“Welcome to our studio in the Highlands of Scotland, the creative home of Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles – from where we bring you this behind-the-scenes feature (just one of many) and invite you to peek over my shoulder, as I create one of my original borders, for the unique illuminated letters, which feature in my illustrated Paintbox Tales.
My miniature Masterworks oil paintings that illustrate these short stories from Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles - are square in format and filled with detail – for I wanted to portray the precious content of these tales, filled with magical happenings. Their size and square shape evoked treasured icons, in the mind of our Design Director, Sunita Gahir, which inspired her miniature square design for each book in the Paintbox Tales collection – translated by Eileen into our distinctive Video-Storybook versions.
I had developed a unique method for producing these miniature oil paintings, based on traditional techniques - and wanted to take this further by incorporating the traditional art of illuminated letters into the Paintbox Tales. The border artwork that would frame these illuminated letters required every bit as much attention to detail. So too the companion, inner illustrations. Which is why I developed a very particular watercolour technique with which to illuminate these borders and occasional illustrations – that also follow the distinctive square format.
In this video you see me at work. from the first tracing-out to the final finishing touches of watercolours, of the various elements that feature throughout this particular border – a frame, specific to the Paintbox Tale, ‘Starway Sapphires’; an image that includes ladybugs and dandelions, which are relevant to the ‘Starway Sapphires’ story of the first magical meeting between Zand and Weftwing, the Insect Whisperer and are more significant than Zand could ever have imagined.
‘Starway Sapphires’ chronicles Zand’s passion for insects and for art – which comes to light in this tale, filled with childhood memories of magic, challenges and amazing wonders. Not to mention, life-changing revelations of Zand’s inheritance and his grandfather’s astonishing legacy.
A collection of interchangeable borders and companion images allowed Sunita to be flexible, when creating the unique illuminated alphabet for the Paintbox Tales. Illuminated letters and precious gold-leaf script is used to highlight significant passages – for which Sunita personally created the distinctive gold-leaf highlight texts that you see coming to life under her guiding hand - thanks to her considerable expertise as a designer of illustrated books.
Study the pages of ‘Starway Sapphires’ carefully and you will discover Elphen wings, flowing throughout the book, embedded as a watermark motif – a magical background for this precious Elphen Paintbox Tale. Fragments of gold-leaf ‘appear’ to have been scattered across the pages - Sunita wanted to give the impression that if you stroke the pages, gold-sparkled paint will come away on your fingers.
Eileen’s concept, design and creation of the Video-Storybook version of ‘Starway Sapphires’ is inspired by Sunita’s modelling of these pages, which she brings to life as I narrate the story itself.
All this and more when you lift the lid on The Elphen Treasure Chest, a magical trove filling with myriad gems of all things Elphen. There are books and short stories, a music album and soundscape, original artworks and prints, tutorials and crafty templates, plus more in the making.
Thank you for watching and reading and, as ever, we send you best wishes from,”
Eileen, Sunita, Liza and myself.
Paul Taggart – Artist : Author : Presenter : Producer [Sole Author & Illustrator of ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles©’]
Eileen Tunnell – Project Director, Producer, Video Auteur ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’
Sunita Gahir – Design Director/Producer ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’
Liza Mulholland – Music Director/Producer ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2023 – Paul Taggart has asserted his Rights as the Sole Artist & Author of Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles. ALL RIGHTS (including Music) owned by Paul W. Taggart, Eileen M. Tunnell, Sunita J. Gahir [The Three Quills]
The Three Quills studio, symbolising the trio of creative strands that are art & design, writings and music.
‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’ Treasure Chest - bearing riches in art, music, writings and creative crafts, with plenty more to come.
NOTE : This e-newsletter blog contains information pertaining to Paul W. Taggart and Eileen M. Tunnell and contains copyrighted material. It should be read as privileged or confidential and protected by International Copyright law and DMCA.