The text I’m using for my Baba Yaga book is from Folk Tales From The Russian (1903) by Verra Xenophontovna Kalamatiano de Blumenthal, which has to be one of the most wonderful names ever. All the stories in the book are pretty wonderful, too.
The story I’ve chosen is a Hansel and Gretel variation, with Baba Yaga as the wicked witch. These are some of the illustrations I’ve started:
"Somewhere, I cannot tell you exactly where, but certainly in vast Russia. . ."
" Finally she wanted to get rid of them altogether. Do you know what it means to allow a wicked thought to enter one's heart?"
"The obedient children arrived at the forest and, oh, wonder! there stood a hut, and what a curious one!"
Twelve more to do, but they’re coming along faster than I thought they would. They’d go even faster if I’d ever really learned to draw and didn’t have to Photoshop around with old illustrations. It’s never too late, I guess.
Will they be in color? Great idea.
No, B&W. Stark Russian winters, birch twigs against a whited-out sky, frightened children in the woods, more of a horror movie feel, I think. Or at least as terrifying as a 2″ tall book can be. I don’t know about the binding yet. Black leather, maybe. Is there such a thing as tanned chicken skin?
Tanned CHICKEN SKIN??????? SO perfect! If it doesn’t already exist I’m sure you’ll be tanning some yourself!
OK, that’s a dare.
Do you know about “blue leg” chickens? I saw them used on Chopped the other night. They are found mostly in France. They are salmonella free which is good cause if you overcook them they get tough. But I digress, this is NOT after all a cooking blog! I would, however, offer the thought of blue legs an item for artistic inspiration!
The chicken legs came dyed in all sorts of colors (except yellow, oddly) but I chose a dusty black for the evil look.