Fairy Tale Motifs

Motifs are recurring themes or ideas in fairy tales. Even though the Standard Dictionary of Folklore says: "A mother as such is not a motif. A cruel mother becomes one because she is at least thought to be unusual,” that is actually what made me curious about recurrences in fairy tales.

Since I try to leave the heart of the fairy tales in my stories when I use them as inspiration, I started recognizing that some recurrences—especially the family unit: Grandmothers, single parents who remarry, stepsisters, siblings—were very important in the foundation of my story. If I changed the family structure, my story structure crumbled. My curiosity led me to research motifs in fairy tales. Seems to be more research on fairy tale motif than there are fairy tales, but the main work I found interesting and wanted to share is the Aarne-Thompson - Types of the Folk Tale.

In 1910, Antti Aarne, compiled and published, Index of Types of Folktale, in German. In 1928 (and again in 1961) it was revised and expanded by the American folklorist Stith Thompson. The 6 volume Aarne-Thompson Types of the Folk Tale uses a system to group fairy and folk tales according to motifs – giving them AT numbers. According to The Department of Scandinavian Studies the “AT-number may cover a whole folktale, or a sequence (an episode) of a folktale.”

There are 5 main categories; however, about half the folk tales and fairy tales are classified under #2 - Ordinary Folktales.

1. Animal Tales (Types 1-299),
2. Ordinary Folktales (Types 300-1199),
3. Jokes and Anecdotes (Types 1200-1999),
4. Formula Tales (Types 2000-2399),
5. Unclassified Tales (Types 2400-2499)

Cinderella, my favorite fairy tale, is AT510.

The Department of Scandinavian Studies also has a great pdf with further motif explanations and an extensive AT list.

Fantasy Artist, Kathy Siney

Please welcome fantasy artist, Kathy Siney, and her magical fairie art.

Hi, Kathy. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you define yourself as an artist?

I live in the NorthWest UK, and I’ve always loved drawing and painting from being very young. I haven’t had any formal training and so everything I’ve learnt has been from books, online groups or trial and error! I tend to use mainly watercolours and more recently, coloured pencils. I love painting fairies as it gives so much scope for creating magical clothing and hair etc. I like to paint both pretty faeries and darker gothic fae - it’s important to me not to be bored, which tends to happen if I spend too long on something! I also paint pin-up artwork, which comes from my love of the 1950s era and rock and roll music. It worried me for a time that I didn’t slot into a particular category - nor had a defining style, but now I feel lucky. I don’t have to box myself in, and I can paint the best of both worlds!

What inspires you?

Inspiration can come from anywhere; it may just be a book I’ve read or even an item of clothing I’ve seen that sparks ideas! It frequently comes from words for me - there are times I'll think up a title and find an idea to go with that. I always write ideas down in a notebook then I don’t forget!

When do you get your best ideas, and when do you create?

I find my ideas come to me mostly when I’m just daydreaming - or having trouble sleeping! I draw or paint most days, though there are times when things just don’t come together and then I just walk away and take a break. It’s good to come back to things with fresh eyes sometimes. I only ever paint in daylight as I like to see colours in natural light.

Do you feel that an artist must reinvent him/herself daily?

I think it’s good to try new things - whether that be different types of mediums or trying a different style. I like to experiment with new things and sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn’t, and it’s all part of learning. However, I also believe it’s important to stick with what you do best. For example: someone who is good at painting portraits shouldn’t feel pressured into cartooning just because that happens to be popular at the time.

Which artists do you admire and how have they influenced your work?

I admire so many artists because I love looking at artwork, but many are my favourites who all shine in different areas. For example, Julie Bell who paints such realistic figures in oils; Amy Brown for her fun pretty fairies; Jessica Galbreth for her beautiful gothic maidens; Nene Thomas for her detailed dresses and costumes; Selena Fenech for her radiant lifelike work. The list is endless! I have many artist friends and they all have their own style and do it so well. I think each of their biggest influences upon me has been to pursue my goals; had it not been for them, I would never dreamt I could paint faeries as a profession.

What advice would you give a beginning artist?

I still don’t consider myself as having 'made it' as such, but the one thing I think is important, is to follow your heart. Create art for YOU and what you enjoy doing and don’t let others tell you otherwise. That said, it’s good to be able to take constructive criticism - but learn to know the difference between this and a put down. Find what you are best at, and what you feel most comfortable with; don't follow a trend just because everyone else seems to be doing it. It’s great to be influenced - we all are - but do your own thing. I found joining online art communities to be so helpful - you can learn so much and be part of a supportive network. Practice a lot too - you'll be surprised how quickly you learn from your mistakes; I look at some of my earlier work and wouldn’t dare let it see the light of day!

Thank you, Kathy. Please tell us where can we find your work?

My website is http://www.silverwingsart.co.uk/ I also have merchandise and prints available at www.zazzle.com/silverwingsart and www.redbubble.com/people/kathysiney

My work is also licensed with companies for graphics, candles and cross stitch.

If anyone would like to join me on Facebook then it would be lovely to hear from you! http://www.facebook.com/pages/SilverWingsArt-Kathy-Siney/21393247076

images ©copyright 2009 Kathy Siney