Sail Away

   

  The Jumblies, a poem by Edward Lear, is the frame for Mo Manning's illustration of "Out There." And my card entry for this weeks challenge.   I used Copic markers to color the illustration, and chose red for the contrast color.  Red was applied to only a few area's of the little boy's sailor suit and dog collar.  I've added a red mat behind the sentiment (inside) for additional color, and mounted it on a background mat with smaller illustrations turned in different directions.   The upper inside panels/mats are for a little note and signature.  Both the front illustration panel and inside sentiment panel have been sponged with Tsuineko Memento (London Fog) ink.

Click photo for a closer look

Inside Card

Inside Sentiment Close-up

Sketching, painting or coloring in grey scale is a challenge.  And stretching myself in this manner was good practice.  I chose to keep this card simple by keeping to only black, white, grey scale and just a hint of contrast color.  I wanted the illustration and poem to be the focal point.  

 Nothing captures the imagination, attention, and hearts of young children better than nonsense rhyme and rhythm.  Edward Lear's,  A Book of Nonsense (1862) and The Owl and the Pussycat (1871) are two pieces of work that show his style for silly limericks.    This style of poetry allows the reader to take great liberties with intonation and expression; which in turn can cause gales of laughter from young listeners.  Is there anything sweeter?  No matter what age, this type of poetry brings hours of reading enjoyment for reader and listener alike.   I am a firm believer that children are never to young for poetry.   Edward Lear's, The Jumblies, was one of our son's favorites.
I hope it becomes one of your favorites too.
And if you have a silly bone - well, all the better!

The Jumblies

They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,

In a Sieve they went to sea:

In spite of all their friends could say,

On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,

In a sieve they went to sea!

 And when the Sieve turned round and round,

And every one cried, "You'll all be drowned!"

They called aloud, "Our Sieve ain't big,

But we don't care a button! we don't care a fig!

In a Sieve we'll go to sea!"

Far and few, far and few,

Are the lands where the Jumblies live;

Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,

And they went to sea in Sieve.

And in twenty years they all came back,

In twenty years or more,

And every one said, "How tall they've grown!

For they've been to the Lakes, and the Torrible Zone,

And the hills of Chankly Bore!"

And they drank their health, and gave them a feast

of dumplings made of beautiful yeast;

And every one said, "If we only live,

We too will go to sea in a Sieve, --

To the hills of the Chankly Bore!"

Far and few, far and few,

Are the lands where the Jumblies live;

Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,

And they went to sea in a Sieve.

                                                   - Edward Lear

Digital Illustraion: Mo Manning's "Out There"
Sentiment: Quote for Winnie the Pooh (on-line)
Ink: Copic: C00, C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, and Copic Multiliner 0.3 pen;
Tsuineko Memento (London Fog) Fade-resistant Dye Ink
Paper: Papertrey Ink (True Black and Pure Poppy)
Accessories: Grand Calibur Die Cut Machine, white gromments
Spellbinders (Grand Labels 11, Labels 4)
Card size: A6 (horizontal) 

Thank you so much for joining me today.

Blessings,