The Beauty of Her

He just ordered a giant glass of milk!

2009-04-18T20:27:00.007+01:00

I love Ghost World, and I love Adrian Tomine (both he and the aforementioned Daniel Clowes are definitely going to be bulking up my bookshelf when I have some spare cash). And Enid Coleslaw is kind of my hero, alongside Daria. So the combined influence is probably evident in the former drawing.

Ghosts, birds and hearts. I think that's what I'm all about really.

Graphic novels are so lovely; I love "Watchmen" (though "lovely" is hardly the word) and some Batman ones (I actually didn't like "The Dark Knight Returns" at all, but I did like "The Killing Joke" and "Arkham Asylum", and the latter's author's script with its pseudo-psychological symbolism was so interesting, it was almost as good as the incredible art in the comic itself). I know I need to read the Sandman series (but where to start?!) but any other suggestions would be much and most welcome!

I was thinking about doing a giveaway sometime, maybe an ACEO or a drawing or even a painting, either here on Flickr. I've never sold anything and I think it would be fun to get to send a piece off to somewhere new and exciting!

Oil Slick

2009-04-12T15:17:00.002+01:00

Oil Slick
Originally uploaded by sirensrising

Hello!
I finally regained the use of my scanner so I thought today would be a good day to resurrect my blog (I choose my words and dates very carefully around here). I'm on my study month before I have to sit my exams in May so obviously I've been painting and sketching instead.

Things I've been listening to/watching/reading/doing lately:
1. The new Decemberists album, The Hazards of Love. It's amazing. Amazing! I'm a huge Decemberists fan and I have to admit, on the first listen I was unsure and slightly disappointed, but from the second listen onwards I've been hooked. You'll love it. I love it so much I'm giving it it's own point!

2. More listening: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Some very nice songs. It makes for good study music too (as do the Decemberists), because no matter how much I glare people can be really noisy in the library.

3. Watching: Nouvelle Vague films starring my new favourite person, Anna Karina. She has my name (kind of) and she's beautiful and charming and so are the films I've been watching (Pierrot le Fou was my favourite I think). Also, on tv, The Inbetweeners. It's really funny.

4. Reading: college work, mostly. I'm looking forward to some good novels after May. But I was also reading some Batman comics/graphic novels; Arkham Asylum is really good, the art is so unusual and scary and beautiful (especially for a comic) and I loved reading the authors "screenplay" for it with all his pseudo-psychological input and symbolism. Very interesting. And Adrian Tomine's "Sleepwalk" - again, once I reach May I'm really looking forward to more Adrian Tomine and Daniel Clowes.

5. Doing: studying :( or not studying, which is even worse. THE GUILT!

---
Here is my siren.
I called it Oil Slick because of the way her hair is slinking towards to boat.

Happy Easter!

"Oh you've heard of us? Rock on."

2008-08-25T00:37:00.004+01:00

Two drawings from my sketchbook from last week or so, both 100% Dresden Dolls:

"IAMTHEGIRLANACHRONISM"
(it has to be typed like that, all caps and no spaces, because that's how it sounds when she sings it)

"Coin-Operated Boy"

Drawing seems to be where it's at right now.
...
I can't believe summer is pretty much over. Were this any other year, I would be clinging to the dregs of freedom but for the first time, I'm not. Summer was really such a let down this year, as seasons go - I don't recall a day of sunshine, it was the most horrible weather, no warmth or nice things like that (of course I actually hate heat and complain endlessly in its presence, but you know). So I still feel like I'm waiting for summer to come, rather than wrapping it up. At any rate, I'm not actually going anywhere til mid-late-September, when college starts. So I'm still free for a while yet.

Speaking of which, I have been a bit absent, but with very good reason.
For one, I got my Leaving Cert results the day after my last post. Out of a maximum 600 points, I got 550. I never expected to do that well and I'm really delighted. My course only needed 335 or something. I had wanted over 500 points, but didn't think I was going to get it; in fact, 550 was pretty much my ideal amount so I'm really thrilled, it totally snuck up on me. What's more, I was really happy with all my individual results. I got the A1s I wanted in English, Art and French, an A2 in Bioloy, B2s in Irish and History (don't ask me how that happened, I hate history and wasn't planning on counting it [you only count six of your seven subjects]) and a B3 in Maths. So, hurrah.

Second reason...I got a DS. It's one of the new bright cherry-red ones and I luuurve it. I'm nearly finished The World Ends With You (which is a great game and I really recommend it) and I'm somewhere along in Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass too (which is also brilliant, I just want to pinch Link's little cheeks...)

Other than that I've just been contemplating miscellaneous things about my life, such as: I wonder if my diet of all cereal has finally passed into actual malnourishment? And when I'm older, will I regret that my wardrobe is full of almost exclusively patterned and flowery things and that I insisted on wearing them all together anyway?

Also someone should put Hey Arnold episodes online.
That's all for now, I hope you are well (move it, football head!).

Sketchbook

2008-08-12T17:04:00.004+01:00

Pour some sugar on me

2008-08-02T23:13:00.005+01:00

So, I have been a little bit absent and lazy lately. It's okay, it comes in phases. Sometimes, you just want to draw for hours every day until your hands bleed. Sometimes, you just want to go to the late night Batman previews like a huge geek, eat too much melted cheese and assorted crap, drink hot chocolate and write things on sugar packets, scavenge Tesco for jam donuts, contemplate how much plastic surgery Megan Fox has had and spend time with people that you like. And lately it's been the latter. (Incidently - The Dark Knight does not need my endorsement but it's still unbelievably incredible, I came out of the cinema and all could do was grin and swear approvingly, and seeing it in the previews was great; hot chocolate with marshmallows is lovely because it's still raining and un-sunny and the marshmallows turn to goo; and Megan Fox has had quite a lot of work done and normally I get all puritanical about that but I actually think she did a good job, go figure)

Anyway. So while I haven't done any new work, today I finished some old work.

