Sequins, shiny and bright
Sparkle and twinkle
In the light
Plastic circles
Dragon scales?
Are they magic
No, just pale
Imitations of fish skin
Gleaming and glittering in
The bright
Light
Tonight.
Sequins
Tag: Scales
Dragon thoughts
Looking back on the first half of 2022, I was struggling to finish my Illustration course. But things weren’t too bad and I was OK eventually. Then in the last six things got worse through illness and loss. So I have decided not to make an actual resolution, but I have decided to be more ‘dragon’ this year, I will try and be stronger and more thoughtful, patient and brave (but no fierce temper!). The illustration is from a drawing I did last summer.
Had to…
I saw a dragon
Hiding in plain sight
Standing by graffiti
Under a street light
But when I looked away
And looked again
I say!
The dragon it was gone
It decided not to stay!
I just wanted a pic
On my phone
But it was too quick!
So sadly all I have
Is its tail- just the tip
And a shower of loose scales
One of many epic fails!
Goodbye dragon
And now you’re gone!
Abstract ‘scales’
Watercolour and felt pen ‘scales’ digitally manipulated to create a jazzy pattern. To dazzle and bemuse? What kind of creature could stand next to this and be hidden? A chameleon dragon of course? Can you see him? No? Didn’t think so! He’s magic!
😂
Pages from my book.
These are another couple of pages from my book, the story is on the right embedded in my photoshop drawing. The pattern on the left is a photo of arrow shaped post-it notes and multi coloured foil circles glued together to represent dragon scales. I used a website called Blurb to create a single copy of the book. It even has an ISBN number!
Spirals clouds or scales?
Your choice. Multiplied image initially drawn in black ink pen, then I added black grey and pale brown shading to give the effect of layers of paper. Finally I twisted each section in my layout app to create a symmetrical pattern. Having done work on my MA based on dragons and Asian art can’t help feeling that a dragon may emerge. I would have to add a layer on to create this. Something to experiment with.
Dragon scales?
Shiny table top duplicated.
Metal scales?
Shining body
Wingbeat buffeting
Clad in sky
Scales ripple in flight
As the air squeezes
Between them.
Scales?
Reflected on a table top. Polished circles look like metallic scales. A layer of smeared washing liquid leaves a texture and using the layout app on my phone I mirrored and duplicated the images. I almost see metallic blue feathers?
Back to college
I need to start working on my college project. I’ve given myself time to recover from a bad cold, but I can’t ignore it. I need to produce a portfolio of images and a report to go alongside it. I’ve decided to write about the history of dragons in illustrations. Their images in world history, moving forward in time to medieval art and then the present day including their appearances in literature and film. My portfolio will be illustrations and text for a children’s book exploring colour and pattern alongside an adventure. I hoe it works out.
Dragon hide
What does a dragon need to stay safe? If you read The Hobbit, Smaug the dragon was killed by an arrow that pierced a soft area in his skin under his arm. Dragons have to have a strong skin..
So what would it look like? I’ve been experimenting with how big the scales would be. I guess they would have to be like an alligator or crocodile skin, rather than a lizard or snake whose scales seem smaller or softer. The dragon would need fire retardant scales to prevent charring or burning either around its mouth when it is fire breathing or on the rest of its body. Maybe male dragons duel in short fights, if they were to attack each others wings they would need to be strong. Dragons wings always look vulnerable. The skin is stretched between bony fingers. Surely that could easily be holed if it were not well maintained. Lots to consider.
Mallaband-Brown 