Helene Dutrieu

For a while now, partially under the influence of the Transportation History Collection at the library where I work, I have been interested in Victorian women cyclists. Yesterday I got the idea to make a book/zine about women cyclists and specifically their cycling costumes; while nosing around for information I found the photo that this drawing is based on.

Helen Dutrieu (1877 - 1961) was a total badass. Born in Belgium, she began cycling competitively to support her family when just a teenager, won several world championships and achieved the women's world record for cycling distance in an hour. She then moved on to performing daring bicycle/motorcycle/automobile stunts in the theater and vaudeville (although presumably out-of-doors in the case of automobiles). In 1910 she became only the fourth licensed woman aviator in the world, and also achieved several firsts--the first woman to fly with a passenger and the first woman to stay airborne for more than an hour. During World War I she drove an ambulance, then directed a military hospital, and after World War I she became a journalist.

Nevertheless there is not a lot of information published about this incredible woman! I found one book, "Before Amelia" by Eileen Lebow, that includes an extended account of her achievements; other than that it is brief mentions. I even looked in the index of a French history of aviation and she wasn't listed, even though she was licensed in France and eventually became a French citizen.

I think Helene's life story would make an excellent basis for a comic book and am mulling ideas over ... I have a couple of other small things I want to do first and also just need to work on my basic writing and drawing skills, but maybe later this year I'll start!

ship, whales

My friend Naomi is writing a book about a teaching ship from the 19th century and asked me to do pictures. I haven't done any actual pictures for the book yet but here's a warm-up. The sails should be bigger!

pattern

I did this: http://www.designsponge.com/2008/05/welcome-julia-and-how-to-make-a-repeat-pattern.html I didn't succeed at lining things up as well, or else I didn't scan the image into photoshop very well. Also don't know how to use photoshop that well. I am nonetheless fairly pleased.

pulli

Finished knitting my first ever sweater. Just in time for 80 degree March days in Michigan.

oso minicomic

I said to a friend the other day that I tend to like gruesome comics, which she said was kind of messed up. So I feel a little self conscious posting this rather dark mini... But as I said to her we can just blame it on my childhood traumas.