Kate Ristau's Blog, page 35
April 1, 2018
Finding a dragon: Drawing Dragons Day 89
Perseus came to Medusa’s island.
The gods granted him help — a shield from Athena, sandals from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus, a helm from Hades.
He came for Medusa’s head.
Sometimes, I dream of Medusa as a dragon — long, rippling, sparkling scales slithering with power. When Perseus raised his sword, she could have eaten him whole. But she lowered her head.
He took it, and from the shell of her body, a pegasus took flight.
Medusa released her son to the heavens; she gave him back to the gods.
In turn, he carried Perseus through the sky, his mother’s head slung over the hero’s back.
This story gives me pause.
Maybe it’s because the world needs monsters, and the world needs heroes.
But does it need to slay a dragon?
Keep shining,
Kate
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March 31, 2018
The Shape of Dragons: Drawing Dragons Day 88
We see the shape coming through — the line of the snout, the turn of a scale. But the definition is not yet clear. We stare into the future to see what we will find on the other side.
Keep creating,
Kate
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Hahahaha what? Drawing Dragons Day 87
Ha! What? No.
Okay. Maybe? Yes?
No. Just no.
Those eyes. That nose.
This is not working.
Maybe teeth? And face wings?
Or bed. Yes, bed.
Good night,
Kate
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March 29, 2018
Woopsie Pudding and Pie: Drawing Dragons Day 86
This is Woopsie, all in color, from this reference.
Like me, she probably had a Blueberry Milkshake that reminded her of the melty pool of blueberry pie a la mode on the bottom of the plate that is either very bad or very good but it doesn’t matter because she ate it all since she’s a dragon and that’s how life goes: either with a fork or a straw.
Have a great night.
Keep creating,
Kate
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March 28, 2018
Why not: Drawing Dragons Day 85
Why not give her a body? Ink, though, that will have to wait. Here is Woopsie, half-formed, but all cute. She came from this reference.
Her body is hard to see, but you’ll get a better glimpse tomorrow.
Her face reminds me of Dopey — I just remembered how I used to copy his face all over my 7th grade notebooks.
http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/DopeyMostly the chin and cheeks remind me of that little dwarf. I’m getting ideas about a dragon smile though…
Keep creating,
Kate
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March 26, 2018
Writing workshops and Woopsie: Drawing Dragons Day 84
Dragons love to roar out their stories, and I’m roaring all over the place in April.
If you are headed to Norwescon this weekend, I’ll be leading writing workshops and participating in panels and hunting for Easter eggs, so make sure you join me to learn about Pacing in YA with Willamette Writers and the amazing Fairwood Writer’s Workshop.
Later in April, I’ll be sparking your creativity at Write Here Write Now, headed up by Wonder Woman Chris Patchell and the Amazing Debbie Moller. You’ll also find me at Literary Arts teaching a weekend workshop with Rockstar Tina Connolly. We will help you fall in love with your writing again! Hashtag guaranteed.
If you haven’t had enough high fives from me by then, I’ll be finishing the month at Reader’s Guide in Salem for Indie Bookstore Day.
And yes, I’m still drawing dragons. I’m currently working from this reference, on a dragon I’m calling Woopsie…because that just seemed like her name to me. I also gave her a bow, and I just think she’s the cutest. Don’t you?
Keep creating,
Kate
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March 25, 2018
Spring awakening: Drawing Dragons Day 83
Down the street
toward the duck pond
complaining we weren’t riding bikes
missing the pink petals
on the trees
even as they fell
down at our feet
You — hungry
Me — needing
We want
not just the cashews
that we feed the ducks
by the sign that tells us not to
You want the Cheetos
left over from the soccer party
I want the allergy medicine
in the kitchen cabinet
I want to erase my email
and sit on the couch with you
and your orange stained fingers
picking the petals
from our shoes
After the longest winters
or the shortest ones
still we reach
for spring
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March 24, 2018
March 23, 2018
I wouldn’t call it laziness: Drawing Dragons Day 81
Listen, I was going to color ya’ll this dragon with the cool neon colors that my mom sent me. But friends…those are all the way downstairs. And I am clearly upstairs, ensconced in a fluffy robe, heater on my feet, dog snoring on my hip.
So, blue and purple it is. Deep hues.
It really makes me think that Michelangelo must have had more than a little help painting the Cystine Chapel. I mean, I don’t even want to go downstairs, and he was painting the ceiling all day.
Oh, how we suffer for art.
*Eats Fig Newton*
Keep shining,
Kate
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March 22, 2018
Crying: Drawing Dragons Day 80
Wonder had a rough day. For various reasons, none of them seemingly important, but at the same time, devastating.
He was having a hard time skateboarding.
His knee pads wouldn’t stay up.
He wanted to play catch AND skateboard. He couldn’t.
His crying came in sudden waves: unexpected. He’s a pretty joyful kid. So, I paused. I leaned in. I held him.
How many times are our days like this — sudden explosions of anger or sadness that could be solved if someone took a moment — just one — to hold us. To give us space.
But the holding isn’t easy. We have feelings of our own. Frustration. Hunger. Jealousy. Why isn’t the world holding us?
But the thing is, when we reach down to hold, when we give in and give out, someone holds us back. Warm and soft.
And then they kick us. But just a little bit because they can’t find the words for the biggness of it. We sit on the tile until the anger disappears into the weight, and our bodies sink into each other. When we try to find the words, the dog jumps on us to lick our faces.
We get up. We move on. We skateboard.
Keep creating,
Kate
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