For the last few months I have been happily doodling away. No pressure, no baggage, no destination, possibly the best way to travel if you like- and yes, that’s exactly how it feels. Drawing is a journey, with every illustration, sketch, doodle I discover the world around me and parts of myself I had never visited before. Some places I enjoy, while others I loathe as they leave me struggling for a meaning in what I am doing or trying to do, most of the time that would be creating an image I can relate to or simply pleases my eyes for being a harmonious drawing… but then my hands fail to draw what my mind wants to tell. And that’s pretty frustrating.
However, I always believed telling stories was my dna, alas illustrating and storytelling went together like Bonnie and Clyde, ketchup and fries, Bud Spencer and Terence Hill in a stuffy saloon ….simply the perfect match. But now I am beginning to realize what makes me heart flutter is creating a character. It has been obvious all along: to me the most exciting part of storytelling has always been the introduction of the protagonist, all of my manuscripts’ working titles consisted of the main characters’ names. Might be a coincidence … might be not!
I don’t know where these characters come from, some evolve during the creative process, others I see on the streets, on the bus, in a restaurant and my mind begins to think of a story they are involved in. It also happened that I had a vivid dream of someone who then followed me around until I sat down and eventually started writing down his story. And this one below - well, maybe the image just reflects the way I feel when going to a party. In all probability like an alien, bored stiff by the way people believe they were having the time of their lifes - loud music, laughter, spilt drinks, perfumed hair, sticky tables, roaring murmur… This is my face, and this is as happy as it gets on occasions like that.
But let’s see what party my journey will take me next. In fact I will now pour myself a nice glass of sparkling water, grab my pencils and continue my journey on the couch. I have a feeling I might not be traveling alone tonight.
