Experimental trip: Choosing a flight directly in the airport

A dream done! I've always wanted to do this experiment: Go to the airport and choose a flight to anywhere. But I went further and did it directly when I flew back from Amsterdam! Full tired after a few days non stop with no clean clothes, etc. A friend of mine was waiting for me in the airport. It was a stressful but funny experience. Let's open the door to random world. Planning to much leaves out a big part of the journey.

We chose a flight to...

Visit to Cafe Analog in Utrecht

I was invited by Desiree to visit her Cafe Analog.

She has created a space with warm atmosphere and full of love for an analog world. We talked a lot about notebooks and writing in general. She is taking seriously her passion for stationery. Have a look at her website to finde nice items and now also "The Orange Manuscript"! https://www.cafe-analog.nl/ . Thanks Desiree for these great moments!

I tried to explain some details of Donau's Journey there but I'm afraid its secrets are quite hide to see them in a first view.

No need to say Utrecht is a lovely place to visit.

Donau´s Journey explanations. Squares #2, #3, #4, #7 and #8.

Squares #2, #3, #7 and #8 are related iconic places in my travels.

Square #2 shows Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. I made them with a bridge shape in order to allow the river pass through them. Number 2 is linked to gestation and preparation, that's why an egg is waiting there in the beginning of the journey.

Square #3 is dedicated to my all time favorite island: Aitutaki, in Cook Islands, South Pacific. It has triangle shape (number 3) and it's an absolutely amazing place. Here a couple of photos I took there together with a photo from the air.

Photo from Google

Square #4 is dedicated to the power and material wealth, same as in card number IIII in Tarot. 

  

It's the representation of stability like the four legs in a table. A king shows the ambition for power and appearance. He looks back and we can't expect anything new or innovation from him. Red shoes are stylish Stilettos in this case, but clothes don't change the inner essence: Rotten meats of an human with costume to create an illusion of respect.

Square #7 is related to travels and, why not, old travels atmosphere. 

Square #8 contains many numbers 8, that's the Everest (8848 m high). The top of the world. I can see myself walking from the Base Camp at 5200 m high to some kilometers ahead. I can't imagine how is the feeling when climb much higher. Incredible place.

 

Life is itself a journey and places are just temporary scenarios.

Simple writing tools

Back to simple tools: Pencil and paper. I really love this verge paper texture and cream color. For me it provides the perfect atmosphere for writing.

Many times I was worried about waterproof inks or whatever archival quality tools and at the end nothing can beat basic pencils. Keeping the control and feeling the touch is very important.

Donau´s Journey explanations. Geometric links

The whole painting is one thing, this is one of the main ideas behind the project. Universe is one single entity and everything in the Cosmos keep internal links with each other. Nothing is isolated. One way to show that is the creation of references which can be found here and there.

It's easy to read the word "REF" on the Rotring tool I used to draw everything.

That's a geometric reference which links many items. All these things keep the same length:

       
 
  

 

   

Donau´s Journey explanations. Jellyfish sequences

There are 13 jellyfish in this little universe. They are elegant, cute and polite, wearing green and orange color.
  
Each color creates a sequence based in their square numbers.
Green: 5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50 and 59.
Orange: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45 and 54.

The numbers of each sequence can be reduced to the same one digit:
5 for green: 5, 1+4=5, 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5+0=5, 5+9=14->1+4=5.
9 for orange: 9, 1+8=9, 2+7=9, 3+6=9, 4+5=9, 5+4=9.

5 and 9 are special numbers with strong links to some cultures.

In the traditional board game of the goose if a player lands on a goose square after throw the dice, he jumps to the next goose and throw the dice again. Here we have jellyfish instead gooses but I've kept the numerology behind them.

Donau's Journey explanations. The traveler

I'd like to explain some details about the project Donau's Journey. It's not an easy task since it hides many messages in several levels and also contains personal information. I will elaborate separated posts with explanations.

Let's start by the beginning.

The traveller starts his journey in box #1. Apparently he has a physical body but he doesn't know his origin or any meaning related to his existence. He is just and AUTOMATON (I love this word).

This corner is dedicated to biological beings. We all are created and ruled by DNA. Incredible vegetal life, fascinating animals and more creatures will follow the evolution according to the code.

He uses the same body position than Le Mat in Tarot cards, with same red shoes and a stick pointing to Le monde (card XXI, The World). 

        

Nowadays the world is bigger and bigger so his stick points to the known universe shown in #21.

He walks forward knowing nothing but with great intuition. Red shoes will guide him along the river in this magical an unique journey, which is the journey of life, the journey of all of us.

Donau's Journey prints for sale

ABOUT
Donau's Journey (El viaje de Donau) is not only a journey along the wise river but also a journey through all of our lives, from biological birth all the way to the sea, with many surprises along the way. Donau's Journey takes the form of the classic game "El juego de la oca" and it's more than a just board game. I used the goose game structure as a geometrical base for numerology, links between squares and relationships everywhere. And it can be used for play as well!

Myriad details wait to be discovered, some more hidden than others. Maybe you can feel for yourself the meaning of each square. This has been quite a personal project and at the same time an explanation of my vision of the Cosmos.

"The highest artistic aspiration is the creation of a one's own universe with one's own aesthetic, symbology and ideas."


THE PROCESS
I saw and admired a version by Rafael Alberti in Reina Sofía museum many years ago. I've always wanted to do something similar and finally started to put ideas together in April 2016. This new creation was growing quite fast and a huge quantity of inspiration came to me both day and night. I was fully focused on this project in April and May 2017 in order to complete it. I was too immersed in this fascinating and crazy river. Now, June 2017, it's complete!



It was done using mainly Rotring Isograph with Rotring ink and watercolors for the drawings and pencils for some details. Fountain pen for the text. Of course all hand done. No tech applied.

Update January 2018: I'm happy to introduce Donau's Journey version in English.

The difference with the original print is not only the language but also the enriched frame.
It's printed in high quality vergé paper 160g/m2. Here some photos of the final print:

I'm much happier with this print quality and paper than the previous one therefore I highly recommend the English version.

Every print is hand signed.

SHIPPING
Worldwide shipping
Shippings on Tuesdays and Fridays
Delivery in paperboard tubes 75 cm long


PAYMENT

Price:
Spanish version: 70 EUR  NOT AVAILABLE

English version: 85 EUR 

Shipping and taxes included.

Paypal payment. To be confirmed later in the next step.
Buy English version here:

Please send me an email for any question: naranjacorreo@gmail.com
Many thanks for reading this page.

Fully digitalized

I can't believe I can say it! Two days ago I completed this project. It was starting to go too crazy because during several hours every day I was full focused on it. It invaded my mind so deeply it visited me during nights and dreams too.

More details soon.

Inks in use

These are the inks I'm using currently. There were chosen in order to match with my notebook style. After years I manage to use them properly and find myself confortable with these tones. My fountain pens love them.

However they are not waterproof and I wonder if I could find similar colors in waterproof brands. Soon I will post a video testing these ink with water. Horrible results.

My atelier is the real world

My current notebook together with the last one.

One of the great points of keeping a notebook is the portability. I don't need a wardrobe full of writing tools, big easel or a studio. I can write in a terrace, in a mountain, in the bed and in the train. But nor under the rain.

My atelier is the real world.