"Hansine and Greta"
watercolours, pencil and ink on flat 10"x12" canvas panel

"Once upon a time, there were two young girls – twins – named Hansine and Greta. They were the daughters of a poor woodcutter and his wife, and though the woodcutter and his wife loved their daughters very much, the family was on the verge of starvation. Lacking in money and desperate for food, the poor parents planned to lead their daughters into the woods and lose them there, to fend for themselves. But the young girls learned of the plan, and Greta left a trail of small white pebbles through the copse, and slowly through the night they returned home. Again they were led into the woods, but this time the girls had no little white pebbles, only bread; and though they left a line of breadcrumbs it was eaten by the birds and the animals, and Hansine and Greta were lost to the thicket.

But then they found a house made of gingerbread and sweets..."

P.S. Speaking of which, we are noticing a distinct lack of jam donuts in Tesco, hence the scavenging. So whoever you are, you donut-eating fiend, try and leave two for us (by us I mean my jam-donut-eating companion and me) because the Centra ones just don't cut it really. Much thanks.

"Come down now", but we'll stay

2008-07-20T15:14:00.006+01:00

(I'm bad at blogger. This is just to remind me to check some of my old posts later to see if I deleted old pictures by mistake so I can put them back up again if I did. You never saw this, lalala.)

When I said I've been doing bundles of sketching I really wasn't kidding - I've pretty much been doing nothing else. This is what I did in the last two days, and that's not including the random stuff in my sketchbook (possibly I should just get out more). I do find that with ink drawings, the thumbnails don't usually do them justice though, so full-click-away if you'd like.

"Such Great Heights"
Continuing the theme of my endless inspiration from songs (made with a mix of The Postal Service and Iron and Wine, but mostly the Postal Service). When I draw things from songs I usually just listen to that song (or artist) endlessly on repeat while I'm working.

And the close up, which I think is really pretty by itself:

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned.
(I've been sneaking little eye-freckles into several other of my sketches since)

"Ghost on a String"
I wasn't going to write this but...her name is Flicka. I'm pretty sure people think I'm crazy for naming everything but I just lovelovelove names, even when they're irrelevant. Funnily enough though, she's the only one from this batch with a name.

"Portions for Foxes"
More song-inspired. I'm just bad news, bad news, bad news.

And now for something completely different:

I thought I'd just throw it out there anyway. This was done with ink pen like the others, but the hair was painted with ink-from-a-pot and the shading was done with that same ink, only watered down. The eyes were done with watercolours (I need more colours of ink).

Random things:

1) Lily Allen's cover of the Kooks song "Naive" is great. (So is the NIN song "Everyday is Exactly the Same", which I've had in my head since seeing Wanted, up until I got Naive stuck in my head. Needless to say, so are "Such Great Heights" and "Portions for Foxes"). On that note, I love James McAvoy, really I do.

2) Left over peanut butter frosting (like this one, which is AH-MAZE-ING) can be stored in the fridge for a few days until it hardens up (it doesn't need to be solid, just not creamy and spreadable anymore), then covered with melted chocolate, left to cool and cut into squares, to make delicious peanut butter cups (be careful when cutting the chocolate though, because the peanut butter underneath will always remain soft, I often ended up trying to cut it but actually smooshing the hard chocolate down and squeezing the peanut butter out, which I remedied by just dipping the chooclate into the peanut butter). Or you could cut the chocolate-less hardened frosting and cover it with melted chocolate and eat it hot. As Nigella Lawson said, you'd think seeing how it's made (basically just peanut butter, butter and sugar) would put you off eating it - sadly not.
I originally made it to go with these brownies, which at first I found super disappointing - all sugar, no chocolate, no texture, not at all as brownies should be, but the trick is to leave the brownies to mature for a few days, and they blossom into delicious fudgy goodness (kept fresh by the peanut butter frosting too, which also adds a wonderful extra flavour and even saved them when they were at first too sweet by adding that extra kick).
It was all really easy to make too - I melted the butter for the brownies in a large jug in the microwave, and then mixed everything together in that jug (making it very easy to pour the batter too), and for the frosting, I actually did it by hand because our electric beater is broken. The only thing I'd say about doing it that way is that the clumps of sugar are a pain, so I would sieve it next time to make life easier, but that's not necessary if you're doing it with a mixer. The other thing is that I didn't measure any milk out at all - you really just have to add as much as you need as you're going along, however much that is. Same goes for icing, you can add extra to taste. I ended up with incredible fluffy icing (about 8 times too much, incidentally, hence the peanut butter squares, but the icing would go great with any chocolatey baked goods). Unfortunately I also ended up eating the entire pan of brownies by myself...oops. I love baking but there's never anyone around to help me dispose of the evidence.

3) Have a lovely day!

