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Reinventing myself (an annaversary post)

| Anna Cull

Today is my little blog’s fourth anniversary🎈🎈🎈🎈 and so I thought I would go back in time to the very beginning. Here is my first post from 13th March 2012. Have a creative day.

A couple of years ago, I started an illustrated journal. I was inspired by Danny Gregory and his book The Creative License and I wanted to see if I could draw.

One month and 19 sketches later, I drew Villa 10…

…and the road home (among other things).

I enjoyed sketching so much that I decided to take an art course at the Design & Arts College in Christchurch, New Zealand.

originally posted 13th March 2012

Jasper

| Anna Cull
Caught! — ink and digital watercolour, 2016
Caught! — ink and digital watercolour, 2016

Caught! A true story. Jasper’s puppy portrait now has pride of place in his owners’ littlest room.

How could I resist drawing this photo?! That face! Those eyes! Oh Jasper, you’re not that small any more, are you?

Original photograph courtesy of the Goodinson family; 'Caught!' artwork; back at the scene of the crime
Original photograph courtesy of the Goodinson family; ‘Caught!’ artwork; back at the scene of the crime

Five years and counting (pen vs earthquake)

| Anna Cull
Pen vs earthquake #6 – Christchurch Art Gallery, 2016
Pen vs earthquake #6 – Christchurch Art Gallery, 2016

Anna Cull Pen vs Earthquake Art Gallery 2016

I’ve finally been into the city to take the last of my ‘pen vs earthquake’ photographs. The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu was closed following the 22nd February 2011 earthquake and only opened its doors to the public again last December. The building may look fragile but it not only survived 2011’s big shake, it was used as Civil Defence HQ for seven months after the event. Most of the repairs to the building are now complete and the new and improved gallery looks better, and shinier, than ever.

The sketch was originally part of a student project in 2011. The art gallery photographs were taken a few days ago. Ben Heine’s ingenious Pencil Vs Camera images inspired the series.

P.S. Five years on and we’re still getting the odd quake ― we had quite a big one on Valentine’s Day, of all days! My thanks to those who contacted me to see if we were okay. Yes, we’re fine. We’re still not in love with earthquakes, but we’re fine.

My right to be odd

| Anna Cull

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These WIPs show the transition of yesterday’s kitten sketch from the initial drawing through to the final image. I realise that the blown highlights make the kitten look a little odd ~ but because they are one of the reasons I like the photograph, I wanted to retain them in the sketch.

“I am an artist you know … it is my right to be odd.” E.A. Bucchianeri

Get used to the idea

| Anna Cull
Kitten in a sunbeam – ink & watercolour sketch with digital colour added, 2016
Kitten in a sunbeam – ink & watercolour sketch with digital colour added, 2016
Grandkitten — original photograph, 2014
Grandkitten — original photograph, 2014

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea…” Robert A. Heinlein

Losing sight of the shore

| Anna Cull
Coastline – ink, watercolour and digital, 2016
Kaikoura coast panorama, New Zealand — original photograph, 2013
Kaikoura coast panorama, New Zealand — original photograph, 2013

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” André Gide

Click on the images for a clearer view.

P.S. If the landscape looks a little familiar, that may be because I painted the same photograph last month (The View).