( 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.
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.
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)
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!
Check out this board, approx. fifteen feet long and six feet high!
And at last, a bit of information to entice your interest in reading about our friends the Dragons….
My all your Dragons be tame, but fly you around too!
Franque
8 comments
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January 26, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Barbara
Great bulletin boards! Great dragons!
January 27, 2012 at 12:26 pm
franque23
🙂 Thanks!
Franque
January 27, 2012 at 11:04 am
Jennifer
Wow! I’m speechless!
January 27, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Lach Franquemont
Gerry, it strikes me how similar our working processes are. I often look at a work from many directions, and then do things that don’t make sense to me until later. I wouldn’t claim that the batting average of my intuition is 100% but it’s always respected when it’s at the plate.
January 27, 2012 at 11:03 pm
franque23
Lach- I’m so happy you have veiwed this post-you are a great artist and I do think about your work as I do mine, hoping to at least stay in the ring with you!
January 29, 2012 at 9:15 pm
franque23
NO Jessica don’t say you will be leaving Hawaii?! I thought it might be a long gig there for you two–HOly smoly, Dale and i have to think about how to get over there when you are there…Right now I’m the reverse of money!!! Shoot. anyway–grow a pineapple, plant the top, water once a wek, put it good soil,,,when it has been over a year, you can force it to fruit, I think it’s calcium carbide but you can google it to find out, I did it once-worked,,, anyway, the thing turns a golden yellow and leans to the side —-cut it at the base,, cut off the top of it and plant that again….on and on.
May 11, 2016 at 4:46 pm
John Schirle
I’m an artistically-challenged library assistant trying to come up with bulletin board and display themes — do you have (or can you recommend) a template or pattern for the dragon made with red corrugated material?
May 11, 2016 at 6:49 pm
franque23
Dang, I don’t have a template for anything–just draw it out in pencil then cut away….try and get a feel for the size of the area you will be using, and design that out on paper..then maybe scope out dragons images on google,,,print the one you like out, or use mine,,,,and first pencil it in ….good luck,,, and thanks so much for stopping by, meanwhile,, I’ve another dragon on another dragon post..maybe look at dragons of 2012…blog, I thin it’s it there. Thanks again,,, Franque23