Week 25 Postcard Challenge~AUSTRALIA

I was so excited to learn week 25 in the challenge was taking us to Australia- This is on my bucket list of places I would LOVE to visit!! If  I ever get the chance to "Go Down Under" it will be to the GREAT BARRIER REEF. I have always loved the beautiful fish and coral from the area. I have been wanting to do a watercolor of Clownfish for a long time -had this image in my file from the internet -so it was perfect for my card

Front of Card

This was another labor of love- (*8 hours)-First everything was outlined

in copic gray pen- The Clownfish were water colored in Daniel Smith

watercolors.Anemone took forever- wanted them to be translucent

so I used several colors of twinkling H2O's(forgot glimmer

makes it difficult to take decent pictures)-

Then all the  fingers were outlined in black Pitt pen.

Detailing done to fish  with more Pitt pens

Back of Card

"Melite,

After being home for about a month I decided to get some

R& R-Was tempted to head to England,

but wasn't  sure if it was proper timing. So I'm in

Australia- My  co-workers have told me

how peaceful it  was to scuba dive the

GREAT BARRIER REEF. And it is so relaxing~

only wish you were here-

Next time you will be here with me!

I'm so upset the "visions" persist~

Hopefully the new therapist will help.

Off to Fraser & Tiwi Islands- Plan

to buy some fabulous art!

Hoping for Peace for you soon,

Alexander

xxooxx "

Background is a print of Tiwi art work done in

gray Copic pen-light wash of white watercolor and splatter of pink

Page in Book

After spending so much time on the card I took

a shortcut on the page- The main image is of the

Barrier Reef I downloaded form Wipikedia.

Just loved all the coral and the bright blue starfish.

I added the Hawk nose Turtle  and more fish

to the image. The lettering is from a

poster  advertising the movie 'Australia'-

Outlined and colored with white poster paint pens.

(In honor to  the Aussie actors Hugh Jackman &Nicole Kidman)

I loved that movie for the scenery (and of  coarse Hugh!)-

So this why I fell in love with Australia!

Card in Book

 So another completed page in my book .

Hope everyone had a great time visiting Australia!

GOOD DAY MATES!

Happy Creating ,

 Fotojoy/ Joyce



PC Challenge Week 24~ITALY

Week 24 finds the challenge  in ITALY~ A place I hope one day to visit-There are so Many amazing sites in Italy -that it was hard to choose one place BUT I did choose to visit ~GENOA. A place that is extra special ,because I was raised in a town called Genoa- Genoa is: the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, 6th largest city in Italy, home to a wealthy seaport and it has the most amazing cathedrals!(diSan Lorenzo, Basilica SS Annunziata del Vastato, Basilica of Nostra Signora) The main centre of town revolves around Piazza del Ferrari (famous  Opera house is located here). My subject for my card is an image from Staglieno Cemetery (this cemetery has the most decorative statues and monuments I have every seen ) .Just thought this image followed my storyline perfectly...

Front of Card

Back to my Copics markers to do this image.

This beautiful angel is a full scale tombstone marker

in Staglieno Cemetery.

Back of Card

Correspondence:

Alexander,

Just received your last postcards-

Since arriving in England my “Visions” have become more frequent and ‘dark’. The front of this card is a depiction of one such image- Since you have been unable to provide information as to the events of Austria; I have sought assistance from a hypo-therapist here. So please Do Not contact your friend to “dig around” my life! My stay in England will be extended- if you’re near Devonshire –drop in for tea.

My friends are in Italy- lots of time to paint-so they mailed this for me.

Take care of yourself,

Melite

Page in Book

Since there are so many great things to see in Italy-
I made a photo collage of all the things to see:(clockwise)

Coliseum in Rome

  Duomo Cathedral in Milan

Monument to Christopher Columbus in Genoa

Seaside House in Capria

Canal Boat in Venice

Colorful Seaside city of Genoa

Completed Page in Book

So another 'chapter 'of the weekly 

Postcard Challenge is over -so

onto the  next destination.

Happy Creating,

Fotojoy/Joyce  



PC Challenge Week 23~POLAND

Week 23  brings us to Poland -Once known as the Land of Rainbows? Not sure where that originated from ,but it used to be a slogan for tourism in the late 40-50's. I know when Darcy posted Poland my first thought was of Lenin and all the conflicts of wars. But since that really did not flow with my story line I did a little research. On the advice of  a  good friend; she suggested that since Pope John Paul II was from Poland maybe I could use that somehow. So I used the Pope as a starting point - found out he went to university at Jagiellonian in Krakow. He was formerly known as Karol Wojtyla and was the archbishop to Krakow. [Which happens to be the 2nd largest city in Poland & also the oldest city in Poland] Krakow(Cracow) was known as the "Royal City"of Poland for a long time. Today Krakow is home to many companies such as IBM, Motorola, GE, Delphi ,Hitachi, Philip Morris-Because there are so many universities and large companies housed there the city is considered the  national academic & artistic center of Poland.