PSYCHE! I love it

2008-07-18T17:24:00.005+01:00

Just a quick little note to encourage anyone who hasn't been watching to head on over to Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. Part I and II of the three part act are already up, and part III is coming out tomorrow - they'll all be free until the 20th, so make sure to catch them! I'm loving it, very enjoyable and some really great songs too. Plus, Nathan Fillion is like a god - anyone who hasn't seen the extended reel of outtakes from Firefly on Youtube should search it down now, and prepare to fall in love, he is just too funny (it probably helps if you're a fan of Firefly and Serenity and know what's supposed to happen though, but even if you're not there's no denying he is a hugely funny guy).

Enjoy!

Just another girl who wants to rule the world...

2008-07-17T14:25:00.005+01:00

"Molly Chambers"
Free is all that she can bleed, that's why she'll never stay. White, bare-naked in the night, and looking for some play.

Apparently I'm not the only one who is reminded of Courtney Love, though it wasn't the intention.

And

"Down to the Sea in Ships"

I need an adventure. Maybe I should read more.

My Name is Jonas

2008-07-15T15:13:00.005+01:00

"The Bookish Type"
A combination of ink (black pens and painted red) and pencil. I really like how this turned out, it feels different somehow. (Her name is Hester)

I've been doing so much more sketching than painting lately, I'm just in that kind of mood.

And, I know I'm late but...

I hope everyone had a nice quatorze juillet! Next year I'm planning to watch French films and eat croissants. (I made this for a friend and man do I suck at digital colouring, it nearly gave me carpal tunnel)

I'd quite like to change my name to Anna Bear.
I hope life is treating you wonderfully!

Art imitating life

2008-07-13T17:20:00.008+01:00

"But I Need That Dress"
Ink sketch on Moleskine cahier paper, stuck to white sketchbook paper, then cut out and stuck to recycled textured brown cardboard envelope.
Measures 5.25" x 11.25" or 13.5cm x 29cm.
You can't really see the drawing properly this way, but if you click it you get the full view.

There are some slight imperfections and creases in the way she's stuck on, and I realised, for me it really doesn't detract from anything. Granted, they're very minor anyway, but I think a lot of my art has to do with imperfections and vulnerability. To me, at least. I often get told that my drawings have a sadness about them, and often they do really.

Her name is Dorothea.
My drawings almost always have names, names are so important to me.

Postcards!

2008-07-13T17:12:00.003+01:00

I meant to say when they were in the shop. They are! They're lovely, really glossy and would make lovely birthday cards or "hello, I'm thinking of you" cards or mini prints.

Wait, they don't love you like I love you...

2008-07-11T22:48:00.005+01:00

Happy July! Yay hurrah etc.
This is the first summer where I haven't really minded how late it's getting because I never have to go back to school again. This time I'm going to college! Hurrah.

Anyway, long story short, the subject title is a tribute to my love of Rock Band (too much fun, embarrassing, embarrassing fun), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and this dress I bought today, which does not love me like I love it. I originally saw it a few months back, and admired it from afar, despite the €345 price tag. Today, I find it on sale for freakin' €150 (homina homina homina) and I try it on and I can fit into it! And it's D&G by Dolce and Gabbana! I was thinking it would be an awesome Debs/prom dress, unusual and unexpected and lovely amongst all the long, traditional ones. But, alas, while I can fit into it, it does restrict my breathing, being a size too small, and smushes my chest a lot (a lot). So I don't know what I'm going to do, but, for the record...D&G. BY DOLCE AND GABBANA. EEEEEEEEEEE.
It's just so pretty, I don't want to return it.

Ignore my face, I know I look ridiculous and grumpy, and the lighting is awful, and please forgive the shoes, I just needed to see what it looked like with heels

weee! pockets!
On the one hand they're awesome but on the other there's a sort of weird pouch that could lead to possible awkward pregnancy questions (I'm pretty sure it's the dress though, not me...well obviously it's not me, I'm not pregnant, but you know what I mean...but pockets! yay)

Of course, I did actually buy a Debs dress back in November (also on sale, from €220 to €60, oh yes) so I have that to fall back on, and I do really like it. You can't really tell from the photo, it's strapless and totally pleated. I have to wear flats with it though, and strapless is kind of a problem.

So that is my unrelated to anything arty Debs dress adventure! I don't know what I'm going to do but I wanted to show off the dress while I still had it.

PS. D&G BY DOLCE AND GABBANA
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Papa was a Rodeo

2008-06-30T22:30:00.005+01:00

I'm still sick, but I've been working away like a little bee anyway. I'm feeling so productive this summer, it feels really good.

Here's what I'm working on at the moment.
This painting is based on the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel and is called "Hansine and Greta" (isn't Hansine such an unusual name? I love name websites).
It's on 10"x12" flat canvas panel so it's a bit bigger than I usually do but I love how it's turning out! It's also nice to take a project easy for a while, instead of one big whirlwind of work. So I've been working on it on and off, inking bits here and there, and I've done quite a bit more than these photos show. Neither of them are particularly good photos either - the colours are less washed out and brown than the first photo and more vibrant than the second - but I promise to get some good photos when I get better. Clicking on them makes them bigger so you can see some (blurry) detail, if you'd like.

Mini Smarties for, er, reference. Ahem.

I like to listen to music at the computer when I'm painting, and I often pick music that I think fits in with whatever I'm working on (or at least, I feel there's some sort of correlation, whether it's just in my mood or whether I think it's what the paintings would listen to themselves or what). These two are definitely Magnetic Field-babies and have been produced with much, much Stephin Merritt (and will continue so).

The other thing I did just today was a new ACEO.

