This is where I want to live...

... in a yellow house on the back of tapir with the sky in the windows.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Summer is not the funnest time in our house. Me and my sisters tend to go a little crazy with no where to go and so yesterday our Mum took us out to a Book Farm. Astley book farm is a second hand bookshop on a farm not far from where we live, there were books upon books and it was pretty cool.


It was here that I discovered a book: 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' by Anita Loos. Published in 1925 and then made into a film in 1953 and starred Marilyn Monroe.

When I picked it up I was interested first in the title, I've seen the film and really enjoyed it, and hadn't realised it was a book. Then I took the book out of it's sleeve and saw the back cover.



I liked this picture from the moment I saw it. I think that these guys ooze character even though they look very similar in structure. After discovering them I was buying the book even if it turned out to be totally rubbish after a cheeky first chapter read. I turned the book over and the front cover was also pretty cool but I like it less then the gentlemen on the back.



She is the star of the book and the character played by Marilyn Monroe. She's pretty cool and I quite like her fashion, the way she's posing shows her character and I like that. Still however prefer the gentlemen.

So about an hour later after riffling through a several more rooms of books and books and books I purchased 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' for £7.50. It was only when I got home that I opened the book and discovered more amazing illustrations (that I haven't scanned on being silly and not wanting to flatten in) and a lovely typeface in brown on pale yellow paper. I am so happy I bought this book.

Cassowary

Basic ink pen sketching of Cassowarys.


A real Cassowary


I don't think I've done too badly.

Ivan Bilibin

This is Ivan Bilibin, a Russian illustrator from St Petersburg who died in the Siege of Leningrad in World War II.
I think his work is amazing. His colours are so vibrant and the images are interesting and fit really well with the story he's conveying.

Bilibin produced illustrations for Russian Fairytales such as 'Vasilia the Beautiful'


and 'The Tale of the Golden Cockerel'


He also illustrated a Russian Opera and Poem: 'The Tale of Tsar Saltan'


and the poem: 'The Tale of Igor's Campaign'


Just to name a few things. A new favourite illustrator of mine I think.

Matthew Lyons

Matthew Lyons is a 22 year old Illustration and Animation student.
I like his work, simple as. Especially the top one.
http://matthew-lyons.blogspot.com/

Erase: The Lust For Logs


Harvest


Snow

Ellyphant loves Tapirs

I love Tapirs! The one above is an adult Asian Tapir (also known as Malayan Tapir), I think Tapirs look a bit like clangers. There are four species of tapir: Asian, Lowland, Baird's and Mountain.

My favourite is Asian because of the two tone pattern all three others are brown. Asian are also the largest. Baird's, Lowland and Mountain Tapirs inhabit the Americas.

Mountain tapirs are the smallest and the oldest of the four types. Mountain Tapir are also woolly which is where they get the nickname 'Woolly Tapir'.
Baird's and Lowland Tapirs are quite similar, both are a brown colour and neither have thicker hair. However you can tell between them; Baird's are larger and Lowland Tapirs have a thicker neck.

Tapirs evolved from about 55 million years ago after the demise of the dinosaurs, but their ancestors didn't evolve such long snouts until a few million years ago.

Tapir young have a good form of camouflage when they're born; they have stripes in order to blend in. And are completely adorable.

These are some Lowland Tapir that I saw in Twycross Zoo (Warwickshire), I was very excited to see them.


Tapirs are some of my favourite animals and so I made this:

Biro Brilliance...

This is Andrea Joseph. She has skills in biro drawing which I wish I had.
Where I found her: http://2photo.ru/2008/08/04/illjustracii_andrea_joseph.html