Continuing with the mole study, here’s little mole with his mouse friend. This is a segment from a much larger scene, but it allows mole to be shown in some context besides just a study. He’s turning into a fun character to draw. Oh. And so is little mouse!
Something I’ve been working on…
Illustration Friday: Foggy
Mole loved to take long, hot showers but his glasses always fogged up afterwards...
cardboard tag, acrylic, ink and a foggy mole
Oh that felt good! I am not sure how long it has been since I last participated, but it feels like such a long time and I have missed it. It's such a fun exercise and a great way to take a break from work. I am off to look at the other submissions.
Following the lead of Alex Itin, I painted over a spread from a Walt Disney "Monsters Inc." novelisation.
Oil paint on paperback book. 26cm x 20cm. Click to enlarge.
Portrait study, part of an ongoing series. The vertical distortion was not consciously intended.
Oil paint on paper. Approx 18cm tall. Click to enlarge.
I finally found time to scan and upload! This is the first oil "painting" I've done, at my beginner Oils class on Monday where we learned to mix colours:
Not the greatest I know ... I scanned it in finally as I haven't had time to take a photo of it, so it's not the whole painting, only the size the scanner accepted but I think it gives a good idea of my first work in oils since 1976!!
I then attended my first acrylics beginner class and again we learned to mix colours and this was (part of) the result:
Yes yes I know, they are absolutely amateurish but it's baby steps that I'm taking here and I am scanning them in the spirit of uploading even the works that are far from perfect ... it's a learning process! This is also the first acrylic painting I've done since 1976 ... eeek.
And finally, Bearuh was kind enough to invite me to join the Monday Artday ATC group, so I decided to try my hand at an ATC tonight as I had time to doodle while mum watched sports on TV :). This was the result:
2.5 x 3.5 inches. I know that they are all very simplistic and experimental but I'm pretty fond of them as they are the first in what I see as a future filled with tons of educational fun! Hope you like them as much as I do -- take them in the spirit in which they were made ... tons of enjoyment sprinkled with loads of humour! Cheers.
P.S.: Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has made such lovely comments on my last couple of drawings! And many apologies for my not being able to reply to comments or not visit your lovely sites as yet ... what with my mother being here and tons of work to catch up on I just haven't had the time, But I will as soon as I possibly can I promise. You are all wonderful and your feedback is SO much appreciated! Hugs to all of you!
Aah Gretel she is wonderful - so full of character as are all your 'people'. I hadn't realised moles were so small! That skull is tiny and a real treasure find. x
Shouldn't she be thoroughly modern Moley?
xx
She's a cute one!
I didn't realise moles were so tiny, but looking at that skull...
I love the little beads on her jacket! I'm one of the lucky few who've seen a live mole (as well as a couple of ex-moles) and I was also amazed at just how small they are.
i love her She is atrue lady
OMGosh...Gretel when I pulled up your blog and saw your Mole..I nearly keeled over!!!
My middle name is Mildred (Milly) and my nickname for my son Sean when he was small was Mole!!!
If you EVER recreate her, please let me know.
My jaw drops everytime you debut a new 'friend'
You are the neddlefelting QUEEN!
Janet xox
Oh Gretel....Milly is going to break hearts! Those fingers of yours are so talented.
I have lots of evidence of moles all over my garden, but have never seen one here. I was presented with one at our previous house by our cat...very proud he was of his tiny sleek prize.
We love Milly. (V's reaction, on spotting her, was to squeal "MoooOOooOoole!" in a high voice. It's probably just as well you didn't hear this...)
Hello Gretel, little Milly is a great translation of all things mole-ish. Interesting to see that she might have begun her creation thanks to a visit to a dentist, etc., but also obviously has benefitted from your close observations of actual moles, and knowledge of their infrastructure.
Wow! Milly is a true star. And again I see how your country life gives space for creative incubation. xo
She would have turned Mr. Mole's head for certain!
She's adorable!
Hey Gretel, had to laugh at the picture of you stopping at the pub for a pint after visiting the dentist and reading that lovely book. I take it you never had a filling and half your mouth was numb at the time.........
Had I seen that book in an op shop the Badger along would've been enough for me to buy it.