"Black Eye"

Black eyes can be caused by all sorts of things - accidents, violence, sickness - but Madeleine's was caused by ghosts. Little ghostie black eye.
It's kind of hard to tell from the scan but the background is metallic, slightly shimmery silver ink.
I think heart buttons are becoming something of a motif with me.

Aaaannd...I ordered postcards! I'm pretty excited about these, I have to admit. More on that when they arrive, no doubt.

Hope everyone has been keeping well and avoiding germs!

PS. Have I mentioned you can add me on Flickr? Because you can if you'd like, and I'm sure it would be lovely.

In which I ramble, and blame it on being sick (really quite sick)

2008-06-26T23:23:00.005+01:00

My goodness. I always wonder when I'm sick, how much of it is actual sickness and how much of it is flagrant self-pity? Obviously sickness involves a bit of both but honestly, I am all manner of yucky-feeling right now. I've decided to celebrate getting better (which I have projected to be around next Tuesday or so) by making appletinis and watching Ghost World - whether I do or not is completely to be seen, but it sounds like fun, right?

It's been hard to do any new work right now so I've mostly just been sketching, but I really like what I've been doing. I'm looking forward to getting better-er so I can start working on some new paintings and go shopping for new supplies! (and get a haircut, but that's not quite so related)

Here are some little Moleskine cahier scans of what I've been up to:

"Espionage"
I'm thinking about painting those lips and beret red...

This started out as a sketch for Deirdre of the Sorrows (from the Irish Ruraiocht story "Oidhe Cloinne Uisnigh") but now I'm not so sure if she isn't Niamh Cinn Oir. The more I look at her the more in love I fall, so she really does fit the bill (of either, I suppose).

I also started doing some sketches for Christmas cards - it must be the sickness.

Oh! And soon I'll be getting postcards professionally printed, which I'm really excited about. I'm thinking they'll come in packs of five, with each pack containing:
- "Bridges and Balloons"
- "Birdy and Wren"
- "Lily and the Roses"
- "Little Red"
and...I'm not so sure for the fifth! It'll probably either be "The Boys I Like Don't Like Me Back", "Cynthia Summer" or maybe "Francesca and the Pears". If you're reading this and have a strong opinion, please, let me know! :)

I also finished reading Atonement, which I started reading about 14 years ago (ahem) but never finished because apparently I'm not good at reading anymore. It used to be my favourite pasttime, and I would devour books, but in the last year or two of school it just became so hard for me to finish them. Anyway, I did finish it, slightly out of context because I started at part three after months of not reading it (sad to say but I filled in the missing storyline with what I remembered from the movie, which is also wonderful and stars James McAvoy who is ALSO wonderful). It really is very beautifully written, I couldn't love his vocabulary more. It's a great book.

I think that's all for me before this post gets any more self-indulgent! Don't stay too long, you might catch something. Ahhhhhhhhhhh...CHOO!

...god I really am sick.

PS. The weather is still awful, which is pretty unfortunate because my wardrobe contains nothing but dresses.

The Boys I Like Don't Like Me Back

2008-06-25T20:02:00.004+01:00

"The Boys I Like Don't Like Me Back"
ink on Moleskine cahier paper, stuck to sturdier white sketchbook paper
8.25 x 4.75 inches (21 x 12 cm)

A new drawing I did.
I could talk about how much I like her and how lovely her dress is, but I think this will suffice:

sadface :(

Cynthia and musings

2008-06-22T22:11:00.006+01:00

"Cynthia Summer"
watercolours and pencil on 6x6 inch flat canvas board

The weather here is just appalling (I don't think I've seen a ray of sunshine since June hit!) so I'm glad there's a nice blue sky in store for Cynthia and her super cute sunglasses. Once in a while it just feels right not to ink a painting, especially for a piece as light and bright and summery as this. There are flecks of gold in her hair too, that didn't show up in the scan but which give a really pretty, subtle shimmer.
She'll be vacationing to m'Etsy shop very shortly.

The other day my age card (ID) arrived in the post. I wear glasses all the time, but in my picture for this ID I took them off, and it's so funny, I feel like I look like one of my illustration girls! (I wish!) It's strange but you definitely see people putting themselves into their work. I feel it especially with illustration, because the characters and style really do have a more obvious resemblance to their creators. I think it's all lovely and interesting.

-----
Fun fact #1: I've totally lost my voice (darn you, sore throat). It's so emasculating although I must admit I love that husky Scarlett Johansson thing I get when it starts to go (but eventually it just ekes out altogether, which is not so nice).

Fun fact #2: I'm not very good at Guitar Hero.

Lots of fun things to be shown...

2008-06-20T01:12:00.005+01:00

So I have several fun things to show for myself, produced after working my little fingers to the bone the other day (yesterday, however, was spent entirely geeking out). These include one beautifully coloured painting, one ACEO (witha bitta background), and an ACEO diptych. Where to begin!

I really must get back into the habit of keeping my sketchbook again. I was looking through it just the other day (the day before yesterday even, but try watching a ten-hour film and see how your perceptions of time change) and I came across all these old sketches for the big, classical, Renaissance style self-portrait I did last year, most notably this one (excuse the horrible quality):

And it inspired this:

"The Art Historian"
ink and watercolours, original ACEO

I was going to actually tea-stain it, but the colour didn't show up enough, so it was made with ink and watercolours. I love how antique it looks, like one of those old woodcuttings or engravings, you know the ones. She's holding a book by Vasari, of course. A girl after my own heart.

