…is the name of today’s story at Fictive Dream.
Throughout the month of February 2023 I will be showing you illustrations I did for Flash Fiction February 2023 at Fictive Dream, an online magazine devoted to the short story.
Here’s the image editor Laura Black chose for this story, Lakemouth, by Helena Pantsis.
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 
Consumed by our consumption. I like the feeling of lurking in your art, overlaying the beautiful blue. (K)
Thank you. This kind of image often evolves (rather than is created), I think. Layers responding to previous layers.
The location for today’s story, Lakemouth by Helena Pantsis, is a polluted lake and I think the illustration reflects this perfectly. The bright blue is a reminder of how clean water should look. But then we see the acidic green dots which engage with the idea of skin turning green. The beige with black markings reminds me of the rotting detritus mentioned in the story. The red dots a forewarning of the tragedy that may have occurred. An example of text and artwork in perfect harmony. Thank you, Claudia.
Thank you. When I make an image like this, it more evolves than is created – I add more and more to it until it is in balance and looks pleasing to me. I think it’s interesting to compare it to water, because that is so often how water appears – you can see into and into various layers. I like how this story uses water as another kind of reality, essentially, with hidden layers in it.
The choice of colours and marks is perfect for a story set in a lake that should be a wonderful blue but which contains sludgy garbage and waste. I think the pops of red are very suggestive of danger too. Really well done.
Thank you. This kind of image grows with time – starting out with colors and then adding elements on top of each other. It is like looking into, or through, water, for me to work this way.