Gwelf Travel Update - The Teasel Leaf Tavern

It has been a while since I have had a chance to visit Gwelf, distracted as I was by lesser responsibilities, but I have been able to find a bit of time on this blustery autumn weekend and so we shall proceed.

This time we are going to take a look at The Teasel Leaf Tavern.  It is a little off the beaten path, situated as it is out near the wild and woolly northern boundary.  However it has become a favourite destination for a small but loyal band of adventuring pear brandy enthusiasts.  A hearty group of characters undeterred by fear or distance.

As we all know October is the end of walking season in Gwelf due to the increased witch activity that comes with the colder weather. And yet every year, at about this time, there are those willing to take this risky excursion from the more civilized areas of Gwelf and arrive at the Teasel just as a new keg of brandy is tapped for the season.  For the true aficionados, a little danger only increases the pleasure of a new vintage.  What could be more thrilling than to sit snug and warm inside the tavern, sipping pear brandy as the sun goes down with the potential threat of a witch incursion at any moment?  This is what these sturdy yet discerning adventurers live for.

The nocturnal divide between October and November is widely considered to be the unofficial start of the witching season in Gwelf. And yet there are always a few over zealous covens wanting to get a head start on the proceedings and may begin their felonious activities even sooner.  This makes travel to the outer boundaries treacherous and inadvisable after the 15th.  One would hate to be kidnapped or vandalized just before Christmas.

As the year advances and autumn dissolves into winter, witch activity increases and becomes more dangerous. By February the residents of Gwelf will be hibernating in their little homes, candles lit, shutters closed, patiently waiting for spring.

One ray of sunlight in this dim story is the emergence of a new coven in the area seeking to balance the dark with the light.  The String Weavers are a small local coven of benevolent yet secretive witches who cast a healing influence over the neighbourhood of the Teasel and attempt to mitigate the shadow of the infernal winter covens.  This is not easy of course but they are committed and determined, thus making your chances of achieving a snifter of pear brandy on the outer reaches of Gwelf just a little bit better before the cold winds of November make it impossible.

As usual this travel update is simply a reminder to take care and be safe when trekking in Gwelf. Take nothing for granted and watch for the signs.  Good luck.

More soon.

Two New Watercolours

Two new watercolours - Dancing Nymph and The Last Days of Autumn.  I have also included a couple of preliminary pencil drawings.

In the first one a Woodland Nymph has climbed up onto a root tendril. She is dancing to celebrate the late but welcome arrival of spring.  I see her dance as being slow like Tai Chi or Yoga, but when you look away she will be gone.

This next one I am calling The Last Days of Autumn.  Once you get into October any warm day could be the last one, so I try to enjoy each and every one, not knowing when the last warm day will actually be.  Here a couple of Meadow Sprites are sunning themselves on a petrified troll skull.  Lazy Sprites.

Thanks again for stopping by.  More soon.

Garden Faerie

Fresh spring rains are falling and washing away the last of the persistent winter snow.  These feral little creatures can now be observed in your garden if you are sneaky and patient.  I should probably remind you that these little beings can be aggressive and if you try to catch one you may get scratched.  Be careful and be quiet.

More soon and thanks for stopping by.

Recent Sketchbook - Pencil and Watercolour

This is a bit of the doodling and designing I have been doing lately.  Netsuke Nymphs, Fauns, Pixies and Sprites.  I use the word Netsuke because it refers to miniature Japanese sculptures and that is essentially what I have in mind when I'm doodling out these little characters.  The next step of course is to get some modeling clay and sculpt one.

Thanks for stopping by.  More soon.

Mr. Fox - Merry Christmas

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you will be able to find a little peace and quiet this holiday season as Mr. Fox has with his air-cottage.

More soon.

Turtle Country

Many years ago, perhaps 15 or so, I made this drawing of a forest nymph and turtle.  It has always been a favourite of mine but for whatever reason I left it alone and waited for the right time to paint it.  But recently during a break I decided to give it a go and at the same time get back in touch with an earlier version of myself.  It was surprisingly easy to adapt to the way I used to draw and think about picture making even though the way this version turned out is probably very different to the version I would have painted back then.

Thanks for stopping by.  More soon.

Gwelf House - Graphic Novel Update

This is going to be the first of a bunch of graphic novel updates, even though it will likely be the last one you see.  I have been speaking with my editor and we are almost there.  He actually liked my most recent version of the story and I think he might have been willing to go with it but I want to take one more pass at it. You can always make a story better and I want to give it one more go.

