My first installation of Angela's artwork through Patreon

So Angela ran off to Vermont to go to the Center for Cartoon Studies. I miss her. 

However, she has given me, and everyone else in the entire world, the opportunity to receive a monthly package of the work she's doing at CCS. For $25 a month, she will send her homework, and enough other items, to make it worth my while. I'm her mom, so even a pencil stub would work for me. But she certainly made it a great way to get a wonderful package filled with very finished, humorous and surprisingly creative comics and artworks.

If you want to be a patron of Angela's, go to Patreon and sign up. Here's the link: http://www.patreon.com/inkyphalangies.

Here is the pile of work Angela sent me in December. 

A close up of the autobio comic and a screenprint on blue paper.

This booklet tells about the people (comic artists) who most inspired her. Angela used examples of their art and wrote about her connections to each one. Very interesting stories.

This assignment driven series of three orangutan drawings shows religious fervor of some sort. 

I think this is Angela's first screenprint. It is definitely her first three color one, and it's on blue paper. It is meant to accompany her autobio comic. She included Ernie, her little corgi. 

And this is on the backside of the autobio and shows the color of the paper a little better.

Here are three little comic books: Gag Strips (funny little Angela jokes), Sketchbook (faces, faces, faces),
and Ice Breaker (with the comics who inspired her).

The true story of Angela as told by an autobio comic.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the next installment, which should be here in a few more days.

Meerkat in a top hat

Abram suggested this theme.

The 2013 Sue C. Boynton Award Poems Travel Whatcom County

The Sue C. Boynton contest gave awards to twenty-five poets on Thursday, May 16. Angela and I illustrated all but just a few of them in three or four weeks time. Three of them use public domain approved images, which has to do with the short deadline. We'll share our drawings over the next few weeks, and the broadsides they adorn. The latest award-winning poems will soon be on the buses in Bellingham and around Whatcom county, as well as making the rounds through libraries, senior centers, the hospital, and other public places. It's a fine thing to get poetry out where it does some good.

This hatched drawing of ivy was used for Malcolm Kenyon's poem "The Goat Island Battery." An excellent poem! This drawing was finished the morning of May 16, put into the broadside, colored, and printed—the same day as the awards reception. Down to the wire with that deadline.

As you can see, the drawing was flipped, and hangs off into the "framing" of the broadside. I also laid out each of the poems on the page, and colored the illustrations using InDesign. In the past, they were colored using CS2's InDesign, but this year the CS6 InDesign does the same job just as well.

-Anita

Octopus Eating Ice Cream

OK. That is cuter than I remember from a month ago when I originally drew it.

Okay. So I drew an octopus at the third monthly Drink and Draw in Bellingham. We just sip and stipple, or in this case, doodle. And then we go home. A perfect evening.

One octopus, one mouth, two eyes, eight arms and a gazillion suction cups.

If you ask me, there isn't enough time in the world to do what's necessary, even if one had the arms of an octopus. Though, if one had enough suction cups, then there might be some possibilities.

—Anita

Nadine - Gray Wash

For your ink-loving pleasure, here are some test inks of Nadine. This is the style I chose for the graphic novel.

COB inks

Some more inks for the COB graphic novel. Good times, yes?

Here's some of the characters. Martin the fencing and tactitian instructor. Angelique the history and writing and stuff instructor. The guards' uniforms. And some more outfits for Nadine.

 Here was some practice trying to figure out Julia and Margaret's outfits.

Uses of Ink in an Assemblage

This blog is about ink and the many ways an artist will use that medium. Here are a few of the assemblages that will be hanging at the Hanson Scott Gallery in Seattle, which has an exotic-sounding address: 121 Prefontaine Place South. Ink winds up in most of my assemblages one way or another, and so I thought I'd share a few examples. 

In this first assemblage, titled "Breaking Away," mainly yellow ink is used, and that use is obviously for the background on the wood behind the artwork. I used polyurethane to seal it. There is also some black sumi ink in the paper on the lower right and bottom of the piece, but more watercolor than ink can be seen. The watercolor is on a small crinkled masa paper that I tore asunder for use in this assemblage. 

