I guess if you aren't struggling...you aren't living. Well, its arm to arm combat with me and my dream project. Jeez. I am trying to get the flywheel going, to get the momentum in place and just as it begins to slowly move, to flicker with motion...it winds down.I am now on round two...and the mythological creatures that I was sketching...easily having my 6 thumbnails that I was then turning over...with a relook and relook again...to find out that it was too thin a topic. I love this stuff, but after going to a bunch of online Bestiaries to read definitions and see where the limitations were/are to discover that there was something to take out a bit...not seeing the concept deflate before it even began. So, I am starting again.
The Old Time music idea was too complicated...too hard to really understand as it's roots are varied and hard to make a simple image from. Plus,unless its a map project with portraits, it gets pretty linear looking. Avian Flu was fun...but it was pretty much here is a chicken, here is a skull, here are chickens and skulls, eggs and nests, gritty color. Memento mori had tooth...and it doesnt need to be as long a sketch project, but with all the terrific interpretations of others, of poetic writing that speaks to something that is irreversible, immobile and abstract. I liked being able to think about the ideas, about the pre-existing symbols and begin to fuse them together. One thing I know, I would like to work with my drawn approach as a counterpoint to the Syracuse thesis which was all about the computer. It is a fallback--but I do not have the confidence with the drawn stuff...adding detail and cleaning up/coloring in the computer..so time spent on that would be valuable. If I can find another idea like this, it would be great. Other ideas were:
>> Symbols and images from Freemasonry: Status: toast.done.
>> Old Time Music--images from those roots: Status: Toast. done.
>> Physical stunts from historical sideshows: toast. done.
>> Six zoomorphic or anthromorphic creatures (mermaid, harpy,sphinx,basilisk,medusa,minotaur)
>> Visions of Heaven, Visions of Hell: up for consideration
>> Images from Americana inspired by woodcuts/chap books: up for consideration
>> A collection of monkeys...maybe something like Man/Monkey inspired by Chinoiserie, by the Walton Ford monkeys, by the Marie Antoinette monkeys, Monkeys in stillives (which would let me do some floral stuff too). Status: up for consideration...am whirling on this...but who knows. I do love them...and they are really tweakable...
>> Of course, a collection of chickens (I love chickens a ton) or broaden it to farm animals...but...I can do that on my own.
>> The different manifestations of Zeus during his abductions/seductions of all the mothers of his children......mmmmmmmm. no.
More later. If anyone has any suggestions to kick this thinking out of idle...please talk to me. I am in pain.
Entered a bunch of stuff in the Communications Arts Magazine Design competition as I am a designer too. I figured I might have a chance with the Chokers stuff...I got shady into the illustration show. It would be cool to do two CA shows in a year. Only risk is being rejected...and I am used to that. Its the getting in that is a bit dumbfounding. A goes to DC tomorrow. We packed and got the bags to school for tomorrow's early morning send off.