What I'm showing here is a bit of concept work for where the characters live in Gwelf.  Of course they live in trees but I still have to figure it out, especially if we are going to get inside their tree cottages and see how they work once you pass the front door.

I really want to live in one of these, but for the time being I am going to have to resist the urge.

More soon.

Raven Witch 2

Some alternative concept and design ideas for the Raven Witch graphic novel page I posted last week. I had a lot of ideas for that one page and found it difficult to narrow it down to the choices I made. Here are some of the other things I was considering. It looks now like one way or another this book is going to happen, so there are going to be many more choices that will have to be made.

I liked the idea of putting the Twig Pixies under the mushrooms but eventually decided that it might not be right for the gloomy, haunted forest mood I was after. This page got progressively spookier as I worked on it. It seemed to require an ever darkening mood, or at least I became happier with it as the shadows lengthened.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. More soon.

Graphic Novel Page - The Raven Witch

I have been negotiating back and forth for the last little while with Lombard Editions in Belgium. They do graphic novels such as Tin Tin and many others. One of the editors there thought it might be interesting if I did a graphic novel for them, but in order to properly pitch the idea to the committee, he wanted me to do a sample page. We had been talking about a story with witches so I worked up this page with my old favourite, the Raven Witch.

It is not easy to distill down everything you want to do with a story into one page. I had many ideas to sort through and had to make some choices for better or worse. Below are some of the many roughs I did looking for the best way to tell this little bit of atmospheric mood setting. Will anything come of this - who knows ? For now fingers are crossed.

I'm glad you stopped by. More soon.

Raven Witch and Thistle Down Pixies

Well, I just spent the last 10 days painting a book cover picturing a wicked looking troll coming up over a hill with a menacing look on her ugly, troll face and I would love nothing more than to be able to share her with you but, there is an equally wicked and menacing NDA attached to said project which prevents me from doing any such thing. However, while I was painting the aforementioned troll I was also drawing. Drawings whose purpose will become all too clear very shortly, if you're paying attention. For now I will leave you with this bit of sketchbook work and the promise that there will be more following very soon, and with any luck much, much more after that, but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I always enjoy seeing you.

More soon.

Rambling In Gwelf

The winter winds are still rattling the window panes here at the Mythwood Studio and there is more snow ready to land on us tonight. Yet, as unlikely as it seems, spring is still just around the corner and I know that there are some you who, even now, are planning your first walking party of the season. It is to you that I am directing this post. I would like you to consider an often overlooked route that starts at Cherry Hill Gate  and takes you right through Inverary and on to Tweed. Out of the way, yes, but well worth a try.

I mention this now because the Laughing Willow Inn has just been newly renovated and is again open for business. With that nasty exorcism of last year safely in the past and a new breakfast menu receiving high praise, I think you will find, as I did, that the Laughing Willow Inn is an enchanting place to rest your weary bones after a day or an hour of vigorous rambling. There is always an entertaining gaggle of fellow wayfarers for company and a fresh log burning on the fire.

By all accounts the rooms are snug and cozy and the beds are soft and warm. A perfect place to review your map and plan the next days excursion. Barliman Butterbur himself would find little to complain about in this charming and freshly painted little inn.

It should be noted that I am not in any way affiliated with this establishment and pass along this information merely as a courtesy, which is the occasional purpose of this blog.

One more thing before I let you go. It is my job to state the obvious so please allow me to proceed. The Cherry Hill Gate area can be a little damp and spongy in the spring so I recommend another water proofing treatment  for those old walking boots and be sure to include some extra socks when packing. A poncho might not be a bad idea either. And don't forget, there will be a warm fire burning in the hearth when you arrive.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to travel safely.

More soon.

Pencil Dust

A bit of drawing. Even when I'm just messing around I like to try and come up with names or designations for the odd balls that appear on the paper. Giving them names gets them one step closer to being in a story.

A few ideas for some possible Gwelf locations and the scenarios that could unfold in these environments. I've been playing around with the idea of a pine cone shaped cottage. Or perhaps several pine cones pushed together. That's what we have below, and a short cottage with a tall roof. Oh, and some squat little gnome birds that travel those paths and live behind those windows.

I'm also seeing if I can get something going with the idea of an apothecary who has set up shop in a tree. She sleeps in the little cabin built into the upper story of her tree. Since she is a raven witch, she feels at home up there. Her human customers recognize her capabilities and respect her expertise but are nevertheless nervous and intimidated.

Thanks again for stopping by. More soon.