Wednesday 7 November 2007

Once Upon a December Night

I had the idea for this book back in September, and I wanted it to be a take on "Twas the Night Before Christmas", but with a more adult feel to it. I think it's the biggest thing I've ever made, 13 verses to the poem, and 32 pages in total to decorate.

The poem itself took quite a while to get right, but that was nothing to the task of trying to collect appropriate stamps to illustrate it. I searched for weeks, but was unable to find stamps of the right style to illustrate some of the verses. Eventually I designed a stamp of my own for one of the pages (it's for the verse about chimneys, you'll know it when you see it), and I used acetate/photograph/alcohol ink techniques for the 4 or 5 remaining verses.

Things I am particularly proud of? The book plate on the front which was plain chrome when I started. I painted it with brown acrylic paint and then attacked it with sandpaper - I think it looks great!

As there are 32 pages, the flipbook is quite large, so give it a few seconds to download! Click on the image below to try the interactive flipbook.




P.S. If it doesn't work for you, your browser may not have the latest version of the bit it needs to see the book. You can get it by following this link:

Click here to update your Flash player

Click on the slide show images below to see a gallery of the pages in this project!


17 comments :

shaz earl said...

Absolutley stunning Dan xx

Claireabelle said...

This is gorgeous Dan, you are so talented and such an inspiration

Claire
x

Anonymous said...

very christmasy dan -love it!

Lesley said...

Fabulous book Dan, I love it xx

Hels Sheridan said...

Dan, I was lucky enough to hear your wonderful poem and now I can see it in the finished form. Hun, I am sat here with goosebumps....it is BRILLIANT. You are so clever, and this poem should be published so everyone can read it .....well done you clever and talented man xxx

Anonymous said...

what a fantastic book, pleased to see you have put your brilliant poem into another talented piece of work,this has to be the most amazing yet Dan, well done xx

Anonymous said...

WOW! Absolutely stunning book Dan how talented you are the poem is beautiful and you've captured the very essence of Christmas

Joy xx

Anonymous said...

Exquisite..........love it. Love your work

Cath said...

That is a fabulous book Dan! I love it! What a talanted man! Now you MADE me SO want a bind-it machine! lol

Jo said...

Just found your blog and wanted to say how stunning your work is - the book is just amazing

jo xx

Anonymous said...

Just wonderful Dan, both the brilliant poem and the book. Love the stamps you have used and your backgrounds are just amazing
x

Vickie said...

Wow! Totally amazing! Well done

Anonymous said...

A truly lovely and atmosheric poem and a beautiful work of art with the book. Well done, you have such a great talent Dan.

Chrissie

daisy said...

It is truely an amazing and wonderous creation.

I love the words.

Just wonderful.

Unknown said...

A work of Art with a capital A - Love it XXX

Ann said...

Really wonderful & magical Dan & truely encapsulates the essence of Christmas......Stunning artwork.
Should definately be published Danxxx

Anonymous said...

Dan this is just amazing. The work you put into it is phenominal!

Elin (UKS)
xx

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