New Watercolour - Air Cottage

A cloud gazing gnome atop his air cottage drifts over the fields of Gwelf.  The sail is used primarily for navigation as speed is not a factor with this mode of transportation.  There is no destination, only the journey.  On winter nights when witch activity picks up he tends to settle into thickets and hide on the land. In the spring and summer it is an endless floating daydream - so envious.

Thanks again for stopping by.

More soon.

New Watercolour - The Exorcist

A favourite topic of conversation in the pubs around Gwelf is the legendary and elusive exorcist, Nanny Furlong.  Here we see here on Cabbage Street in the suburb of Inverary standing in front of the site of a recent cleansing.  The offending poltergeist captured and trapped within her traveling case.  Her recent notoriety has caused her to use evasion spells and even those that know where she lives get lost and confused.

Just a quick reminder -  I will be heading to Burbank California in a few days for the CTNX animation convention, so if you are in the area please stop by and say hello.  November 20 - 22.

More soon.

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.

The Wise Raven

New Watercolour.

The Wise Raven or Raven Witch is seen here in her natural habitat, the woods and fields around her home.

Magic Mushrooms

This time we are going back to Gwelf.  My schedule last year deprived me of much of the time I normally spend painting and investigating the Gwelf region.  This year I intend to make up for that lost time and visit Gwelf more often.

Here we have an old Raven Witch tending her mushroom circle.  She protects it and feeds it and in return it offers her escape and travel. The kind of travel that can only come from a mushroom circle or "faerie ring" which, as we all know, can be an instant portal to the nether world for any ignorant mortal foolish enough to step within.  However in this case the Raven Witch cultivates the circle and thereby controls it's magic and it's power.  She is a traveler.

Time is short and I will get back to all of this "circle magic" as soon as I can but I wanted to be sure to drop in today while I had a few free minutes and update with you all.

Thanks for stopping by and more soon.

Airborne - Step by Step

Okay.

It all starts with a drawing.  When I begin I have only a vague idea of what I want and do my best to find it and get it down.  I am improvising as I go and curious to see where it will end up.  I am not thinking in colour when I am drawing but rather in misty monochromatic tones such as Arthur Rackham might have used - nondescript sepia and paynes grey.  The colour choices come later.

I now take this drawing and with the aid of a light box trace it onto, in this case, a sheet of 140lb cold pressed watercolour paper which I have taped to a piece of Masonite - watercolour palette close to hand and ready to go.  I have already begun to lay in a few tentative washes as a way of tip toeing into the picture.  Blue for sky and shadows and yellow for trees.

At this stage I am working in watercolour and just laying in the broad washes in order to get a general feel for the picture I want to make.  I am thinking the light will be coming from the right in a late afternoon warm sunset kind of atmosphere.  I am still being very careful - no bold or gutsy displays of artistic gusto.  Often when I get to this point in a picture I rather like it and think it looks fine just as it is and I should stop.  However I know I must soldier on.

I now have the picture more or less established in watercolour and it is time to switch to gouache which is a much more robust water media.  Both watercolour and gouache are from the Winsor Newton brand and are colour matched perfectly.  Now that I have a reasonably good idea of where I want to go, gouache is going to get me there faster.  I am not yet utilizing the opaque potential of the gouache, that will come later, at the end of the process.  For now I am just putting unmixed colour on the board.

This is where I commit to the painting and continue to add gouache and really get the picture established.  The colour scheme is presenting itself.  The feeling now is that the train has left the station and it is up to me to not run it into the ditch.

Here is where I start to use the gouache in it's opaque form and begin over painting the way you might if you were using oil or acrylic - light colour over dark.  We do this by mixing white into whichever colour you want to make opaque and lay one over another.  In this way I can bring things forward and have them stand out or push them back and let them recede into the background.

The final stage is one I really enjoy.  The painting is mostly finished and I now can go in and refine details and clean up edges.  This is where gouache really shines because I can make all the little corrections and adjustments that finish off an image.  I also like to get in there with colour pencils and make little scratch marks and blur any areas that seem to tight or dark.  I may yet go back in and fiddle with it some more, but for now I think this one is finished.

While I was working on this picture I had the "My Neighbour Totoro"  art book out and occasionally leafed through it for inspiration.  I did not want my picture to look like that movie but I was hoping to tap into a bit of that spirit.

I will be more than happy to field any questions you might have.

Thanks for stopping by.  More soon.

The Raven Witch - Graphic Novel Update

This is the villain of the story as many of you have probably already guessed.  The story is going to be about a violent witch attack in Gwelf.

The Raven witch is a dark and cruel predator.  She often travels with and is aided by bird goblins.  She carries a long wooden hook for grabbing victims and is well armed with edged weapons, throwing spells and sonic pacifiers.  She is absolutely the last thing you would ever want to see if you were unlucky enough to find yourself walking home alone on a lonely road in Gwelf, after dark, in the autumn or winter.  Pray for a quick end.

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.

The Owl Hotel

This is an old watercolour from my ill fated first attempt at mailing art out to kid's book publishers. I just found it in a drawer of old art and decided to re-scan it. I still like it - my first tree house.

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.

Nana and Goliath

He came down out of the hills in full armour. He stomped through her garden, wrecked her front door, ruined her table cloth and even broke her favourite window. When he finally woke up he wandered off and never came back.

Thanks for stopping by.

More soon.

Trolls - Recently Observed

This one flew past me near The Crown and Otter, followed by a flock of crows.

