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xdragonflyx — . we raced the wind and won .

Published: 2009-11-27 17:58:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 7070; Favourites: 428; Downloads: 0
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Description Prints available upon request. Please note me if interested.

This piece belongs to the body of work for my B.F.A. Senior Exhibit. It features an original childrens' story of mine about a girl's little plush toy who finds adventure when accidentally left in the woods. ^^

This is another double-page spread for the story.

I love birch trees so much.

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Artist/Show Statement:

Lost.

The dreaded moment when a child realizes that her beloved plush toy is missing. But he’s more than just a toy to her. He has a name. He has a personality. He has fears, dreams, and emotions. And now he’s slipped away from her protective embrace, left alone to face such a big and unfamiliar world. Who will tuck him in at night? Who will share their cookies with him? And more importantly, who is going to hug him when he’s afraid?

A lost plush toy can be very traumatic for a child. The world is still new and oftentimes challenging, and it’s easy for such displacement to be projected from toy to child when that toy is an extension of the child. Children need to be comforted and reassured, and in turn they feel the need to comfort and reassure their stuffed friends. When a faux fur friend becomes lost, the child becomes distressed because a part of her is facing the world alone.

But should she be distressed? What if the world isn’t such a scary place, after all? What if he isn’t alone and neglected, but surrounded by a new set of friends? An unfortunate event could easily be an opportunity of a lifetime. Sooner or later, those who are lost are going to be…

...Found.
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Comments: 101

Inficia [2012-10-24 22:18:31 +0000 UTC]

I have a question about your use of references (or non use of them). Do you look at photos? Or do you draw the animal until you feel confident in your ability to illustrate it? I am just curious looking at some of your more eccentric animals like sugar babies.

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xdragonflyx In reply to Inficia [2014-01-05 21:51:19 +0000 UTC]

I use references as often as I can. I'll look at photos, studies found in animal anatomy books, and sometimes other artworks to see how other artists have approached a specific animal. Sometimes it involves sketching an animal repeatedly until I get it right, and it almost always involves sketching and refining the final drawing until I'm satisfied with it.

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the-carolyn-michelle [2012-10-22 23:08:18 +0000 UTC]

I love this.

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VeronicaRosejones [2012-01-26 17:04:06 +0000 UTC]

WOW Theses are soo beautiful!!!!!!!!

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SeaSpryte [2011-11-24 02:20:02 +0000 UTC]

Another lovely piece!

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odwild [2011-09-20 09:35:33 +0000 UTC]

Featured in the news article Children illustration - digital art feature

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SaskiaDeKorte [2011-09-20 08:53:07 +0000 UTC]

gorgeous work the birches are very lovely.

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chibiakemi [2011-03-06 05:46:36 +0000 UTC]

I saw this at GVSU~ Looks much better in person.

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Shizuku-Uzu [2011-01-28 04:30:04 +0000 UTC]

this is so cute! very nice!

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NikTiberius [2010-03-07 04:12:24 +0000 UTC]

I can't stop looking at this. What a beautiful piece!

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xdragonflyx In reply to NikTiberius [2010-03-13 03:35:32 +0000 UTC]

Why thank you! ^^

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Katany [2010-01-14 07:09:25 +0000 UTC]

Oh! so many detals! wow... awsome

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xdragonflyx In reply to Katany [2010-01-28 18:02:41 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I absolutely love details. ^^

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CairnCoyote [2010-01-10 06:52:35 +0000 UTC]

This is absolutely beautiful! I love the colors and the texture!

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xdragonflyx In reply to CairnCoyote [2010-01-29 01:07:28 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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wilted-desert-rose [2010-01-03 05:38:04 +0000 UTC]

I'm definitely not trying to nitpick, because this is a beautiful piece...but the stream seems to stop at the deer and doesn't continue on back towards the horizon. Was that intentional?

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xdragonflyx In reply to wilted-desert-rose [2010-01-29 01:05:08 +0000 UTC]

That's the one thing I've been critiqued on that bothers people... It wasn't intentional, and my thinking was that it curved around with the slight incline of that hill. I think I'm going to fix it, though, since it does look awkward.

Thanks for your critique! ^^

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KreepingSpawn [2010-01-01 01:59:41 +0000 UTC]

perfeclty gorgeous. you have a playful warm style accessable to children that still carries a dignified elegance which appeals to adults. well balanced.

