#kjwrightillustration

Your Macaroni has been Aligned.

I expect you to understand that this is an act you should appreciate, because it took a great deal of effort and time.

(This is sometimes what it’s like, having Bu in the house.)

16/30

“Some days.”

This post is a slight diversion from the other illustrations, only in that it features more words! Also, it marks the halfway point in the 30 day challenge that these images are a part of!

There are some complex thoughts going on, for this project, I’ve found. Not on a hubristic level, but more, the mental struggle that sometimes comes along for the ride!
The first line is true. Sometimes an idea does come to mind in a flash. (Yesterday’s effort was like that.)

The second line is also true. Sometimes you just have toes - most of the time!
I cannot remember who it was that said (when asked where he got his ideas from) “I _think_ of them” - but that is generally what has to be done!

The third line is a bit about the process of getting the image sorted into a stage where I am ready to pencil and ink it. There are numerous little thumbnail sketches in a small dedicated sketchbook that I have nearby. The mostly final sketch is then carefully outlined on the ‘nice card’, and inked.

There’s also another meaning to that third line. On a personal side, over the years, mild OCD got stuck in, and can play havoc with me trying to illustrate. It’s mostly fine until I am nearly done. Then the brain becomes hypercritical with “does it feeeeeeel done? How about this??”(Fixation on one insignificantly tiny line, then another!)
I won’t bang on about it, but it definitely adds some drag time to the process. Some of you may recognise that feeling. So I just have to persist until I get there. :)

The fourth line - that is sometimes my handle to distract the mind from that third line. I like words, it’s like handing my brain the mental distraction of a puzzlebox. Wordplay stops the overthinking for me somewhat, and helps me refocus!

Anyway. This here has been far too long a post for such a tiny picture - so my final thought is: “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it only has to “be.” I try to remind myself of this.

I hope that whoever made it down here in the text wall, also has good fortune with their own endeavours. :)
Half way!
Wooooo! :D
KjW.

15/30.

“The Importance of the Keys.”

A significant position in Caber society is that of the Keeper, who ensures that everything is in its right place.
There are older mysteries still, behind the position. It is a great responsibility, and taken quite seriously.

5/30

A Demise most Imminent.

Few things in life are more loud and chaotic (and short-lived!) than a balloon making first contact with a group of small Cabers.

The excitement is palpable!

14/30

A Very Scientific Discussion.

- Fairly self-explanatory, I think!
:D

13/30

#sketchesfromthecaberworld
#thecaberworld
#penandink
#kjwright_illustration
#caberscientists
#personalchallenge
#traditionalart
#traditionalillustration ! :)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDWy5K1FP6f/?utm_medium=tumblr

“Egg Nerds.”

A long established source of great discussion is the appropriate amount of time in which to boil an egg perfectly. Never mind that tastes are personal, there will always be a Caber somewhere willing to talk your ear off about it.

9/30

Boxes.

Cabers, while not being cats, are still naturally curious. :)

4/30

“The Controlled Spread.”

The Caber Scientists are nothing if not methodical, although the things which they are methodical about, vary wildly!

3/30

Hard to believe that this May 16th marks 31 years since Jim Henson died. Also hard to believe it, but the weekend that I have just spent fiercely attempting to craft not one, but TWO ‘muppety style’ puppets was done while entirely unaware of the significance of the final day of the creative challenge! (Which was also… May 16th!)

Although I have made puppets before, I have never tried making one of these foam/felt/fleece types, prior to this weekend. So I am doubly pleased with the result, it was definitely a learning experience! :D
Adam Kreutinger and Adam Savage, thank you also for the inspiration in your “how to” and “One Day” builds respectively. ❤️

The impact of the kindness, compassion and creativity of Jim Henson on my mentalscape just had to be acknowledged. All that remains to do are the hands. Meanwhile here is little Opti Popkins, and his amazing human musician/friend from twitch.tv/veryhandsomebilly

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CO9wjLoFo4B/?utm_medium=tumblr

Corner of Fish Street, Fishtown.

On the West Coast of the main body of Caberworld, just a little up from the centre line, there is a delightful little town.
Known for its varied restaurants (predominantly catering to those with a palate for all things piscine!), Fishtown is also popular with those who seek a little break from the main city further down the coast.
It’s beaches are peaceful and sunny, good for a bit of a paddle and a splosh. There are several small hotels that take in the fresh salt air, good for a relaxing snooze. (Even slightly taller hotels for those of a more human persuasion!)
A bit of a boardwalk rounds out the rest of the sea breeze benefits, with a winding pier attached.
In the winter months it is somewhat less active, but the fish dishes are good all year round!

I enjoyed the challenge of constructing this urban perspective!
I am quite fond of double vanishing-points, but haven’t really tried it in pen and ink before. This marks the second illustration in a larger scale with numerous Cabers. :)
(The starting point of this image stems from a challenge to be inspired by a somewhat maligned band.. (reasons only known to Rob himself!) I was stumped, until I looked at some of their album covers! :D)

Precarious

- The mood of a small kitchen space. (Mine!)
I do not know who was responsible for the congregation of cups and saucers, or exactly when it happened, but the stacking indicates that a Caber or two (or several!) may have been involved!

(For some reason, when this image came to mind, so too did the flip side view. :) I tried very hard to keep the stacks accurate!)

☕☕☕☕☕☕☕

Stuff & Things

Not a Caber this time, but a different character of mine, The VSG (Very Smaul Gitt!).
Am posting this 2013 illustration as a precursor to the next post, as both relate to clutter. ;)
(It is also one of my favourites from the 2013 “100 days” challenge I took part in!)

Traversing the Square.

