Lotus Pond – Bali. Water colour, pencil and ink
I have spent the weekend working on Gale’s water themed book. A great way to spend a very cold, wet and windy weekend here in Melbourne. As I worked on this book I realised that I haven’t done many drawings of water and am not very used to drawing this element in any of its many guises. Always so good to challenge yourself and these collaborations take me to such different places.
Cathe’s Versailles Marie Antoinette’s Swan
As Gale and Cathe both choose to take inspiration from recent travels for their double page spreads; Gale her trip to Hawaii and Cathe her Paris adventure. I took inspiration from my trip to Bali last year and the Lotus temple in Ubud. The beautiful blue water and tranquil lotus blossoms seemed suitable for the watery theme.
Gale’s waves
For the first page I added a water splash behind Gale’s leaf with water droplets and on the shared double spread I added rain drops catching the sun as they fall into a pond, a layered water on water image. Trying to blend in with the beautifully subtle clouds, but not overpower them.
Splash, my contribution to the the front page Water colour and ink
Rain Drops, below Gale’s clouds water colour, coloured pencil and white ink
I also had a play with the white band that holds the book shut and used some watery patterns to decorate it with. Not sure if it blends well, but a great deal of fun to do.
Front cover of Gale’s book
To see the other books in the collaboration please click the links below
Anna Warren’s Book – Circle of Life
Gale Everett Stahlke’s Book – Water
Cathe Jacobi’s Book – Collections
Karen Bailey’s Book – Patterns in Nature – Forest
Karen Bailey Studio 