Breaking Away

This assemblage, "Song of the Bone Crickets," also uses ink on the backing wood. But there are two other black inks in this piece, too. First, you can see small dotted lines, which are drawn using a nib pen. And then there is a line of thick, delicate black ink scraped from a glass plate and re-adhered to to the handmade paper. Three inks in this one.

Song of the Bone Crickets

In "Leaf Poem," a larger piece, I used scraped ink again on either side of the assemblage board. The ink strips are fragile and difficult to maneuver into place, but it can be done if you're careful enough. The scrapings add texture, line, and repetition. By the way, the ink I use from the glass plate is re-purposed from printmaking.

Leaf Poem

 In "Municipal Circuitry," ink is again used on the background. But there are also trace amounts of ink on the assorted letterpress type that has been inserted into the wasp nest cells. There is an additional detail, added to the piece since I took this photo, which you can see when you visit Hanson Scott Gallery in Seattle.

Municipal Circuitry

Finally, in "Shell Game," I use several colors of ink on the backing board. Then, on the embossed handmade paper, I used India ink in the squares at the top and, with an inky swoosh, mimicked the snake skin beside it. There is also white gouache next to the small monotype, which also has ink circles and lines on it. I sometimes make organic colors from vegetation. Mushrooms could probably make an ink, but I put a dried one into the assemblage instead.

Shell Game

Be sure to visit the Hanson Scott Gallery to see my nine small assemblages in February and March (plus a couple large ones). Then later, more of the larger assemblages will be joining them, as well as some new work.

--Anita K. Boyle

Nadine Reading

Nadine reading by ~lunavalse on deviantART
There's ink in there. Trust me. :)

Roof-Top Garden

I got a new pen and had to test it out so I did this at Drink and Draw. This is Nadine and Cob in the roof-top garden.
I was also inspired by the inking class I had recently taken where the instructor handed out some samples of the original Alice in Wonderland illustrations. The new pen is a Noodlers pen. I like it a lot. It is a fountain pen and is really simple to refill. You just stick the nib in the ink and pull the plunger! I got beautiful blue-black ink.

More Thanksgiving Drawings…

Here's my drawings from the Thanksgiving Day prompts. We were so porked on turkey that day. Wow. All I wanted to do was sit and stare into space. Angela kept saying, "So let's draw something." I kept saying, "Okay." Then she'd ask, "What should we draw?" I would think about it and stare off into space. Then we'd do a rerun. That's about right, isn't it, Angela? Finally, she asked Abe for a prompt.

Duck with Funny Hat, brushed by Anita

 When we started to draw, I didn't have my pen, and was going to use a ballpoint. Angela let me try her portable brush. Normally, I don't use a brush for this sort of drawing. I use a Rapidograph. I like them. Brushes are a different experience. But I did use the brush for the duck and the badger. Obviously, I should use a brush more often, so I can draw exactly what's in my head, and do a bit better job at it.

The Knickered Badger, brushed by Anita

 The title of this drawing sounds like it might be some kind of a clothing store, maybe one that sells lingerie, one that rivals Victoria's Secret perhaps, even. That brush though. I wish I had a pen in hand. I do watercolor with a brush, even detailed watercolor, but for these drawings I would prefer a #0 Rapidograph for most of the work.

When Turtles Fly, penned by Anita

So I would quit my whining, Angela loaned me her brand new Rapidograph pen. Mine are maybe 20 years old. I loved them then and I love them now. I even like cleaning them, except for when I have to meet with a client within two days of that. The ink is not too hard to clean off your hands, but the stuff under the fingernails gets a little embarrassing after a few days. If I wore those thin rubber gloves, my hands would stay clean. There's a box of them in my work closet, but I rarely remember to wear them until after I'm finished cleaning. I did quit whining though, and drew the flying turtle. I'll probably put a background on it later. 

Thanksgiving drawings

At Thanksgiving, Anita and I took some time to draw suggestions from Abe, Jim, and Isaac. In no particular order we have:

Badger in Knickers, as suggested by Abe.

 Duck in a hat, as suggested by Abe.

 Turtle with wings, as suggested by Jim (I think).

Ink Tub: The Show and the Workshop

This is your opportunity to be at the first Ink Tub art show in the history of the world. Also, if you have any inklings at all about making comics, or collaborating with another artist or writer, you might seriously consider taking Sunday's workshop, which will be a thrilling hands-on experience with each participant walking away with their own original mini-comic. 

