outa hear

Does this one remind anybody else of Circus McGurkus?

What, was it something I said!

"Figaro,figaro,figarooooh......

"mnaah..what can I tell ya...on de one hand it's dis on de other it's dat..."

Wordless Wednesday/Thematic Photographic

2008-10-03T10:05:00.002Z

Ya, I know it's friday but I've had a busy week and I'm only catching up now!

Does anybody out there remember the LIGA ad,
"Where's my Liga"..."Children these days, so demanding"
Well that's what my photo reminds me of anyway:)

Thematic Photographic this week is 'Kids'
Check out other Wordless Wednesdays here

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T20:25:00.002Z

Martha Stewart 'n Me

2008-09-19T09:42:00.015Z

No I'm not claiming to be the Cookie Monster, well not THE cookie Monster anyway!
I've entered a competition to be Blogged about by Martha Stewart, it would be something like Martha Stewart and the Messy monster.
But seriously how cool would that be, a living legend blogging about a living leprechaun!

Thematic Photographic 'Nature'

2008-09-19T09:42:00.009Z

I'm taking part in Thematic Photographic, where a topic is posted every Wednesday evening.
This week it's 'Nature'
Well this little Ring tailed lemur is living, not quite as nature intended, on Fota Wild Life Park.
He's obviously missing his native Madagascar sun, or else he's been reading the tabloids where everybody seems to be using the sunbeds!

I'm not one for zoos myself but Fota Wild Life Park is exceptional and the only thing the animals complain about is the weather, but then so do the rest of the Irish population!

These Madagascar lemurs are my favourites, they're so full of character and mischief. They are an endless source of inspiration

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-17T21:59:00.002Z

Tuning into the tranny

2008-09-15T22:09:00.006Z

Thematic Photographic post's a new topic every Wednesday evening.
This weeks is 'Close-up'
So here's a close-up of my transistor radio or tranny as we call it.
It belonged to my partner's Granny.
It's a Granny Tranny!
But in this day and age of ipods and mp3 players I still love my Granny Tranny.
There's something very comforting and companionable about taking your radio with you around the house.
Especially listening to it while gardening, it always reminds me of my teenage summers spent potato picking for pocket money.
The tinny sound of the tranny blaring out the 'Top Ten' hits of the day and the smell of warm freshly turned earth.
Ah yes those were the days my friend....

Island

2008-09-14T22:57:00.003Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Island'
This is an old acrylic on board that I revamped in photoshop.
Below is an edgier version.
I think the top one has a sort of dreamy oasis feeling whereas the second one is like the aftermath of over population and pollution!

Wordless Wednesday/Thematic Photographic

2008-09-10T21:20:00.003Z

Faded.

Rooks on the brain

2008-09-09T18:07:00.008Z

Crows are my passion at the moment.
Rooks in particular, they're so charismatic.
The juveniles strut around in gangs, squabbling and squawking and throwing shapes, just like teenagers!
I've been taking lots of photographs and now I've finally started to sketch from them.
I did these two with my Inktense watersoluble pencils and then finished them off in photoshop by posterizing them.
I think it gives the sketches a more dynamic look.

Have a look at the cutest odd couple, it's like something Walt Disney would have made a movie out of:)

Clutter

2008-09-08T01:13:00.004Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Clutter'
Something I do very well, this is just a small area of my desk.
From left to right we have Dinosaur Dave, Froggy, Doggy, Pink Monster and Martin.

Jim Henson, My Hero

2008-09-04T21:08:00.005Z

The first time I went to the cinema, I was nine years old and the film was The Muppet Movie by Jim Henson
I was enthralled and still am:)

I had a trip down memory lane last night, watching all the Muppet Show clips on youtube.
It was a family ritual (the only one that nobody objected to) that on a sunday night everybody sat down together and part took in the crazy zaniness that was The Muppet Show.
As far as I remember there was only the one channel on RTE but had there been a choice the vote would have been unanimously in favour of Kermie and the gang.

PJ Lynch's slant on Vermeer's 'girl with the pearl earing'

2008-09-01T20:06:00.006Z

'Boy with the blue base ball cap'

I came across this Irish Illustrator, P J Lynch, today at scamp

I'm in awe of his work and I can't wait to have my own copy of the book 'The Bee Man of Orn' which he has illustrated.
It looks so rich and intriguing, I just know I'll be sucked right in.
His youtube video is very interesting and he has a few others well worth watching too.
They take you right through his creative process, amazing stuff.

