(yellow bus still in hand)

This layout actually took me 2 days! I'm amazed I was able to go to sleep... *lol* I really loved the work of Matte Stephens that I found via drawn.ca, an illustration blog. The challenge this week @ 2Peas is "Art Inspiration", so I chose a cute little birdie of Matte's and closely copied him. =) I learned a lot doing it, too--made all kinds of different brushes to allow me to grunge up the flat digital drawing. Turned out pretty well, I think! Then I adapted the doodles to make a real tree, and I used broad shapes of flat color for the background.

Then, I had no clue what to do.

Eventually I found this cute photo of Allen's from 2005, I think--he was about 2 years old, and we were visiting San Francisco. I extracted him, repainted a shoe that was full of grass (even back then he had big feet, though!), and placed him in the birdie's line of sight.

Then, I had no clue what to do.

So I wrote a poem. *laugh*



your once small steps have led you
(yellow bus still in hand)
through countries of idea and color
and still, with curiosity, you
explore the land of words
chunga floudle marinkajay, you said
--in grand exclamatory style

I hope that the other side of reality
will never be less important
that you will pass through
like Alice,
a citizen of both worlds