you-kulele, me-kulele

I've begun to learn the ukulele and because its swiftly becoming my new obsession I decided to make a little information book covering the history of this petite instrument, its ancestor the Portuguese cavaquinho, its close relatives, its place in Hawaiian culture, the basic chords, strumming technique, its popularity during the 1920s with stars like Buster Keaton...but I only got as far as its name: "ukulele" (Hawaiian for "jumping flea") and got so distracted by this little piece of information that instead of the planned information book, I have a little narrative developing, about the peculiar life of a Jazz-age, Gregor Samsa-ish, parasitic beastie.

Les jardin de la memoire

I've started to make a little comic book, entitled Les Jardin de la Memoire (or Memory Garden), about the dream-adventures of one man and his daschund.

Also, I just finished reading the graphic novel Blankets by Craig Thompson, and I urge you to read it too if you haven't already. It is beautifully crafted to the point of being impossible to put down and reminds me of the work of a lot of my favourite illustrators/comics artists (David Beauchard, Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba in particular).

"Of all things I liked books best" - Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla

I'm making a mini book about Nikola Tesla's inner life

Meditations

I have a little book of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations and it always puts things in perspective. He was a Roman emperor at the height of its power but his philosophy is quite stoic, its about getting on with things and being true to your own nature and not letting bad things stop you from being a good person. I made this little book for my dad while I was in my 2nd year at Falmouth and I've just found it again. (Click on images to enlarge)

Book for Line

Emma Ridgway (c) Copyright 2010

Ho ho ho

(example from a handmade book I've been working on)

No blog posts lately...I have just finished watercolour portraits of two delightful little boys called Oliver and Fin, which has been commissioned as a Christmas present for their mummy. I spent so much time working on these paintings, and its been a great opportunity for me to get to grips with using watercolour as well as capturing character.

I'm also making a set of books which are post-Christmas presents for some of my friends (Thats how organised I am) I think they're going to take some time to make. But I've had some lovely things in the post lately and I want to repay the excitement! 

Artist books are probably my favourite form of illustration - I love Henrik Drescher's books especially...I am constantly amazed by his work. I have some examples of his stuff on my wall and I look at it every day with the same sense of wonder. Its just dazzling. 

When me and Line were in Paris we found a great artist bookshop called L'Art de Rien which was full of handmade books...I wish I had bought one! There is also Boekie Woekie in Amsterdam which I hope to return to in January. 

I love how personal handmade books are. Theres so much love in them. I especially like rough edges and collage and layering.

Anyway that is what I'm up to at the moment. I will be kept busy for now, but I will post when I can!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Emma

PS: A warning to any illustrators drawing snowflakes this Christmas (don't go upsetting those pedantic scientists)

Let's get up early now, dive clear into the day.

At the moment I am working on a cover for Rachael Dadd's forthcoming Moth in The Motor EP.

I've made a little sketchbook for my experiments...at the moment they are all very Tinguely-inspired, and I've been experimenting with masking fluid too...but I intend to develop it more into my own thing!



I'm also making a large poster for Back 2 Bikes, a local charity selling second hand bikes. My little brother is a volunteer there, and my own little bike was born there, and Dan's bike travelled all the way from there to Amsterdam. And now they are giving me a large sheet of paper and some spray paint, so I am very excited, as you can imagine!



And today I have been asked to exhibit some of my work at The Just So Festival next August. The festival is set in 65 acres of woodland and will have lots of fun activities for children and their families, ranging from trapeze artists to storytelling around the campfire to children's theatre. It sounds lovely, so I am really excited about this and can't wait to get started on some new ideas!

(self portrait, from "The Missing Book")

And an astronaut could've seen the hunger in my eyes from space

(From "The Missing Book", a book I made for Dan.)




sample spread:

NB: True story.
I dreamt about the biscuit during "The Postmodern Life of my Aunt".
It probably matched my dream about diagrams of acute and obtuse angles for sheer excitement and imagination.