10 November 2005


The Island of a Thousand Days

No one would understand. He saw that this was the perfect spot. A place for quiet contemplation. A place of solitude. A private place. A private world.

It was perfect.

An ink sketch done using Faber-Castell technical pens.

"We're just waiting looking skyward as the days come down
Someone promised there'd be answers, if we stayed around."
'The Romance of the Telescope' Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

4 comments:

carla said...

This really is isolated! In fact, the little island feels dwarfed by the powerful sea and sky...just a little spot where a person could feel one with the universe:>

You asked me about the texture on my "night" illustration...I drew the figure mostly with micron pens, but started to do a few of the line patterns with colored pencils. I didn't like the effect, so when I scanned it, I first opend it in Illustrator CS2 and used the live trace function in order to get crisper black lines. By playing around with the tolerance threshold, I was able to get those variations in texture. The pencil sections came out light and sort of broken...I liked that, so I kept it that way. I agree with you about the background. I'm not crazy about it, but I just didn't have time to draw a "real" background.

I am always inspired by the fine pen work you do. You have such an excellent eye, and clearly a lot of patience! It's a pleasure to see your work:> Carla

V said...

Your island is very inviting to me indeed. If only I can be there today. Nice work!

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

Carla, thanks, this is a piece I enjoyed drawing and I am glad you liked them. I do have my bad days when I just seem to draw stuff that I don't care for and I do post them too. Heheh. Your observation on feeling on with the universe is very apt. You can read my mind. When I was wandering alone with a map and a sketch book in the Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines and other areas in England a decade ago, I would often feel one with the wilderness. Nature. The incredible feeling of being. My thoughts became real, undisturbed by the mundane noises of city life. An amazing feeling really. I missed those days.

Your technique is fabulous. It does display patience and a technical skill that is not easy to acquire. And most of all, it displays an artistic eye. I mean even with such tools, it is very difficult to achieve what you have. When I get a machine in front of me... well.
Thank you for the detailed explanation of how you have created that lovely piece. I know I must learn to use Illustrator one day. Painter IX was not easy and I can't create there what I have created on paper.

V, I would wish to be there myself. Sitting there and watching the shapes of clouds floating by. Seeing the unending sea. Marvelling at the waves and the sunshine reflecting off the surface. Simple pleasures. Thanks V for your words.

Unknown said...

U always have the coolest fantasy drawing!