Opening
I pictured Rowendrey in a very nostalgic way. The first letter felt almost like reading your first fantasy book or experiencing the countryside as a child. Everything seems so vast and mysterious, and I had to find my bearings: What do the people of Rowendrey sound like, or how does the environment smell? These are small details that had a big impact on my vision of the world.
The Challenge of the Invisible
It feels the same as trying to tell someone an anecdote from your childhood, or the moment you remember what you dreamt of the night before. It's very hazy, but once the pieces come together, it’s cathartic.
The Process
Every line has to feel like it could have been made by the Recorder himself. With that being said, I wanted to experience what it is like to be the Recorder. I draw as I try to recollect the letter, in order to give the illustration the feeling of spatial presence. The initial sketch is done with a colored friction pen that serves as my draft. Every illustration is done by hand with ink on mixed media paper. I make sure my ink remains consistent with the brand and nib size, in order for the drawings to print appropriately onto the toned paper.
The Collaboration
This project is the first one I've worked on with some AI images offered as basic references. I find that those handful of images work less as a guideline and more as a mediator between the world's initial concept and my skills, helping by visually translating the ideas. From there, the work is very symbiotic, where the creator's end and the beginning of my involvement result in a complex, yet whole experience.
Closing Reflection
I don't think of myself as someone drawing Rowendrey, but instead as someone witnessing it at the same speed as everyone else. I'm simply lucky enough to show my little angle. What extends from the limited space of my drawing is up to everyone's creativity, and I find that fascinating.
Miriam Ettedgui
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