Ernie and his rubber ducky

2008-08-30T12:16:00.003Z

8" x 8" Acrylic on canvas

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Memories'
Well I have very fond memories of watching Sesame Street and Ernie was definitely a favourite, actually he still is:)

Red Admiral Butterfly

2008-08-21T21:15:00.004Z

Snapped this fellow a couple of days ago in the garden, isn't he a beauty!
Apparently they feed on nettles and buddleia and over ripe fruit.
I have all three, the fruit being blackberries!
It's nice to know somebody's benefiting from the abundance of nettles and brambles in my garden:)
I was surprised at the beauty of the design on the underside of his wings, his showy top side is almost boring in comparison.
He was quite friendly fellow too, he landed on my leg and stayed for a chat, not that he had much to say.
But in the words of Mr. Ronan Keating 'You say it best when you say nothing at all'
Lyrics, that I might add, I've always found annoying and offensive.
I mean, what, is she too stupid to express herself or too annoying when she does opens her mouth?
Anyway Mr. Red Admiral could have been telling me the answers to the universe and everything but I was far too busy oohing and ahhing at his gorgeousness!

Bats in the belfry

2008-08-16T21:35:00.008Z

Ok I don't have a belfry but I did have a bat in the conservatory this morning.
He's a Pipistrelle, the most common bat found in Ireland.
Sorry about the poor quality of the photos but I was too excited by my guest to concentrate on the photo shoot!

He was tiny, about four cm, with his wings closed anyway.
But you should have seen his fangs, a mouth full of tiny sharp needle points that he kept bearing every time I went near, just as well he was a pipsqueak!
I found him just sitting on the floor and he made no attempt to spread his wings when I picked him up.
I put him into a box to keep him safe from Ms.Tippytoes the cat.
Gave him a drink of water with the head of a cotton bud, which he thoroughly enjoyed and put us on a far more friendly footing!

The water must have revived him, a few minutes later he crawled out of the box, sort of half flew, half fell to the floor, which seemed to remind him that he had wings and then he flew a little groggily out the door.

I hope he's ok, I was rather bereft to see him go, I had grown quite fond of his furry face:)

The Owl and the Pussycat

2008-08-13T11:37:00.003Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Sail'

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

First verse of the poem by Edward Lear
I had to look it up as I could only remember as far as '...a five pound note'
So I didn't realise there were stars involved!
Oh well they have actually sailed right through the night into the dawn and Mr.Owl has put his guitar away and they've eaten all the honey:)

Submarines in heaven!

2008-08-08T17:02:00.004Z

Love this song and the video is my idea of heaven!
I have just started surfing again after a six year lapse and now I can't believe I've left it for so long.
It's fantastic.
Although I do have to say it's Irish surf, that means I'm covered from head to toe in neoprene.

Dandelion clocks

2008-08-07T11:10:00.007Z

Illustration Fridays topic this week is 'Poof'

One dandelion clock, one big puff and poof it's gone with the wind to create lots more dandelions.
Great, just what the garden needs!
But still I can't resist.
Poof, there goes anther one!

Rain Angel

2008-08-06T20:20:00.005Z

Rain Angel

String of Pearl

Handful

Just a few more raindrops.

Purple Rain

2008-08-03T10:09:00.007Z

There's been a lot of rain here recently and consistently.
So the minute we got a bit of sunshine I was out the door with my camera to collect some raindrops!
I don't know the name of this amazing purple plant, so if anybody out there has a clue I'd love to hear it:)

Mr. Monster says no to canned food!

2008-07-26T09:12:00.007Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Canned'

Mr. Monster says "Bluaaghh" when offered canned food, "me only eat fresh food, if you please"
Well, he has some manners even his refusal of canned goods is a little dramatic:)

I am thrilled to bits to receive these awards from Robyn

Now I have to do the following...
1. Put the award logo on your own blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate 5 to 7 others.
4. Add links to them.
5. Leave messages for nominees.

