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 :)

 

 

 

Zentangle Part 3: Tenterfield Terrier

"Zentangle Tenterfield Terrier"

© 2015 By Shiloh Moore

30 May - 24 June 2015

Pitt Pens and Derwent Pencils on Watercolour paper, on Scrapbooking Paper Background

For my third effort at Zentangle I was ambitious, I wanted to do a portrait in memory of my beloved pooch!  I wanted to give it as a gift, so the pressure was on to do it justice. Here's the photo of my beloved:

I did the outline the same day as the outlines of my previous posts, 'Zentangle Daschund', and 'Zentangle Dove' (30th May 2015.)

Outline 'Zentangle Tenterfield Terrier' 

© 2015 by Shiloh Moore

I had both a brown and a black Pitt Pen to do the doodling on her face, so I photocopied my outline and roughly scribbled in the areas to be shaded black and brown.

Stage 2 of 'Zentangle Tenterfield Terrier'

© 2015 by Shiloh Moore

Then I took a couple weeks off as my arms were in extreme Fibromyalgia pain from the drawing I had done (my arms are always sore but this spurt of artwork had really flared it again.)

When I could, I looked at other zentangle and zen doodles online and in a book, for ideas as to my favourite styles of doodling, and ones that may look good and were appropriate for my pooch!

Then I could contain my pacing/resting/art ban no longer and decided to start doodling.  I worked on it for a few days 20-24th June and before I knew it, it was finished!

Here's a progress pic when I had started doodling:

Stage 3 of 'Zentangle Tenterfield Terrier'

© 2015 by Shiloh Moore

And the finished drawing without the scrapbooking paper background:  

Stage 4 of 'Zentangle Tenterfield Terrier'

© 2015 by Shiloh Moore

 And the finished product below the photo of my beloved poocherino:

Embrace Your Child

'Embrace Your Child'

Pitt Pen on Watercolour Paper

Copyright 2014 by Shiloh Moore

I haven't produced any art from scratch this year (though I've made lots of cards from scrapbooking materials).  Until now.

I wanted to draw my inner child as a therapy exercise.  After some doodling, I came up with this.  It represents the child in me reaching up for the adult in me, who is bending over to embrace the child.  

I really like the image - two parts of myself, coming together with great love.  

I like the image for how I feel in real life about my friend's children as well.  I want to bend over and scoop them up in my arms with love.  Perhaps it could represent how you feel about your children? 

'Embrace Your Child'

copyright 2014 by Shiloh Moore

Here it is with a little purple and starry background.

'Embrace Your Child'

copyright 2014 by Shiloh Moore

And here it is framed.

I feel gooey with love just looking at it!

Wishes II

Poem 'Wishes II' ©2013 by Shiloh Moore 

'Pastel Abstract' © 2008 by Shiloh Moore

 It's been a few months since my last blogpost.  For 6 weeks I had a very welcome lift in my health and was able to do a bit more, so I filled my time catching up with friends and doing things I haven't been able to do for a long time and really miss.  I even saw a movie.

Then a month ago I crashed and am back in survival mode.  I've recently faced new challenges to confront.  But such is life, at least I have the hope of improvement once again and know it can happen.

Being horizontal for many hours each day, has had me thinking what's important to me.  I still try to send cards to friends and I wonder what to say.  In Feb 2012 I wrote some wishes that are on this blog:  "Wishes - Feb 2012"  I thought I'd like to try to write more in that style.  I wondered what do I wish for my friends?  What do I long for for my self?  

I came up with this poem that I've displayed on two different abstract pictures, one I created in 2008, the other in 2011.  I wish for these things sincerely for my friends, but for myself as much as anyone.  And I truly feel them.  They're what get me through. 

Poem 'Wishes II' © 2013 by Shiloh Moore

'Silver Abstract' 

Acrylic on canvas

© 2011 by Shiloh Moore

Girl With Kitty

'Girl With Kitty In Bed' 

© 2013 by Shiloh Moore
 A5 Watercolour and Pitt Pen on Paper

I did some drawings of a girl with her kitty, both lying in bed and standing up and active.  A lot of my friends with ME have kitty companions and their kitties are incredibly special to them, so I wanted to capture that.  This is the drawing of the girl with her kitty in bed, in colour (above) and just with the pitt pen (below.)  I wasn't too happy with how the purple in the watercolour came out, but I didn't have the energy to redo it and it's just an exercise for fun, not to be paid, so it doesn't have to be perfect! 

'Girl With Kitty'

© 2013 by Shiloh Moore
A5 Watercolour and Pitt Pen on paper

And here's the girl standing upright holding her kitty.  In colour (above), and the outline using Pitt Pen (below). 

