Illustration Friday: Strings

© 2008 Radha Ramachandran

(Click on image to enlarge)

'Gita (pronounced 'Geetha') plays the guitar'

"A guitar typically has six strings, but four, seven, eight, ten and twelve string guitars also exist."

(Source: Wikipedia)

I've kinda made a conscious decision to try and work more in this style, and see if its something I can use exclusively for children's books etc. This doesn't mean I'll stop working in the other styles though. The style in which I do editorial illustration, for eg., will remain the same and of course work in the other styles may pop up as and when the mood strikes.

Hmm.

What do you think? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

One of those days where you go...

© 2008 Radha Ramachandran

This was me yesterday. Working on this today was almost cathartic. Funny. Maybe I should get it transfered on a t-shirt. I can wear it on days that I just feel like snapping everyone's head off.

:)

Cheers,
Radha

Illustration Friday: Sugary

© 2008 Radha Ramachandran
(Click on images for a closer look)

Text reads, 'She had a weakness for sugary tea'.

A huge 'thank you' goes out to everyone who stopped by and left me a comment last week. It did me a world of good.

:)

Cheers,
Radha

Illustration Friday: Packed

© 2008 Radha Ramachandran
(Click on image for a closer look)

Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick maker.
They all sailed out to sea.

Now that is one 'packed' tub!

It's funny how inspiration works. I went to bed idly thinking about the various meanings of 'packed', and woke up with the phrase 'Rub-a-dub-dub' in my head (literally). And of course then there was no looking back.
(Who could resist drawing three men in a tub?!)

:D

Cheers,
Radha

P.S: Those orange fish in the blue-green sea? They make me happy!

:)

Illustration Friday: Clique

Inspired by the sketch below (bottom right on the page), for the Illustration Friday topic 'Clique'.

Back when I was doing my graduation in management studies, one subject I absolutely could not stand was finance (I hated it, and it hated me right back). This was the notepad I kept specifically to doodle in during those lectures.
It contains some of my best doodles to date.

:D

Again, I like the body language and expressions of the women in the original sketch better. Can't you just imagine them at some party, haughtily looking down their nose at the people outside their clique? Maybe even making catty remarks and gossiping about the lesser mortals?

:D

Cheers,
Radha

Island Dream (Illustration Friday: Island)

Copyright 2008 Radha Ramachandran

Oil on archival canvas cotton duck.

Paint and me are just getting to know each other better. We used to be fairly well acquainted, but have lost touch over the last couple of years. Here's hoping we become friends.
Inspired by the Illustration Friday topic 'Island'.

Like something about the original sketch that seems to be missing in the final painting. Maybe I ought to do a digital vector version from the sketch?

Cheers,
Radha

On My Desk...

Hello.

It's been awhile since I've felt like blogging. Feels good to be here.

:)

This is what my desk looks like today. I picked up the 'Notes from the Universe' from a book sale yesterday, while shopping for a gift for a friend's birthday (the wrapped packages you see next to the book). Love the play of light on the table.

Cheers,
Radha

Illustration Friday: Poof

A few months ago, I illustrated a series of girls to gift to friends. Four illustrations, to be precise, of four different girls in similar poses. I didn't expect to be able to put anything up this week, but when this idea popped into my head while looking over those illos, I couldn't resist.

This actually started out as a .swf file, but when I tried following tutorials online to embed it in this post, nothing seemed to work. So in the end, I had to download a free trial version of an .swf converter and convert the file into a .avi so it could be directly uploaded via Blogger's video option.

Phew. I really hope this works.

Below is a frame by frame version of the above video.

Yeah, I'm sure having those birds go 'poof' and disappear was a relief. I can just imagine her arms aching in that pose.

:D

And finally, I give you the other 3 girls in the set.


:)

Cheers,
Radha

Illustration Friday: Foggy

(Click on image for a closer look)

She was usually foggy in the mornings, before her first cup of coffee.

(Click on image for a closer look)

:)

No idea where this idea came from cos' I drink tea in the morning. Plus I wake up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Well, kinda.

:D

Speaking of 'thank you', I have to thank the two lovely ladies over at 'The Frog Blog' and 'Sketched Out' for giving me the 'Brilliant Weblog' award. Colleen and Linda have pretty awesome blogs themselves, and are always there for me with a nice encouraging comment just when I need it.

A huge thank you to them both!

Now, as a recipient I must

1) Put the logo on my blog.

(Like so)

2) Add a link to the person who awarded me.

(Go check out 'The Frog Blog' and 'Sketched Out' now!)

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on mine.

My 7 nominees are
1. Red Dog & Jude
2. Anonyrrie
3. Geninne's Art Blog
4. Kristi Valiant
5. French Toast Girl
6. Sheree Boyd
7. Natascha

and 5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

(Right. *Scoots over to all 7 blogs and leaves messages*)

There. Done!

:)

Cheers,
Radha

At this moment in time.

Hello.

Below is a piece inspired by a tweet of mine from awhile back. I've been working on it on and off for the last week or so and today it finally felt finished. And so here it is.

© 2008 Radha Ramachandran

Now, I know how I interpret it 'cos I wrote the tweet it was based on. But I'm curious. How would you interpret it? Do you take anything at all away from it?
It's just something I was wondering about and I would love to hear from you, even if it does nothing for you at all!

Hmm.
So.

What's up with you today?

:)

Cheers,
Radha

Inspire Me Thursday: Bringing Child's Art to Life

The topic over at 'Inspire Me Thurs' this week is 'Bringing Child’s Art to Life'.

