Dear diary, part nine

Science Fiction stamp design – sketches Visual diary, two-page spread  (student project, 2011)
Science Fiction stamp design – sketches
Visual diary, two-page spread (student project, 2011)
Science Fiction stamp poster (594 x 420 mm) Background stars and planets courtesy of the Internet Student project, 2011
Science Fiction stamp poster (594 x 420 mm)
Stars and planets (background collage) courtesy of the Internet
Student project, 2011

Another one of my favourite designs at college was this stamp poster (and all of the stamps). Below is the text I wrote as part of the project:

Commemorating 50 years of science fiction on television in New Zealand, this collection features illustrations of some of the 1960s most iconic science fiction programmes.

Television arrived in New Zealand homes at a time when great advances were being made in space exploration. The 1960s was a decade obsessed with the “space race” as the Soviet Union and the United States competed to put a man on the moon. These 12 stamps depict television shows that tapped into our fascination with space and space travel. There were tales of friendly aliens living among us and of hostile alien invasions; journeys into our possible future and into the questionable past; galaxies filled with spaceships, robots and strange new worlds.

This post is the last of my Dear diary series… but I think I’ll start blogging about the artwork for these stamps — because stamps are cool : )

The diary pages are from a journal I designed for my Design & Arts College exhibition in 2012. Two years of research, ideas, word maps and sketches had to be reduced to a mere 72 pages. It was no easy task but I now have a beautiful, professionally bound diary that I’ll always treasure.

The beetles are coming

Beetles – ink, watercolour and digital
Beetles – ink, watercolour and digital

The sketches and final drawing are from my first year at art/design school (2010). We were fortunate that our graphic design course (officially called ‘communication arts and design’) recognised the importance of drawing skills and provided a lot of opportunities to explore different mediums and styles. This was my first foray into pointillism. The composite image on the watercolour background is from the visual diary I put together for my final exhibition in 2012.

Amy

Amy – ink and watercolour on paper, 255 x 205 mm, 2013.
Amy – ink and watercolour on paper, 255 x 205 mm, 2013.

My friend Amy may have lost her fob watch. It’s not easy being a Time Lord if you can’t remember who you are. (Happy birthday, Amy.)

Shoot it, Sketch it collaboration

Harbour wall – graphite and watercolour, 255 x 205 mm, © Anna Cull 2013.
Harbour wall – graphite and watercolour, 255 x 205 mm © Anna Cull 2013
Newlyn Harbour Wall, Cornwall © Poppytump, 2013.
Newlyn Harbour Wall, Cornwall © Poppytump 2013

Last month, fellow blogger/artist/photographer Poppytump posted a wonderful photo of this wall (used with permission) ― and now it’s the world’s first ever Poppytump shot it, Anna sketched it. Thank you, Poppy : )

Harbour wall detail — the texture is a kind of ‘dry brush’ watercolour effect.
Harbour wall detail — the painted texture is a ‘dry brush’ watercolour effect.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Sunlight is green

Sunlight is green – acrylic on watercolour paper, 205 x 295 mm, 2013.
Sunlight is green – acrylic on watercolour paper, 205 x 295 mm, 2013.

Here, as promised, is my painting of the sunset in Hagley Park (taken from the same photo I sketched last week). If you’re wondering about the title, it was inspired by something I read in The Acrylic Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Colour by Lexi Sundell. Apparently there is research to suggest that sunlight is not yellow but pale green. Think about that for a minute. Green is a cool colour but sunlight is warm. Other research suggests it may be pale blue. Whatever it is, it seems sunlight is not a warm colour. I don’t know about you but that thought really messes with my head.

Sunlight is green – acrylic on watercolour paper, detail.
Sunlight is green – acrylic on watercolour paper, detail.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Last minute

Hagley Park sunset sketch – ink and watercolour, 205 x 290 mm, 2013.
Hagley Park sunset sketch – ink and watercolour, 205 x 290 mm, 2013.
Hagley Park sunset – Christchurch, 2010.

A last-minute sketch of the last minutes of a sunset in Hagley Park (because the acrylic painting I had planned to post today isn’t quite finished yet). I hope you’ll forgive the slightly blurry photo (my fault for not taking a tripod). Sunsets in the park can be spectacular at this time of year ― yes, we’re well and truly into autumn now in Christchurch.