Sunday, June 18, 2006

EDM Challenge #70 - Draw What You Fear!

I actually suggested this topic to the Everyday Matters Group. I came to this, with one of those flashes of 'inspiration', while at work. I was in the computer lab at school and the Year 3's were researching 'minibeasts' (or bugs as they are commonly known). Surfing through a couple of suitable websites they came across a myriad of ugly insects. Now I'm not afraid of spiders or snakes, but when I turned around to see a huge ugly grasshopper on the screen infront of me... well, my life long phobia kicked in and I found I was gasping for breath, my heart racing and having to suppress a scream (which I managed to do, thankfully). I was able to joke about it to the teacher there, and then I started to wonder if drawing it might help me 'get over' an obviously illogical fear... but isn't that part of the meaning of 'phobia'... an illogical fear?




I decided to include the whole journal page even though the other half is a little off-topic.




I also feel bad about the length of time it has taken me to get this challenge done. It unfortunately coincided with a trip away, internet problems and a very busy patch of 'everyday' life.
Thanks for looking, and I hope it doesn't scare you!

11 comments:

Lin said...

Jan -- th grasshopper is FANTASTIC!!! I love all the details you've put in and the composition is AWESOME!!! So, did it help with the fears? Either way -- it's beautifully done!!

Sue Seibert said...

Wonderful journal pages. Can't say I fear grasshoppers but I don't like them!!

Alanna Beckwith said...

My cat LOVES grasshoppers...fun toy, tasty snack he tells me. I used to live in a place with a cat door..sometimes I would wake to the sounds of a scuffle: hopper versus paws. A few times, I managed to save the hopper's life.

Linda said...

I'm not afraid of grasshoppers, but know I would have a really hard time drawing the thing I really DO fear! Great job with this guy -- you really got all the little details in there! :-)

Penny said...

Jan this is agreat sketch. Thanks for visiting my blog, you are a Libra too. I really wonderd about what I fear and then realised it is heights. Penny in Victor Harbor

Alison said...

This is a great double page, contrasting loves and hates. My father used to work on the eyes of locusts and I used to put my arm into the cages to feel the peculiar combination of fascinated horror - a memory painting yet to come maybe. Thanks for your comments on my blog - it's lovely to know people are enjoying my efforts. Good luck with your exhibition.

Anonymous said...

Really cool. I love the layout and the rendering of the grasshopper is very nice!

Margaret McCarthy Hunt said...

awesome grasshopper and great writing...

Anastasia said...

I love the grasshopper Jan! awesome - they freak me out too - most insects do!

Mattias Adolfsson said...

Wonderful, had a close encounter with a huge grasshopper once, THe Horror

Anonymous said...

YUM YUM! grasshopper and golden syrup.
...hmmm