I finally have an idea for a mosaic but I think it may be rather difficult and I am not sure that I can draw it. So today I did a proof of concept drawing. However, the concept was not what I initially envisaged because I got carried away. It still has many details missing like suction cups. Intriguing. Also, I ran out of space.

I’ve changed the drawing since taking this photo. I tried to make the woman less busty as I don’t want to her to feel sexualised. I should probably give her some clothes then, eh? If nudity was good enough for ‘The Birth of Venus’, then the drawing is probably okay as it is. Anyway, the current version doesn’t look as good, but no matter, it will change again when I draw it on my tile backing board.

Listen to this. It is so interesting. I learnt a new word and concept today. My son said my drawing looked eldritch. Eldritch means weird, sinister or ghostly. When I looked the word up, the font of all knowledge said eldritch was associated with Lovecraftian horror. That made me feel so last century because I didn’t know what that meant either. It is a concept named after American author HP Lovecraft. Wikipedia advises me that Mr Lovecraft’s work emphasises “a philosophy of cosmicism, the idea that the reality underlying the veneer of normality is so alien that seeing it would be harmful.” In the case of my drawing, the octopus is meant to be showing comfort to a distraught woman. However, I can appreciate why the viewer might not see it that way. As I said, I got a bit carried away and the comfort factor was subsumed in my subconscious by unease. So maybe it fits after all. We will see how it evolves. Yes, we will.

I might be completely insane thinking I can mosaic this. Or maybe I already am. It is hard to know.

What do you think? Am I insane?

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

56 thoughts on “Inked”

  1. Either insane or very very talented to realise this in mosaic. It looks a lovely, intricate, and maybe just a little eldritch design, and getting that wispiness in clunky little tiles seems a Big Ask to me. But you wouldn’t have got this far if you hadn’t some idea about how to achieve it. I’m Watching This Space.

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  2. No not insane. Great things happen sometimes when we push our limits! I hope you share your progress. Id love to see this concept developing.
    New word for me too and concept “Lovecraftian Horror”. I just love learning something new. Thanks Tracy 😀

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  3. Insane in the most sane way! I can already envisage your mosaic and can’t wait to see the end result! (No pressure, you know that).
    Thanks for expanding my vocabulary and knowledge. Gosh! There is still so much to learn.

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    1. No I haven’t, Lois. Maybe I shouldn’t look at them in case I am intimidated by his brilliance? I hope it will be lovely too. I think I may need to spend a week in the tile warehouse looking for just the right tile. I must contact the tile company to see if they will let me wander.

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  5. I love your concept and drawing Tracy, and would really to see you realise it. Mosaic is so outside my spheres of understanding that I can’t imagine how you’d capture all the curved intricacy. But like Margaret, I’m confident that if you’re imagining it, you can realise it.

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  7. Your drawing reminds me of a dry point etching. It has strong graphic imagery. I’m interested in seeing you mosaic. There are a number of challenges and will be exciting to see how you resolve them.

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  8. I guess that if you make the mosaic large it may be easier to deal with, though I don’t know how you achieve features like hair. But then I’ve never attempted a mosaic. You have sure set yourself a challenge, but I say, why not? Your other mosaics have been successful, so no reason why this shouldn’t be too.

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    1. I’ve got a 40x40cm board for this one, Jane, so it won’t be small. Unless of course I change my mind …. The hair is the easy part. It is the face that will be the trickiest part I think and also the patterning and the myriad feet in the octopus. No idea what I’m going to do with these last few pieces.

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    1. Hugging. That would mean I would have to make the octopus brown because red/orange is the colour they turn when angered.
      I did think it looked quite Medusa-ish too. I might go back to my initial idea but that octopus is much harder to draw.
      Thanks for the feedback, Christine.

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  11. They say all geniuses are a little insane!!! But I just love this concept Tracy. What amazing imagination you have and I hope that you share this creative journey with us as a work in progress. It will be a challenge, but you are a very talented mosaic artist. Go for it……🤗

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    1. My husband suggested I watch “My Octopus Teacher” today. Have you seen that, Dries? Since one of my readers told me that women and octopus art was a thing, i had second thoughts about pusuing this art subject but after watching that doco I am more enthusiastic.

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  13. Thinking of the Atticus quote: “when It comes to art, it’s important not to hide the madness”. So, go for it Tracy!

    “Eldritch” is also new to me. I love the sound of it. And the aesthetic of your sketch. Can’t wait to see how you continue to transform it.

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    1. I probably won’t share photos of progress, Liz, but I’ll let people know that I am still alive and working on it. 🙂 I am prone to temper tantrums as I go along and, trust me, noone needs to see the results of that.

      Thanks for the info on Audrey Driscoll. I will definitely check her novels out. I’m really intrigued.

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  15. Until I read your text I didn’t see the octopus head and I thought the illustration was a female with very long curly strands of hair and she appeared vulnerable in a very fragile and beautiful sense. It’s lovely how you’ve drawn her.

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  16. Talented … definitely. Insane – it’s possible but there’s no proof on this blog. 🙂 I love your drawing. I didn’t notice the bustiness at all and I didn’t identify the octopus. I’m not sure if you will think that’s a bad thing. But I was surprised by both those factors in your text. Anyway, I think your drawing is beautiful and evocative and I can’t wait to see how you craft it with tiny bits of broken tile.

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    1. A couple of people didn’t see those details. I like that. There is a lot of subtle detail when I create a mosaic too. It is as much a discovery to me as it is to the recipient of the piece.
      It will take a long time. It might not be finished until the end of the year.

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  18. I was writing something really good and lost my train of thought — OH YEAH! I’m not the person you should ask if you’re insane. The question “Can you do it?” is art’s way of encouraging you to take the journey. Go for it. It will be amazing, lovely, a wonder and transformative.

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  19. Of course you are insane…ly talented! And I love your new word – never heard it before. My daughter read Lovecraft though, I know. Now I will be looking out for more drafts and fantastic plans. I am sure you will realise them, but maybe a bit differently from your original thoughts?
    Wishing you a lovely Sunday ♥

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  20. Not insane at all, Tracy – you have a beautiful vision and I have every confidence that this will be your masterpiece. I adore the drawing and concept behind it and your son found a very cool word for it. I’ve read quite a lot of HP Lovecraft in my teens – very intense and utterly fascinating stuff. He was big on tentacles so maybe that’s why your son felt reminded of him. 😉
    Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished and hope you’ll share some inbetween stage pics as well. 🐙💕

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