The Night Sky

"The Night Sky would be in Deepest Darkness

If only the 'Best' star shone"

© 1997 By Shiloh Moore

I wrote this little quote/poem when I was 16.  Everybody has something to contribute.  Everyone is worthwhile and worthy.  Everyone is valuable.  We all brighten the darkness in the world.

Greeting: I don't know what to say...

"I Don't Know What To Say... But I'd rather say that than nothing at all..."

Words © 2015 By Shiloh Moore

Words on 'Abstract Painting'

© 2012 By Shiloh Moore

Acrylic on Canvas 2012

A few friends have been going through severe times lately.  I've been looking for an appropriate card - but 'Get well soon' when you have a long term chronic illness is like a kick in the face, you know it's not going to happen (well you may improve to a better level - hopefully - but it's highly unlikely you'll recover to being fully 'well'.)  And a sympathy card is not appropriate either, nobody's died - you're still alive, life is just incredibly hard for you!  There are times when I just don't know what to say.  So I thought I'd make a card that said just that.

I know from experience, especially in the early days of chronic long term illness, that I would rather hear from somebody that they have been thinking of me rather than feel isolated not realising others cared.  Sometimes just letting someone know you care - and acknowledging there is no 'quick fix' or 'cure', but you are still there - that means the world.  You don't have to 'fix' the problem.  Just being there is important beyond measure. And if you send a card like this and don't hear back - it's most often not because it's not appreciated.  It's appreciated perhaps even more so.  So send it with no agenda for a response.  Know your efforts will be appreciated, and reciprocated in spirit if not in practice! 

Chapter 1: Giraffe Family

 

 "Chapter 1: Giraffe Family"

inspired by a photo by © Dave Jenike/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

By Shiloh Moore July 2015

Mixed media

 Collage papers (including 'Chapter 1' page from a 'Babysitters Club book', and scrapbooking papers of music, leaves and hearts, and Paper dotted with ink using bubble wrap)

Layered with tissue paper,

then coloured with Watercolour

Image of drawing combined with background image using 'Picmonkey' online editing

Lots and lots of my friends are having children, so I've been drawn to pictures of families and pregnancy and children.  I was looking through Pinterest and found an amazing image of a family of giraffes.  There were no credits for the picture, but I google image searched and found this:

Giraffe Family

© Dave Jenike/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

 

Firstly I drew an outline of my picture: 

Outline by Shiloh Moore 13/7/15

I was thinking of drawing the spots on the giraffes using zentangle patterns, but decided I'd like to try using mixed media, and to use the effect of bubble wrap dots to give a spotty effect.  I was not sure it would work, but was willing to give it a try!

I set up the backgroud papers:

 

I chose to use a page from 'Chapter 1' of a double-up of a beloved 'Babysitters Club' book  I had, to give the title 'Chapter 1' as the start of life as a new family with the baby Giraffe.  Those books bring me good memories of my childhood.

 

I had to lighten the image for the outline to stand out.  So I covered it with with crumpled tissue paper to give it a textured effect.

Here was a basic preview of what it would look like.  I was worried you couldn't see the spots.... But then I added colour.

Here was the background effect in colour.

Then by computer I added the drawing of the giraffes to complete the effect.  I don't know how to manually transfer the image onto the background, so in real life all I have is the background image, plus the plain outline drawing.  If anyone knows of a way to transfer them together manually, not just on the computer, that would be ace!

So here is the final product.  I'm not entirely sure the bubble wrap texture came through well enough, so I'm not entirely happy with it.  But it was a fun effort.  I may go back to the original drawing and draw in some spots with Zentangle techniques afterall.  But for now, I'm utterly exhausted and in a tonne of pain so I must ban myself from doing more for a while!!!! Happily so though :)

 

 

 

PEACE Dove

"PEACE Dove"

© 2015 By Shiloh Moore

July 5th 2015

A4 Pitt Pen on Watercolour Paper

Yesterday I was looking through Pinterest and found an amazing drawing of a cat and mouse, using Typography with the cat made out of the letters 'cat', and the mouse made out of the letters 'mouse'.  Unfortunately it was uncredited so I won't put a link to it here.

I loved the idea so much and went to bed aspiring to doing something like that myself.  

When I woke up this morning I was still thinking about it, so in my half asleep state went to my pencil and paper, and using the outline of a dove that I drew for my February 12th 2012 post 'Be Free'  I immediately started penciling in the word 'PEACE'....and immediately it worked!

 Here is my initial scribble:  

And a photo of the final A4 picture framed: