Merry Christmas

My little peanuts bis

My little peanuts

 

Introducing Elias and Alvise, my twins, born on October 7th 2011!  <3 <3

Birthday card + joke

I couldn't possibly have found a better occasion to use this little riddle than my nephew's 7th birthday, could I? I'm so glad I remembered (the joke, not his birthday!), and so proud I got it done a good week in advance! That's a big feat for me! And I'm hoping to get it sent off today! Exploit number 2!
So? Why is six afraid of seven?

Pet bird tea party

 Here they are gossiping pleasantly over afternoon tea...

... while their pets amuse themselves as best they can!

Edible Toadstools for They Draw & Cook

I have finally had the nerve to send in an illustrated recipe to one of my favourite websites 'They Draw & Cook'!

Post-summer post

After the summer holidays, here is an almost autobiographic doodle, coloured using "les moyens du bord".

Daily Animal Doodle

 

I submitted my first Animal Doodle today! Here it is! Also visible in the Flickr group pool.

Have a lovely day!

Daily Animal Doodles Project

I'd like to take part in this project I stumbled upon yesterday during one of my usual blog reading sessions.

What?  

The Daily Animal Doodles Project is a daily illustration drawing challenge conceived by Andrea, from Paper Sparrow. 

Each day of every month, a different animal is chosen and drawn by…

…Who?  

Daily Animal Doodlers is a community of artists, illustrators, crafters who doodle an animal each day and share it on their blog and in the Flickr group pool.

When?  Everyday or simply one day.  You're welcome to join in everyday or just one day of the challenge. 

Why?  Because drawing is fun.

Click on the Daily Animal Doodles button on the left. It links back to the Paper Sparrow post and will be updated monthly with the current list of animals. 

Dogs admiring the sunset

This is a little gift I painted to wish Ornella a very happy, healthy, smiley, and especially comfy birthday, since, after over a week without access to it, her new redecorated bathroom should be ready today! And I hope this watercolour painting will match the lilac tiles and accessories!

Me in letters Part 3

And here is the last of the Alphabet series.

 

Siblings – 4 older sisters

Time I get up – it really depends, anywhen between 6.30 and 10, 11, 12

Underwear – nothing out of the ordinary

Vegetables I hate – I don’t hate vegetables! On the contrary! Well, let’s say courgettes on pizza

What makes me run late – sometimes waiting for a cake to finish cooking

X-rays – normal amount of x-rays, but more ultrasounds of late

Yummy dessert I make – (freshly picked) bramble charlotte

Zoo animals– all of them actually, especially the big fat ones

English Summer Camp

I'm doing a little experiment this summer: organizing a summer camp in English for children. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I came up with this picture for the flyer.

Have a delightful summer!

Me in letters, Part 2

And the Alphabet info goes on, continued from where I left it in yesterday's post.

Job - teaching

Kids – two on their way

Live – Isn't it funny to live in a high-heeled boot?!

Mother’s quirk – the way she waves is pretty hilarious

Nickname - Nina

Overnight hospital stay – just one week until now… in 3 or 4 months will have to go in for a nice reason though

Pet peeve – how can people still throw rubbish from their cars, leave their litter lying around, not separate their waste?

Quote from a film – A home for the bees, a hive for the buzzing bees! Can you see my eyes? If you can, then my hair’s too short! Down to here, down to there, down to where it stops by itself! Tu du du tu tu

Right or left-handed – boring old right-handed

T.B.C.

Me in letters

A few of the blogs I regularly read have been sharing personal information in the form of the alphabet, and this inspired me to give an illustrated version of my A-Z.

Well, as it is, A-I to start with.

Age - old enough to have a good excuse to need a biiig cake to fit all the candles

Bed - no matter how big or small, I always end up squeezed against Chou

Cake - tarte au citron meringuée

Dog - one, a really special friend: Balthazar, a.k.a. Balthi, Balts, Baltiboy...

Edible delight - cherries, but  I've had my fair share this year, I don't mind it's the end of the season

Favourite colour - green, green, green, green, any shade of green

Gold or Silver - neither nor, although I do love earrings

Holidays - across all of Italy, across all of France, all the roads lead to BROCAS!

Instrument(s) I play - no musical ones anyway

T.B.C.

