SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.
four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish,
To set before the king.
The king was in his counting house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlour,
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird
And pecked off her nose.
They sent for the king's doctor,
who sewed it on again;
He sewed it on so neatly,
the seam was never seen.
SKETCH & RESEARCH
DETAIL
The story happened in Tudor period, revolving around King Henry VIII, Queen Catherine of Aragon and maid Anne Boleyn and implying British Reformation relating to them.
I divided the whole nursery rhyme into three sections and presented it by three illustrations. The compositions of three paintings are symmetrical on both sides, highlighting the middle. The inspiration originated from the architectural style in Tudor period that is symmetrical on both sides, highlighting the middle. The overall character design reconstructed the history and doctor Schnabel, hands, Medieval alchemy and other elements were added. Also, it combined with the textures of gold foil and watercolor to show the gorgeous weird atmosphere of Middle Ages.
