“Chapter 1: Giraffe Family”
inspired by a photo by © Dave Jenike/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
By Shiloh Moore July 2015
Mixed media
Collage papers (including ‘Chapter 1’ page from a ‘Babysitters Club book’, and scrapbooking papers of music, leaves and hearts, and Paper dotted with ink using bubble wrap)
Layered with tissue paper,
then coloured with Watercolour
Image of drawing combined with background image using ‘Picmonkey’ online editing
Lots and lots of my friends are having children, so I’ve been drawn to pictures of families and pregnancy and children. I was looking through Pinterest and found an amazing image of a family of giraffes. There were no credits for the picture, but I google image searched and found this:
Giraffe Family
© Dave Jenike/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Firstly I drew an outline of my picture:
Outline by Shiloh Moore 13/7/15
I was thinking of drawing the spots on the giraffes using zentangle patterns, but decided I’d like to try using mixed media, and to use the effect of bubble wrap dots to give a spotty effect. I was not sure it would work, but was willing to give it a try!
I set up the backgroud papers:
I chose to use a page from ‘Chapter 1’ of a double-up of a beloved ‘Babysitters Club’ book I had, to give the title ‘Chapter 1’ as the start of life as a new family with the baby Giraffe. Those books bring me good memories of my childhood.
I had to lighten the image for the outline to stand out. So I covered it with with crumpled tissue paper to give it a textured effect.
Here was a basic preview of what it would look like. I was worried you couldn’t see the spots…. But then I added colour.
Here was the background effect in colour.
Then by computer I added the drawing of the giraffes to complete the effect. I don’t know how to manually transfer the image onto the background, so in real life all I have is the background image, plus the plain outline drawing. If anyone knows of a way to transfer them together manually, not just on the computer, that would be ace!
So here is the final product. I’m not entirely sure the bubble wrap texture came through well enough, so I’m not entirely happy with it. But it was a fun effort. I may go back to the original drawing and draw in some spots with Zentangle techniques afterall. But for now, I’m utterly exhausted and in a tonne of pain so I must ban myself from doing more for a while!!!! Happily so though 🙂
Wonderful, Shi! Love seeing the process and the sentiment behind it.
Jo Lynagh
Thanks so much Jo! Great to hear from you. I think of you and your precious fam for it – I'd just have to add another young giraffe to the flock! 🙂 Lots of love to you and gratitude xxx