Seasonal Reflections - Newsletter 1
Hello everyone
I hope this newsletter finds you well.
Since this is my very first Seasonal Reflection, instead of just reflecting on the past three months, I'll give a brief account of all the creative projects I've been working on since the beginning of this year (2024). I will also highlight some art or artists that I have been enjoying lately.
Illustrations
I participated in Peachtober last year (2023) for the month of October because I wanted to get better at drawing bees. The goal I set for myself was to include a bee in each of the 31 drawing prompts. However, due to family reasons, I only managed to finish the last drawing in January this year (2024). It was important to me to finish the drawing challenge even though October was long gone and I'm so glad I did.
The challenge was so rewarding, not only did I improve in my bee drawing skills, but I came up with interesting story compositions and new characters! Something I didn’t anticipate. So, even though I didn't manage to finish all 31 drawings in one month, it was still an extremely valuable experience and I encourage all artists to try their hand at drawing challenges as well.
If you're curious to read more about Peachtober or my 31 drawings, you can read more about each prompt and the process I went through to create each one on my blog. I also recently filmed and edited my very first YouTube video based on my 31 drawings and my experience participating in a drawing challenge. If you are interested in seeing all the rough sketches and references I used, please feel free to check it out as well.
Since then, I have been slowly developing some of the drawings into an illustrated children's story. The one I’m currently working on is drawing prompt number six, Eye. During Peachtober I decided to draw a praying mantis as an eye doctor with a little reception area and a waiting room. The story I had in my head at the time was that Honeybee went to see the doctor because she was constantly flying into things and needed to have her eyes checked. After finally finishing all 31 drawings, I wanted to go back to this story concept and flesh it out.
Here are some of the sketches I've done so far:
The development for this story has been slow, but I would like to share the whole story with you all in the next Seasonal Reflection.
Creative Writing
In regards to writing, it’s been a busy year so far. I’m currently busy writing an Afrikaans Fantasy about a family of fae living in Stellenbosch. The main character is a BA Postgraduate at the University of Stellenbosch and her family runs a local bookshop on the corner of Dorp and Andringa street. Things begin to get complicated when evil fae invade the Jonkershoek Valley and threaten the lives of the Fynbos Fae.
I finished writing my first draft last year (2023) and started the second draft in January, and finished it in June this year (2024). Currently I’m busy with research and revision for draft three. Since my main character’s research paper for her postgrad is based on fairytales, I had to read and research a lot of different types of fairytales the past few months. I’ve read all the traditional fairytales collected by the Brothers Grimm and even Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytales. I have also read some lesser known fairy tales that come from France, Celtic and Irish backgrounds.
I hope to finish draft three by the end of this year or at least by the end of summer next year.
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Apart from my novel, I also finished a flash fiction piece, Stronger than a lie, an article about a South African graphic novel, Pearl of the Sea and two book reviews; Kariba and Samboksalf en ’n draaktraan.
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On a different note, I finally finished writing and updating my Questo game, Failed art heist in the City of Oaks, Stellenbosch.
It is a city exploration game that blends fiction with reality and uses elements of escape rooms, scavenger hunts, role-playing and storytelling. The game will lead you on a themed route through Stellenbosch and create opportunities for players to interact with the environment and engage with the story of the game, all on your smartphone.
The story I wrote for the game is that you as the player are an art student who must recover art sculptures stolen by a wizard. They are scattered all over Stellenbosch and you have to find them before the art exhibition starts that evening.
If you are interested in learning more about the game, please feel free to check it out on Questo's website.
Art & Artists
I recently fell back in love with Beatrix Potter's watercolour illustrations. I have no experience with watercolors myself, so when I started following tutorials on YouTube on how to use watercolor paints, I was reminded of Beatrix Potter's art.
An illustration podcast I listen to, 3 Point Perspective, encourages artists to study art and make master studies of the art you admire. So, I decided to start studying Beatrix Potter's illustrations and slowly worked my way through a collection of her paintings and illustrations in a book called, Beatrix Potter's Art, compiled by Anne Stevenson Hobbs.
I am in love with the soft colours of her watercolour illustrations, her attention to detail and how she portrays it through the use of ink and colour. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see the different mediums she used to create art and study the world around her. It was also interesting reading about the artists she admired and the art that influenced her.
Apart from Beatrix Potter, I’ve also been studying illustrations by writer and illustrator, Tony DiTerlizzi. I’m particularly fond of his children’s book series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, which I loved since childhood. Recently I’ve discovered other books written and illustrated by him, The search of WondLa and Kenny & the dragon. DiTerlizzi’s character design is incredible and his use of pen and ink fascinating! I would love to be able to wield a pen the way he does.
I plan to continue studying Beatrix Potter and Tony DiTerlizzi's art throughout the spring. Hopefully I'll be able to share some of my master's studies with you by the next Seasonal Reflections.
That is all for now. If you’ve made it to the end of this newsletter, thank you so much for reading. If there is any art or artist you think I should check out, please email me at irene@schoonwinkel.co.za, I’d love to learn more about other artists.
I hope the next season will treat you well and that it will be filled with creativity and joy.
Until next time, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Totsiens,
Irene
