Monday, July 22, 2013

Illustration Friday July 19, 2013 Robot Summer Reading

Light summer reading inspired by this week's Illustration Friday challenge word: Robot

This young bot seems to have gone on holiday with self-improvement in mind - to the point of bringing a wrench along. 

For a while, it felt as though everyone were bent on reading about self-improvement... to the extent that I wondered if being seen without such a book might imply I felt myself to be beyond improvement?  Surely not, I hoped.

I remember as children, my mom would somehow direct all four of us us to get teeth brushed, pyjamas on, squabbling put aside for another day - as the summer evening cooled and light dimmed, everything in the room growing soft-edged as the day came to an end in song.  I wonder now if this might have been the one thing my mom could think of that would get us all focused on something other than the adventures (or grievances?) of the day, our thoughts harmonizing with voices, slowly feeling more and more ready for sleep.

One of the songs invited Night herself to come cover the singer with her hands, so that with rest, one would be better tomorrow than today, confident that today one had been better than yesterday.  A simple melodious declaration of intent which seems to fit well with liquid summer evenings deepening now like ripening wine into flavourful memory to be sipped, and enjoyed.  The simple intent felt clear enough, years after, that complicated books didn't seem to offer much that would be more substantial.

I hope to get to a colour version later in the week.  But if not, it's because I took the time instead to sit on the back porch and marvel at the slide of day into evening, intent into memory, and song into starlight.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for making me smile at your tanning robot and for reminding me of the days when my dad tucked me into bed and sang songs. Precious moments :)

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  2. I like your story a lot, I absolutely agree with you about "complicated books" ...
    your illustration shows futile effort of a robot that dreams to become a super robot

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    1. Futile? Hmm.... We shall see about that...

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    2. Maybe I used a wrong word, maybe is hopeless better????( in this case a language which is not your native cause problem ... ) IN any case Vanitas vanitatum express even better my thoughts about it:I meant he can read for ever but he cannot improve himself because he is a robot. Robots can not think ....:)

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  3. wow "

    I remember as children, my mom would somehow direct all four of us us to get teeth brushed, pyjamas on, squabbling put aside for another day - as the summer evening cooled and light dimmed, everything in the room growing soft-edged as the day came to an end in song. " I nevere knew you had such a way wioth words - beautifully written. And I just LOVE the self improvement bot with wrench in hand, I had a smile looking at. That's two smiles I've had this week :) (Other one when I realised it was FRiday today) Just kidding I smile all the time, sometimes I even put my teeth in when I do it.... I've seen a few good Robot Drawings today, I think we should make a book!

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  4. Looking forward to the color version. Meanwhile, I hope he/she stays out of the water--although I'm glad to see the trusty oil can is at hand.

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  5. I love the story...you write like a pro! And illustrate like one of course...great robot!!!

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  6. Great illustration! I love the robot's relaxed but stylish pose as he reads his book. (I have read a few too many of those sort of books. I think I will not read any more - but you never know!)

    Beautiful writing! I hope you took some time on the back porch, maybe with a little singing? :)

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  7. THanks, CD, back porch yes, and I let the stars do the singing. Lovely.

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  8. Wonderful Illustration, beautifully written post :)

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