FORWARD_IF

Since I've been fairly voracious with working in my sketchbook this past year I've put together one for the Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook project 2012. Just finishing up the last few illustrations for my sketchbook this week.
Above is one of the pages that fits the 'forward' theme for this weeks Illustration Friday challenge. This is our friend Ganesha who has been asked to 'perform' by someone just out of view thus the circus-like image. Since one of Ganesha's skills is his ability to remove obstacles, the request is one asking him to help so that the requestee can move forward in their endeavour.

IF TWIRL - Eddy Rides Maelstrom

The word 'twirl' immediately put me in mind of a story and illustration that kept my minds eye spellbound for weeks after having read the story as a child.
Therefore as part of the background I've embedded the beautiful pen & ink maelstrom (whirlpool) illustration by the artist Harry Clarke from Edgar Allen Poe's story 'Descent into the Maelstrom' included in the 1919 publication Tales of Mystery and Imagination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maelstrom-Clarke.jpg
This image relates to a job I had after graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary Canada. To cut I long story short, after helping film a TVC for the Calgary Stampede, I ended up with a press pass that I used quite freely by spending a couple of days taking photos of the rodeo through the rail of the infield fence. This drawing recalls that time.
The twirl relates to the bulls movement as it tries to throw the rider off it's back. A bull may twirl or spin in circles. It may whirl and then reverse its direction of spin. If kicks out as well it's a harder ride and if the cowboy stays on for a full the 8 seconds the ride receives higher points. Maelstrom here twirls, whirls. spins, leaps and kicks to get that dang cowboy off.

'Eddy Rides Maelstrom' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.

Caterpillar Prep

– Sensing it was now time, Onno began the preparation. –

The story before this moment.............,
and after................

Caterpillar Prep is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of artworks.

Preparation Lepidoptera larvae

What's going on? IF - Grounded

'What's going on?' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of artworks. It is inspired by the Illustration Friday topic 'Grounded'.  This is an illustration about the research theory called Grounded Theory. 

Grounded Theory is a general research method ; which guides a researcher on matters of data collection (where you can use quantitative data or qualitative data of any type e.g. video, images, text, observations, spoken word etc.); and details strict procedures for the data analysis. It is a research tool which enables you to seek out and conceptualise the latent social patterns and structures of an area of interest through the process of constant comparison. A bit like being the x-ray machine of the social world.
More info on Grounded Theory can be found here http://www.groundedtheoryonline.com/what-is-grounded-theory (Thanks to Helen Scott PHd) 

How it relates to the above illustration is that it starts with listening, asking questions, and hearing what the little bird told you as data rather than hearing it as a story. Then you ask the bird another question getting further data, and again etc.

It's abstruse, I know, so please enjoy the image and interpret it as you wish.

From wikipedia: Grounded theory was developed by two sociologists,Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss.  Their collaboration in research on dying hospital patients led them to write the book Awareness of Dying. In this research they developed the constant comparative method, later known as Grounded Theory.

IF_ Highlight

Reflecting on 2011 there were a couple of highlights and lowlights moving me in and out of the din of the background noise of everyday life. A trip to Queenstown, New Zealand in May and an intentionally adrenaline-laced adventure there was the one highlight that jumps out at me. The trip was one where I could dare myself out of the background-noise comfort zone and push myself on to try what were previously very intimidating experiences. Paragliding started the adventure and the bungy jump concluded the adventure. The jump is somewhat recorded in this sketch from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series here.

Sink Beneath the Waves

The feeling of treading water in everyday life comes all to often. The feeling of being underwater, well isn't nice. Life can feel overwhelming at times, thankfully nothing ever stays the same.

'Sink Beneath the Waves' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series.

Merry Christmas - 2011

Merry Christmas to all friends, clients and casual visitors to kenrinkel.blogspot.com. This is my christmas card that I am sending to clients, friends and family this year. it features Santa Claus as a happy man revelling in his time spent underneath the mistletoe. Internet surfers around the world may be familiar with Christmas and Santa Claus but maybe not so much mistletoe. 
Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, and according to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at the winter equinox; it may remain hanging through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve. In cultures across pre-Christian Europe, mistletoe was seen as a representation of divine male essence. Whoohoo!
It was described in 1820 by American author Washington Irving in his "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon": "The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases."
I think these days it would be prudent to ask first.
Joyeux Noël 
Ken Rinkel

Separation - Train Ride of Scattered Thoughts

Newly separated from his partner, Dylan rides the train and ponders the situation.
This is an artwork mainly about the mindscape of an individual at a certain point in time.
'The Train Ride of Scattered Thoughts' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series.

A Shadow of My Former Self - Stars & Stripes

From the Snakeskin Sketchbook series a metaphorical comment on the current economic state of the USA and returning veterans of conflict zones.

Print available at my shop at Artflakes who are now newly printing in America so there are now reduced shipping prices.

Broom Brigade

The twins of the broom brigade share the work, share the effort and share the rewards of hard work, a clear place to breathe. 'Broom Brigade' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series.

Shower Me With Kisses

A whole load of round shapes that together remind me of this great song that was written in 1935. I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter. Music by Fred E Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young.
A lotta kisses on the bottom, I'll be glad I got em'. Too good!
From the Snakeskin Sketchbook.

Here's a Youtube link to the Fats Waller version
and here's the lyrics:

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make believe it came from you

I'm gonna write words oh so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom
I'll be glad I got 'em

I'm gonna smile and say
I hope you're feeling better
I'll close with love the way you do
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And I'm gonna make believe it came from you

Oh yeah

I'm gonna write words oh so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom
I'll be glad I got 'em

Oh yeah

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And I'm make believe it came from you
Oh yeah
I'm gonna make believe it came from you

Oh yeah

Vanity, On Display

Purely a character study of attitude. 'Vanity, on Display' is another from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawing. Vanity was inspired by a bull I had seen recently at the 'Mudgee Small Field Farm Days'. The bull had a sign on it's pen which said, 'keep back, bull hates small children'.

Violence-Silence

Often the natural response to violence or the threat of violence is to stay silent. Silence in the hope of not attracting further violence. This character is hollowed out by the experience and the silence.

Stripes_ Pippa Jogging, Hyde Park

On illustration friday, Pippa was spotted jogging in Hyde Park, London,
Wearing tight lycra jogging pants and a striped top, Pippa caught the eye and apparently the heart of Terry as he walked the adorable Winston on a long lead.

I'm Not Scared - IF

 

The first thing that came to mind when Illustration Friday's suggested topic word of 'Scary' was remembering all the dressing up and anticipation for the North American festival of Halloween. Which as an occasion is catching on in my Aussie neighbourhood more and more each year. 'The harvesting of the lollies' night is one candy companies, retailers and and (lets not forget the kids) are loving. A bag of free candy from the neighbours just for dressing up! Wow! Kids aren't stupid.

The second thing that came to mind was a book I illustrated in 2005 for Blake Education. The images here are just some from 'I'm Not Scared'. This was for their Gigglers series and was aimed at reluctant primary school readers. Above is a page where an Ogre appears and below is the printed spread where the Bunyip is appearing.













The story was about a father and daughter ghost talking about what they found most scary.
Each scary 'monster' mentioned manifested. Then, as each monster mentions what scares them it then manifested. And so on. It was a great little book written by author Wendy Blaxland and was great fun to create and play around with scary fun characters, including the father and daughter ghosts, an ogre, a giant and Australia's own billabong frightener the Bunyip.

The illustrations were created digitally from scans of the roughs and was the first book that I extensively used photoshop filters for texture. Below, is the cover image showing some of the character faces.