Friday, April 20, 2007

IF : Polar Fleecing


Olaf and Olga are very concerned about the changes in their homeland. It seems too many people don't believe that global warming is actually happening, and those that do know it to be true can't do enough, although every little change you make gets you incrementally closer to a better place. Some things can't be reversed. However, we can stop it from getting worse. It's a known fact that Polar Bears swim from ice flow to ice flow, diving for food in between them. The ice is melting at such a steady clip, The National Geographic Society has documented Polar Bears drifting in the water as far away as sixty miles. For the first time, the drowning of Polar Bears is a frequent occurence instead of a fluke you'd hear about every couple of years.

Olga and Olaf are expecting their first cub soon. I just pray it will have a place to call home.
For Earth Day, April 22, 2007
Watercolor and pen and ink on Fabriano paper. (click to enlarge the small iceberg)

71 comments:

  1. Yes indeed--a voice of wisdom here at Studio Lolo, and another winning illustration to boot. Have yourself a wonderful weekend!!

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  2. Gorgeous painting and wise words indeed.

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  3. I love the bear dancing!!!

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  4. thanx for stopping by...lovely illo, well done...I believe that what's going on with the world climate is dangerous...(fabriano paper is made in Marche, the place I live in!)
    ciao

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  5. Those drowned bears are going to give me nightmares [or dightbears].

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  6. I really like this! Great work, and an important post.

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  7. Really beautiful piece, love the colours you've used

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  8. very sweet, yet concerning topic.

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  9. oh, aren't they beautiful! aren't they grand! your drawing does them justice... lovely lovely.

    thanks for your nice comments, too!

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  10. Beautiful painting! Well comeback Olga and Olaf!

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  11. It's amazing how the same idea can be so diferent, depending on who's drawing.
    I love yours. I couldn't make ice texture as good as you do.
    Hugs

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  12. I agree with oop. It is great to see so many different takes on the Polar bear this week. And there are quite a lot of them...including yours truly. You have beautiful work as always.

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  13. I too hope the collective madness changes and Olga and Olaf can live peacefully with their young. It is a precarious balance...well illustrated.

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  14. How true are your words as ever.
    A nice illo with great pictures and you make it look so easy to draw this...

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  15. very nice! it really tells a story!

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  16. Lovely painting! I just bought canvas bags for my groceries (been thinking about it a while and not getting around to it). Did you know only .6% of grocery bags are recycled?

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  17. Great piece! Very fun and whimisical. Love the light-hearted feel! It's positively "cool!"

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  18. I just read what you wrote along with your illustration and it breaks my heart a little bit and changes the way that I feel about your image a little bit. What at first appeared to be a playful sort of balancing game turned into a eco-aware statement on the impending doom of our world. Hopefully Olga and Olaf's family will be all right.

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  19. Hi :o))
    Its wonderful :o))
    Best Wishes,
    Issi

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  20. you are very famous ;P

    looove the colors, very sutil

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  21. Thank you for increasing global warming awareness. It is tragic for the polar bears.
    Thanks for your encouraging remarks for my 9 year old. I hope she keeps painting.

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  22. great message and illo to show it

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  23. Awwww... I'm loving him! I just want to hug him, no matter how cold, he looks very warm and sweet!

    cabanadigital.com

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  24. nice piece! love the use of the paint splatters and the bears are so nicely drawn.

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  25. Oh, wow...I missed that piece on the drowning polar bears. Terrible...really illustrates the problem of global warming. Thanks for your lovely and informative post!

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  26. Beautiful illo and powerful message!

    To answer your earlier question about the licensing argreement...it is a new co. called Pinnacle...may go nowhere but it's worth a shot.

    Di

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  27. Beautiful watercolour, Laurel.

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  28. Lovely image, and right on the money, sadly.

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  29. Absolutely adorable illo! This is issue is dear to my heart way too much waste....I wasn't brought up that way...serious changes are needed!! Thanks for addressing the subject!

    The musician singing on my blog is Paolo Nutini! Thanks for stopping by!

    Peace Sherrie

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  30. " Deep" well done!!!

    Peace Giggles

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  31. Uh-oh...he's about one paw away from being a circus bear...solid job...

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  32. haha...awesome idea! totally put a smile on my face:)

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  33. awesome pic.. and powerful writing..