Next come my little ACEO diptych:

"The Scientist"
Original ACEOs, ink and watercolours.

I feel like these three are deluxe ACEOs, they just feel so old and lovely to me. Especially the Scientist part 1, there is so. much. detail! I feel like I gave myself arthritis, but I love her. And her little companion lungs - by the by I'm so proud that I get to use my biology, even though I finished school and will never be doing it again (although it was drawn from scientific diagram, I can't vouch for its complete accuracy, so please don't use it in times of medical emergency!)
I think they make the perfect diptych, all sepia and scientific and old-looking. I think they'd look great framed (though you'd need tiny ACEO-sized frames).

And finally, a painting, 8x8 inches on my beloved canvas panel (with the usual suspects as media):

"Lily and the Roses"
Watercolours, pencil and ink on canvas panel

I sketched Lily up forever ago, back when I sketched Birdie and Wren, but I only just painted her. I need to say how in love I am with those colours, and that perfect shabby rose wallpaper that I would love to find and wrap myself up in. Since I drew her so long ago, I didn't even realise any similarities with Francesca and the Pears, but in case you're wondering, no, they're not related - just coincidence. I live in a world of beautiful wallpaper.

They will probably all be finding their way to my shoppe very soon. Speaking of which, I'm still working on getting more prints, so bear (grrawr) with me! And is it just me, or would The Scientist make an awesome set of posters (not prints, actual posters)? Maybe there is merit in that idea...

I'm going to get a tall drink of water and put my crazy sleep-deprived self to bed now. Toodle-oo!

Odeliese, the Marionette

2008-06-16T21:39:00.003+01:00

"Odeliese, the Marionette"
Original ACEO, watercolours and ink on watercolour paper

With her huge dark eyes, painted cheeks and cupid's bow, Odeliese is the sad life-size doll of a mysterious inventor...

I think she just looks like a big Marionette and the story of Coppelia came to mind. But a Coppelia for pirates. There's certainly a bit of a gothic wench vibe going on here, no? And check out those constellations...there's a sad fate in store. Poor Odeliese...

Well la-di-da...

2008-06-16T02:45:00.003+01:00

I think this is the bloggiest day that ever there was (which is funny, because I know I'm talking to myself right now) but it's nice to write things, and catch up on my art. These are two small ACEOs based on my favourite ladies - Amelie, and Annie Hall. They're unusual for me in that I didn't ink them, but I like them like this. I think I'm going to horde them for myself, especially Annie - what can I say, I need the eggs.

Francesca et les Poires

2008-06-16T01:38:00.004+01:00

"Francesca and the Pears"

I love love love the cool colour combination of coral and minty green, and pretty, golden Francesca. But more importantly, check out that wallpaper - could there be anything better than swaying pears? Mais non. Pas du tout.

Venus Anadyomene

2008-06-15T22:18:00.004+01:00

Few things are as wonderful and inspiring to me as the history of art. I've wanted to do a Sirens-Rising-interpretation of Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" for the longest time, and I think this will be the first of many. After all, what's more Sirens Rising than women with flowing, twisted hair, depicted in a distinctly linear style?

This one was made, unusually enough for me, with conté and pencil, on textured watercolour paper (why can't I ever use paper or canvas with the mediums they're intended for?). I really like how she has a Botticelli-esque elegance while still being distinctly mine. I think she's as pretty as a picture and will be heading to my shop shortly.

The sight of bridges and balloons...

2008-06-15T14:28:00.005+01:00

makes calm canaries irritable.

I'm pretty sure this is my favourite painting I've ever done, ever. I am just so in love with it and it means so much. Based on the incredible, lyrical Joanna Newsom (you must follow that link, no matter how many times you've already seen/heard it). I just listened to that recording for hours and hours.

Please note the bridges, balloons, the thimblesworth of milky moon, and the words flowing in the water: oh my love, oh it was a funny little thing to be the ones to've seen. And the wallpaper, which is unrelated but I really like it. The colours are so lovely in real life and there's so much detail. I want to frame it and put it in my room once I get around to decorating.

She is just so inspiring!

Wren and Birdie

2008-06-15T14:10:00.007+01:00

I finished this forever ago (pretty much as soon as I drew it) but I never had the time to post it because I was procrastinating from my Leaving Certificate exams. But, now said exams are finally over, and I'm dying to get back to my creative roots and paint and bake and make things. So, here I am (rock you like a hurricane!). Although of course I should probably look for an actual job...

Birdie is the girl, Wren is the birdie. Sweeties. I was leafing through Emily Martin's incredible inspiration-factory she calls a blog, and couldn't help but notice the similarity in idea between my little aves (I'm pretty sure that's my new favourite word) and her lovely Pretty Blouse & a Pretty Bird. Great minds!

I love the touch of red I seem to be hiding in my paintings lately, I feel like Jean-Pierre Jeunet or something.

Wren and Birdie, WIP

2008-03-25T15:35:00.004Z

Please excuse the not-so-great quality scan, I was in a rush - click for a bigger and better view. They still need a background, and of course to be painted and inked, but in the meantime I think they're just lovely!

Birdgirl

2007-09-08T01:33:00.000+01:00

WIP - traditional ink + digital illustration. Her name is Aveline, I think, or Ava-Lu (or maybe Ava-Lu is short for Aveline!) She still needs a background but she wanted to say hi.

Fair Ravenclaw from Glen...