Fearful donkeys

    This quick sketchbook drawing illustrates my failed attempt at feeding carrots to these donkeys, after recently discovering they live nearby. Failed, because the poor things are so people-shy, all they would do when they felt I was watching them was try to hide behind their ramschackle hut or run to the furthest part of their messy field. Definitely a sad situation, but I couldn't help being amused when they trotted along in Indian file like this, and when they were joined by an equally scared goat! I left with a bittersweet feeling.

    

     Questo disegno veloce illustra il mio tentativo fallito di dare delle carote a questi asini che ho scoperto da poco vivono vicino a casa mia. Fallito perché erano così spaventati che non facevano altro che nascondersi dietro alla loro capanna malridotta o correre in fondo al campo trasandato, lontana da me che li osservavo. Anche se tutto ciò fa alquanto tristezza, erano simpatici quando trotterellavano in fila indiana, con una capra ugualmente timida al loro seguito.

     Ce dessin rapide tiré de mon carnet de croquis documente mon essai raté de donner des carottes à ces ânes que je viens de découvrir vivant tout près de chez moi.Un essai raté, parce qu’ils étaient tellement farouches qu’ils ne faisaient que se cacher derrière leur cabane ou se précipiter au fin fond de leur pré quand il se sentaient observés. Même si ça dénote une situation très triste, ils étaient drôles quand ils trottaient en file indienne comme je les ai dessinés, suivis par une chèvre, elle aussi effrayée. Ça m’a laissé une sensation douce-amère.

The benefits of breaks

I do feel guilty for having been away so long, I do apologize for not updating this blog as regularly as I should, I do feel bad about not sharing anything new, thus making a visit here worthwhile.

Thing is – I had nothing new to share. I’ve just taken this huge month-long break from anything artsy! More or less since I took part in the Bologna Book fair, actually. I don’t want to give it the blame, but, well, I can’t deny it did have a certain undermining effect on my artistic self-esteem.

Anyway, now I’m back, and believe in my theory that, though practice makes perfect, it also helps to totally stop creating for a while, and then your work is magically and surprisingly better!

To prove my point, please take a look at two illustrations I painted after a looooooong period of absolute artistic inactivity. They are both exercises done at Scuola Comics.

Girl lost in the forest, Acrylic on paper, October 2009, back from summer holidays.

 Paper boat planted in surreal surroundings, Watercolour on paper, 3^rd May 2011. Our teacher, Marina Marcolin, is so insanely talented, as you can see on her blog, she almost makes us feel uncomfortable at school! She’s a firm believer in daily sketches and real-life studies, and has asked us to keep an illustrated diary, parts of which I’ll eventually show you here!

Hands help Japan

GIAPPONE, FUMETTISTI E ILLUSTRATORI SI MOBILITANO

HAIKU 4 HAPPINESS, NASCE UN E BOOK DI ILLUSTRAZIONI PER AIUTARE IL GIAPPONE

Roma – Il Giappone devastato da terremoti, tsunami e radioattività va aiutato, e i primi a mobilitarsi sono i disegnatori, gli illustratori e gli artisti che si sono organizzati in rete con una iniziativa di solidarietà, Hands Help Japan, blog nato spontaneamente dalla mobilitazione di un gruppo di artisti.

Culturalmente legati al paese del Sol Levante, famoso per i suoi fumetti manga ma anche per la poesia degli Haiku e per il contributo di idee che ha saputo dare all’arte contemporanea, il gruppo di illustratori, guidato dall'illustratrice spagnola Stefania Fontecilla, ha promosso una raccolta di opere originali che verranno pubblicate in un e-book, edito dalla casa editrice Edizioni Haiku di Roma.

L’e-book, scaricabile al costo di 3 euro dal sito http://www.edizionihaiku.com/, conterrà illustrazioni ispirate ad Haiku e disegni dedicati alla tragedia giapponese. Tutto il ricavato dell’iniziativa servirà a sostenere Save The Children Italia Onlus, impegnata in questi giorni nel fornire assistenza ai tanti bambini rimasti senza famiglia e nell’aiutare genitori e figli sopravvissuti alla tragedia a ricongiungersi.

 

 

1, 2, 3, 4... can I have a little more?

A few portraits that look very like animals, don't they? But looks can be deceiving! They're not animals... they're actually numbers!

