Moss Whispers

Today, I spent hours researching and attempting to paint bubbles! Since this is an ongoing learning, I am experimenting with just ‘attaching’ sample bubbles I’m working with, rather than risking having to do the whole painting over if one of my bubbles were to ‘burst’ into a ‘booboo!. So here are my trial bubble samples. I’m thinking I want the colors to be more reflective of what’s around them. For now, here’s what I have. The text is the same as I posted last time. This page seems pretty ‘busy’ as must be this little guy’s mind as he lives in his dreamworld!
I’m so close to finishing the first draft of this book! Persistence and patience seem to be required.

So tomorrow when I climb from my home in the tree…

I’ll play what I play…

I’ll see what I see…

Little guy made it to sleep before I did tonight! And he’s already planning his next day! How did I get behind? No worries! Slowly goes the snail, leaving its diamond trail! Still more to finish on this painting…after my numbing fingers revive themselves with a good night’s sleep. Too easy to slip and slide with the brush this late! And that could be dangerous up in a tree! Besides, I need to ‘sleep-learn’ how to paint bubbles!

So tomorrow when I climb from my home in the tree…
I’ll play what I play…
I’ll see what I see…

Ended up somewhere without my regular paints. Some of these colors seem very different from the ones I’ve been using.  And the birds are still deciding what color to be. More work to do on this, but the night clock is ticking!

No pin, no acorn cap
no single key…
The jingle didn’t come
from one thing I could see.
The sound wasn’t made
from just ONE thing.
NOW I know what makes a jingle ring!

This was a fun one to paint except for the fact that I couldn’t finish it earlier in the night! At least this little guy is getting somewhere! These birds are waiting for their turn to be added to the previous pictures. They want to be on every page. That will be on the next phase. Also, I need to note for myself that this painting needs to be ‘punched’ with color and background …later.

Okay, now this painting has been ‘enlightened’ with a little more color! And so has the little guy! This the beginning of his ‘aha experience’!

I see what I didn’t see,
I hear it all clear!
It takes a whole pocketful
to make jingles appear!!

(It’s ALL those things!)
It’s the chalk, the acorn,
the pebble AND penny!
All things together…
as one big ‘many’…

I haven’t found a brush or a color or even a stroke to express this page yet, and I’ve been thinking on this one for days! Finally, I’m just ‘letting my brush connect with ‘something’ and trusting that an authentic representation of the text will come through! AND it seems to be the kind of painting that I need to ‘express backwards’! And for a novice with watercolor, painting ‘backwards’ isn’t even ‘up my sleeve’ yet! So…here goes!

#&&*!%#!

I hear it!

It rings!…

#&&*!%#!

Need to tweak this painting a lot more! But this little guy and I are REALLY tired! And I have about 4 versions of the text, so for now, I’m just posting two…Finally, he’s letting go of his persistent search! Now maybe we’ll get somewhere!

My pillow’s napping.
I need my rest!
No more searching
For this jingling pest!

Every one of these things,
I’ll toss in this dish!
I’ll drop them ALL in,
I’ll demand my wish!

(or)
Each of these things,
I’ll toss in this bowl!
No mystery jingler
Gets ME out of control!

Okay, so this little guy is way tired, cross, and disgruntled. And for some reason painting and posting this picture also felt that way! Whew! We’re now down to the home stretch if  little guy would PLEASE just give up on his search! I’m getting tired of it! Aren’t you?

No jingle, no jangle,
Not a single ring!
I’m tired of hunting
For this jingling thing!

I’m frenzied, I’m frazzled!
So close to disaster!
No such mystery
Will be MY master!

Lots of emotions coming from this little guy as he gets more and more frustrated in trying to solve this problem! Some of my own drawing frustrations came out in this painting! I decided to crop the really wild part and just focus on his feelings. Gotta love the journey! He’s getting so close to solving his problem but still has one more burst before he can let go enough to find what he’s looking for! And for this writer and painter, she has one more day of this part of the story and many many more revisionings! to climb through to reach ‘letgo’ville! Then we’ll finally settle down for our naps! 

If I can’t solve this problem,
I’ll just sit here and pout!

I’m running into sequence problems here. Lots of images, and expressions, hard to get the text and pics in sequence. Maybe I have one two many pages…This is one image for this text. I’ll post the other half to the text and the image later. Now I see why people have editors! 

I check my pockets
From the inside out.

Clearly, this little guy is frustrated that he can’t find this jingling thing! As he gets more frustrated, so does the text get more frustrating! I’ve rewritten this page and the next 3 or 4 many many ways, and still don’t feel settled yet. For now, we’ll see how the next few pages go! His frustration doesn’t seem to follow any logical sequence. But what’s logical about sleeping in a tree anyway! We’ll just see what happens! ( the text as it is now, is below the picture.)

It’s none of THESE treasures!
Oh, chagrin! chagrin!
My head’s shaking “no”
Propped up on my chin…

What makes this jingle
Ring so clear?
There must be something!
It must be here!