Saturday 24 January 2009

My Life as a Chicken

Above: I am doing an online course at Designboom, which I am enjoying very much. The first task is a self-portrait. I sat in the studio yesterday and wrote down words which popped into my head: bicycle, folk art, chicken, pig, coloured pencils, human body parts. I decided not to go with anything too gruesome (which might be a sign of psychological progression) and composed a picture just using some of the words. I gave the chicken a human face with red lipstick (of course) so as to give it an element of the unexpected. Rather Edward Lear, I thought, complimenting myself. Then I became worried that my internet classmates would think that I am proportioned like a chicken. I had plenty of time left in the studio, so I worked up an old sketch: While those shown agreed that it looked more like me, I feel uncomfortable with the result and I don't find it very interesting. So I worked it up again below (this time it really doesn't look like me, thankfully) removing the girl's clothes, which hopefully contextualises it less and makes the idea a bit more interesting. She is holding a bunch of sage, which covers her body parts and goes nicely with pig.
I decided however to forget my vanity and send over the chicken.
I really enjoyed using watercolour: it's a very dignified medium, although it intimidates me to be using the same medium as alot of the mid 20th century illustrators I admire, and alot of contemporary European ones as well. (Beautiful examples here: Le Crayon, a society of legendary French illustrators.)

4 comments:

Lin said...

I think the chicken is great!

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thanks Lin!

hopeful~ for happy said...

Can you psycho-analyze the smoking pipe and pencil in the mouth? I agree the chicken is a winner.

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thanks, Lovely H! The pencil is my lazy way to say "CREATIVE." Pipe is more complicated...pipe smoking is quaint but naughty at the same time, especially for women. I realise that that response does not exactly constitute psychoanalysis...but it's too hot to think today. ;)