drawing girl

Drawing kids and making kids character are really tough for me. I am stuck at that stage and feel like not being able to get out...



Sketches for the dummy book. I was planning to make a complete dummy book and two or three finished paintings by the crit on Thursday next week but it seems impossible...



To be comfortable with drawing children is not something that I can attain in six weeks. I should spend whole this summer sketching kids!! It must be a happy thing to know what is my problem and what to do to overcome it.

Spotted

Joining the tour, I learned a lot, not only birds but also food and cultures. Even though I am staying in UK, I haven't been able to experience much British food yet since I'm living on my own, cooking something that I know.



Spotted and Common Redshank（ツルシギとアカアシシギ）
It was really clear that Spotted Redshank has much longer bill than common one.



Spotted Dick
この妙な名前のお菓子は、レーズン入りのケーキをカスタードクリームにつけたようなデザートだ。アップルパイやパウンドケーキにアイスやカスタードクリームをかけて食べるのがこちらでは一般的なようだ。

Birds sketches

We saw more than 60 species of birds during the birdwatching trip!



Barn Owl（メンフクロウ）
It is amazing to see how white they are when flying. I totally agree with the description, "ghost-like appearance" in the Colins Bird Guide book.
After flying and hunting for a while, it perched on a pole!!



Oystercatcher（ミヤコドリ）
Spring seems to have come for Oystercatchers. They were already warbling to each other and mating.



Shelducks and Grey Heron at Abberton Reservoir（ツクシガモとアオサギ）

The Red Ship

In England, I can actually experience what I was playing make-believe in my childhood inspired by adventure books. Last weekend, I joined estuary birdwatching trip in Tollesbury, the marshy marina in Essex.



Trinity, the red former lightship was our home for two days. It was such a nice feeling to walk back to the "ship" for dinner and bed after watching birds at some sanctuaries!



場所や場面に対する思いは人一倍強いほうだ。ストーリーを作るときも、自分が訪れた場所を基盤に、こういうところで、こういうシーンというイメージはすぐに出てくる。これまで風景や、生き物、出来事をこうしてスケッチやメモで描きためてきたのが、気づかぬところで役立っているのだと思う。
でもいま絵本作りのプロジェクトをはじめて、キャラクター作りに苦戦中だ。人や個体の観察も、今後、意識してやっていかなくては。



The muddy field reminds me of the Secret Water by Arthur Ransome. I hope I can visit the Hamford Water, the actual locale of the story someday as well!

Hornbill bag

Happy Chinese New Year! My classmate brought some Chinese sweets to our studio today! It's really fun to study in multi-cultural class.



My Thai friend kindly commissioned me to design for her new year's gift again this year!
So I drew the Oriental Pied Hornbills inspired by the trip to Klong Ya last April.

◆◇◆お知らせ◆◇◆
わたしが在学しているコースがNHK BS1のガッチャンという番組で紹介される模様です。
2月11日（金） NHK BS1 18:00-18:20
「夢を描け！イギリス絵本学部」ほか