Balzac et la Petite Tailleuse Chinoise - Dai Sijie

This is a novel I just finished reading in French. It's a really good book and the end is very mysterious...

We Three - Jazz

I drew this sketch while listening to a beautiful jazz CD given to me by a wonderful violist (I am dedicating this picture to him). There are three musicians playing in it - a pianist, a bass player, and a drummer. I decided to represent them using three colours. The pianist is represented with a blue pen, the bass player with a green pen, and the drummer with a red pen. Whenever I could hear one of them playing, I'd draw in that colour. Sometimes I'd blend two colours. Later, my pens started to run out. No worries - this gave me an idea! I used a sort of cross-hatching technique that gave a very soft, blended appearance. It gave an interesting effect when in contrast with the crisp lines drawn with fresh pens.

Dedicated to "Justagirl"

You are so brave - you have simply inspired me. I'm actually hoping I can become a neurologist and your story is truly touching.

Tvetik Semitvetik (Magic Flower)

Just another drawing I did. I tried out a new technique.

Little Sketch

This is a little sketch I did in pen - must of been thinking of "The Secret Garden". This was just ment to be an experiment with technique.

Gluck's "Oh, del mio dolce ardor" from Italian opera "Paride ed Elena"

I haven't really drawn anything for over a month (for the first time in my life I was uninspired!!!). Someone recently told me a certain phrase however: "You are a tree." and this inspired me to draw a picture. Although that drawing didn't turn out very well, it gave me the boost of creative energy I needed to return to my art. Thank you to that person!

While I drew this I listened to Gluck's "Oh, del mio dolce ardor" from Italian opera "Paride ed Elena". This is a very, very beautiful piece. I rearranged it and then played it on viola with piano - although it is fairly easy to play, it is stunning!!! The song pierces the listener's heart.

This is a picture drawn entirely with a black pen (unfortunately it occasional blotched!!!) on regular 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

Telemann Viola Concerto - Movement 2/3/4

I drew this while listening to the last 3 movements of the Telemann Viola concerto - such beautiful music!!! Thank you to the one who introduced me to it!

This picture is drawn partly in pen and partly in pencil crayon. It is actually in colour but I think it's prettier black and white.

Telemann Viola Concerto - Movement 1

This is such a beautiful piece. At first I had some difficulty finding a good recording but later found one on Youtube. Definately go listen to it!!!

I am currently learning the second movement and it is pretty challenging in some parts!

In this drawing I used a new technique. I used ink on a strange kind of absorbant paper I found lying around and it created a pretty effect (not a very efficient technique though because you have to dip your feather into the ink at every new stroke!!!). I then made a photocopy to make it black and white and did a few lines in colour with pen. First drawing I've done in about a month!!!

Dectra - Final (For Someone Who Draws Very Pretty Hummingbirds)

This is the style I think I will draw in... I think it looks kind of like those Celtic drawings because it is so graphical.

Listening to a Recording of a Wonderful Violist Playing Eccles' Sonata

I drew this while listening to your recording... You are so, so, so amazing. Wish I will someday be able to play at least a fraction as well as that!!!

No matter what you say, I think you played beautifully that day and I have listened to the recording (yes, I still have it!!!) many, many times. I will treasure that sound file forever!!!

Anyone who hasn't heard Eccles Sonata should definately listen to it!!!

Inspired by the Flute Pieces by Composer Ronald Royer

On Friday I was given the honour of listening several pieces written for different flutes. These divine, emotional pieces filled me with an unquenchable desire to draw, and so that very evening I splashed it all out on paper.

These compositions were so beautiful however, that I could not possible relieve this urge to express all of the emotions. It therefore inspired me to create a new style of drawing (which only the best pieces do).

This new method of drawing involves drawing a rapid sketch with feather and ink on a special type of paper, then scanning it, lightening/posturizing it, and printing it out again on another sheet of the special paper. This print is then used for the midtones in the picture. The darker parts are drawn in and the picture is scanned again (and "cutout effect" in Photoshop is employed). The picture is printed out on a new sheet of the paper and now the fine details are drawn in (e.g. the face).

The print turns out remarkably fine on the paper.

Bess from "The Highwayman"

Second Ever Sketch in Conte Crayon

My first sketch was terrible proportion-wise but this one is okay.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CLICKING ON IMAGES WILL MAKE THEM LARGER

The Rider

Just a quick sketch I did in Illustrator.

Ink Cartridge is Reusable for Pictures

Yesterday my printer ran out of blue ink but I noticed that there was still a little left in the cartridge. I folded a small sheet of paper into a cone, making a brush, and dabbed it in the ink. Upon applying the brush to paper, I found it created a lovely, airy effect. Later, I added some accents with red and black pens. It was a very interesting experiment.

Sketches

Just two sketches I did.

Inspiration... Imagination... Spontanuity.

These are three feather and ink drawings I did one after another in a space of about fifteen minutes because of the incredible joy I got from improvising with a wonderful violinist on Friday. She truly gave me so much to think about - and I would like to thank her tremendously!