'Girl With Kitty'

Little Girl Skipping

'Little Girl Skipping'

copyright 2013 by Shiloh Moore

4"x6" watercolour and pitt pen on paper

Some friends gave birth to a wonderful little girl, so to decorate her bedroom I painted this picture.  I continued with the theme of my 'Little Girl' which can also be found in these other posts: 

Enjoy the Puddles

Happy Birthday Balloon Girl

Little Girl

and

Circle of Life

'Little Girl Skipping - Sketch'

copyright 2013 by Shiloh Moore

4"x6" Pencil on paper

Enjoy The Puddles

'Enjoy The Puddles'

Copyright 2013 by Shiloh Moore

Watercolour and Pitt pen on Paper

If you like this 'Little Girl' you may like these other posts:
'Happy Birthday Balloon Girl'
'Little Girl' and
'Circle of Life'

Happy Birthday Balloon Girl

'Happy Birthday Balloon Girl'

Watercolour and Pitt Pen on Babysitter's Club Book Paper

Copyright 2012 by Shiloh Moore

17/11/12

I wanted to create something that brought me joy.  Thinking of a little girl being lifted by balloons to travel, flying over gorgeous hills and mountains - this image brought me joy.  I made the balloons spell out 'Happy Birthday.'

I painted this on a second hand second copy of p 7 of 'Kristy And The Secret Of Susan' from the Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin, because that series brought me much joy in my childhood/tween days. 

'Happy Birthday Balloon Girl'

B+W outline before watercolour

copyright 2012 by Shiloh Moore

If you like this 'Little Girl' you may also like:
'Enjoy the Puddles'
'Little Girl' and
'Circle of Life' 

'Rainbow Girl'

'Rainbow Girl' A4 Mixed media (c) 2012 by Shiloh Moore

This girl came to me a few weeks ago and has been begging to be created.  I did her bit by bit, a layer of pencil, and stuck two pieces of music manuscript in the background of the two left corners.  Then a layer of acrylic skin tone paint on her face.  Then I glued a layer of tissue paper over the whole piece.  Once that was dry I painted the colour with watercolours.  Then I outlined the picture with black pitt pens.   

She brings me joy :)

And the initial scribble:

'Circle of Life'

'Circle of Life' A4 Watercolour on paper, (c) 2012 by Shiloh Moore

This image has been bubbling in my mind for months. It has been begging to be created. I drew it with Pitt Pen while lying down, then worked on it with watercolours sitting up for short spurts, then resting in between. I imagined a curvaceous tree at the heart of a circle of life, home to a wise owl, a bird, a lizard, a spider with its web. Surrounded on the ground by flowers, a deer, butterflies and a dragonfly in the air, all being enjoyed by a little girl with pigtails on a swing. Innocence, life, beauty, joy, nature. Happiness.

If you like the Little Girl in 'Circle of Life' you may also like:

'Little Girl' 

'Happy Birthday Balloon Girl' and

'Enjoy The Puddles' 

"Raw Emotions"

"This Too Shall Pass" copyright 2012 by Shiloh Moore

A line drawing of a person on their knees weeping.

And to contrast:

"Channeling The Sun" copyright 2012 by Shiloh Moore

Line drawing of a woman embracing the sun, soaking in the light and joy.

"Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (Alanis)"

'Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (Alanis)' by Shiloh Moore
Note: I do not own copyright to this image. I painted it as an exercise, it is not for sale

This painting is a portrait of Alanis Morissette from a photo in the booklet of her second CD, 'Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'. I was drawn to the picture when I first saw it in 1998. I love the movement, the pure joy that emanates from the image.

Firstly I drew this black and white drawing of a close up of the picture.

To me this screamed 'I want colour'. I am not very experienced with watercolour or guache and I was scared I'd ruin the drawing.

So I started on a canvas with acrylic paints.









This is a photo of the original picture, with the colours completed on my acrylic canvas. I was just starting to do the black.






My favourite song on this album was 'That I Would Be Good.' In 1998 when it came out, it was particularly poignant as it mirrored the losses in my life at that point from illness:

"That I Would Be Good" by Alanis Morissette
(c) 1998 Maverick Recording Company

That I would be good even if I did nothing
That I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
That I would be good if I got and stayed sick
That I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

That I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
That I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
That I would be great if I was no longer queen
That I would be grand if I was not all knowing

That I would be loved even when I numb myself
That I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
That I would be loved even when I was fuming
That I would be good even if I was clingy

That I would be good even if I lost sanity
That I would be good
Whether with or without you

Finally I played on the computer with my original drawing and came up with this.

I've really enjoyed making this piece!