Keep Calm, Carry On

"Keep Calm, Carry On"

Mixed Media. 2010

For this, I created an ink and watercolor drawing, then went in and added more digitally. I really like how it turned out. Funny thing is, I hated the original drawing and almost threw it out. Instead, I left her sitting in my sketchbook for a good year or more, all the while adding a little more to her from time to time. One day I decided to break out the watercolors, and the rest is history. It kind of reminds me of Danny Roberts' work?

I am reeeally happy with how it turned out. It's a little different, but I'm having lots of fun working with color and playing with different media. Tons of fun... One of my fave details is in the shot above- The Russian graffiti in the background (check out the paint drips!) and Zac Posen's braided spike headband.

And just another closeup, so you can really see the colors and textures. I love the lace collar! Very pleased with it. Reminds me of Prada's A/W08 collection.

"It's not like I care..."

Been listening to Deftones non stop for a month now (hence the title). Oh how they hurt so good...
Here's a quick peek at a sketch I did in class, totally paying attention lol.

And moving on, for the people who actually read posts...

OMG. Long story short, the last couple of months have been tumultuous to say the least. I'm slowly losing someone very near and dear to my heart. Things change, people go away, blah blah. Pretty much neck and neck with the other "suckiest moments in my life" (those being the deaths of two figureheads in my family). ANY WAY so with this painting I'm working on, it's dealing with that. I wanted to build up the surface of the canvas with scraps of letters, journal entries, mementos, etc-- basically memories and thoughts and reminders of this person. Not necessarily so people could read it, but so that I know they're there. I just want to put all my feelings and unspoken words out there for my own sake. Ever read Dorian Grey? Well, basically this painting will be like Dorian Grey's portrait for me- I get to live my life as I will, and the painting in turn can rot behind a curtain and bear these scars for me so I don't have to. I'm pouring my heart out onto this canvas so to speak, plastering it in my own tears and pain, words spoken from the heart. It feels like the symbolic release one has when burning photographs or memories. I hope that makes sense. Guess not. Oh well. Looks like a tombstone right now. My whole point... leave the dead buried. Those old letters I dug out were harder to do than I ever thought they'd be. Plastering them up there for people to see (heck, for me to see) feels like being naked and exposed. When they're painted over, even just a little, it'll be okay. But right now, they're horrible reminders. Who knew...

Sketch

Don't really feel like taking on any big projects just yet, so I've been doing a lot of smaller mixed media illustrations. This is 1 of 4 in a set based on a Prada ad.

Meghan Collison. Ink & Acrylic. 6/2009