The Letters

I am brimming over with creative ideas right now. Here's another one that I'm bringing to life. I have no idea if it'll work but I'm going to give it a shot. 'Teddy' is the first in a series of letters, each one is a little piece of flash fiction. But, this is flash fiction graphic novel style. Yes, (I've just realised that) I've created a whole new genre. 

The thing that excites me about this idea is (hopefully) how it will unfold in front of me. Now, I am pretty sure that this is not the correct way to go about writing a story, but, I've been creating stories in this way for a couple of years in my Drink & Draw series. In these events, through models, poses and props, I tell a story for sketchers to draw. These stories always unfold, change and take unexpected twists as each model brings their own thing to it, plus poses may need to be cut, on the night, because of timing, that kind of thing. The changes then inform what happens in the next episode.

I recently read the Stephen King book 'On Writing', in which he described how a story should take you on the journey, rather than the other way around. I completely relate to that, it is actually the way I used to build my big drawings too. I'd let them tell me what to do next. I love the idea that a story has it's own life and you're just there to get it on paper. It would be a dull process if it wasn't that way, I think.

Now I'm not sure he'd recommend putting your first bit of the story out there before anything else has been written, but I'm experimenting here. During the time I was creating this letter all sorts of ideas about who the letter was from and who it was too came up. I think I always knew these characters but during this process I got to know them a lot better. And so, the next letter kind of wrote itself.

Anyway, enough talk. 'Teddy' is available HERE.

Thanks for calling by my blog.

in a moment, in a single moment

I'm calling this one done. When I started this drawing, and posting it step by step, I said that I had no idea where it was going. I must admit that was not completely true. I actually believed that what I was doing was taking THIS 'air mail' drawing out of my sketchbook and reworking it onto paper. So throughout, as I was laying down the layers of blue ballpoint, in the back of my mind I was expecting to make the final post the one where I'd change the whole mood of the drawing by adding the red. However, the drawing had a mind of it's own and took me somewhere else completely.

I can't tell you how much I love that. How a drawing, or creative practice in general, makes you the passenger on a journey. I've been wondering at what point this one changed direction, from the original idea. Where it turned down a side street. It could have been the slight turquoise-y colour of one of the ballpoints that changed things. It could have been the mood I was in or the music I was listening to. It could have been the calling card that came through the door or the hair band I found. Of course, it was all those things.

I don't know how I feel about the finished piece. I think it's over worked. I'm really annoyed about the shade of blue that I made the shadow in the bottom right hand corner. But hell, right now I want to post it and move on to the next one. 'Cause right now it's telling me it's done. Finished. Finito.

(I also promise I've finished with the Paul Weller references. Now where's that Joni lyric book....)

the story is still unfolding

So, I did think that the last post was the penultimate stage in the life of this drawing, but I still haven't quite finished. I know it probably looks like it was overdone about three posts ago, but this drawing keeps on going. It's the drawing that just keeps on giving. So if you haven't lost the will to live, and would like to see the finished thing, then come ye back.

push it along

I'm not even sure if you can actually see the difference between this and the last post. It may be subtle, but this is the point where I have to stop the cross hatching. It's the point where I need to start putting the detail in. And, it's the point where I'm starting to think that this is a rubbish drawing and that I shouldn't have done this step by step thingy because now I have to post the final drawing whether I like it or not.

you made up my mind for me

I hadn't planned to do this work in progress thingy, but there's a time and place for everything. And this is one of those times. I guess that these many layered drawings are just right for showing that step by step process. And, of course, it means I get lots of posts out of the one drawing. Just what you need when you're going through a dry spell. So, you see, my mind was made up for me. So easily.

where i'm heading, i don't know

Drawing is still not coming easily to me. I sit here every night desperately wanting to draw, but feeling unable to pick up my sketchbook. The blank page is so difficult to be with. I've tried riding it out. Tried looking for inspiration. Yesterday, I simply forced myself to put pen on paper. It's a start.