On the right is the line inking (the page on the left of the image), and the initial sketch done on tracing paper (on the right)
Thursday 7 June 2012
Eye/flower
On the right is the line inking (the page on the left of the image), and the initial sketch done on tracing paper (on the right)
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Robot Step-by-Step II
Hey again, everyone, welcome to part two! I decided that it would be crazy to put all the pictures I have of the process in one post, so splitting it up seemed like the smart move. If you came here before Step I, here's a link to that. It's probably best to do things in chronological order.
Step Four: Working into the layers:
Here I've added more Burnt Sienna to the landscape, especially in the foreground. It's undiluted, so the colour is stronger, and in the hills behind, I've worked in a mix of Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre wet-into-wet, and then added a little Titanium White to that mix and worked that wet-into-wet as well.
More after the jump
Robot Step-By-Step
Hey again, fellow travellers. This post is a step-by-step of the process I used to do my Robot with Lady painting.
I'm posting this because I would like it - I like step-by-step articles on just about anything, because I always like to see processes as they happen, and I figure, write what you love. So here goes:
Step One: Transferring the sketch.
(Doing the sketch I'm treating like a whole other process)
So this is the start of me transferring the original drawing to the painting surface. I drew the image directly onto tracing paper, turned it over and traced the lines with a soft pencil (e.g.4B). What you see is the result of putting the soft-pencil side of the tracing paper onto the painting surface, and running over the lines with a hard pencil (e.g. 2H) or a ballpoint pen (I used the pen).
The surface I'm using here is a sheet of hardboard cut to about A4, and coated with a couple of layers of gesso, applied with a housebrush. I like the housebrush, because it gives a grain to the surface that you can really get some paint in (I'll later experiment with applying the gesso with just a flat edge, so that it goes on smooth).
More after the jump.
I'm posting this because I would like it - I like step-by-step articles on just about anything, because I always like to see processes as they happen, and I figure, write what you love. So here goes:
Step One: Transferring the sketch.
(Doing the sketch I'm treating like a whole other process)
The surface I'm using here is a sheet of hardboard cut to about A4, and coated with a couple of layers of gesso, applied with a housebrush. I like the housebrush, because it gives a grain to the surface that you can really get some paint in (I'll later experiment with applying the gesso with just a flat edge, so that it goes on smooth).
More after the jump.
Monday 30 April 2012
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Asteroid Mining and Subsea exploration
I recently came across an article in Bad Astronomy (linked) that was about a new startup called Planetary Resources, featuring the investment of several billionaires, including James Cameron. This sounds plenty amazing to me - I love it so much when sci-fi becomes real. I suggest you read that blog article that I linked, as Phil Plait does it better than I will. Go read it, then come back
Ok, you done that?
OK, so those who know me know that I have a degree in Microbiology and Immunology Bsc Hons (the letters at the end are important for my ego - they mean Bachelor of Science with Honours (always makes me think of Bachelours Super-Noodles, which are what you eat when studying for your Bachelors - I wonder if there is a connection?)) . This is important for establishing why I love what I'm about to talk about.
When I think about space, it takes me almost no time at all to get to thinking about alien life. This is because it seems to me to be most likely that the first and later, most common Extraterrestrial Life we will find will be bacteria or bacteria-analogues (things that aren't bacteria, but are very much like them, and fill a similar evolutionary niche). Now since the kind of environments we are likely to find on other planets (or indeed on other sorts of celestial bodies like comets, asteroids and maybe even gas clouds) are generally considered extreme by Earth standards, it makes sense to imagine that any bacteria or bacteria-analogues that we find will be, by any reasonable definition, extremophilic. That is to say that they live and thrive in environmental conditions so bizarre, so extreme that until recently people thought that life could not live in these places.
The really deep ocean - like a few kilometres down (link to my new favourite graphic of this), can have a huge number of extreme conditions for life - super-pressure, super-salinity, super-heated water, totally unlighted water, liquid water below freezing point (yes, really), etc. Deep-sea is very unexplored, much like space in general. Deep-sea submersibles are very much like spacecraft in many ways, and deep-sea exploreres very much like astronauts. The research also ties in very nicely with each other - they're two sides of the same coin.
Take black smokers, ( link complete with sound recording - from the depths of the sea! How freaking cool is that!!!!!!!!) for instance. Discovered at the bottom of volcanic ocean trenches, they spume noxious chemicals at horrendous concentrations and super-heated temperatures, at depths with pressures that can scarcely be imagined. It is an environment that anyone could be forgiven for imagining was utterly inimical to life. But it's not. Not only does life exist there, but multi-cellular life. Complex life. Simple life like bacteria (or somewhat-living nucleic acid chunks like viruses) seems even more likely that complex life.
