Plates and Progress
The Art of Not Overthinking
Since I have making ceramics, and drawing (mostly dogs), it was only a matter of time before I combined these two loves.
What I have really enjoyed about making my graphic novel, and making ceramics is the doing. Less of the information gathering, and reading about who inspires me. Just making.
I didn’t want to be influenced by too much, and there’s something powerful in just starting without thinking of every possible thing first.
As I completed my graphic novel and was in the final tweaks stages on panel designs— in a rather odd order — I then started reading about what makes a good comic. I felt OK about doing it this way around. I want to write more, and I think the best way to learn is by doing.
One book I came across recently, Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, really helped put language to things I’d picked up along the way. It talks about how the medium works, and how comics can tell so much with so little.
One part that particularly stood out was on the “universality of cartoon imagery” — and as McCloud puts it: Amplification through Simplification.
By stripping down an image to it’s essential “meaning” an artist amplify that meaning in a way that realistic art can’t.
I applied this idea to the thousands of expressions of my dog that I had been drawing over the years, and really loved where I landed. I also used ceramic watercolour paints and pastels to blend colours, and etched details into plates I was making, to give the expressions more depth.
I thought these would make lovely rewards for the Kickstarter campaign in some form, so I’m still testing ideas.
Here are some pieces I’m going to work on further — this time dipping the bisque-fired plates into a black glaze, then etching the drawings. I think this will make them stand out more with the porcelain more prominent. I’m also playing with key scenes from the story.
Senbei agrees. He advises me to take care on the delicate bisque stage though, since this test bowl snapped as I tried to lift it from my bag.
Let’s see how these tests turn out, and more sketching in the background for now.
Thanks for reading x