It's getting to be that time of year again. The final days of summer will soon be upon us and we can already sense that Autumn is just around the corner. The nights are getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. The annual migration of Trolls out of the Big Hill Country has begun and a few have recently been observed on the outer regions of Gwelf. These aren't the scary ones though. These are the harmless and the curious ones coming down out of the hills for a little look around in advance of the bigger and nastier ones that will arrive closer to Halloween.

These 2 were standing in a turnip field just off the Post Road near Bambury.

Don't be fooled by these early arrivals though. They may not be looking to start any trouble but if you scare one, or if they find their way into your wine barrel, there is still the potential for property damage, broken bones or worse. I just want to take a moment and remind everyone traveling in the Gwelf area this season to be cautious. I don't want to scare you but it is always better to put safety first. Trolls are easy to spot and even easier to smell. Stay vigilant and look for clues. Trampled gardens, broken gates and stray livestock are a dead give away.

This one was on Albion Bridge. There was something wrong with him, not sure what.

There will be a lot for tourists to do in the Gwelf area this fall so please be careful and enjoy yourselves.

Thanks for stopping by. More soon.

Root Cellar Books

Root Cellar Books

As anyone who has visited the Gwelf region can attest, it's very well known for the variety and quality of it's book shops. This is a topic I have been meaning to get to for quite a while now. The problem was,  where to start, what with there being so many worthy establishments deserving a mention. So, as luck would have it, I ran into Fox the other day at the Belle Flower Inn and he told me, over several pints, how much he still enjoys popping into Root Cellar Books, the one out there on Kenilworth Road near the old stone bridge. I know the place well and was quite prepared to launch into my own reflections on time wasted and hours spent browsing those same dusty shelves when old Foxy began reminiscing himself. He is a gifted story teller and so I gave way.

Young Fox

He discovered the place many decades earlier when still a teen and began frequenting it regularly instead of going to school. He didn't have any money in those days so he would borrow the books, sit outside on a stone, which is now known as Fox's stone, and read in the warm autumn sun. At the end of the day he would return the books to the shop and in exchange, would sweep out the shop and empty the receptacles. According to Fox it was much different in those older, simpler times and borrowing a book from a shop meant to sell them was not frowned upon. Fox borrowed and read many.

Old Fox

Epic poetry and history were his subjects in those days and it is not at all surprising that he would grow up to become a scholar and a writer himself, despite his lack of formal education. I couldn't help but agree with his opinion that advanced mathematics and geometry have little or nothing to do with writing, story telling and the creative arts. There are of course some that say mathematics is a creative art in itself but that world is so foreign to me that I shan't comment. Needless to say, old Fox went on to have a brilliant and well known career as local historian, bard,  composer of fiction and patron of Root Cellar Books. Pop in if you're in the area and have a moment. I'm heading over right now. It hasn't changed a bit.

Thanks so much for stopping by again.

More soon.

Cheers.

Rabbit's Cottage - New Watercolour

Yes, this is a new watercolour, but it is also a reworking of a picture I made about a year ago that I called Rabbit's Garden. At that time, when I painted Rabbit's Garden, I also started this one which is about twice the size. I wasn't sure which one was going to work but I was curious to see if I could get this larger version off the ground. However I felt at the time that the smaller one was looking stronger so I completed it and put this one away. I recently pulled it out again and felt as though I was now ready to pick up where I left off with it.

For the past year or so I have been working through the most horrendous creative block. You've probably noticed posts going up and coming down as I search for a path out of this wilderness and try to get around whatever it is that's keeping me from moving forward. I feel, for now at least, as though completing this picture is a step in the right direction.

Thanks for bearing with me.

More soon.

Recent Pencil

This Faun turned up in a doodle session a little while ago. There's not a lot of drama here - she's meditating. I really hope I get to paint her one of these days. It's been a while since I've had a chance to do one for myself. I start getting a little twitchy if I don't occasionally get something of my own done.

Here are a few more ideas that are patiently waiting. First up is a friendly Giant. He couldn't wait to say good morning so he's coming in through the roof. After that is a wee gnome sculptor working on his masterpiece. I like the idea of the small artist and the big work. I think she will be bigger when I finally get to doing the final on this one. He should be no taller than her knee. I'm also thinking now that it might be cool if he were carving her from a living tree rather than a piece of stone like he is now. That way I could work some branches and leaf clusters into the design - could do some interesting things with cast shadows.

And finally we have a couple of adventurous girls visiting the cottage of a bird witch. I'm not sure what the story is going to be here. I'll have to think about it. I like the stairs though.

More soon. Travel in peace.  :)

Witch Market

I have finally decided after much prompting to get out of my comfy little chair and do a sketch/art book. The theme of this book will be "character design" because I love designing characters and much of the work I've been doing recently has been oriented in this direction. Last year I was lucky enough to have been involved in several animation projects where I was doing character design and I am definitely interested in more of the same. So with that in mind I have made a list of possible concepts for the book to use as design spring boards. The Witch Market is the first of these. What I am showing today is the rough work which will hopefully get me to a final drawing. These are still pretty rough and will require some streamlining and simplifying, or perhaps more to the point "designing". But that is what this process is all about - working your ideas and distilling them down to their most simple and clear incarnation. I still tend to get a little pencily. I could and should be more more graphic and direct. Lots to do !

Meanwhile I am still working on the stop-motion film concerning Arctic Mythology that I was working on before the holidays, but it is all top secret and I'm not allowed to share any of that work yet. I will be sharing the pencil work I'm doing for my new book however. This will be an on going project with many updates so stay tuned.

More soon.