With the challenge of 5 hours to make it, this piece finally got done, with the target being a bunch of Cabers walking back and forth across the page - and some on wheels - or not-wheels as the case may be!

I enjoy the challenge of drawing all those feet and matching them to their bodies!

So yes. Cabers, traversing!

A card for my Father.

He turns 70 soon, but as my parents are in Australia, I will be unable to see them. He is a musician, so I have ordered him a recording device from a local supplier over there. And I sent this card to him, to encourage him to use it when it gets there. :D

Cabers are not known for their musical abilities. But I imagine that they would get pleasure from trying.
They certainly appreciate many kinds of human music!

This stringed instrument has three primary strings, with two finer strings of a higher octave pitch, flanking the outer pair. The middle string is the lowest. It is good for twiddling, twanging, strumming, plunking, and ‘wauling to. (At least, that’s what I was considering at the time. ;) )

Night of the Glamorous Hats.
(a.k.a. The Bobbing Occasion.)

The closest thing that Caber society has to a gala event, is this Grand Occasion of stately dancing, in which elaborately decorated hats are worn, to move in an appealing fashion with the gentle bob and weave of old ‘stepping’ dances.

Traditionally their headwear is festooned with feathers, plant life, beads and/or little bells.

Some prefer to wear a single elegant plume, others believe there is no such thing as too many. The main criteria is that the hat should offer some pleasing form of movement, without risking facial injury to others.

Much as some Smalls would dearly love to wear the longer plumed fancy hats, their diminutive stature and propensity for darting about in unpredictable fashion means they are usually bestowed headgear of a more appropriate scale.
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Here is a snippet of the Cabergame in motion! (a.k.a. “Happy Funtime Pop Balloon.” :D)

One of the highlights for me, from 2020, was being able to bring the Cabers to life in not only animated form and illustrated storytelling, but also in an interactive style as well!

One of the last weekly challenges of the year had the theme of “Collaboration.”
I teamed up with caLLowCreation, (a delightful coder/programmer - and poet! - who streams on Twitch), who generously pitched in his Unity coding skills which we combined with my artwork/audio contributions, to make a little clicking game.

(The original inspiration for this, comes from the illustration “A Demise Most Imminent.” :) )

It is now available to play at https://callowcreation.itch.io/cabergame

Note - not quite phone-friendly just yet (although doable!), but fine on most computers and iPads. :)

Also, thank you all for the support you have given me through this past year! I hope this little sandbox game provides a happy moment of distraction and balloon-popping joy. :)
May you have a year of happiness from unexpected places!
_ K.j. Wright, aka TheCaberworld. :)

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CJnLnXRlUKI/?utm_medium=tumblr

A glittery detail from the Caber Discotheque illustration. :)

Caber Discotheque.
a.k.a. Caber! At the Disco,
a.k.a. Caber! Caber! High Voltage!

In the more urban places of the Caberworld, sometimes you may hear a faint pulsing beat, and see a little ramp leading down to an underground space where the floors are lit, and the mirror-balls BIG.

Cabers may not be known for their musical skills, or even their musical taste, but they certainly appreciate the efforts of others.
It is probably music that is the greatest thing they appreciate from our own world.

Humans are welcome to partake in the dancing at such places, but it is advised to be mindful of one’s head clearance, especially near the giant mirror ball.

There are two main styles of dance among the Caber people - the vigorously head nodding & booty shaking type as illustrated above; and the elegant step-bob-&-weave numbers that are generally a slower and more classical form of dance, reserved for more stately occasions.
(The latter may also be accompanied by the wearing of elaborately crafted headpieces!)
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(This piece was definitely heavy on the colouration overload, and also so.many.feet!!! I would love to revisit the dance styles in an animation, someday. :) )
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* For those who are eagle of eye, the poster behind the speaker is indeed that of “Mr Tootle”, as seen in another illustration called “Record Collection” earlier in the Instagram collection. :D
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIOI02Hldey/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Assorted Ties of Dappy Squanks.

A small entrepreneurial caber, with a passion for brightly coloured silk ties, Dappy deals in the organisation of boxes of stuff, and occasional things.
Buttons, scratch blocks, bathtubs, vinyl records, duck-feed - if it needs sourcing, Dappy is the tastefully attired Caber-of-Business for you! :)

The Mallard.

It walked into the Science Building one day, and never left.
The unofficial mascot of the Caber Scientists, it is the bane of many experiments, especially the ones involving the Large Bathtub Collider, where it sometimes makes its home.
None of them have been able to chase it out as it can be quite threatening.

Accidentally Cake.

- The Caber Smalls strike again!
Never leave a plate overhanging a bench…

“You are Oversleeping.”

(Reposted without the filter!)
Promised I would do this when the 30 day span was over. :)

Education.

Communication for the Caberoi consists primarily of “emotive scratch/vocalisation” and hand-gesture (sign), with occasional pictograms to provide clarity or context.

Cabers do understand human speech (if they are exposed to it sufficiently) but lack the vocal dexterity to mimic it. Likewise, humans of the Caberworld have become accustomed to the gestural signing, and the emotive intonation of Caberspeak to get a good enough understanding of simple conversations.

Teaching a young Caber is a bit of a mission but usually something gets through in the end! Most of them pick up their learning via communal experience, with supplemental ‘lessons’ to help along the way.

Discipline and concentration of effort usually comes with age, when their boundless curiousity obtains more focus.

27/30

An Egregious Waste of Toast.

The Smalls are doing what young Caberoi do best - making a mess in pursuit of some esoteric goal or other.
In this case, the goal is not to jump, when the toaster goes “pop.”
I am also now out of bread, and the resultant plethora of cold toast all over the floor is not exactly edible either. Thank you, Smalls…

25/30