Mail Art

I've been experimenting with mail art lately. I had a small package that needed to be sent and that plain old manila envelope just seemed to be begging for decoration. I don't know why, but using these kinds of 'throw-away' surfaces is so appealing to me. Maybe it's because it's not in a sketchbook and needs to be of a certain quality? As I worked on the drawing I kept thinking about what the rooster might be thinking, or at least my experiences with my own roosters, who seem to ALWAYS have a mind of their own. It was fun to imagine this guy stepping into the mud and tracking it across the envelope on his way to other adventures.

Back of envelope

Front of envelope

This started out as a pen and ink drawing then I added gouache, Inktense pencils and graphite. Fun.