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My Illustration
Challenge
for 2017
(My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!)
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Soooo...
Where do you start with the iconic Alice and the fabulous and much-loved characters created by Mr Carroll?
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll. Published in 1865.
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There are the very well-known illustrations by John Tenniel (you know, the Mad Hatter with the big head). Gorgeous!
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I walked into this challenge knowing that I have a tendency to draw 'lone figure against the world' type images, so I was hoping to get something that would offer some sort of interaction between characters. In theory, yes I could have chosen a specific scene (eg the tea party) from this book, but I suppose I was a little scared of doing a bad copy of previous stuff. Cop out? Maybe.Â
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So I created a scene in my head, and absolutely stand by that decision since this book is full of weird and wonderful situations, dreamlike states that merge together and create fantasy.Â
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 This took me flippin' ages. Seriously, a lot of re-working. A lot of fiddling and layering and questioning.Â
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Hmm. I got to a stage where I just had to leave it.Â
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In many ways I have not got the 'interaction' I intended since all characters are still in their own little worlds, overwhelmed by their own problems.Â
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But I loved re-imagining the characters, and bringing in a bit more colour.Â
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And can you spot the seventh character?

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