Ok then, I'm passing them on to...
bifsniff for always having something interesting going on
bookbaby for her beautiful insights and brilliant photography
Dew for her fabulous ladies with the red gloves and her adorable dogs
Tony for making me laugh and for his great rants :)
Paintedfishstudio for her brilliant creative pARTy ideas

Now that took me ages, so my nominees, please feel free to just bask in my admiration without having to pass it on:)

sandman

2008-07-24T19:55:00.006Z

My friend, Danielle, an artist, has a wonderful imagination and pours her creative energy into her kids.
Above is a sandman sculpture they made the other day by digging into the sand to create the negative image, garnishing his eyes and lips and then pouring in plaster of paris.
When it's set you carefully dig out him out and ta-da a sandman is born:)
I was the luck recipient of this magnificent specimen who now lives in my garden, glaring and grimacing at anybody who wanders into his sights.

Penguin

2008-07-21T19:16:00.008Z

Well here he is at last.
Penguin forever immortalised on canvas!
Acrylic on canvas 8" x 8"

Big Bird's new car.

2008-07-18T17:41:00.006Z

Illustration Friday's topic is 'Enough'
Well Big Bird had enough of waiting for the bus as it was always late and packed with people and she was tired of bumping her head on the low ceiling.
So she bought herself an open top blue convertible and can now be seen flying along the open road with the wind in her feathers.

acrylic on canvas 8"x 8"

Old Penguin paperbacks

2008-07-18T07:44:00.002Z

This gorgeous oil on canvas was painted by Irish Artist Dannielle Sheehey.
Dannielle is an amazingly diverse artist who works in all different mediums, from large public installations to exquisitely formed small metal sculptures, and of course oil painting.
Her recent exhibition took her and her beautiful paintings to Sydney Australia.
I saw Dannielle's work exhibited in The Triscal Art Centre in Cork and I fell in love with a painting of a stack of old penguin paperbacks but unfortunately it was already sold so I commissioned my own stack.
And the great thing is that I collect these old penguin paperbacks so I gave Dannielle
some of my all time favourites to put in the painting so it's far more personal.
The photo of it doesn't really do it justice, it is actually more vibrant in reality.
I love my painting.
Thank you Dannielle

Hedgehog cartoon

2008-07-18T07:17:00.004Z

I came across this thanks to Little A's little book
I don't know if I'm just getting old, but I find the muted colours and the classical music very restful and the Russian voice over is definitely a nostalgic trigger from way back when Irish television had to rely on foreign cartoons having very little of their own.
But all that aside, isn't Hedgehog adorable, the way he's going over in his head the conversation he'll have with Bear Cub and his little old man mannerisms.
Well I agree with Little A it is a masterpiece.

Froggy Portrait

2008-07-14T19:19:00.003Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Foggy'
So as you can see I'm taking artistic licence here by adding an 'r'!
The Froggy came out of the Foggy dawn and rolled away ribbuting to himself.

Acrylic on canvas 8"x8"

Delphiniums

2008-07-04T15:48:00.005Z

I have the most gorgeous blue delphiniums in the garden at the moment.
They have a beautiful purple sheen here and there, that makes them almost luminous.
I just had to get out my watercolours and give it go.
This approx. 30cm x 40cm

My penguin portrait

2008-07-02T19:03:00.004Z

This little guy has been part of the family since my partner gave him to me thirteen years ago.
I'm very fond of him, he has a darling little hyperactive waddle when he's wound up, sometimes he gets so excited that he falls over his own feet!
And he delights in giving the cat Ms.Tippytoes a fright every now and then.
Well I decided to celebrate his longevity by painting his portrait.
This is just the first sketch, I intend immortalise him on canvas but first I need to do a few character studies:)

Flower prints

2008-07-01T18:57:00.006Z

I did this flower print today with flowers from my garden.
I was inspired by this post at painted fish studio
I used the exact same technique except with flowers on watercolour paper.
The column of blue flowers are delphiniums, and of course everybody knows the pansy, the little red flowers are verbena and the last are little purple daisies.
I was amazed at the detail and colour that came out.
I have no idea how colour fast the natural dye of the flowers is but it was such a joy just to experiment.
I'll be sure to date it and record the fading, out of curiosity.

Dragon breath

2008-07-01T07:50:00.008Z

Poor ol' Puff had a fierce case of bad breath, 'twould blow you away so it would!

