All these images were taken at night by lamplight. In reality the drawing is in black pencil on white paper, but I like the soft antique glow of how it looked under electric light. In the book all will be crisp black and white.
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The drawing photographed in natural light
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Clive Hicks-Jenkins' Artlog: 
oh, i am in love!!!! this is my new favorite thing you have ever made, it is PERFECT!
Oh, you are such a flirt!!! (-;
A botanical cyborg! Eden names as they first manifested! Or as Blake would have said it, “The human face of God.”
Ahhh , now you’re talkin’! The sublime Blake!!!!!
‘Auntie’ Bernie calling!
Was only going to post an apprectative comment on your ‘organic man’ till I read the other caring comments.
Should I ‘send chocolate’ as in the days of old?
Or perhaps ‘Mole’s muffler’
For to keep out the cold.
Just realised I’ve drifted into rhyme,
(I have ‘no reason’, it happens all the time.)
Wrap up, take walks and drink more water too,
You know this is the sensible thing to do.
Love as ever and always
Bern xxx
My dearest Bern
From you I learn
How I should keep
My nights for sleep
And not for working
Far too late
Which merely makes me
Not so great.
For you I’ll wrap
And take a nap
Because I know
You’ll worry so
If I don’t heed
advice you’ve given.
And so I’m off
To do as bidden!
C xxx
How is your head feeling today ? I have all sorts of allergies to spring plants, so I would much rather have my head full of galloping horses…
But even better not to be invaded . Your brain is full enough of colour, of shapes, of movement, of poetry, of music, of beautiful tales…
Better today, thank you, Maria, though yesterday I was rubbish. I kept working, but I was slow and my head felt full of grit.
It’s hard to stop when a drawing is so close to being finished, but there’s no doubt about it that on Wednesday I overdid things. I have to pace myself better these days!
Kind of you to ask!
Glad you feel better. And remember: we all count on you, so don’t overdo it.
Easier said than done, I know.
This is glorious Clive. It appears that spring is busting out all over in the creative world of Mr Hicks-Jenkins!
I know the writer the book is based on – Robert E. Howard – lived in smalltown America, but his imagination took him far beyond the confines of his everyday life and led him to create tales of exciting adventure in faraway lands.
On this March day, with spring peeping its head around the corner, I wouldn’t mind my head containing what you have so beautifully depicted in this illustration.(-:
Flagging, today. The overly-long session yesterday overwrought my brain cells and buggered my eyes. Today it’s as though someone has shovelled gravel in my skull and thrown sand into my eyes!
Only you, Sarah, would see the attraction of a head full of insidiously burgeoning fleshy blooms, thorny stems and lumpy cacti! In other drawings for the project there are even more sinister emergings. Better buckle your seat-belt! (-;
I think this Yorkshire girl has some Southern Gothic in her imagination, hence the attraction to this particular head full of blooms!!
Look after yourself Clive and try to take it easy (or easier!) today if you can.
Beautiful.
And one of the great things about drawings in pencil, is that one has to come near the drawing to really see it.
I shall buy the book, the moment it is available, but this advance look is great. And I know I will come here, again, and again, once I have the book.
Thank you ever so much !
My pleasure, Maria. I do love drawing, and I think it probably shows.
Beautiful, and intricate, such patience you have. I agree, I like the antiqued feel.xxL
Liz, it’ll have to be plain old tonal rendering on white in the book, but it’s nice to savour the honeyed colour here.
I wasn’t feeling very patient last night, but held myself together until the work had been completed.
Suffering for it today!
Take it easy old thing! You mustn’t wear yourself to a frazzle!xL
Yeah, I think I can still go all night, like I used to be able to do with no consequences! Ha ha! Those days are gone!