Here’s lookin’ at ya!

( Avatar Magic, by Gerald Franquemont, is out on kindle and the book can be downloaded onto most computers and reading devices.)

You know by now I love to do bulletin boards. I love to think about  what they may be and then about  how to make them: what materials to use, the size and shape of them, the message and effect, and finally about the humor possibilities within any given theme. Flat out I’m a nut case for bulletin boards. This dragon features paper stuffed with cotton and then backed on mylar board. I wet some of the paper to help it bend.  He is green and trimmed out  in vibrant blue to highlight the fiery red flames.  The knight is armored in silver-colored single-face flute corrugated board, holding a tin-foil sword representing a forged but roughly hammered out blade. the knight’s chain mail armor is made of an old scroll of metallic material I was later told had been around for ten years un-used.

Recently someone asked me how I come up with my board ideas and that got me thinking.

Looks like we have a visitor.

I’ve done store front windows for my leather business and then for stores I managed in malls for over 21 years. And you know when I did my window fronts for my shop in Silver Springs Florida they had to be effective-they had to sell products. Now for an additional 17 years I’ve been doing bulletin boards for The Alachua County Library District.

It could be a hot time in town tonight.

I like to highlight the different seasons as they roll by. It’s the farmer in me that keeps my focus grounded to weather patterns when it comes to my garden and to my bulletin boards as well. Of course all the yearly celebrations and events make easy targets for bulletin board themes. Basically it’s all good.(Hopefully)

NO one phoned ahead to say this Dragon was coming…..

Sometimes people will see me just looking at an empty board from some distance. I find ideas swirl through imaginary lines I envision upon the board  as I do this. Images appear in my mind and then, if I like them, I try to figure out the best way to convey that image with what I have to deal with in terms of lighting, space and materials.

So this year our Youth services group decided to hit the Chinese New year and Dragons theme in general for bulletin boards and book displays. It’s been a kick!

Even our UF interns jumped into the fire.(This btw an excellent job at glitter lettering)

Check out this board, approx. fifteen feet long and six feet high!

a 15′ X 6′ bulletin board

Walk right up, but you might feel the heat! The flames come about ten inches off the board.

And of course this year’s first dragon still looks on from the other side of our room.

And at last, a bit of information to entice your interest in reading about our friends the Dragons….

Dragons: a curse or a blessing? Thanks to Scot Sterling for setting up this sign for the board.

My all your Dragons be tame, but fly you around too!

Franque