When I made the illustrations for Rockrose Resort, I realized that I wanted to include a picture of the seaweed down in the water. Algot sits on the rocks and looks down at the seaweed swaying down there in its green underwater world.
But when I was going to insert the pictures into the script, the picture of the tongs didn’t fit. Why is hard to say, but it differed from the others. It was left out and since then lacks a context. Therefore, it can be included here on the blog today instead.
I just moved my studio to the house we rent. There is an incredible amount that needs to be packed and moved here. Now I have brought a work table, chair, shelves and books here. But the difficult part remains – all pictures, paintings, sketches, drawings, etc. which remain everywhere in the studio. One day I will have to go through them and decide what to keep and what to throw away.
Most of it is like the illustration on the seaweed – images without context. How can I know if they should be saved or not? Imagine if a context suddenly appeared and an image could find its home. Imagine if I had thrown it away. I have to take a chance and believe that every picture can find its place.
I like the image of the seaweed because, just like Algot, I myself have so often sat and dreamed away among swaying seaweed and algae in an underwater world. Maybe that’s why they didn’t fit in – it was my picture, not Algot’s.
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Mattias is an author and illustrator