…is the name of today’s story at Fictive Dream.
Throughout the month of February 2022 I will be showing you illustrations I did for Flash Fiction February 2022 at Fictive Dream, an online magazine devoted to the short story.
Here’s the image editor Laura Black chose for this story, Terra Firmly, by Sharon Boyle.
And here is the artwork with the banner. Take a look at this image. And then…
Read the story at Fictive Dream.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
This most eye-catching illustration with it’s seemingly uncontrolled black swirls perfectly captures the threat and chaos that underpin today’s story, Terra Firmly by Sharon Boyle. It gives a sense of the outdoors and of nature kicking back. It’s a quirky, original piece or writing and I don’t want to reveal anything. Rather, let readers enjoy it! Thnak you very much, Claudia, it’s just lovely.
Thank you, I really enjoyed this story, and the sense of things being in motion, of a change happening, is part of this story. I also think of the idea of how when control is lost in one place, it is gained in another, or or seized, maybe? In any case, in doing an artwork like this, it often seems to me that the pen takes over and I go with it…
That was a most peculiar story and I think your imagery captures some of that sense of chaos. I absolutely love your use of that zesty green against the rich black and then that element of frosty blue to ground it all.
Thank you. I like this story for its different perspective on what we think as harmless coming back to show us it’s not. I do think this is a favorite color scheme of mine, expecially the blue and green shade. And of course there cannot be too much scrawly pen work in a piece for me – just because I like making it so much – but here I think it works out well.
You definitely caught the feeling. (K)
Thank you. I like this story and I liked the scrolling pen work in making this picture, which led to everything else.
The story kept a tingle going up my spine. Whether nature is striking back or the MC has lost his mind is irrelevant. When I first looked at the art, before reading the story, I thought that looks like a bunch of eyes. I see (no pun intended) I was right. The dark swirls are just right for what’s going on in the story.
I liked how the story was semi-hallucinatory, as you say, and the order of things is breaking down (or maybe being reshaped). In any case, a whole lot of upheaval is going on all right. The picture reflects that feeling.
Good way of putting it, Claudia.