So what we have is evidence that life can live, sometimes in surprisingly complex forms, in environments that are mind-bending to conceive of. We also know that other planets have really harsh environments.
What I'm trying to say is that with the knowledge of extremophilic bacteria that we have, we have a reasonable hope that we might one day find ET life. Actual aliens. Real, genuine, real-life, for reals, for serious, in reality xenomorphs. Not quite as nightmarish as Aliens, hopefully.
What does this have to do with asteroid mining? Well, if you've read Phil Plait's post on the plan proposed by Planetary Resources, you'll notice that it makes a hell of a lot of sense. Step 1 is study. Step 2 is study more. Step three is do something about it. Look before you leap.
With increased space exploration, there comes an increased chance to find ET life - and here's the important bit - whether or not you actually notice it. It could be lurking entombed in asteroid ice shelves. We just don't know and can hardly predict. So we should be ready to recognise whatever tiny signs of life there are. The study of extremophilic bacteria and extreme environments, with which the ocean and other water environments are replete, gives us an insight into what kind of environments we know can and do support life - so that we can be more aware of the chances of finding life beyond our cradle.
What do you think about that?
Ok, you done that?
OK, so those who know me know that I have a degree in Microbiology and Immunology Bsc Hons (the letters at the end are important for my ego - they mean Bachelor of Science with Honours (always makes me think of Bachelours Super-Noodles, which are what you eat when studying for your Bachelors - I wonder if there is a connection?)) . This is important for establishing why I love what I'm about to talk about.
When I think about space, it takes me almost no time at all to get to thinking about alien life. This is because it seems to me to be most likely that the first and later, most common Extraterrestrial Life we will find will be bacteria or bacteria-analogues (things that aren't bacteria, but are very much like them, and fill a similar evolutionary niche). Now since the kind of environments we are likely to find on other planets (or indeed on other sorts of celestial bodies like comets, asteroids and maybe even gas clouds) are generally considered extreme by Earth standards, it makes sense to imagine that any bacteria or bacteria-analogues that we find will be, by any reasonable definition, extremophilic. That is to say that they live and thrive in environmental conditions so bizarre, so extreme that until recently people thought that life could not live in these places.
The really deep ocean - like a few kilometres down (link to my new favourite graphic of this), can have a huge number of extreme conditions for life - super-pressure, super-salinity, super-heated water, totally unlighted water, liquid water below freezing point (yes, really), etc. Deep-sea is very unexplored, much like space in general. Deep-sea submersibles are very much like spacecraft in many ways, and deep-sea exploreres very much like astronauts. The research also ties in very nicely with each other - they're two sides of the same coin.
Take black smokers, ( link complete with sound recording - from the depths of the sea! How freaking cool is that!!!!!!!!) for instance. Discovered at the bottom of volcanic ocean trenches, they spume noxious chemicals at horrendous concentrations and super-heated temperatures, at depths with pressures that can scarcely be imagined. It is an environment that anyone could be forgiven for imagining was utterly inimical to life. But it's not. Not only does life exist there, but multi-cellular life. Complex life. Simple life like bacteria (or somewhat-living nucleic acid chunks like viruses) seems even more likely that complex life.
So what we have is evidence that life can live, sometimes in surprisingly complex forms, in environments that are mind-bending to conceive of. We also know that other planets have really harsh environments.
What I'm trying to say is that with the knowledge of extremophilic bacteria that we have, we have a reasonable hope that we might one day find ET life. Actual aliens. Real, genuine, real-life, for reals, for serious, in reality xenomorphs. Not quite as nightmarish as Aliens, hopefully.
What does this have to do with asteroid mining? Well, if you've read Phil Plait's post on the plan proposed by Planetary Resources, you'll notice that it makes a hell of a lot of sense. Step 1 is study. Step 2 is study more. Step three is do something about it. Look before you leap.
With increased space exploration, there comes an increased chance to find ET life - and here's the important bit - whether or not you actually notice it. It could be lurking entombed in asteroid ice shelves. We just don't know and can hardly predict. So we should be ready to recognise whatever tiny signs of life there are. The study of extremophilic bacteria and extreme environments, with which the ocean and other water environments are replete, gives us an insight into what kind of environments we know can and do support life - so that we can be more aware of the chances of finding life beyond our cradle.