Et oui, on dirait des animaux, mais ne vous fiez pas aux apparences! En fait ce sont des chiffres!

Questi ritratti sembrano degli animali? Forse, ma non lo sono! Ognuno rappresenta un numero!

Doodling while teaching

I must always remember not to keep a blank piece of paper and a pencil close at hand while teaching, or else this is what happens...

Exhaustion has a name: English "learner" Leonida

***Disclaimer: Reading this again a few years later, I'm concerned I could come across as mean. Now that I have two children of my own, I definitely would not appreciate it if an educator lashed out at my son like this. Also, I was in the early stages of pregnancy at the time, which invariably seemed to wear my patience thin in any teaching environment.***

Back in 2011...

Let’s say that I’ve had more successful days at work. I thought I was very lucky when only 4 out of my usual 8 students showed up at my English class for 2 to 5 year-olds. A further two left, seeing that one couldn’t stop crying so his mum took him home, and another was sleeping so soundly in her mum’s arms that the latter obviously didn’t leave her daughter.

“Aaah!” I sighed, relieved. “Only two of them! It’ll be easy peasy!” I was very far from imagining just how crazy one of the students was going to drive me!

Aujourd’hui (et c’est pas un hasard si je commence comme une VDM) je croyais avoir beaucoup de chance qu’il y ait beaucoup d’absents à mon cours d’anglais pour enfants de 2 à 5 ans. Je me jugeais encore plus chanceuse quand, sur les quatre enfants qui se sont présentés, un s’est mis à pleurer tellement que sa mère l’a ramené à la maison, et l’une dormait si profondément dans les bras de sa mère que cette dernière ne me l’a même pas laissée. « Aaah ! , ais-je soupiré en soulagement, y sont qu’deux, je vais m’la couler douce ! »... Je ne pouvais me douter qu’un de ces gamins allait littéralement me pourrir l’existence !!

Oggi mi son sentita fortunatissima quando mi son trovata con soli due bambini nel mio corso di inglese per bimbi dai 2 ai 5 anni. Non potevo immaginarmi quanto mi avrebbe sfinita uno dei due!!

How? Read this very short part of our “lesson” and I’m sure you’ll easily grasp what a nightmare it was! (In this case, the untranslated version is the Italian one)

Comment ? Lisez ce très court extrait de notre conversation et je pense que vous comprendrez !

Se volete scoprire come ha fatto, leggete questa piccolissima parte della lezione!

Me: Look at these pictures, Children! What animals ...
L: When will Laura be back?
Me: What animals can you see?
L: What is that?
Me: A cat! "Cat"
L: Why is it black?
Etc..

Me: Do you want me to draw something for you to colour in? What?
L: A fish.

While I draw the fish ...
L: What are you drawing?
L: Why did you draw?
L: What are you drawing?
L: Who drew this?
L: What is it?
Me: Why don’t you look before asking?

Once the fish is drawn...
L: What is it?
Me: ...
L: What is it?
Me: It’s what you asked for! A fish!
L: Why a fish?
Me: ...
L: Why did you draw a fish? What is it?
Me: A fish.
L: What?
Me: A fish.
L: What?
Me: A fish.
L: What?
Me: A fish.
L: What?
Me: Ask Emma.
L: What?
Emma: It’s a fish.
L: When will Laura be back?
Me: Leonida! How do you say “pesce” in English?
L: What?
Etc..

Moi : Regardez ces images les enfants ! C’est quoi comme...

L : Quand est-ce-qu’elle revient Laura ?

Moi : C’est quoi comme animaux ?

L : C’est quoi ça ?

Moi : Et oui vous voyez, un chat ! « Cat »

L : Pourquoi c’est noir ?

Etc.

Moi : Tu veux que je te dessine quelquechose ? Quoi ?

L : Un poisson.

Pendant que je dessine...

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dessines ?

L : Pourquoi tu dessines ?

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dessines ?

L : Qui est-ce qui a dessiné ça ?

L : C’est quoi ?

Moi : Pourquoi tu regardes pas avant de demander ?

Une fois le poisson terminé...

L : Qu’est-ce que c’est ?

Moi :...

L : Qu’est-ce que c’est ?

Moi : C’est ce que tu m’as demandé ! Un poisson !

