These illustrations are part of an ongoing series on anxiety I started in early April 2018, as part of #The100DayProject. (See @helloanxiety_illustrated on Instagram to see more complete stories of each individual). This project is an extension of the fear illustrations I've been creating since 2012 (www.fear-illustrated).
BEING GREEDY CHOKES ANANSI From Favorite Folktales around the world by Jane Yolen. One time, Anansi lived in a country that had a queen who was also a witch. And she decreed that whoever used the word five would fall down dead, because that was her secret name, and she didn’t want anyone using it. Now, Buh Anansi was a clever fellow, and a hungry one too. Things were especially bad because there was a famine, so Anansi made a little house for himself by the side of the river near where everyone came to get water. And when anybody came to get water, he would call out to them, “I beg you to tell me how many yam hills I have here. I can’t count very well.” So, one by one he thought they would come up and say, “One, two, three, four, five,” and they would fall down dead. Then Anansi would take them and corn them in his barrel and eat them, and that way he would have lots of food in hungry times and in times of plenty.
This sketchbook spread features a man whispering some Yin Yang song lyrics into a lady's ear. I drew them separately, then realized the guy was definitely hitting on her. I can't imagine that singing the lyrics from "Wait, The Whisper Song" have ever worked. But today might be the day. We also have a hairless cat and some very mysterious Illuminati symbolism. I like to stay busy.
Nat checking her email. The polar fleece blanket colour and texture didn't turn out the way I wanted it to.
Bic4 Ballpoint Pen, Sanrio Novelty 10 Colour Ballpoint Pen on Archival 8.5" x 11" paper