This is my submission for Illustration Friday's topic, 'Fierce' .
I prefer the black and white version , but I went to so much trouble doing the colour one that I decided to post it as well, even though I don't think it really works.
Although I do like his nose in colour:)

In Pictures Guardian newspaper photo competition

2008-06-23T10:59:00.005Z

The theme for the Guardian In Pictures competition this week is 'Repetition'
Above is my entry.
Below is my second choice but only one entry is allowed.
I'm not sure I picked the right one though!
The caption I put was "Repetitive patterns in nature look similar but each one is unique."
A bit heavy handed I know but I running out of time.
Maybe I should have put...I see sea shells on the sea shore, repeat quickly ten times!!
Which one do you prefer, I'd love to know.

Hoarding stuff

2008-06-22T15:16:00.011Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is "Hoard'

Well I'm a self confessed hoarder.
I cannot walk on the beach without picking up pebbles, feathers, shells or whatever else might catch my eye.
I cannot walk past a charity shop without having a good old rummage.
I cannot throw out a shirt without saving the buttons.
I have boxes big and small full of bits and bobs that I just know will be crucial to some artwork someday somewhere!
The fact that it has never happened yet doesn't stop the hoarding.
So for this weeks Illustration Friday I gathered some treasures together in a sort of display case format.
I haven't worked out the logistics of keeping it all together to be able to hang it on the wall yet.
But I must say I thoroughly enjoyed playing with my precious hoard, it was like meeting old friends!
Below are a few close-up photos.

Smelly animation

2008-06-17T21:19:00.007Z

'A rude awakening!'

illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Punchline'

This is my very first animation.
I know it's silly but to be honest I'm quite proud of it really.
It was done in flipbook
Which I found via bookbaby

Hydrangea

2008-06-17T14:28:00.007Z

I've been spending a lot of time in the garden lately.
Mostly behind the camera but a bit of actual gardening does happen every now and then, like when a withered flower pops into the view finder I deadhead it!
But I'm really enjoying the colour spectrum of the hydrangea as it slowly changes from the vibrant blues and purples of it's first flush to the more subtle hues of later days.
It's a perfect example of ageing gracefully and beautifully!
Below is my study in watercolour of the early petals. I found it very difficult to create the transition of blues to purples that occur, it's so delicate and subtle and yet vibrant too. Mother Nature is so talented:)

When the day breaks

2008-05-29T10:52:00.004Z

I came across this beauty on milk and cookies blog who explains how they did it too.
It was created by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis.
You can watch a larger version of it here
And it certainly deserves a bigger screen.

Worry

2008-05-27T22:59:00.004Z

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Worry'
I've put the two worriers up 'cause I'd love to know which one others find better or worse as the case may be!

Malevolent Magpies

2008-05-26T21:52:00.004Z

My bird feeders have attracted a couple of uninvited guests, monstrous magpies!
Well monstrous is a bit extreme, they're actually beautiful to look at but their tendency to eat smaller bird's babies is rather off-putting.
Naturally their carnivorous appetite has widely discouraged my little feathered friends from visiting quite so often as they have done in the past.
I'm disgusted, this time last year I was happily enjoying the antics of the Green finch and their chicks as they figured out how the feeder worked. No sign of them this year.

I still have a few blue Tits, coal tits and great tits feeding, and chaffinches too, but there haven't been any baby birdies yet.
I keep shooing off the magpies, but they're really cheeky.
They have pecked a big hole in the bird feeder to get at the nuts, do they think they're vegetarians or something!
I just wish they'd go find some roadkill for themselves and leave my feeders alone.

We are sailing ,Music video

2008-05-21T14:11:00.003Z

Via BifSniff
This is a real favorite of mine. The music is by a Cork singer song writer, John Spillane and the animation is by Frank Prendergast.
It always puts a smile on my face.

Pretty cool!

2008-05-14T14:58:00.004Z

I wanted to do something special for my brothers wedding party so I looked into edible flowers and came up with flowery ice-cubes.

They were a great success, they looked so pretty and were the perfect party ice breaker:)

Everybody loved them...well nearly everybody...."are you sure they're edible"..."is she trying to poison us"..."is Janie really the evil Ice Queen"...ok so some of the lads were getting carried away but the ladies were most appreciative.

The primroses were the most successful, I did use daisies as well but they tended to close up a little in the ice. Violets would be sweet too, I didn't have any though.

Anyway they're easy to make and fun to use, party on dudes!

Honeymooners

2008-05-13T19:33:00.004Z

Illustration Fridays topic this week is Electricity.
Well, on your honeymoon who needs electricity when you've got chemistry!