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xdragonflyx In reply to KreepingSpawn [2010-01-29 00:58:28 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! I think it's just as important to appeal to the adults, especially as they're usually the ones who are caught reading the book over and over, so it thrills me that you think my work is balanced in that aspect. ^^

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KreepingSpawn In reply to xdragonflyx [2010-01-30 12:50:41 +0000 UTC]

absolutely. has this gone to print yet? i might snatch up a copy!

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xdragonflyx In reply to KreepingSpawn [2010-01-31 21:29:49 +0000 UTC]

Not yet, but I'm hoping it will in the near future!

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KreepingSpawn In reply to xdragonflyx [2010-02-02 00:48:11 +0000 UTC]

me too!!

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drop-asd [2009-12-31 14:34:34 +0000 UTC]

I simply adore your style. I could stare all day at the textures you use. The lines appear so simple at a first look but when I examine them I cannot help but admire the way they capture the forms in a perfect way with as great detail as stylization allows.

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xdragonflyx In reply to drop-asd [2010-01-29 00:50:42 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for such lovely words!

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Jezhawk [2009-12-07 01:05:01 +0000 UTC]

I just love what you did with the stream. I can almost hear it trickling and gurgling!

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xdragonflyx In reply to Jezhawk [2009-12-09 00:36:51 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I love illustrating water. ^^

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pallanoph [2009-12-06 08:01:07 +0000 UTC]

Seriously!!!! I love the graceful flow the piece follows, from creature to creature. The shifts in color and tone and texture...

AND THE TREES. I share your love of birch trees, and yet, have scarcely drawn any.

What a beautiful series this is!

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xdragonflyx In reply to pallanoph [2009-12-09 00:39:59 +0000 UTC]

You must draw trees, woman! A whole forest of birch trees! And then your birch trees can meet my birch trees and everyone will be happy with a surplus of birch trees.

And thank you, as always!

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pallanoph In reply to xdragonflyx [2009-12-09 05:38:23 +0000 UTC]

YES. It shall be done!

And it will be a joyous occasion for all! MOAR. MOAR TREES.

You're quite welcome!

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Nivalis70 [2009-12-01 07:36:57 +0000 UTC]

I love your style

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xdragonflyx In reply to Nivalis70 [2009-12-01 21:37:50 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Alicemonstrinho [2009-11-30 22:52:00 +0000 UTC]

Your art is magnific! your art style and the way the lines go, it's just amazing!

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xdragonflyx In reply to Alicemonstrinho [2009-12-01 21:37:59 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Gaabs [2009-11-29 15:41:09 +0000 UTC]

I LOVE YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS SO MUCCHCHHHH!! !

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xdragonflyx In reply to Gaabs [2009-12-01 21:40:39 +0000 UTC]

Haha, thank you!!

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Merides [2009-11-29 14:38:20 +0000 UTC]

I'm going to second everything said... and ask you to publish this as a book. It would sell, just by artwork alone.

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xdragonflyx In reply to Merides [2009-12-01 21:41:30 +0000 UTC]

heheh, thanks! As of now there aren't enough pages for a complete book, but I'm going to see if maybe I can write the story and get a publisher interested.

If not, there's always self-publishing!

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Merides In reply to xdragonflyx [2009-12-03 02:55:02 +0000 UTC]

Keep us posted on that...

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xdragonflyx In reply to Merides [2009-12-05 21:06:24 +0000 UTC]

Will do!

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HeatherHitchman [2009-11-29 00:17:00 +0000 UTC]

o love this piece! the frame is filled perfectly and the line of motion created by the animals is beautiful

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xdragonflyx In reply to HeatherHitchman [2009-12-01 21:41:42 +0000 UTC]

Thanks heather!

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CindarellaPop [2009-11-28 21:39:04 +0000 UTC]

You could publish this, seriously.

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xdragonflyx In reply to CindarellaPop [2009-12-01 21:42:09 +0000 UTC]

I hope so! Definitely going to try and get it picked up, but I think they'll want a written story to go with it.

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CindarellaPop In reply to xdragonflyx [2009-12-01 23:34:35 +0000 UTC]

Best of luck.

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puppeteer-for-kings [2009-11-28 10:08:10 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful, as always!

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xdragonflyx In reply to puppeteer-for-kings [2009-12-01 21:42:11 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Trivia-Master [2009-11-28 07:10:04 +0000 UTC]

Magical! The detail on the trees (and everything else)is incredible!

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xdragonflyx In reply to Trivia-Master [2009-12-01 21:42:14 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Witbik [2009-11-28 05:39:32 +0000 UTC]

This is astoundingly exquisite ^^

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xdragonflyx In reply to Witbik [2009-12-01 21:42:17 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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