over the weekend, I've just been trying to quickly sketch out some more ideas and compositions. Here's my latest sketchbook pieces...
Above, the main idea was to experiment with shadows and suggestion.
In this one, I had an image in my head of the father and the two mothers photographs hung in ornate frames, above a decorative fireplace. I have also includes a candelabra on top of the fireplace the refer to Ashputtle as a burned child and the mourning she suffers. I want two of the candles to be burning fiercely to symbolise the two mothers determination and the third to remain unlit, symbolising the fathers passivity. This again was just a quick sketch to get my ideas down on paper rather than witting a description of what I want to draw. But I would like to go back to the image redrawing it, with the hands of the three parents coming out of the picture frames to operate puppet strings. Ashputtle may be included within this image, but it might be necessary to leave her out to keep the image suggestive. I can also include some details of the story within the decoration of the fireplace , like the photo of the fireplace below. (I took these photos at the Russell Coats Art Gallery and Museum, in Bournemouth two years ago). The use of the fireplace and photo frames will help to suggest a scene, a situation which is what Jonny wanted to see more of. I did this more for my last project but haven't really included it for this FMP. Doing this will also give and idea of the wealth that is mentioned at the beginning of the story,'a rich man..'
Above I was playing with the idea of Ashputtle unwillingly being forced to dance or to move.
And here, I was quickly sketching from quotes taken from the book about how a mother's love 'winds about these daughters like a shroud'. I like the juxtaposition of the two ideas here, how a mothers love is liked to the protection in death, like she's suffocating her daughters. And I also sketched from a section of the story about dancing, and the silk dress that one of the sisters demanded.
I really like this image above, although it is unfinished. This was a final image design inspired by the Julie Verhoeven images I posted recently. I was trying to create a sense of a back ground without actually drawing the layout of a room ect. I like how there is lots to look at and how every individual section holds symbolism or helps to set up and tell the story. I need to complete this in ink. but I'm also thinking of photocopying it onto acetate so I can experiment with medium behind the image.
I also like this final image design of the revived mother controlling Ashputtle. It is again unfinished, as it was just to get the idea down. The image is based on the quotes, '...her mother, though dead, was no longer gone and henceforward she must do her mother's bidding.' and ''(her mother) stayed close to Ashputtle, pecking her ears to make her dance vivaciously, so that the prince would see her.' However, this image is lacking any background.
Oh, and I've been looking into the symbolism of the fish and the hazel tree branch within the story more. Here's some websites I found interesting.
Fish in the Chinese culture symbolizes wealth. Fish also symbolize harmony, marital happiness and reproduction because they multiply rapidly and sometimes swim in pairs. Chinese legend says people placed messages in the bellies of the fish, and thus the fish has come to symbolize communication with a distant friend or loved one. Fish is an important symbol in the Buddhist religion and are among the auspicious signs on the Footprints of Buddha. The fish on the Buddha footprints signifies freedom from all restraints. The most popular fish motif found in Chinese art and culture is that of the Carp or Koi fish. Known to most Westerners as Koi Fish, the Chinese carp has numerous symbolic values within Chinese culture. The carp is a powerful symbol of strength and perseverance. The scales and whiskers of the carp resemble that of a dragon, a great symbol of power in China.
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