21 August 2010

Illustration Friday - Atmosphere

Water media on gessoed mountboard © Caroline Soer 2010


'The moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed at a work
That points at him amazed'.

From The Moon and Little Frieda by Ted Hughes


I combined this week's Illustration Friday word 'atmosphere' with last week's 'star gazing'. I chose this line of poetry by Ted Hughes from ' The Moon and Little Frieda' in which Hughes vividly evokes the atmosphere of the English countryside.

Full Moon and Little Frieda


A cool small evening shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a bucket –

And you listening.
A spider’s web, tense for the dew’s touch.
A pail lifted, still and brimming – mirror
To tempt a first star to a tremor.

Cows are going home in the lane there, looping the hedges with their warm wreaths of breath –
A dark river of blood, many boulders,
Balancing unspilled milk.

“Moon!” you cry suddenly, “Moon! Moon!”

The moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed at a work
That points at him amazed.


--Ted Hughes, from Wodwo (1967)

26 comments:

  1. really sweet :)

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  2. This is so wonderful Caroline. Love the atmosphere/star gazing combo and the story you chose to illustrate. Very wonderful work!

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  3. Gorgeous that is one bright full moon night!

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  4. Love the hare Caroline. You have used such lovely colours for the illustration.

    I hope you are feeling much better now.

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  5. Oh this is SO wonderful! I feel very protective, very warm, very much in love with this piece- Awww, LOVE IT!

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  6. The blue and yellow is gorgeous together. I really like the line work and texture too!

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  7. I love it, particularly the blue moonlight on the fields. Beautiful.

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  8. magical and sweet piece! I adore it. You are one of my favorite artists ;)

    And now I have to add this poem to my faves as well. Just lovely! So full of images.

    xo♥

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  9. your piece is very lovely, the colors and texture are wonderful too.

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  10. Gorgeous! Love the colors combination and textures, great technique!

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  11. The moonlight is breathtaking- very well done!

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  12. What a perfect painting for atmosphere!
    So sweet the rabbit with the moon.....awesome art as always dear!

    have a nice day!!

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  13. Hello, Caroline, Beautiful watercolor. You know very well what colors you put into your work, the exact colors eh?
    Congratulations!

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  14. Oh caroline, you are one of my few my all-time favorite watercolor artists and your style is so different from everyone else. How do you do that. Of course I am not asking you to tell me, I mean, you are fabulous, that's what I mean. I came here all eloquent and was going to tell you about a 10-pound rock I hauled from South Dakota but after seeing your painting, I go ga-ga!!! I love your work! I love your work!

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  15. The poem really sets the mood for your painting. The rabbit looks so amazed, like it is seeing the moon for the first time.

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  16. I love this little rabbit ! and the atmosphere is so sweet and comforting...
    :-)

    ps : thank you so much for your lovely comment on the roof terrace and of course you're invited any time for a mint tea party !
    xoxo
    Lala

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  17. Very nice feel to this work. Love the textures!

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  18. Sorry to be late here, I am catching up with thing.
    I just love the way you made the night come to live. Very beautiful!

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  19. Truly beautiful Caroline, it looks a magical night.

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  20. caroline, where do you take me with this illustration, with that moon? i am a child again looking at this, honest to god. i can see myself in my bedroom looking at this, entering into this magical moonlight scene. you are too much!!

    i didn't even really read the accompanying story. it was enough to just stare....

    :) & ♥
    kj

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  21. I always love the look prepping a board or canvas has with the texture...nice and great lighting effect.

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  22. This is so so so so beautiful. I LOVE these colors, and the wonderful texture underneath them. This is luminous. Wow.

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  23. Thank you for commenting. It brought me here again to see the delightful illustration.

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  24. ..awesome!! refreshing colors..great atmosphere..

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  25. What a beautiful piece, Caroline! I love how you've painted the hare and that amazingly brilliant full moon. The gessoed texture adds a lot of richness to it for me. Wonderful!!

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Thank you for passing by. I love to read your comments!

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