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  34. Laurel, this is beautiful! Your post is very informative!

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  35. Nicely done. Your work is so fun and spontaneous!

    Thank you for commenting on my blog!

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  36. Thanks for stopping by, Laurel! I love your images, everyone of them :)

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  37. very cute and charming!

    and the message is so powerful...
    thanx for reminding us that we share this beautiful planet with so many other creatures who are equally entitled to live a happy life... :)
    mother earth is the mother of ALL of us... let's love her and take care of her with all our hearts...

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  38. Beautiful illustration, Laurel, very fresh and with great colors. Such a lovely painting with a very serious message.

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  39. Girl, you know how I feel about this topic! Beautiful movement is happening here and expression. thanks for your comments. I want to look for that flower book you mentioned. :)

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  40. The story about the polar bears drowning makes me so sad. I saw that footage. I wish I could get it out of my head....that has to be such a helpless, exhausting and even panicky feeling for the bear as it realizes it is stuck in the middle of the ocean.

    Your illustration shows a much more light-hearted picture. It's very nice, and I love the little sweater on the one!

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  41. You never cease to amaze me, Laurel! This is precious and just in time for Earth Day. I am impressed with your sensitivity with watercolor. I adore the colors. I am saddened to learn this about Polar Bears, and it doesn't surprise me. I hope Olga and Olaf's little one survives and lives a full life without too much human interference. Peace.

    p.s. I enjoyed your comment on get zapped.

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  42. Wowza! Very beautiful watercolor and idea- and very sad painful fact.

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  43. ArthurLovely watercolour for a serious concern. History has shown that artists see the world differently to others. It is important that all artists/illustrators use their insightful creativity to make a statement. Excellent work.
    Reading your comments has given me an idea to pursue. Thank you for the inspiration and wake up call.

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  44. Really love your colors. Great overall design.

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  45. Anonymous (AKA "gray top granny") writes...

    Laurel, the bears are wonderful! You have such a way with animals... the lines and colors are so expressive, delicate, sensitive, loving. And the image/composition is arresting and powerful. Perhaps it is time to create another book. Certainly one on global warming would be timely and well received.

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  46. A very disconcerting situation and very touching illustration, Laurel!

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  47. Precious painting! Hooray for hand- made art!

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  48. Belíssimo trabalho com uma técnica fabulosa!
    Parabéns!

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  49. This is excellent - the words and the painting.

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  50. ooh,lovely drawing..! i know i have to watch 'the inconvenient truth' someday... :-p

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  51. Another great post. That's why I love coming here. It's so said that we're causing so much destruction to our world.
    Thanks so much for the kind comments.

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  52. the illustration is beautiful! although a sad but true commentary. thanks for sharing such an important message to the world. all we can do is continue spreading the word until the boneheads realize it's not a myth.

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  53. Beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for the comment :)

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  54. Sad story but beautiful illo...

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  55. This a beautiful and elegant drawing. It has an interesting combination of sadness and light.

    I was purposefully avoiding any IF thumbnails with penguins or polar bears (even though I did that myself).

    I'm just not in the mood to be reminded about the peril of global climate change. I'm doing all I can already and I just get depressed when I see more reminders (that remind me that there are people not doing ANYTHING to help).

    It's selfish, I know. I'm also avoiding albums like The Wall and books like Bel Canto right now...

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  56. It's beautiful - and I hope they will keep their home, not having to balance on these small spaces.

    Anette Heiberg
    www.wynlen.no

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  57. wow make this comment no. 64! stunning art! and love the concept of this cute bear on that lone iceberg!

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  58. Lovely work Laurel - and an important read too! Thankyou

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  59. Does anyone read the 66th comment? If so, I like the splash dots.

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  60. A beautiful illo with a real message.

    Thanks for the nice comments too!

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  61. Sad commentary! Very well done!

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  62. So much of what life is all about these days is displayed here, in this wonderful, timely, illustration. Delivered in this fine style of yours one can see at once the abyss and the triumph of new life soon to be born. Beautiful and sad and I'm wishing Olaf and Olga many happy "polar" days and nights, brrrrr.

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  63. Beautiful work...i hope our friens meet....and i hope the enjoy happier times with their cub

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