2007-09-02T02:07:00.000+01:00

This was the big secret I made for the Everything HP swap on Craftster, for my lovely partner Whileywoo, aka Sarah. It's one of my favourite pieces I've done and as a proud Ravenclaw I was very much in love with it, so I'm super glad Sarahwoo was too!

Watercolours and ink on 6x6 canvas board, with gold ink around the edges.

And from before I inked it - I was terribly fond of it this way and wasn't even sure whether to outline it or not. I'm glad I did but I still think it's very pretty like this.

In other news, http://sirensrising.etsy.com is all but set up - all it needs now are the listings! I'm fairly certain I'm going to list Elspeth and Sukey (the actual, one-of-a-kind originals, if I can bear to - parting is such sweet sorrow) in the near future, so if you're interested in snapping them up and keeping them safe, keep an eye out!

Hold on to your hats!

2007-09-01T13:32:00.000+01:00

There has been a distinct lack of blog lately - since the 23rd, I've been madly rushing to get my Harry Potter swap package on Craftster out, finish up my anniversary present, celebrate my 2-year anniversary, spend my last day of summer wisely, and then it's been back to school, for a study-skills seminar and showing first years around (I am a prefect you know) and then the first official day of sixth year. So, I've been a little busy. But, things I do have to show are:

1) the secret painting that I was in love with in the post before last was a secret because it was for my swap, so I'm excited to share it now!
2) I did a few digital colouring samples of "Rosie", just doodles, but they're something to work with. I haven't worked on the ink original though.
3) My swap package for the Harry Potter swap
4) The tshirt I made for Sam as part of his present
5) possibly a few non-art-related things
6) Also I've been doing a deep, in-depth study of boybands but I'm not sure if this is the appropriate forum for it.

4 and 5 are crafts and I was sort of considering setting up a seperate blog for my crafts and keeping this one all art, but we'll see. I also may, in the near future, if you're interested, post my essay on Caravaggio - again, we'll see.

And now I'm going to leave you in suspense and not update any of those things right now! Soon, my pretties, soon.

Rosie (WIP)

2007-08-23T23:30:00.000+01:00

Needless to say, drawing is favourable to sleeping and this is what I snuck in last night. Her name is Rosie and I very much look forward to finishing her. I think when she's all done she'll be a digital illustration, but I rather love her just as she is.

Back to crafting! I'm running out of my endless supply of Russell Brand podcasts, which are always a wonderful companion - I don't know what I'm going to do when they're gone (eat some fudge?).

In which I am wistful and play "Art Critic"

2007-08-23T01:53:00.000+01:00

What I wouldn't give for some money! There are so many beautiful things I'd like right now. My head is filled with all sorts of art prints that I'd love and dreams of my own house or apartment filled with them, in pretty mismatched frames. Sigh.

All I want to do right now is paint, but there are more pressing matters. But, I must tell you, I'm working on something at the moment that I'm so in love with. You'll have to wait because at the moment it's a secret. I'm looking forward to having a few less crafting duties so I can get down to a few paintings before school though!

Incidentally, I was reading a blog I love (more on that another time when I set up a proper blogroll!) and there was a mention of Loretta Lux and I was rather mesmorised by the picture (Lois no. 2, if you're interested). I've seen it in real life - Sam and I went to an exhibition in the Glucksman called "Through the Looking Glass" that featured it, and similar works. It was such a strange and unusual exhibition, and her work is so strange and unusual too. There's that "is it, isn't it?" question about what's real and it's altogether very...hm. Surreal? Jarring? Haunting, or slightly creepy, even? It catches you off guard I think, but it's very interesting and quite lovely. I wish I had picked up the programme or book or whatever it was that was available; I had fleeting thoughts of it but decided against it due to poverty. Oh well.

I also saw the Sean McSweeney exhibition in the Triskel recently, but I'm too tired to talk about it. Some of his work is lovely though - he paints abstract landscapes of his rural Sligo and rural Ireland, all thick layers of colour and oils. He uses some gorgeous colours too - his bogland and seascape stuff is really gorgeous. There was one big piece that was particularly wonderful, but alas, I can't remember it's name and there doesn't seem to be much info online anyway. But, you can google him and find a few things. He has different degrees of "abstract" but the loveliest, I find, are the ones that do have some sort of structure - just not with lines. (Oh, I guess I wasn't too tired!)

Ta-ta for now! I have oodles of crafting to do tomorrow but hopefully there'll be more painting and drawing time come the weekend.

Ghostly Elspeth (finished!)

2007-08-20T22:19:00.000+01:00

The finished, all-inked-up Elspeth, who is looking slightly less ghostly to me, but no less charming. I love her hair, it reminds me of vines - which gives me even more ideas for new paintings!

Oil paints, ink and a nib-pen (love!) on 6x6 canvas board.

This might be what an FAQ would be like, if I got AQ

2007-08-20T19:03:00.000+01:00

I thought I'd throw together a little "About the Artist", just for fun. If you feel like legitimising this faux-FAQ with any questions of your own, please feel free to ask away! As always you can comment here or email me at sirensrising[at]gmail[dot]com.

Who are you?
My name is Anna Murphy and I'm a seventeen year old artist and craftster from Ireland.

How did you develop your style?
It happened organically over years and years. I've been drawing since before I can remember and I've been through so many drawing and stylistic phases I don't think I could even say. I take inspiration from everything I see too, and I incorporate all sorts of bits I like to come up with something that is uniquely me.