This technique basically involves dripping water on a special kind of paper and then letting the feather trace its inky path through it, disolving in the watery parts. One feels such freedom doing this! There is no room for error but plenty of room for imagination! One must feel the form of the paper and carve out a figure. The best part is when you tilt the paper and the ink and water roll around creating unexpected lines, twists and turns, and the paper knows how to manipulate the artwork to create the most delicate and beautiful of harmonies!!! How like the experience of improvisation on a string instrument... :-)

Close-Up

The Highwayman

This is one of my favourite poems of all time. It just makes your heart skip a beat. I believe everyone should read it. You should - and you won't regret it... even if you aren't the greatest fan of poetry.

Concerto for Viola, String Orchestra and Harpsichord - Capriccio - by Ronald Royer

This is a truly exquisite piece that I listened to on Friday and it prompted me to invent a new drawing style. It is a piece based on Baroque music (specifically Bach) and will soon be performed in concert.
The capricio is a fast piece with a solo viola - which is wonderful as we violists never get enough credit for starting the "violin" family (That's right violins!!! And it should be called the viola family!!!). Such a BEAUTIFUL piece!!!

I believe this is the 21st picture in my musical illustration series that I started this summer.

Also... I would like to take the time to mention that today is Mozart's birthday!!! :-D Always wondered what he would write if he were alive in our century...

Suite Hébraïque Rhapsody

This is a beautiful piece for viola/violin and piano (I think everyone should hear it!). And funny thing - my friend Melody helped me quite a lot on the backgroud, which represents the "piano" accompaniment in the piece, and at the moment we will soon be playing a duet in which she will be playing the piano, and I the viola! :-)

Note: this picture is drawn in pen on blue paper and the white is pencil for highlights

Vase Mystery

At night, I was lying in bed and happened to glance over at a vase full of flaming red flowers in my room. In the darkness, the silhouette looked like a beautiful girl with her head down and with her hair flying behind her. I quickly drew a sketch of her in bed so I wouldn't forget what I'd seen and then fell asleep. Later, I altered this image to my liking (for one thing, the dark vase I morphed to appear to be a dress). The shape of the flowers I kept, but only the outline - for the hair. This is not the first time something I've seen has struck me as mysteriously like something else, however, I believe I have never yet been as intruiged by such a happening...

Tartini - Concerto pour violin et orchestre en la mineur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BivOfAPUl9w&feature=related <--- This music is saintly. It is probably the purest music I have ever heard (other than perhaps Lacrimosa) - simply sounds like the singing of angels at heaven's gates. It is impossible to convey the beauty of this music through words, yet I have tried to do so through this picture (I believe all know the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words")

Concerto for Violins, Strings, and Continuo - Giuseppe Tartini

Another addition to the classical music illustration series...

This picture illustrates the beautiful Violin Concerto in A, just one of the 125 violin concertos that Tartini composed. The music really did remind me of a magnificent ballet. It was light and sincere so that it spoke to the listener, a characteristic I simply adore in this composer's works.

Important Notice

Today was the date of Mozart's death. He died at 12:05 am.

The City

This picture was a fun little experiment I did. It was actually drawn with a leaky pen and tweaked in Photoshop.

Picture I Drew Today at Lunch with my Friend Melody

Suite Hébraïque Rhapsody

Did this on Thursday. I was feeling sort of mysterious and sad so that is what the picture reflects. Plus, I was playing "Suite Hébraïque Rhapsody" through in my head. This picture is therefore another illustration for it.

My Idol...

Okay, I admit that this is a REALLY old picture but I just remembered it. Can you guess who it is? I'll give you a few hints:

-He lived in the 18th century

-Played viola (like me!) as well as violin

-Wrote his first piece at 4, his first symphony at 7 and his first opera at 12

-There is a saying that God's angels play Bach but in secret they prefer this composer...

-He wrote a Requiem which is considered to be the best piece ever written

-He died at 35 years old of unknown cause and no one knows where he was buried

-He sometimes called himself Trazom

-His wife's name is Constanze

-Everyone has heard of him

-(this is the give-away if you haven't realized already...) His name starts with the letter M

To the One Who Inspired Me with His Violin Today...

After a Dream (A French Song)

This is a beautiful musical piece that is sung in French or is played on viola (I'm playing it now). It is about a woman who wakes up and finds that the dream in which she is reunited with her love is a lie. She desperately begs the dream to return, asking at the end "Reviens! Reviens! Reviens!!!". This piece is very emotional and I tried to convey that in this portrait of the woman.

The Little Mermaid

One Line Ink Picture

The Whisper

How Many Faces Can You See in this Picture? (Hint: there are more than 20)

Dedicated to my dear friend Melody, who always likes to have a laugh
(who by the way managed to find all of the faces)

"Glitter and be Gay (Happy)" Musical Piece about Dutchess

Winter to Spring

Daphne and Apollo

Innocence