This portrait is the darkest in the series, examining the internal malice that persists even when communication is restricted, illustrating that evil doesn't require a loud voice.
* Visual Focus: The mask's mouth is horrifyingly held closed across the center by surgical thread and a needle, which only covers half of the wide, unnerving smile. The stitching reveals a set of sharp, feral teeth underneath. Disturbingly, a pair of prominent horns protrude from the top of the mask's head.
* Symbolism:
* The Stitched Mouth: Represents the idea of selective silence or the censorship of truth. The fact that the stitching only covers half the mouth highlights the "half-done" nature of modern morality. The revealed sharp teeth suggest that even in silence, the capacity for vicious, cutting, or "devilish" speech remains barely contained. Showed directly on the piece by the date being misleading.
* The Horns: A classic, unambiguous symbol of the Devil or pure malice. This is the figure's core identity—it suggests that even while hiding behind a neutral mask and being partially silenced, the individual's "tongue like the devil" and evil intent are still very much present, emphasizing the inherent corruption and hypocrisy behind the facade.
"Nowhere Fast" is a compelling still life that blends mundane domesticity with surreal, slightly ominous undertones. The scene is anchored by a wooden table where a spilled glass, a pack of matches, and an ashtray with a smoldering cigarette suggest a moment of interrupted pause or quiet, long-term stagnation. Dominating the foreground is an oversized, weathered cigarette carton boldly labeled "WARNING", its subtle but unsettling presence hinting at a consumption that leads nowhere.
In the background, a vintage RCA television set displays a stylized amanita mushroom, a recurring symbolic motif that adds a layer of psychedelia and altered perception to the otherwise drab setting. The earthy, muted color palette and soft lighting create a feeling of weary introspection, capturing a sense of being perpetually stuck in a cycle. The piece masterfully uses everyday objects to explore themes of vice, time, and the quiet, slow march toward an uncertain destination.
A colorful aerostatic hot air balloon seen from below sits against a deep blue, starry background. The design is vibrant with red, white, and blue segments, surrounded by scattered small yellow and white accents.
For May 10th, today is the day for bubbles.
For this day, I decided to make Equilor, who, while swimming, came across a strange oyster, which, when opened, released the bubble motor
Primrose is the oldest, Daphne is the middle, and Dalena is the youngest. The outfits were found on Pinterest/Instagram. The background was hard to come up with. I referenced Martin Ivanov's Gotham City for the background. Their story is still in the works but I wanted to draw them anyway.
I am delighted to share that I Am a Dragon! has been named to the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's 2024 Baker's Dozen: Thirteen Best Books for Family Literacy!
Here is the list
( I am in such a good company!):
- “10 Dogs” by Emily Gravett
- “ABC and You and Me” by Corinna Luyken
- “Bear with Me” illustrated by Kerascoët, Sebastien Cosset and Marie Pommepuy,
- “The Concrete Garden” by Bob Graham
- “How to Count to ONE (And Don't Even THINK About Bigger Numbers!)” by Caspar Salmon and illustrated by Matt Hunt
- “I Am a Dragon! A Squabble and a Quibble” by Sabina Hahn, published by HarperCollins.
- “If I Was a Horse” by Sophie Blackall
- “The Kitten Story” by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Brittany Cicchese
- “Mr. S” by Monica Arnaldo
- “Night in the City” by Julie Downing
- “Ruffles and the Cozy, Cozy Bed” by David Melling
- “Simon and the Better Bone” by Corey R. Tabor
- “You Go First” by Ariel Bernstein and illustrated by Marc Rosenthal
There is a Chinese saying that when the flowers bloom, prosperity follows. The Lunar New Year is a spring time celebration. There are 15 days to the Lunar New Year celebration but typically the first 3 days are the most celebrated. In celebration of the festive season, this is a post for Day 2.
In the meantime, he was dotting the ‘I’s and crossing the ‘T’s, waiting for the S and the H to show up.”
― Caimh McDonnell, A Man With One of Those Faces
#dailydrawing #mouse #caimhmcdonnell #collage
Inktober
Day 20
Frost
I think this is one of my best drawings. I actually put a lot of thought and work into this one, then I did the previous ones. Stipling is a very hard, time consuming,and patient way of doing ink drawings. I have seen beautiful stippling drawings and wanted to try on this one.