FRONT of Card

This card was a LABOR of love & time - took almost 16 hours to do-

This was inspired by a poster done in the 1940's- I fell in love

with all the white outlines of the buildings and just was so drawn

to it I had to try to re-produce it... So after several attempts to draw it I gave

up and just went with it - The water coloring was a challenge -

Hard to get browns to look correct BUT the worse was getting the fine

white lines of the detailing- Several pens later I decided on a dip pen and here's

the end result- (the trees ,ship and banner were cut from the original card)

BACK of Card

Correspondence:

Melite,

Well since I have not heard from you in England, I decided to take a chance and write to you anyways.  It did make me feel good in a way; to know you were worried about me. I’m sorry you felt I was being secretive about my job, but in time you will understand why. Have you had any further ‘visions’ about Austria? With your permission I can ask a friend of mine to check out our  activities- So let me know.

   I’m in Kracow, Poland attending to some work investments –I'll be home soon!

Hope to hear from you soon!!

Alexander

PAGE in Book

Page in book now shows part of "The Old City" of

Krakow  today-this part of the city which is on the

UNESCO World Heritage list.

(Also done in watercolors ) Some of the famous people of Poland are shown

along the bottom of the page -Copernicus, Chopin, Madame Curie and Pope John Paul II.

Completed Page

WELL ONCE AGAIN ANOTHER GREAT WEEK

OF LEARNING AND ARTING!

OFF TO THE NEXT ADVENTURE!

Happy Creating Everyone!

Fotojoy/Joyce

PC WEEK 22---THAILAND

Week 22 in the postcard challenge finds us in Thailand (was  known as Siam) . I have ALWAYS loved the movie/musical "The King & I" which based on a  Siam King- so I used that as my theme this week. Additionally elephants are so vital to Thailand, they are very revered, so much so that  many shrines were built  in their honor. (As well a lot of  art work is based on their image)- The elephant is a work animal (they are used like bulldozers ), source of tourist income(elephant tours/rides), and  mostly they  are known to be pets or family members. So I knew immediately what images I would use this week. 

FRONT of CARD

This image was found on an ad promoting the musical "The

King & I "  in London. I loved the poise of the elephant -

let alone all  it's  ornate Thailand splendor.

 Painted in red  in watercolor- then Posca paint pens adding

all the details (almost like zentangle)-Background was done

using Copic markers - The white printing at the top of the card

means "Elephant" in the Thai language.

BACK of CARD

Correspondence as follows:

"Melite

Well as you can see I'm on another 'last minute trip' to Thailand.

I'm not sure why you are so upset with me? I Told you before I work in

telecommunications- mostly We work with developing  cheaper

ways to communicate without using power, like solar systems.

That's why I go on so many "charity trips"- to set  up communication

systems in poor countries!  Hope this answers a few questions...

By the way should I use a different address while you're in England?

Alexander"

PAGE in BOOK

The background was done using Pan Pastells.

I did an outline of a temple and Buddha shrine on top of the page.

Reflections of the skyline in the River.

The image at the bottom of the page is once again

and advertisement for the "King & I"

(I just love the music and my favorite recording was performed by

Deborah Kerr & Yul Brynner)

COMPLETED BOOK PAGE

Hope you enjoyed traveling with me this week!

Remember Happy Creating,

Fotojoy/Joyce







Postcard Challenge Week 21~ENGLAND

Well I'm back from Holiday as you Brits say...This posting is late as I was away on vacation last week, therefore I was unable to post my challenge before I left...                                                   
 Darcy lead all of us to her homeland of ENGLAND- So many choices so I just did a large collage  on my page - My dearest Friend (whose Mother lived in England) had been to Warwick Castle a few years ago- so I did a Knight in shining armour in her honor.

Front of Card

 The background was done on bristol board using Lindy Sprays (at least 4 colors)-

Then I found a picture of Warwick's Castle and a Knight during a jousting match -

collaged together and details added using Pitt Markers.

By the way if you ever get a chance to see a jousting match they are spectacular-

Every year near where I lived they re-enactments of the  Celtic Games, the shows are Amazing.

Back of Card

Correspondence as follows:

"Dearest Alexander,

Finally you write back!!If you only knew how worried

I was when you did not respond to my previous letters.

These last minute trips you take make me wonder what you are up to?

Whenever I asked you questions about Austria you are so vague-

As well you do not give me the specifics of your work...

You seem to know alot about me -but I can't remember

anything about you- I need answers

not more questions about who you are?

So I'm  going to England for a month to visit friends.

Melite "

 Page in Book

The inspirations came from a tourist poster for London I found

on the inter-net. About 10 steps to this page-

Images I includes was the "Eye" Ferris Wheel-

London Bridge- Big Ben-

double-decker bus-Telephone Booth

and of coarse a Royal Guard.

Stamped "England "in white and used white paint

paint to brighten up white on the red

Completed Page

So Enjoy this page and remember

Happy Creating,

Fotojoy/Joyce