the story

I think it is more common that you start with a story - and then make the illustrations. I on the other hand start with the characters, think about who they are, see them in a context - and then make the story! To develop the scenes and the story I print the figures really small on a paper. I cut them out and glue them in my little moleskin.


...like this. I then continue on the figures. Sometimes I just test some visual ideas, sometimes I try to develop the characters or a relationship between them.


I use my yellow book (A4) for sketching the story I discover along the way.

Then I might go from the story back to the moleskin to test a scene. By now I'm more or less halfway through the story and I think I know where it is heading. I can revel this much: it's about a blue boy called Felix.

Tomorrow I'm going to Sweden for a week. (But I will still be here) Have a nice weekend!

making characters

My son (now 3,5 years) has for some times now been producing a lot of paintings/drawings. There is this special thing over them - he really experiments with mixing colours and different ways of making marks and combining materials. I felt it would be such a waste throwing them away and invented a little game - basically to make children's book figures out of them. I look and turn the papers and try to see something already there. I cut it out and add something little extra to make the figure stronger or easier to read...
...like this - a few lines.

I have two books where I glue the figures. So far I have many more figures than I need for one book. But it has been my little fun escape from reality - so I can not stop!

All in all I have four books for my children's book project. In the yellow one and the small moleskin I explore the characters, test some possible scenes - and outline the story. But more about that tomorrow!

my starting point

As I base most of my work on advertising and mass media imagery I find most of my starting points in magazines like Elle and Vogue. Lately I've been working on a series of drawings accompanied by quotations. These drawings have been appearing now and then here on my blog. To me it is a world so far from the one I live in. It is also an ideal that the mags are selling and many people are striving for. I find it both amusing and somehow sad.

I do not only find the women I draw in the mags, but also their quotations. (yes - it is true!) Only one of the quotations has been slightly altered - can you guess which one?

Tomorrow I'll let you in on how I work with my children's book project.

me in mankind mag

Design for Mankind's latest issue of Mankind Mag is out. The theme is consumption and the mag is featuring my works. Go and check it out!

photoshop: testing ideas

Sometimes I just know directly how to continue, other times I have to test different ideas. I have two methods: testing additions on loose papers - or in Photoshop. The last method has been really good for me especially when I've wanted to try some ideas late at night and my studio wasn't next door. And it's fast. In the beginning I felt like I was kind of cheating, but I'm over that now!


The camels didn't work at all. They were supposed to form a crown. The original idea was actually to have something on her nose, something that really upset or irritated her. Didn't work! I liked the monocle though.

those who disappeared

one of my secrets - or something you can not see in the finished paintings: those who disappeared... This is a way I create an extra tension or an odd and awkward feeling. It also affects the composition. I know what feeling I am after, but I don't know what the final result will be. I work by intuition and don't do any preparatory sketches.

she is listening. Smiling/laughing or about to say something. Aware of being watched.

she is on her own: "I'm lovin' it"

they are posing - a typical group photo where one person is lost in her thoughts. You would take that photo again and ask her to look at the camera.

The middle figure is gone. The two very different expressions are set against each other and there is a void between them. "she sells seashells by the seashore ..."

learning my secrets

Starting tomorrow I'm planning a week of revealing how I work with my different projects. I've shown some work in process before, but this is going to be a bit different. I will show you my methods, where I get my inspiration - and my secrets.

take a dive ...

... into the unknown.

OK - that was the last one for now.

Now over to some product information - or should I call it consumer information? Lulu again; I ordered 10 books of my portfolio - and of course the images (same files as before) looked totally different. Especially the red that got brownish. Though this is print on demand so you can not expect too much. BUT two of the books had smudges and black spots in them. I complained - of course - so they'll send me 2 new ones. I just thought you should know (this is that kind of information I was looking for before starting to order from lulu). Though otherwise it is OK - I am kind of picky. I mean what other options do you have - blurb probably has the same problems? Or?

Anyone wonder about Saatchi online? No - I didn't have enough friends to win. I'm not submitting more works for the other showdowns. This is not my way.

cats and dogs

... though someone here at home said that my dogs don't look like dogs.

biker and princess

the escape from reality continues.
Are you getting bored? I'm not!

bird and tree

the bird is going somewhere important

(this is my post no 300)

fish

a fish can also have a nice moustache.

have a nice weekend!

Good things:

• Camilla's exhibition opens tomorrow at Nya Stadsgalleriet in Halmstad, Sweden
• I painted a lot today feeling it's heading somewhere - and also managed to make some children's book figures (when waiting for the paint to dry)
  
• to listen to Moma's conversations with contemporary artists (podcast): Swoon
  

Bad things

• My job applications are not even being read (in my mail program I can chose the option to get a message when my mails have been opened - I can also see when they've been deleted without being read)
• The apartment is very cold - and it costs too much to have the electric heaters on daytime
• I can not go and see Camilla's exhibit
  

acceptable standard

"If I am at Harrods By Appointment, I expect a glass of Champagne, unprecedented attention and a free gift. These things are now regarded as standard!" she exclaims.