"This week, let us be inspired by South Korean photographer Yeondoo Jung’s series Wonderland, a collection of amazing photographs in which he brilliantly brings children’s crayon drawings to life. "

I know! Cool, right?
So cool, I had to give it a shot.

So here goes.

Exhibit A:

(Click on image for a closer look)
Felt pen/Markers on paper

Drawing made by a little me a long long time ago.
(I don't remember exactly when this picture was made, but I think it would be safe to say its from at about 11-14 years ago)

Exhibit B:

(Click on image for a closer look)
Digital Vector

It's reproduction by the 23 year old me of today!

Ta-da!

Hmm.

Are you thinking you like the original one better?

Sigh.

Yeah, me too.

:)

More drawings from the early years below:

(Click on images for a closer look)

The paper is a bit yellowed due to years of storage (found these in a truck full of books at my grandparents place) but the scan really isn't doing some of those florescent marker colours any justice!

I'm thinking I ought to frame one of these.
I'm kinda partial to the last one with the turkey/peacock bird and strange creature in oranges and blues.

What do about you?

:D

Cheers,
Radha

Ratlion's MOO

Hello!

I did'nt blog about it at the time, but I was the Illustration Friday/MOO Haiku winner in a draw held back in March.

It's been fun to see the updates of the other winners on the blog, and with the last of my free pack of MiniCards, Stickers & Postcards arriving yesterday, I figured I'd share too!

Love how my cards and stickers turned out. Thank you so much MOO and Illustration Friday!!

I think the illustrations on the three different rows of postcards pretty much define my 3 main styles at this point, which is to say I both enjoy and am comfortable working in all three. Now if I could only figure out where exactly I'm going with it all.

:)

Also, 2 of the 'face' stickers are the same one's that won in the Laptop Sticker Competition awhile back. I think I really like how they turned out.

There hasn't been an illo on this blog for awhile and I really haven't any idea why. Just been thinking a lot lately (where am I? What am I doing? etc. etc.) and the more I think, the less answers I have. Which can be frustrating. Hopefully I'll draw something soon!

Thank you so much to everyone who's been coming around and commenting on my posts (you know who you are). Your comments brighten my day. Really.

Cheers,
Radha

PS: My apologies for the crappy photograph! It was taken on the coffee table in the late afternoon light on a cloudy day and looks a bit weird to me, but I decided to go with it anyway!

What I've Been Upto (On & Off) This Last Month & Inspire Me Thursday:Find the Art in the Everyday

Dusted off my SLR last month and decided to start
shooting film again after a gap of over 6 months.
Below are a few of my favs. from the resultant photographs.

He looks like he's going to cry.
(Yes, he's THAT fed up of having a camera in his face.)

Cupcakes in the making.

Clothespins.
(Maybe this would make a good diptych with this one? :D)

Portrait of a friend.

Sad puppy?
(Not sure about the composition and how the eye on the right is cut.)

Laughing Buddha.
(This little guy sits in my flower pot and gives the plant in it company.)

And I thought I'd killed it.

(New buds on the plant that I thought I'd killed.)

What do you think? Do you have a favourite?

#5 Leo

I give you Leo, staring intently at the door for no reason.

Oh, no, wait.

There WAS a reason.

I ought to say, I give you Leo, staring intently at the door 'cos I was staring intently at him, waiting for a response to my 'What is that clothespin doing there?' question (He loves chewing them to pieces. We're down on quite a few clothespins around here).

It's typical Leo. He can never look you in the eye when he's in the wrong.

I don't know.

Maybe he thinks that if he looks away, I will too?

Everyday #5

The blue cushion was made by Mom,
the elephant was embroidered by Grandmom.
I LOVE the print on the cushion on the back. I found the fabric in Chennai and Sis made it into a cushion for me.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I don't stitch.
Those genes totally skipped me for some reason.

:)

Illustration Friday:Worry & Baby,Healing Sketch#16

(Click on image for a closer view)

Text reads:
Gatsby is a cool (and worrisome) baby.
He wears a derby over a busby and enjoys a daily game of rugby.

( Derby: Also called bowler. A stiff felt hat with rounded crown and narrow brim; Busby: A full-dress fur hat of varying shape, worn by hussars in the 19th century and by the foot guard regiments of the British army; Rugby: A form of football played with an oval ball.)

I may have over-thought the rhyme with this one. And I think there's a lot more happening in it as compared to the previous illustrations in this style.
But I had fun doing it and figured I ought to post it before I tinkered with it any more!

I've been wondering about this style lately.
While its a lot of fun to work with, I wonder if it would work when adapted to say something like a children's book.
Also, is it something that could be enjoyed as a print that could be framed and hung?
Or is it limited by all the text?

What do you think?

(Any feedback would be much appreciated, as always!)

:)

Cheers,
Radha

PS: Here's another sketch I did a few days back, based on the topic of baby.

A boy, a girl & a bouquet of parsley.

See the above image with notes here.

Healing Sketch #15

Hello.

I guess I had babies on my brain thanks to this week's 'Illustration Friday' topic.
I started doodling the baby and then everything else around him like the pillows, the toys and the butterfly almost seemed to just draw themselves in (if you know what I mean)!

:)

Not sure yet if this is going to be my entry for this week.
Although it would be fun to do this in colour, with lots and lots of patterns!

Hmm.

:)

Cheers,
Radha

Healing Sketch #14

Planning to make this a pattern.
Or at least try to make it a pattern.

:)