wild wild veld

In the sun-baked  veld, many wild things lurk behind the long grass….

….mostly in search of a nice refreshing pool of water.

Warning

Couple years back, I was tasked to adapt an anti-poaching poster for a kids publication…

meerkat and co

That's right, another ink wash and there'll be plenty more to come...

Ever since I discovered the medium in college, I was hooked. I use the best value for ink I can find, and many artistes have scoffed at it or at least raised an eyebrow, is Parker's 'Quink' - the black one!

What I like about it is the spectrum of colours that are revealed as I work, depending on the ratio of ink to water and even the way it's allowed to dry, it gives off blues, greens, ochres and everything in between. It reacts really well to water, bleach, salt and probably a bunch of other stuff I haven't tried yet, like soap... hmmm...

I think I'll try that today...

Incidently, I added the clouds in photoshop, I like playing with photographic elements and inkwashes, a la McKean ;)

What's been pointed out and I've seen happen to my older drawings, it bleaches quickly in the sun and the colours keep changing over time. For some that's a bad thing but I like it, it's as if the drawing kept on drawing itself!

I did these two in 2000/2001, over time the palette seems to get warmer but no less richer.

Nat Geo

So.

Wednseday drawing was cancelled again yesterday so no new updates. Instead, here're a few more illustrations-for-hire, I did these for the local NAT Geo Kids mag last year. The article talked about a ranger who'd set up a wildlife rehabilitation center called Moholoholo.

I've done a few more for them since but these are still my favourite, and what a pleasure drawing for kids who like animals :)