3 months

today: London for 3 months - and no job so far. This is the moment for a secret fairy godmother to appear.

Anyone out there (godmother or not)? I'm very hardworking, creative and with a positive attitude. I speak French, I am computer literate, I know a lot about contemporary art, I know how to print in big formats with a steamroller. I paint great portraits (just mail me a photo). I master MS Office and have excellent administrative skills. I learn new thing easily. I can do almost anything, just ask.

I also accept donations. You can pay via paypal. For further instructions - and contact - you'll find my mail address here.

I have a dark sense of humor.

someone who cares

"I was in Tuscan earlier this year and at midday, my dermatologist texted to warn me to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm" she remembers

angels do exist

Today felt like such a dark day; my thoughts were dark and so was the sky. But when I unlocked my door there was a little parcel for me on the dark rug. Happy stamps and sticker, strong handwritten address.

Marie-Louise send me a gift; one of her cat brooches. (We have never met, but on each others' blogs.) Thank you so much Marie- Louise; the brooch is just so wonderful - and your gesture an extra gift in its self!

... and the sun came out of the clouds - in double senses.

alphabet soap

another of my images for the scavenger project: alphabet soap. Ok - it was supposed to be alphabet soup, but I thought this was more fun. My contribution to the project was posted last Friday so now I can concentrate on something else: my artistic statement...

the scavenger project's flickr group
beate höing via dear ada

yellow, orange ... mustard

but afterwards I decided mustard would be better.

How to travel around the world by train - always in seat 61

in my backyard

There is a lot of neglect in London. Alleys and backyards where people just dump garbage - and houses falling into pieces. It's amazing when you think about how high the rents are here. I've been irritated over this until now. But today I decided to embrace it and take advantage of it. It very often looks great on photo.

(these photos are from my backyard)

chicken

for the scavenger project

urban sketchers
a plate a week
banksy you know of course, but anyway

independence

"Having just been dumped, I had a big decision: drink all day or buy something extravagant? I spent $ 5 325 on two antique heart lockets from a jeweller on Madison Avenue. I don't need a man to buy me jewellery!" she declares

my lulu order

My little book - or should I say portfolio - from Lulu came in the post today. Voilà!

this one you can see bigger - click on it.


This is actually my second version. I got kind of disappointed with the first one. The colours were like they had a milky layer over them - and especially some colours got weird; yellow got more green and some blue got the opposite as milky - super strong and artificial. I knew it wasn't the digital images themselves as I have developped them before on paper. Anyhow - I did some photoshop "corrections" to the files; stronger contrast, warmer yellow, more subtle blue - or what was appropriate for that specific painting.

So today I was very curious when I opened the parcel. And It was actually ok - not like photos - but it will do. It has of course also to do with the paper quality. So now I will order some more. My advice to you who are thinking about ordering from Lulu is:
- Don't expect too much from pictures where exact colour is important (my screen prints were ok)
- Order ONE first "test version" - not several without having seen them. (I luckily resisted the temptation to order several - which I need kind of soon)

Though I must say the moo cards do my paintings more justice even if they are small.

plastic fantastic

What a girl gotta do do when she has little money?
Make credit cards! (as you might have figured out)

Again there is of course this thing with photos; they make things seem flatter. I've been putting some time on making first thick flat "cards" in white acrylics - then painting the specific colours and shapes. In real this gives the impression of actual cards (the same thickness) - more or less. I chose not to write the actual texts as I do not want too much focus on the cards.

I call the painting Plastic Fantastic. (click image for bigger)

Do you know iNeed by Mantis?
LV Child by Beejoir?
...good work!
Somehow also related to this post: wooster collective (how do I think?)

adding darker blue

Soon I'm getting there. What am I up to? Stay tuned to find out - latest by Monday.

how to: disappointment

In today's "how to" we are going to discuss how to deal with disappointments. Like when you for example don't get a job you thought you would get.

make figures symbolizing your disappointment - or that stupid xxxxx who didn't appreciate you or even gave you a fair chance.

make a world for your disappointments (or that idiot) - and turn it on fire!

BURN!

BURN BURN YOU M----f---r!

When you now have dealt with your disappointment in a mature way - put the feeling away in a little box (that is - the ashes.) - and do not open it again. It is OK to look at the photos though.

|for anyone worried about me and how I handle disappointments in life:these photos are for the scavenger project. It is how I interpret Fear and The end of the world. Though I must admit that burning things make you feel better when you're disappointed and angry.|

Tomorrow I'll be back to my squares. They dry so slowly.
Oh - I almost forgot: Mankind Mag's new Issue Handmade is out!

tricky squares

white squares