What sort of things inspire you?
Books, movies, music (see below for lists of all three), fairytales (I'd like to illustrate one someday), other artists and illustrators, fashion photography, Craftster, names, people, random things I see, my imagination or other people's, various other inspirational things.

What are your favourite materials?
Ink. I ink over everything and enjoy it in all its many incarnations - pen, nib, and with paintbrushes. Watercolours are my favourite paints, I love them intensely. I also very much like pencils, coloured conté, canvas boards, pastels, charcoal and most other things you throw my way. Oils are, as we have already established, the work of the devil and not really for me. I'm too poor for a nice acrylic collection right now but I look forward to it! Kitchen paper towels are endlessly handy. And anything else that's on hand, really. Collage is nice too.

I love what you make, can I buy your stuff?
I very much hope so - I'm hoping to set up an Etsy shop for my prints and originals (which will be located at sirensrising.etsy.com) in the near future. I'm looking into getting prints made and working on loads of new paintings but in the meantime if you're interested please contact me! You can do so here or drop me an email.

Do you do commissions?
Possibly. It depends on what you want me to make. One of my illustration-girls with a certain theme, possibly. A portrait, probably not. But I'm open to requests, although time is also a huge factor.

Are you interested in swaps?
Only through Craftster, and then it depends on time and funding. By the way, I retain copyrights over anything I swap or sell and only I have permission to reproduce it. I also retain the right to make prints and any other products or incarnations of my painting.

What other crafts do you do?
I inconsistently dabble and try and often work by project, rather than a certain skill. I do cross-stitch, hand-sewing little felt stuffies, decorating and designing things, baking...I want to learn to use a sewing machine, embroider properly (I'm not great) and possibly crochet.

What do you do when you're not drawing/painting/crafting/avoiding homework?
I spend far too much time online. My favourite thing to do is spend time with my wonderful boyfriend Sam.

Why haven't you updated etc recently?
I'm just going into my final and probably very grueling year of secondary school, with big exams at the end and all manner of stress and freaking out, so I might be a little busy or preoccupied during the year. Please do check back often or add me to your RSS feed for updates!

What do you look like?

What are you planning to do at college?
Excellent question. Let me know if you find out the answer. I wanted to go to art college but now I'm not so sure - maybe Graphic Design, maybe Art History (with Latin, English and some unknown crappy thing), maybe art after all.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Happy. I enjoy writing and I enjoy art so I'm going to see where that takes me.

Who are your favourite artists?
I'm awfully fond of Chagall, Botticelli, Turner and Caravaggio.

I herd u liek mudkip. Do u?
Yes, I luuurve Mudkip.

What do you listen to when you make stuff?
Well that depends on what I'm making! It could be anything from PJ Harvey, Joanna Newsom, The Smiths (my favourite band), The Decemberists, Regina Spektor, New Order (great for baking), Amy Winehouse, Kate Bush, The Russell Brand podcast...they're just a few of my favourites to listen to, at any time, and some of the stuff that inspires me.

What films do you like to watch when you're not making stuff?
Amelie, The Squid and The Whale, Annie Hall, Eternal Sunshine, The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Serenity, The 40-Year Old Virgin, Lord of the Rings, Ghost World, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, among other things.

What do you like to read?
Anything by JD Salinger, particularly his short stories. The His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman. Harry Potter (of course). Art history books. A Clockwork Orange. 1984. Anything by Roald Dahl. Fairytales. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. E.E. Cummings. Many others.

How do I get in contact with you?
You can leave a comment here or email me at the above address.

Uh Huh, Her!

2007-08-19T03:36:00.000+01:00

An oldie but a goodie - in honour of my blog name, title and recent PJ kick. Not to mention, I believe this was my first proper ink piece, almost three years ago. And I'm still happy with it!

I will probably be adding more of my older artwork occasionally. And, speaking of PJ Harvey related artwork...no, ssshhh, it's a secret ;) I'm a little tied up at the moment between crafting commitments (including a painting! But that comes after) and a rather lovely event to celebrate, but, I have a piece in mind. It'll tear your heart out, that's all I'll say.

I also got quotes today from a place in town that makes reproduction prints, so I'm getting ever closer to selling, which is really exciting! I might get a sample print next week even (their print technician is away) so I'll keep my fingers crossed that it'll turn out good. Here's hoping!

In which I learn to make watermarks and possibly take too many pictures

2007-08-16T16:33:00.000+01:00

Just Sukey again - this is the scan I said I'd get the next day (did I say that? I meant to) and lookie what day today is. Is this too many images? I get a little caught up sometimes, although I do think it serves a purpose - click for close up (as always, but this is a scan, you see). I love how you can see all the notches in the canvas board and everything (which is also the reason for the watermark).

Speaking of which: look at mah sexeh watermark. I did it all by meself. (Yes, that's my name. Don't you be stalking me now.)

Elspeth is still wet, but that's okay - I'm going to start working on something new soon anyway. Plus, I still can't figure out the relation between them. Elspeth is definitely dead, and somehow aware of it but Sukey seems very much alive. It's funny how much I like her now, I'm glad she turned out like she did (they grow up so fast...)

Sukey, Whose Title Is Under Construction

2007-08-16T02:23:00.000+01:00

As always, click for close ups.

