This is one of the projects I've been working on recently, for an art college class. Yes, birds and mail art. Wonderful. Loads of cutting, slicing, collaging, and then drawing and painting, was done. I ended up with a couple of options to work on, and liked them both but ended up picking this one below for the final review.
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I went through a bit of exploration and research and managed to develop quite a fascination with ravens, sifting through poems such as Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven', folklore, fairy-tales, fables--almost picked Aesop's The Crow and the Pitcher--so it isn't too surprising that I went with this pair in the end ... In Norse mythology, Huginn (from Old Norse "thought") and Muninn (Old Norse "memory" or "mind") are a pair of ravens that fly all over the world of Midgard, and bring information and news back to the god Odin. Flying messengers. Perfect.
I've depicted them as a white and black raven, and addressed the envelope to them. Their names are written in ancient Nordic runes just above their respective beaks. Yes, there's a message inside as well, written on rice paper 'parchment'. Private, of course. Let's hope that the envelope will eventually be returned to sender (me!) with a postal mark to show that it's been in the system. Here's a glimpse of the bit of mess I made while researching and working on the project ...
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Here's the back of the envelope with a depiction of the Nordic mythical Tree of Life,Ā Yggdrasil ...
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The ravens and the tree were paper cuttings (my sketch book suffered somewhat) that I painted (watercolour for the birds and some marker pen on the tree) and collaged onto the envelope. On the front I'd also glued crosswords (to symbolize thought, naturally) onto the original white envelope, and then placed a thin sheet of rice paper over the whole thing so that it looked like parchment, slightly aged. I quite like the result, what do you think?
The other attempt at mail art was slightly a different one: I made an envelope from black paper and then cut straight into it, collaging and shading only the white bird on the front. Then I placed white paper inside the envelope so that it showed through the snipped out leaves, flowers and insects.
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Simple, but I think it's quite cute. The back is a more abstract representation of a (meaner) raven and its wings, can you see it?
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I did like this black and white bit of mail art, but once I'd begun on the research for the winged messengers of Odin, I fell in love with them and that was pretty much that. I think I made the right choice picking them as my final piece, what do you think? There are infinite possibilities for both options though, and I may end up using them somehow on cards and other goodies, so keep an eye out for them up at the Floating Lemons shops in the near future ...
Meanwhile, I wish you a fantastic week. Cheers.
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Beautiful Rock Pigeon. It looks real. Well done.
What a lovely envelope. What a joy to find it in your old fashion mailbox.
Love the pigeon! I always enjoy seeing them in cities, all the color variations and the way they walk and fuss with each other. They act so human sometimes... ;D
Very charming!
XXOO~~ā„
Anne
Much as I like the envelope, I was intrigued by your medium choices - acrylics and colored pencils. I've never mixed them together. I know you can guess what just went on my To-Do List.
Happy Christmas card writing,
Annie
You know that I LOVE this painting....and while I don't have the original (lucky Caroline)I do have a card....it is even lovlier in person!
Sending love to you, "SH", "Princess" and Bri..
ā„ Robin ā„
What a beautiful illo! who knew that a pigeon could look so amazingly stunning! Great job! :D
Great work! Beautifully done.
now, if i say YES, oh sure i remember that, then that makes me like, reeeally old, right? which might be kind of cool as then i'd get to meet amelia ehrhart or marlene dietrich (she wanted to be left alone! even by pigeons!) hee, hee!
this is reallllly pretty, lollie! i love his colors and that it's on an envelope! "))
Just came across your blog. I love the concept of your illustration as well as the illustration itself. Well done!
-Barb
Lovely work as always.
I really like this one! Great design and use of colour, a beautiful carrier pigeon!
Your mail goes by air and mine goes by pony express! lol. I love this one.
So beautiful! Lucky Caroline!
Well I know that happened but no I do not remember being there when it happened! LOL Same with pony express! Glad Caroline is enjoying that particular piece of mail. I love your art on brown paper!
Well, it's a great drawing, but I think it was passenger pigeons that delivered the mail. People killed off all the carrier pigeons, methinks.... Well, nope, I looked it up, and you had it right: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Pigeon
Wow Lolo! What a beautidul painting and what a lucky girl that Caroline is! Never seen a lovelier pigeon!
Beautiful and lucky Caroline! But who better to have this treasure? :D
great take on the prompt
Oh ....yay!! There's my Lolo pigeon!! I can cerainly vouch for how wonderful it is in real life - the colours of the feathers are truly beautiful!! I was so lucky to win this and enjoy it everyday in my studio! Lovely that it gets another airing this week! xx
I love pigeons (and their cousins, doves), and that one is beautiful. My baby sister is terrified by them.
lovely. hope your hand is ok after writing all those cards.
Heisann!
Wonderful bird/envelope illustration.
I hope to make one for the topic within this week......
I wish you a joyful Christmas, many hugs from BjĆørg Nina in winterwonderland
That's a lovely painting! I am sitting here watching doves and cardinals battle it out at our birdfeeder, so seeing this post is appropriate! :)) Happy holidays! xox Pam
love the thought of pigeons delivering mail - wouldn't that be cool? Sorta like Owls delivering packages, and mail.
Holiday cards??? what's that!!
Lovely! Lucky Caroline! Happy Holidays!
Another lovely illustration, the colours are gorgeous!
Another lovely illustration, the colours are gorgeous!
lo, so sorry i'm late again! i love this, the beautiful blue colors and OH! on an envelope! i know this will be such a treasure to recieve.
I LOVE drawing on envelopes too, although its been some time since i did it. you are my inspiration dear. have a lovely day okay?
p.s. the prettiest present in a red bow arrived and is waiting under my tree
:) :) :) xxx
Mailart of the highest caliber, Laurel! :)
Simply beautiful! And your blog monochromatic banner is lovely- it makes winter seem so much more magical.
i had to look to see if i had commented already. how bad is that?!
lo, i've seen you mix these magical deep feathered colors and i am enthralled. keep doing what you do ms. missy.
happy happy holidays to us, lo.
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kj
beautiful piece Laurel
regards, Neil
Beautiful beautiful pigeon. I haven't started this topic yet, but this is inspiring me. I totally believe in real mail--physical letters on cards that people make themselves, written with real handwriting. I have files and files of letters/art my friends sent me back when I was in my early 20's, and I"m trying to keep that tradition alive by sending folks real letters. If I get out one a month, I feel like I'm doing good, even though back in "the day" I probably sent out several a week.
Heisann, julsann!
This is my Christmas greeting to you:
http://viltogvakkert.blogspot.com/2010/12/if-mail.html