The Revenge of Cock Robin tableaux that I am creating is something of a long term project and always love getting my teeth stuck into it.
There is some incredible information to be found on the original story but also how it has developed over the years and have spent a lot of time resourcing this, as it means I can add more drama to the scene, but in new and accurate of ways. There are many characters mentioned throughout the history of this ‘story’ which have barely had a mention if at all! which is why this is becoming an increasingly bigger project by the day.
Though I may have this all laid out in my head, there does seem to be a sneaky characters popping up from time to time and always very excited to reintroduce them in my own telling of what happened after the tragic, failed wedding.
One such character is that of the goldfinch. These happen to be one of my favourite garden birds anyway, as they do not (in my mind) feel as though they truly belong belong to the English countryside who up their flirtatiousness in hopes of a fly by romance, only to disappear again, but as this is an English story (not that we are not all guilty of this too) all the birds will be from our own shores, so have relegated him the role of a dandy naval officer, who shares similar characteristics as mentioned earlier, offering his heroic tails whilst out at sea and wooing his next mate before setting off once more leaving love and lust in his wake. I have taken some inspiration from Adam Ant, not much, but enough to suggest my love for his styling and dandyness and have spent time listening to my favourite songs, whilst creating this little chap.
Making his clothing, although not finished yet, has been a tricky one! I really don’t know why, as his shape is relatively simple and more like that of a banana, but after making template after template it has come together and made sense in the end. I sew my clothing together, so that they do not fall apart and are are all tailored to fit each character, It’s something I enjoy greatly as it brings the ideas to life, I really don’t like ill fitting as it takes the creatures look more like soft toys, which these are not and in turn makes them look all the more believable once you them..especially in real life.
The illustration was created by Krysten Newby
