NaArMaMo Day 4 - Hand-painted coffee cup

[vilakins]

Today's entry for the naarmamo National Art Making Month challenge. I got the idea from a recent drawanyway post which said to draw an everyday object and not to worry about getting curves and lines exact. So I did (a bit wonkily) my coffee cup full of coffee. Only the colours are exact.

A hand-painted picture of a hand-painted cup


My NaArMaMo 2007 Gallery is here.

Comments

[shimere277.livejournal.com]

Very nice - bold, with a fine sense of line and color. You really could be a commercial illustrator.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

Definitely of professional quality. I wonder if vilakins you would ever like to do that, because you are good enough.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

You think? I'm nowhere near as good as spacefall.

Hmm. Maybe I'll be like Lynley Dodd and write and illustrate children's books in later life. :-)

[communicator.livejournal.com]

You are both brilliant, with very different styles. I'd love to see you illustrating children's books.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I sent one off to a publisher years ago when I was out of work, but never heard back. I think I'm a lot more assured now in writing and drawing style so maybe I'll try again one day.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'd have loved that! However I did this on my graphics tablet and when I flipped the picture horizontally (a good trick) it was waaaaay off--very lop-sided--requiring a lot of correction. :-P

As for colour, I just copied my cup; it's just as bright and vibrant as that. I have four of these cappuccino cups and and two others from the same pottery which are plums and greens on white; so pretty.

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

Very vibrant! Makes me want a coffee for some reason...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I should go into advertising!

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Oh lovely, I'd love a cup like that :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's from Petra Ceramics (http://www.petraceramics.co.nz/) here in Auckland. It's their 'Lemon' design (click on 'Homeware' and scroll down). Sadly they don't have a large picture of it, probably because it's been around for over 10 years. I've been to their pottery and watched people painting cups and plates (and bought 'seconds' there).

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Um, the standard homeware link isn't that easy to find; it's here (http://www.petraceramics.co.nz/standard.shtml). ;-P

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

... and it's a good thing there's a sea between me and it, because that citrusy stuff is gorgeous (and boy, would I love a jug in that...)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I rather like the 'Ab Fab'.

I also have two cappuccino cups bought for about $4 the pair last year at that church fair I went to, which happen to match two mugs I already had, but I see they've discontinued that pattern. It's lovely too: white base, bright pink flower with a yellow centre, big green leaf, and a purple tulip.

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

I really have to agree that you could be a professional artist. Not that I'm qualified to judge, but to me your stuff almost always has the look of authority; as if there are no mistakes, you meant it exactly that way. And I rather assume that impression of authority is as important in the visual arts as it is in music performance. ;-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's only an impression. You don't see the drafts and the erased mistakes. :-) Ah, the wonders of graphics programs! Mind you, most comic book artists do their work this way now.

But maybe I should consider trying to get into children's book illustrating, and for that matter, writing. Not that there aren't lots of others trying just that. :-P

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

It's only an impression.

But that's all that's needed. And what are you comparing yourself to? All the other artists have drafts and erased (or painted over) mistakes as well. It's the finished product that counts. And creating the right sort of feeling in the viewer, which I think you generally do, is more important than technical perfection.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

:-D Thank you! You guys are so encouraging!

Have I said recently how much my on-line friends mean to me?

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

I went with some friends to see an exhibition of Gerald Scarfe cartoons, which was excellent. We were looking at his original drawings, and it was fascintating to see how many had been altered by the use of tippex. You can't see that kind of detail when you're looking at reproductions in books or papers.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Interesting! Is he the one who illustrated Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Last year I saw a children's book illustrator displaying and selling her paintings which were used in several well-known books here, and I couldn't see one mistake! If I did work for a book, I think I'd do it on the PC like most comic book artists (who do admittedly have better software than me).

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

Not sure about 'Fear and Loathing' - would have to look him up on Wiki. He did the art and animations for Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Oh and 'Yes, Minster'!

I looked him up; Ralph Steadman did 'Fear and Loathing' but I see they were friends at college; that might explain why their styles are similarly anarchic.

[kerravonsen]

{hugs}

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Group hugs!! ::gloms::

[jecono.livejournal.com]

Ah - how nice! Lovely colours! To me, it's more like a bowl of hot chocolate - as I don't drink coffee! ;)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It could easily be chocolate with a swirl of cream... mmmmm!

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

Someone say 'chocolate'? :D

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

This is lovely. I'd have it on my wall in a frame!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed at the reactions! The curves at the top are all wrong (the closer one should be deeper, not the further one) but I'm pleased with the colours and the swirly bits in the coffee.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

Very nicely done...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I might iconise it.

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

Your picture has a boldness and freshness to it that rather reminds me of 1950's kitchen prints. It's very appealing.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm not sure which prints those are, but I love bright china and unusual designs. I lust after Clarice Cliff's stuff, but I'll never afford it.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Lovely! Really, you are so good. You could easily do a line of related subjects on note cards and things. Have you tried submitting anything to greetings cards companies?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That's an idea! Some of the pictures I did last year, like the spring one (see icon) and the cats would be suitable too. I'll have to investigate, though I'm not sure how.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

Its good, the cup seems to be lifting off the saucer all ready to go to your mouth.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

A flying cup!

[jthijsen.livejournal.com]

I want a cup like that! It's beautiful, and the others are right, you could do this professionally.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's from Petra Ceramics here in Auckland, the Lemon pattern. There's a small picture on this page (http://www.petraceramics.co.nz/standard.shtml) (scroll down). I have some other cups and mugs from them but that pattern seems to have been discontinued.

[daiseechain.livejournal.com]

Very bright and cheerful. I like the swirls in the coffee.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I was pleased with how those came out. :-)