Mermaid & Sea Witch- Excerpts from the sketchbook

Yen Quach 261 DVA Other Illustrations/ Processes etc

Sketchbook used for the project

Initial concept sketch from first page of sketchbook, later scanned in with colors digitally added as the first foray into the project to explore mood and theme possibilities

Mono prints, one simple design on thick paper the other a combination of two monoprinting processes digitally edited together

Monoprint on newpaper. The one above has been digitally altered for the gradient tones. The ‘framed portrait’ idea comes back for the final pieces of this project

Screen prints of jellyfish done during an induction to the process- 4 of 20 have been sold at time of writing Simple repeating prints done on tissue paper and cartridge paper, used as a background texture elsewhere in the project

More experimentation, with the first sketch done in an iPad drawing app before moving over into PaintTool SAI to finish it off. It doesn’t feel quite ‘right’ for this project, so I move back to traditional media...

Ideas/experimentations for this mermaid project done in my #draweveryday project/sketchbook. Elements from even drawings these appear in the final pieces/illustrations for this project. Nothing really goes to waste.

Experimenting with ink and watercolors on bristol board to figure out a working process before beginning the comic. I discover a way to manipulate the interesting properties of a bottle of Parker’s Quink, which is normally for fountain pens, though I’m using a (vintage!) dip pen, a process that I’m exploiting comfortably only after getting literally halfway through the making of my comic!

Comic process- all done traditionally with a dip pen and ink (2 types, one water soluable to a degree and one indelible) on bristol board. Washi tape used to mask off some areas. A further 3 pages is scripted and added at this point to bring the total number of pages from 9 to 12.

This is done as it ensures a logical ‘flow’ to the project and the direction in which it goes

Once finished, the comic is posted online, with a link to a blog that’s open to submissions for the fashion x mermaid half of this project.

Part One of the comic Part Two of the comic Ningyokei blog- a tag system and relayout is needed but it serves as a good point of inspiration and reference

Submission from a Tumblr user for my project- although the brief is to set it as a pathway/viable project for the future, it is already getting results now...but as the way things so, and especially with street fashion/trends, it takes time to really grow and develop. The project looks at starting off a style that can support itself after a while- with things like my comic, blog and fashion/mermaid illustrations to support it and inspire others

Process of fashion x mermaid illustrations from sketches based on the submission previously for this set. I’ve tried to incorporate elements/shapes from the human design into the fin and tail shapes as well as clothes (with consideration given to the side/rib gills as in my ‘base’ design for the mermaids) The final ‘frames’ that the illustrations rest in have elements from printmaking done earlier on as experimentation for this project

Putting together the illustrations with a layout that combines a repeating scale pattern done as part of experimentation with print to look like a fancy album. From a test print out, where the illustrations are a5 sized, I figure that a ‘frame’ is needed to give the illustrations that extra polish

From sketch to final frame, digitally composited from elements such as a scale pattern monoprint on wrinkled brown paper of mysterious origin (packing paper?) to a more formal ‘frame’ of seashells, seaweed and seahorses.

Experimenting with beadwork as some ideas for accessories were sketched out. I created a simplified scallop shell pattern, which appears on the physical garment as a necklace and waistband detail. This could have been taken further if not for time constraints

WIP photos taken of the top of the physical piece- the skirt portion was still brewing in terms of execution but once the idea for a scalloped hem appeared, it was quickly finished. Overlaid lace piece reappears then as a high waisted type of overskirt. By this point the forms of the fashion style and accompanying illustrations were starting to be worked on

Finished garment- scalloped hem was a lucky estimate in how it fit exactly (as I’ve had previous experience with this sewing technique, I was not too worried). These views unfortunately didn’t fit into the frames made for the illustrations/other parts of this project

Other views of the garment- a single petticoat underneath gives the skirt the extra ‘fluff’ it needs to showcase the scalloped hem well. In comparison to the ‘street fashion’ illustrations made, this design fits very well into the ‘mermaid’ category. There was the idea to screen-print onto this, but due to time constraints and print room availability, I was unable to. I don’t think this design suffers from the lack of a print on it, however!