What do you think about that?
Tuesday 3 April 2012
Painting, permission and plagiarism
I love the tattoo style. One day, I will tattoo. Until then, I practise, and try to develop a style of my own.
Recently, I have remembered being blown the hell away by a gentleman called Derek Noble. I looked him up, and looked at his paintings. I love his work. I think I should reserve a large patch of skin for him. Right lower leg, I think. Both sides. More likely, I will be able to get him at a convention some year, and he'll do a few hours worth on me. That's all off in the future though. Right now, I want to talk about influences.
It's easy for me to be influenced by another artist. It happens a lot. I imagine it happens like this to a lot of people. You see some new variation on images, some slight change to a set of understood symbols, and you add it to your own artistic vocabulary. I imagine influences apply like this to any creative endeavor (sewing, cooking, woodcarving, writing, film-making etc etc). It can be hard, especially if the new insight you have is really different for you, really profound, really hard hitting, not to fall into near- or outright plagiarism. People want to emulate their heroes. It's really common.
I'm trying hard not to plagiarize. I don't think I am - but seeing Derek's work gave me the confidence - and a sort of grammar of artistic expression - to use something that I have loved for a while. Big fat lines. Big fat fuck-off black lines. Happy man with a chubby marker pen. (of course, it's important to use varied width lines for a nice effect - more of that in the next post.) I swear, it was a revelation. Plagiarism, however, would be to copy something outright, without giving it credit as a copy. It's not creatively healthy to do either, but in science, we stand on the shoulders of giants: I see no reason that I cannot do the same
To get the idea, imagine you want to write a novel. You have a hard time, though, thinking of how to express yourself just right, in a way you like. Maybe it's a fight scene in your book. So what do you do? You can just hammer at it and hope to stumble across a format that you like, or you can look at novels that have already been written, and see what you like. Emulate it. Take someone else's idea and bash it out of shape and into something that fits you better. Like George R.R. Martin, or Dan Abnett. Those guys write fight scenes almost blow by blow, then pull back for a big picture, then go back in close for a gory finish.
That's what it was like for me to see Derek's work. It was like getting permission to do something I had always wanted to do, and shown how it could be done. Shown the gory finish.
Without much more ado, then, I present Snake Lady, in ten parts:
Recently, I have remembered being blown the hell away by a gentleman called Derek Noble. I looked him up, and looked at his paintings. I love his work. I think I should reserve a large patch of skin for him. Right lower leg, I think. Both sides. More likely, I will be able to get him at a convention some year, and he'll do a few hours worth on me. That's all off in the future though. Right now, I want to talk about influences.
It's easy for me to be influenced by another artist. It happens a lot. I imagine it happens like this to a lot of people. You see some new variation on images, some slight change to a set of understood symbols, and you add it to your own artistic vocabulary. I imagine influences apply like this to any creative endeavor (sewing, cooking, woodcarving, writing, film-making etc etc). It can be hard, especially if the new insight you have is really different for you, really profound, really hard hitting, not to fall into near- or outright plagiarism. People want to emulate their heroes. It's really common.
I'm trying hard not to plagiarize. I don't think I am - but seeing Derek's work gave me the confidence - and a sort of grammar of artistic expression - to use something that I have loved for a while. Big fat lines. Big fat fuck-off black lines. Happy man with a chubby marker pen. (of course, it's important to use varied width lines for a nice effect - more of that in the next post.) I swear, it was a revelation. Plagiarism, however, would be to copy something outright, without giving it credit as a copy. It's not creatively healthy to do either, but in science, we stand on the shoulders of giants: I see no reason that I cannot do the same
To get the idea, imagine you want to write a novel. You have a hard time, though, thinking of how to express yourself just right, in a way you like. Maybe it's a fight scene in your book. So what do you do? You can just hammer at it and hope to stumble across a format that you like, or you can look at novels that have already been written, and see what you like. Emulate it. Take someone else's idea and bash it out of shape and into something that fits you better. Like George R.R. Martin, or Dan Abnett. Those guys write fight scenes almost blow by blow, then pull back for a big picture, then go back in close for a gory finish.
That's what it was like for me to see Derek's work. It was like getting permission to do something I had always wanted to do, and shown how it could be done. Shown the gory finish.
Without much more ado, then, I present Snake Lady, in ten parts:
Friday 16 March 2012
Sharing a video.