L : Pourquoi un poisson ?

Moi : ...

L : Pourquoi t’as dessiné un poisson ? C’est quoi ?

Moi : A fish.

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Moi : A fish.

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Moi : A fish.

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Moi : A fish.

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Moi : Demande à Emma.

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Emma : A fish. Un poisson.

L : Quand est-ce-qu’elle revient Laura ?

Moi : Leonida ! Comment on dit poisson en anglais ?

L : Qu’est-ce que tu dis ?

Etc.

Io: Bambini! Guardate queste immagini! Quali animali ...
L : Quand’è che torna la Laura?
Me : Quali animali si possono vedere?
L : Che cos’è questo?
Io: E sì un gatto! "Cat"
L: Perchè è nero?
Ecc .

Io: Vuoi che ti disegni qualcosa? Che cosa?
L : Un pesce.

Mentre disegno il pesce ...
L: Cosa stai disegnando?
L: Perché stai disegnando?
L: Cosa stai disegnando?
L: Chi è che ha disegnato questo?
L: Che cos’è?
Io: Perché non guardi prima di fare la domanda?

Quando il pesce è finito ...
L: Cos’è?
Io: ...
L: Che cosa è?
Io: È quello che mi hai chiesto! Un pesce!
L: Perché un pesce?
Io: ...
L: Perché hai disegnato un pesce? Che cosa è?
Io: A fish.
L: Cos’hai detto?
Io: A fish.
L: Cos’hai detto?
Io: A fish.
L: Cos’hai detto?
Io: A fish.
L: Cos’hai detto?

Io: Chiedi a Emma.
L : Cos’hai detto?
Emma : È un pesce, a fish.
L : Quand’è che torna la Laura?
Io: Leonida! Come si dice "pesce" in inglese?
L: Cos’hai detto?
Ecc.

And I had to put up with this for a whole hour. Et ce pendant une heure. E ciò per un'ora intera.

Then, thinking it might keep him busy, I gave in to his weird fixation on tables (even more weird considering my last post) and drew him a couple. He even asked me to draw a portrait of him. The kid is vain on top of everything else! Cute really!

Ensuite, pour l'occuper, j’ai cédé à sa fixation : il voulait absolument que je lui dessine des tables. (Quelle coïncidence après mon dernier post !)

Et il m’a même demandé un petit portrait de lui. Narcissique en plus ! Adorable !

Poi, ho pensato bene di accontentare la sua richiesta pressante di disegnare tavoli. (Stranissima coincidenza visto il mio ultimo post!) Senza dimenticare un suo ritrattino! Tesoro!

 

Tables

With the Bologna Children's Book Fair only 24 days away - actually D-23 to its opening but I won't be going till the Tuesday-, every single table in my house has been put to use for my getting my work ready for it. 

A l'approche du Salon de livre pour enfants de Bologne (J-24), j'ai mis toutes les tables de chez moi à profit pour la préparation des travaux que je voudrais y présenter. Celle de la cuisine jusqu'à celle de mon atelier, en passant par celle du salon... Toutes y sont passées! Toutes, sauf peut-être celle qui s'y prêterait le plus: mon bureau, toujours en vrac!

Et pendant ce temps, pendant que moi je turbine comme pas deux, regardez comment les autres membres de la famille se prélassent cruellement!

Con l'avvicinarsi della Fiera del libro per ragazzi di Bologna (tra 24 giorni), ho monopolizzato tutti i tavoli di casa mia. Da quello della cucina, a quello dello studio, senza dimenticare quello in soggiorno... Tutti tranne quello magari più idoneo: la mia scrivania, incasinata al massimo!

E mentre io mi uccido di lavoro (eh sì cosa volete, scrivendo in italiano mi viene anche spontanea la vostra leggera tendenza all'esagerazione, ha ;-)), guardate un pò come gli altri membri della famiglia esprimono la loro compassione - rilassandosi senza nessun pudore!

The kitchen's:

 

The living-room's:

 

My study's:

All of them, except the one that would ideally be most suitable for such things...

My unruly desk:

!

And while I'm trying to work as hard as pos' 

look at how the other household members sympathise:

 

Have a nice Monday!

Très bon lundi à tous!

Vi auguro un bel lunedì!