Title: Ad Mortem Tenemur
Medium: Digital Painting
This particular image has stuck with me for many years. I still consider this latest rendering a sketch, as I expect it will continue to evolve. Someday, maybe, it will find its way to oil paints on canvas. Perhaps then it will feel complete.
I have always disliked the process of making digital art while at the same time embracing it. I prefer the feel of pencil on paper and paint on canvas. I like to have a finished product I can touch. Digital work is illusory. Even when printed, it is simply a copy of what exists only in some ethereal digital plain. But here's the crux: digital tools make illustration so much easier. I can "undo" mistakes, reposition segments of the artwork, experiment with textures and colors and simply make them disappear when they aren't pleasing. I don't need to buy costly paints or take the time to set up my palette. And digital is faster. What would take me days to create in acrylics or oils can be rendered in a matter of hours on the computer. In the world of illustration, time truly is money (or at least the greater potential to make money).
With that said, I have been creating digital art a lot lately. The convenience permits me to draw and paint during those fleeting moments I have each day. I've been experimenting with textures and brushes with the goal of creating digital art that doesn't look digital. Is that irony?
Anyhow, here are some of my latest digital renderings. Some of these are available as stickers (and other things) at klwasden.redbubble.com.
I recently undertook a translation of Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "Der Schwan". My intention was to translate it from English into Spanish, but I had some questions about prior English translations, so I set out to understand the poem in its original German. The problem is, aside from "guten Tag", I know very little German. I began with a literal, word-for-word translation from German into English. I then studied many of the German words and their deeper meanings and tried to understand the essence of Rilke's poem. I also sought input from friends who speak German, and I received some wonderful input and feedback. Helge Moulding offered profound advice, explaining that Rilke "stacked" words in German in order to create new words and deeper meanings, which makes some of the translation difficult. Helge also provided input on some of my original word choices. After considering the input I received, I am posting the translation below. That's not to say that it is complete. I am open to further input and revisions. Thanks to all who provided feedback. (Additional note: I know that Rilke used rhythmic meter in the original poem. I am not skilled enough to both rhyme and capture the soul of the poem, so I instead opted for free-verse.)
Espero despierto,
Y cuando la esperanza se apaga, duermo.
En los sueños busco otro anhelo
O al menos escapar.