Love Milly and her gorgeous red beaded dress. She's going to be much loved in her hew home, I'm sure.
How tiny is that skull? I imagined them to be slightly smaller than bunny size.
Enjoy the rest of the week,
Claire :)
She is just gorgeous; and thoroughly modern!
How lucky of you to have found the skull, they are a nightmare to clean. I have a fox skull in my classroom (found at the bottom of our garden) which I put through the dishwasher, to sterilise it.
Sadly it yellowed the bone slightly.
Kids love it though.
Milly is so beautiful and I'd have trouble parting with her if I were you (but you gotta eat, haha!). I love the tiny mole skull, so delicate and slightly macabre. I just love bones and skeletal bits that I find. Weird huh?
Take care.xxx
Very exciting - black wool! (Am I allowed to mention black wool???)
Although... when I look again, is Milly more of a black-brown?
What amazing creatures they are — a few years ago I was cycling to work and came across a mole in the gutter, desperately scrabbling along the tarmac. I carefully shepherded it with my foot towards a gap in the kerb and as soon as it found itself on bare earth it disappeared underground as easily as if it were diving into water. Seeing those teeth, I am glad I didn't try to pick it up.
My favourite character in winds in the willow was always mole, so this is perfect! xo
As ever Gretel
he is just perfect:-)
Take care,
Alison
I love her - she is stylin! I love how you shared the little skull you found too. I found a sea gull skull on the beach many years back that I still have.
Have you considered soaking it in bleach for a day or two? Will help remove all the icky stuff and leave you with a pristine, white little beauty! =)
I have seen a (just)live mole in a shoe box, brought to school years ago, before 'elth an' safety - there is something endearing about them, and they are somewhat under represented in children's literature, apart from Kenneth Grahame of course. I suppose that although we see the evidence of their presence the culprit of all those mounds of earth is rarely seen. Hopefully lovely Milly will help balance adjust the balance.
Oh Badger's Parting Gifts: this story makes me absolutely howl. Used to read it to my daughter and manage to get half way through before choking up and having to stop.
Loved moles ever since Wind in the Willows and Milly looks like the right sort of girl Moley.
She is beautiful! I was very sad one morning last year to find a dead mole when I was out for a walk. It was lying on the road, as if it were asleep. There was no obvious sign of injury - it certainly hadn't been run over. Like you, I was surprised at how small it was.
Yes, a lovely story and a beautiful little mole. I saw one rootling across my front lawn last year - I think it lives near my cosy compost heap in the winter!
Hi Gretel, I so love your creatures. Are they just commissioned or do they sometimes find their way into you shops?
Such fine workmanship, and they're so endearing.
Cissie
I think that Milly is lovely.
When I first saw the book many years ago, I was a bit "put off" thinking how dare someone add to the original. I did read it and became an absolute convert.
Some day I will have to write about the really, truly mole I found in my kitchen years ago. They are such exquisite creatures.
What a strange story! I had the feeling I'm in a movie...:))
Well, it's not "good" to draw in books, but you did the only possible thing in the certain circumstances! Inspiration is your apology!:) Milly is wonderful, she looks really sweet. I like her coquettish dress and am sure she'll be loved in her new home!)
hi- I just came over to say thankyou for following my blog, and have sat with my cuppa just looking at you header because I think it's downright lovely!
Then I moved on to Millie, who's comrades are, as we speak, moving swiftly up the front drive and the cat is waiting at the gate, not sure whether to pounce on a pile of earth and lose face or simply find something else more important that "needs doing".
Our only trip to Burford found us having teacakes in a shop with a skip outside and while Ted cringed and buried his face in the newspaper I dived in and pulled out two pine meatsafes!
I always wanted to go back but he was stranegly reticent!
Hope to chat again xx
the favorite story of my son. Magnificent skeleton, so small
she is so sweet and i adore her red dress. i can't bear parting with my creations too soon so happy to hear you can spend time together!
The summer we put our tent up in a small French campsite , only to dicover that we could hear moley noises all night sprang to mind .
Svelte little Millie , in her chic frock , is no doubt a relation .
She's gorgeous !