Well, I think she's called Sukey (as in, "Polly put the kettle on, Sukey take it off again" etc), I'm still not sure. Elspeth was always Elspeth but this'un was more flexible. I'm partial to Eleanor but the two "El"s don't really go - I also think Bernadette would suit, as would maybe Lillian. I'm compiling a big list of those kinds of names for these kinds of works, but I'm wary of giving each girl the right name so I don't think later, "Argh, SHE should be Lillian!" Yes, I'm that crazy. I love names, really.

So, the low-down(izzle) - I'm a lot happier with them now, and I actually really like how this one turned out. Extreme mixed media - watercolour background, oil painted portrait, and hand-painted ink (as opposed to cyborg painted? Or just not pens) outlines and detail (there's actually some very nice feathery detail in the fringe that I'm quite happy with). She's a little hard to photograph well, if I can get a good scan tomorrow I'll update it. Elspeth is still wet, but I'm thinking I'll outline her similarly - maybe a bit lighter or something though, because she is ghostly and also dead. It'll be a few years before she's dry at this rate anyway. Stupid oils.

Do you think it's finished? I kind of like the bare, portrait look I was going for, but it does look a little scarce...maybe the wallpaper needs some more definition? I'm not sure.

Possible titles:
Sukey, Who Has Since Passed On
Sukey, When She Was More Alive
or, a different route altogether (bearing in mind this is a set with Ghostly Elspeth):
Sukey, Who She Haunted All Her Life

Or maybe something else entirely.

Why do I ramble so much? I need a real outlet to write, no-one wants to read this stuff; just look at the pretty pictures. And then tell me if you think they're pretty.

And just because I thought this was pretty:

Not that I screwed up the face or anything, it just looked nice there too (progress shot! You know I love progress shots).

Update

2007-08-14T23:57:00.000+01:00

The oils are STILL wet. I tried to draw on them anyway and they clogged my pen. Then I accidently put my headphones on them and they smudged everywhere.

WORK. OF. THE. DEVIL.

Ghostly Elspeth, Who Is, Unfortunately, Dead (WIP - oils)

2007-08-14T16:57:00.000+01:00

Last night I started working on two oil paintings. I really don't know why because I hate oils. (Incidently, you should see my palette and brushes. I just left them there because they're such a pain to clean. Then again I also did that with my beloved watercolours - I think I'm just lazy - but more importantly oils are crap). I need me some acrylics (why are they so expensive?!)

I picked up about five more small canvas boards in town yesterday for about €4, and this is what I did with the two 6x6 ones. It's a shame I don't have any progress shots or you could see Ghostly Elspeth when she was really ghostly. No scans yet because the oils are still a bit wet (grr). I'm still hoping to ink over these - ambitious, I know, but we'll see. Originally they were supposed to work as a set but because the mint and grey background is done with watercolours, unlike the other one, the idea somewhat bothers me now. I like the theme here though, and the idea of them working together so I think I'll come back to this with watercolours if these don't work out.

I'm still rather fond of Ghostly Elspeth (Who Is, Unfortunately, Dead) but I'm not entirely sure about the other one yet (her working name was Gertrude, then Valerie, but neither seem to fit. Now I'm thinking Rita). I'll ink her first and then we'll see (muhahah).

And, because I thought it was kind of funny - me, after it all, in the wee hours of the morning:

Quick, somebody get me some skin-colour so I can paint it back to normal!

Finished! Red Riding Hood Painting

2007-08-12T00:46:00.002+01:00

Woop, woop. I DID ink it last night/this morning, from the hours of 5-6. AM. But I had to finish little details this evening, like her brooch and painting the sides of the cardboardy-canvas-board with a glittery and mostly translucent gold ink. Because I wanted to. I still have to sign and date it too.

I'd love to hear any comments or feedback!
This is also the first piece that I've done that I'd consider selling (or possibly making prints of) so I'd particularly love to know if you think it's saleable, but all comments are welcome.

Red (painting)

2007-08-11T04:30:00.000+01:00

I'm still working on a title. And the actual painting.

I just took out my 8x8 canvas board and started sketching with no real plan. Then the picture formed. Then, I filled it in with watercolours (even though I think the canvas is only really meant for oils and acrylics, which I think gives the watercolours a slightly unusual look - they're not as watery and more "rubbed in"). The pencil outlines smudged into the watercolours a bit, giving it some dark greyish tones that I really like. The original lines are still pretty visible too, which I also like. Now it just has to be inked up (ie outlined in pen) - I want to do it tonight but it's 4:34AM so maybe I shouldn't.

Anyway:
First sketch (I didn't decide to take a picture til after I had started painting. Obviously.)

And another because when I resized it I lost the detail:

And after painting, before inking:

She looks a bit grumpy - the picture is a pretty bad indication but it's too late to use my "OH GOD WHAT'S THAT NOISE IS IT A FIRE-ALARM" scanner. At any rate, I'm looking forward to inking her up and bringing more of the original out again.

Stay tuned, folks!

General introductions (hello, hello)

2007-08-11T03:33:00.001+01:00

This is my art and craft blog, and I'm Anna. If it's not updated much, it's because of school and other unnecessary sundries, apologies.

Comments appreciated! Particularly on artwork, I'm just starting to think about possibly selling or making prints so all feedback is appreciated. But I'm also trying to learn loads of new crafts so I'd love to hear anything you have to say.

If you have any queries, comments or interests with regards to my work or blog that you would like to express to me, you can do so at sirensrising[at]gmail[dot]com.

I hope you enjoy! (Particularly my smoking-jacket layout. Don't mind me, I'm just going to go for a bubblebath with the Bunnies.)