I know, I'm bad for not having proper original content. But the truth is I love to watch videos like this, and I want to share it as widely as possible. The original animation that was used for this video is a short animated film, about 9 minutes or so, linked in the description of this one on YouTube. I happened to prefer the musical oneI've posted here, but the original is very well worth a look.
Lyrics as follows:
(Verse One)I know of sin by the things momma prayedI know of heaven by the line at its gateI know of truth and America's wayCome drink the water if you want to be saved
(Verse Two)Don't drink the water if it's not from my streamIt's all still water if it's not flowing freeDon't drink the water at the watering holeIf you ain't got money, it can't save your soul
(Chorus)All God's people said amen
(Verse Three) It's not a sin if it can't make me cryHe's not the devil unless there's fire in his eyes It ain't the ghost if it don't speak in tongueIt's not a victory 'till the battles been won
(Chorus)
(Verse Four)Nobody prays unless they lose a sonDon't believe in God till a war's to be wonI know of truth by the lies I've been toldThe biggest one is that we're not getting old
(Verse Five)I know of sin by the things momma prayedI know of heaven by the line at it's gateHeard of a kingdom that's not far awayCome drink the water if you want to be saved
(Chorus)
I see it as a pretty frank allegory of the use of religion as an excuse for violence and the dominance of force.
What about you?
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Amanda Palmer plays the Ukelele without Pretention
You guys, you should know that I've become totally distracted from doing the big-ass post about Rubens.
Basically it was going to be all about the violence inherent in his paintings, how that ties in to his overtly religious themes (because religions are typically violent dichotomies of reality vs non-reality that do not live side by side), I set it aside after typing for, like, hours, meaning to come back to it, but lost the thread of what I was going for. And realised it was pretentious-sounding gobshite anyway. Since I love Rubens' work, I'll probably come back to it another day, but I don't want to intentionally put out something that even I know is pretentious-sounding.
And as you may have guessed, this post is vaguely related to that theme
Amanda Palmer, a nice young lady who co-founded the well-liked Brechtian Punk Cabaret (That's what they call the genre;I had to look up the meanings of those words seperately to see how they fit together) duo The Dresden Dolls, also does stuff on her own. One of those things is play the Ukelele and muck about singing songs that only-sorta rhyme. I like that
This was my favourite: Ukelele Anthem. You may like it too. As for me, I think I need to buy a ukelele and sing about things that piss me off in a happy way.
Monday 5 March 2012
On Whininess (Whiny-ness?)
This is not the giant post that's coming, it's just a stray thought that I thought would be worth publishing.
I was reading a little earlier the blog of a Nice Young Lady Natalie Reed, and specifically her post ''Shut Up, That's Why'' - A Follow Up. Most of it's not relevant to the bit I was going to talk about so copied and pasted below are the relevant portions:
I was reading a little earlier the blog of a Nice Young Lady Natalie Reed, and specifically her post ''Shut Up, That's Why'' - A Follow Up. Most of it's not relevant to the bit I was going to talk about so copied and pasted below are the relevant portions:
Sunday 4 March 2012
Not gone quiet
Well, not permenantly. I'm just working on some research for a big two-part post. Seriously, it's going to happen.
Saturday 18 February 2012
New Work
Ok, I'm a day behind, I got distracted. By pizza-related shenanigans. And forgot to take the picture. But it's here now. I get there in the end. This one is not a step by step post, I didn't take pictures of the process as I went along. Is that something I should do? If you have an opinion either way, please let me know in the comments. 
This is a bit of a beach at sunset, at a village called Collieston, which is near to the city in which I now live, Aberdeen. It's a rocky motherlover (geogeeks, UNITE!) and all the rocks are slanted at the familiar angle. I'm not sure what rock the beach is based on - given it's location in Scotland it's a fair bet to say either granite or gneiss. Next time I'm there, I'll take way better pictures of the rocks so I can furnish you, dear readers, with my best guess. More discussion after the jump
This is a bit of a beach at sunset, at a village called Collieston, which is near to the city in which I now live, Aberdeen. It's a rocky motherlover (geogeeks, UNITE!) and all the rocks are slanted at the familiar angle. I'm not sure what rock the beach is based on - given it's location in Scotland it's a fair bet to say either granite or gneiss. Next time I'm there, I'll take way better pictures of the rocks so I can furnish you, dear readers, with my best guess. More discussion after the jumpThursday 16 February 2012
Aberdeen, the Silver City
I know it's been a while since my last posting, and I've been unable to maintain my commitment to discussing and presenting artwork on this blog; I'm sure that everyone can appreciate the hectic upheaval of suddenly moving cross-country. Now the dust has settled, and I'm getting back into a routine. At any rate, my move to Aberdeen, which might as well be referred to as the Windy City, has been exciting and informative. I've met some cool people - Nicole Porter of the Nicole Porter gallery, the friendly dudes at Rapport Tattoo and Tattooed Freak Body Piercing, which I think is related.
