'n Middag saam met Elmarie

Wanneer mens iemand teken is die oomblik wanneer jy waarlik begin kyk.  Jou aandag word nie verdeel, opgesny en afgewater om die vele nuanses van die gesprek, die mens, die verbygangers en jou eie gevoelens oor wat bespreek word in te neem nie.  Om iemand te mag teken gee jou toestemming om te staar; om net te sien hoe die laaste flou son oor hul vel speel; hoe die lewe as mooi plooie oor hul gaan lê en jy as tekenaar kan nie help om te besef hoe mooi hierdie mens gemaak is nie.  

At the movies

During the workshop I presented this week we had a closer look at the power of Photoshop to create a collage of elements into a coherent design (as with movie posters) as well as an introduction to matte painting.  Students had to use a photo of themself in their design.  The turn out was positive and I post the examples for display I created.

Pages from my journal

(drawings of the self)

I've explored automotive drawings within various media.  Unfortunately my visual journal had to play second fiddle lately.  I needed to pull in the reigns, gather my thoughts around creativity & the role it plays in my life again.  I've realised a lot of things I love to do, I've stopped 'cause I don't have the time. I want to make time.  I want to see.

 

Junior Champ

This pre-logo/sketch is created for a new porridge being formulated for children below the age of 5. The name was already given & they wanted a boy with outstretched arms & a rainbow somewhere in the mix. Oh, and they wanted something cute... I think our little boy fits the bill. There's wasn't a lot of time. If this project comes to fruition I'd like to work on his boxing gloves some more.

Sketch - the Lord's Prayer

Voi dunque pregate così:
"Padre nostro che sei nei cieli, sia santificato il tuo nome; venga il tuo regno; sia fatta la tua volontà anche in terra come è fatta in cielo. Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano; rimettici i nostri debiti come anche noi li abbiamo rimessi ai nostri debitori; e non ci esporre alla tentazione, ma liberaci dal maligno." (Matteo 6:9-13)

Children at play

I was asked to act as photographer at a children's party, it was such fun.They are a little more of a challenge to shoot 'cause they're not in the habit of taking notice of cameras, they seem to dart in all directions. What I appreciate most about children is their unpretentiousness. One seems to be able to capture their emotion much easier on film than adults.

Bride of Christ

The Bible frequently refers to us, the believers in Christ as His bride. Although I suspect this might be a foreign image for men to associate with it illustrates something beautiful: how we are transformed to become pure in the love Jesus has for us. We need to find our value in that love.
I wanted to illustrate that.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8

She's on fire

I've been asked to design an illustration for a game competition poster and took the inspiration of the classic Bond girl. I'm also taking the scenic route back to basics - making some sketches with graphite.

60 Word Story

I've recently accepted the challenge of writing a story in 65 words or less for LitNet.
Below is the result.

Sal jy my onthou?
Ek hoor jou nie kom - suutjies jy,
maar ek sien jou toring voor my.
Vryf met jou linkervoet in die sand...
ek is ook maar skaam.
Wie sal eerste hallo sê?
Jou oor - die kontinent Afrika.
Mag ek voel hoe loop die plooie oor jou lyf?
Jy proe my met jou slurp
en toe reis ek op jou rug huis toe.

(or you can go directly to http://www.litnet.co.za/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_custom&cause_id=1270&page=leap)

Change

Wow! 2011 is here!
We're living in this paradox of wanting things in our life to change vs fearing the very same thing.
May this year be the fulfillment of beautiful expectancies.

Below is the body copy of the strip:

Change
When does it happen? And how?
I mean, you wait and wait
for this mythical day when things will change and your whole life will suddenly be better somehow.
As if a new car or a new job or a new boyfriend will be the new leaf in your life… as if it will fix everything somehow.
If only. If only I’ll get that job in the city.
Then I can move out of this sleepy town and my life can finally begin. I’ll start wearing heels to work & dress up as though I walked off the runway.
I’ll meet this attractive stranger in the elevator and it will be love at first sight – we’ll just know we’re meant to spend the rest of our lives together in holy matrimony. We’ll buy a house & a dog, have kids, never argue or be sick and live happily ever after.
If only is a dangerous game to play. Your life will live without you. You’ll wake up one day like Rip van Winkle and wonder where’s it gone.
I’m not even sure it is within our power to instigate change. Some advocate so brilliantly how we are the masters of our own destiny. What happens in our life is the stuff we allowed to happen. Yeah right.
Maybe you can control your emotions; the words you speak and the choices you make.
But what about the things that happen TO you? An accident? An illness?
Or the things that doesn’t, but you wish desperately so?
I guess it’s like that Beach Boys song, God only knows. And only God can really change your life.
I love that scene in Under the Tuscan Sun where they speak about the nature of faith. Francis Mayes wrote, “They built the train tracks over the Alps between Vienna and Venice before there was a train that could make the trip. They built them anyway. They knew the train would come.”
I suppose it’s up to us to build the tracks & wait for God to send the train.