Join the artists for a few minutes or stay for the entire six hours. Come see the artworks. Seattle-based artist Angela Boyle and her mother, Bellingham artist Anita K. Boyle, have been doing quick drawings in ink for the Ink Tub blog, and decided to show some of them and more during this all inclusive show of their work. In addition to the ink drawings, you'll see everything from mini-comics and watercolor illustrations to prints, photos and much more. Angela is a full-time technical writer, and a full-time freelance comic illustrator. Anita is a graphic designer, poet and artist. 

Mini-Comic Book Workshop: 

Super Collaborators: The Making of Comics

DATE: Sunday, November 18, 2012

TIME: 10am to 3pm

COST: $35 

INSTRUCTORS: Angela Boyle and Abe Olson

TO REGISTER: Please call Angela Boyle or Abe Olson at 425-773-3099, or Anita at 360-398-7870.

Collaboration is a huge challenge, but unavoidable in today’s comics industry. Seattle comic book collaborators Angela Boyle and Abe Olson will talk about their experiences working together as writer, artist, and publisher on over fourteen comics and a web comic through their Flying Dodo Publications enterprise. During this fun workshop, you will learn techniques for collaborating with other artists and writers, and will leave with your own brand new, original, mini-comic book, ready to make more. 

Late Night Sketches

These are two quick sketches I made last night, late, just before I went to sleep. They took less than fifteen minutes, I think, and were made using a couple ball point pens, and maybe a pencil. The pens run out of ink. I grab another one. We have enough ball point pens in the house to last us the rest of our lives. Jim picked a lot of them up on campus, and brought them home, one at a time. But a pencil is always good, right down to the nubs. If the tip breaks and I don't have a sharpener near, the wood can always be peeled back to expose some more graphite. Whatever works.

Hands Down

The first drawing is of the type that just falls out of my head while listening to the sound of pen against paper. Who knows where they come from or where they'll go. The little rabbits? I guess they are rough character sketches for a story I might do. The story has them scared quite often, which is normal for a rabbit, I'd guess.

Scared Rabbits

After I finished these two drawings, I fell asleep. They are like bedtime stories, but different. I can see that they could use some work on a couple of things, though I know I could do much worse if I put my mind to it.

---Anita

Nadine Watercolor Test

A test painting I did of Nadine for Cob. I love everything but the dress. She looks a bit like a line backer. Back to the dress drawing board.

Cob

Some practice heads for a comic I am working on. These are the main characters, Nadine and Cob. This is one of my longer stories, working title Cob. I will feature sketches for the story here.
Cob heads - probably sticking with the first one.

 Nadine practice heads - trying to pick a hair style. Probably going with the one on the right of the second row.

Art Show and Workshop at Egress Studio in Bellingham

The first, possibly annual, show of art work by 

Angela Boyle & Anita K. Boyle

in ink, paint and more at Egress Studio.

If you can't read the flyer, here's what it says:

It’s Open Studio Day at 

— Egress Studio —

5581 Noon Road, Bellingham WA

Saturday, November 17^th from 1pm to 7pm

& a Workshop—Super Collaborators: the Making of Comics

Sunday, November 18, 10am to 3pm, $35

For more information, call 360-398-7870 or 425-773-3099

We hope you will be there!

Jackalopes

Some jackalopes fighting over a lady jackalope. This took about and hour and a half. With my new Rapidograph pens, which I am loving.

Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare

There's a picture book series by a guy named David Cory titled Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare. It was written in 1922, when things were pretty and you could escape from bad things without too much trouble, though sometimes a sprinkle of something enchanting was necessary. I suppose this drawing could be called fan art.

Uncle John Hare begins a journey with Little Jack Rabbit in the magic auto.

I drew this last night in the dark. There was a little lamp beside me. Curry, our twenty pound calico, was sitting on my laptop next to me, and Blue, our clown dog, kept running upstairs to go to bed, and then running back down to see why we hadn't gone up there yet. Well, Jim wasn't home, so we just don't sleep then. Blue will figure it out. She's no dummy, but she thinks very differently than the rest of us.

Wario Away!

Current theme is Vehicles. I always picked Wario when we played Mario Kart on the N64 when I was little.