Dmitry Shostakovich (1906–1975)
Shostakovich’s contemporaries do not recall seeing him working, at least not in the traditional sense. The Russian composer was able to conceptualize a new work entirely in his head, and then write it down with extreme rapidity—if uninterrupted, he could average twenty or thirty pages of score a day, making virtually no corrections as he went.
But this feat was apparently preceded by hours or days of mental composition—during which he “appeared to be a man of great inner tensions,” the musicologist Alexei Ikonnikov observed, “with his continually moving, ‘speaking’ hands, which were never at rest.”
Shostakovich himself was afraid that perhaps he worked too fast. “I worry about the lightning speed with which I compose,” he confessed in a letter to a friend. Undoubtedly this is bad. One shouldn’t compose as quickly as I do. Composition is a serious process, and in the words of a ballerina friend of mine, “You can’t keep going at a gallop.” I compose with diabolical speed and can’t stop myself.… It is exhausting, rather unpleasant, and at the end of the day you lack any confidence in the result. But I can’t rid myself of the bad habit.
- From Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
#dailyrituals #inktober #shostakovich @masoncurrey
I want the composition to be thoughtful but on the sad side. My skill practice was brush strokes and blending (but not overdoing the blending) as I try to figure out how I stylize as an artist. Still working in the realm of realism and proportions as I am a newbie, but wanna flex into stylization a bit more. I did this through Rebelle 5, which is absolutely amazing, IMO.
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
Hey friends! Sorry for my absence here in these days, I've been working hard (in commissions, requests, zines, wow!)! Here's a quick drawing about good vibes and flowers as I'm working in my Zodiac Signs Design Project, more info soon!
Today in Portugal we celebrate our freedom day, while being inside. This is a portrait of one of our icons: Zeca Afonso, singing the iconic song "Grândola Vila Morena".
Daily Drawing 670
From "A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities" by Anthony Kaldellis
Divorce.
By law, a man could ask for divorce if his wife had questioned his masculine honour - say, through infidelity or immoral behavior; caused him bodily harm by attempts on his live through magic or physical violence; or jeopardized his attempts to procreate - for example, through infidelity or abortion. He could also demand divorce if his wife was incapable of fulfilling her conjugal duties due to an incurable illness - say, madness or leprosy. Madness was sometimes distinguished from demonic possession, which did not constitute grounds for divorce.
Attachments area
Here is one of 3 illustrations I made for customizable postcards, available for purchase at @cava.galeria.
I wanted to make a silly #goose with a fun #hat
I always start packing by packing my books. For larger ones I love using twine.
Moving soon. So tiring!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvpt_F0udl8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==