Monday, January 18, 2010

Wildlife With James Parker

Okay, I truly feel like a kindergarten kid in the Senior Class. But here goes... My moleskin sketchbook is a Mead 5x9 sketchbook, spiral bound, with a whole bunch of pages. My theme is Wildlife. No, not Wild Life! Gave that up a while back. The way I've set it up is to have your artwork on two open pages...leave the next 2 pages blank for a personal note from the artist, then the next artist would have the next two pages for art, followed by 2 pages of blank/notes, and so on. That way, no art would be on the back of other work. Duh...I'm new at this :-l


This is my send-off artwork. You can see I kept faithful to my amateurish, cartoon style..."Have fun, sling paint, maybe in 200 years it will be worth sumtin'" style. Try not to think harshly of that "Peeping Jim" peering over the hedge. I sprayed Kamar varnish on the pages, and then used acrylics. It worked...no crinkling.

I've been a stamp collector for years and had started pasting stamps on the cover as a kind "travelling" theme. Then I saw that Liz had done the same thing. Well, I thought, "Boy
, Liz is one terrific, imaginative genius!!" My cover is below.


Thank you, Dominique, for starting this. It looks like a lot of fun, that will leave each of a treasure that is priceless. Good luck, fellow MoleBloggers! (Molesters really looked bad) ................James

12 comments:

  1. Fabulous piece James. I love it. ( I was laughing at molesters !! ) Love the idea of the varnish Thanks. See you around the corner....

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  2. James, I can't wait to see more of your fun work like this. And I'll try to pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, I mean bushes. I love all your animals and their innocent gestures -- the squirrel saying "here's a nut" -- referring to you? Or me? Both of us maybe. Anyway, we're gonna have FUN with this project, aren't we? Well, I'll do something fun after this portrait, or maybe just something creepy... but my point was, and I did have a point... LOOK! A butterfly!!!....

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  3. This is wonderful, James. I love all of the animals and your theme. Great cover too!

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  4. You are a child James, a fun child.
    You made me laugh.
    Wonderful!!!

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  5. I really like your moleskin paintings. Better get geared up for painting more for your friends. The finished sketch book WILL be priceless. Waiting to see more.

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  6. James, love your wildlife scampering about and then noticed your sketchbook taking flight; very well done!

    I really like the idea of leaving pages blank for artist thoughts...hmmm, is that possible in all of our books? Perhaps someone else will have an opinion about that and can post here.

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  7. I also had been wanting to say that about being sure not to paint or draw on the back of another one (probably goes without saying, but, glad it has been said!). But I also like James's ideas of leaving a page of commentary and a couple blank to be sure no art or comments are on the back of another page of art. Good point!

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  8. James, I was afraid you were going to take this way too seriously...ha1 Great start to your book, with your critters right in step with all the flying moles and their skins. Looks like you depleted your collection somewhat with that nifty cover.

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  9. Beautiful work and great theme, James! Love the cover too!

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  10. Nice James, I knew you would do something fun! I too would like everyone's comments, that is a great idea! I would be a molester anyday!

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  11. Molester??? Lol...you're a wild child, James! Great group of wildlife launching your book. Fun, fun, fun!

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