I've also met the Aberdeen Artists Society (at least one of them), which I'm looking to become a member of when I've got some stuff to bring along. I'm hoping that there I'll have some folk to talk to about art, and perhaps receive some instruction/motivation/inspiration. Speaking of which, I've also met Kenny, of my nearest art supplies shop, The Artist's Pad. And another thing - the Aberseen Art Gallery. It's brilliant. It's far beyond my expectations. The McBey room, where the work of Scottish artist James McBey is displayed, is magical. It also houses Rembrandt etchings, but I was't looking at them. And it has a free-to-the-public art library! Needless to say, I've had a busy wee while.
Now that my oils have come up from Glasgow, I'm looking forward to getting stuck right in. With some brand new canvas and a few photos of the Aberdeenshire village Collieston to hand, I'm about to have a batter at it.
Photos of that hilarious effort to be published on this blog, tommorow.
I've also met the Aberdeen Artists Society (at least one of them), which I'm looking to become a member of when I've got some stuff to bring along. I'm hoping that there I'll have some folk to talk to about art, and perhaps receive some instruction/motivation/inspiration. Speaking of which, I've also met Kenny, of my nearest art supplies shop, The Artist's Pad. And another thing - the Aberseen Art Gallery. It's brilliant. It's far beyond my expectations. The McBey room, where the work of Scottish artist James McBey is displayed, is magical. It also houses Rembrandt etchings, but I was't looking at them. And it has a free-to-the-public art library! Needless to say, I've had a busy wee while.
Now that my oils have come up from Glasgow, I'm looking forward to getting stuck right in. With some brand new canvas and a few photos of the Aberdeenshire village Collieston to hand, I'm about to have a batter at it.
Photos of that hilarious effort to be published on this blog, tommorow.
Tuesday 24 January 2012
Some actual talking about art
I have always intended to use this blog as a platform for artworks, and as a way or recording my progress as I strive to increase my art prowess. Thus I set myself a task - that I will write about art at least once a week and do a bit on a piece of my own also at least once a week.
This week, I'm going to do Landseer, because I picked an artist at random.
Just a brief look at his Wikipedia page will give you the bare bones of his biography and a couple of his more famous paintings. A little more Google-fu and you can see his less famous ones. I like these better. Olga's Gallery has a selection of more of them, my favourites of these being The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner, which just about brought tears to my eyes, such is the pathos of the subject, and Jocko With A Hedgehog, which cheered me up again. The man was a really good observer of animals, and they way they move and sit. Discussion below the link.
This week, I'm going to do Landseer, because I picked an artist at random.
Just a brief look at his Wikipedia page will give you the bare bones of his biography and a couple of his more famous paintings. A little more Google-fu and you can see his less famous ones. I like these better. Olga's Gallery has a selection of more of them, my favourites of these being The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner, which just about brought tears to my eyes, such is the pathos of the subject, and Jocko With A Hedgehog, which cheered me up again. The man was a really good observer of animals, and they way they move and sit. Discussion below the link.
Of Trolling Christians, wherein I suggest a method to discomfit people who try to save your soul.
I know, its basically shooting fish in a barrel in this country, we're damned lucky. But I came across the full text of Luke 6:27-30 in a blog I was reading (Alethian Worldview) and it made me think. So I checked to see that it was indeed the whole section, and found a link to it as well so you can see for yourself. It reads:
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
I draw your attention specifically to section 30.
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
I draw your attention specifically to section 30.
The Independence of Scotland, a more serious look at it.
So, Scotland is to be having a referendum amongst the population to decide if the general population is favourable to splitting with the rest of the UK and being a separate, entirely independent country in our own right. The rumouring that I have been hearing is that most people are generally against it - nobody really believes that it will go ahead. An article from the Scotsman claims that 39% of the population are for Independance and the rest against
I will say this - As of now, I hope that we don't achieve full independence. (See below for details)
I will say this - As of now, I hope that we don't achieve full independence. (See below for details)
Friday 13 January 2012
The Independence of Scotland
So here's an opinion on this snakes nest:
 |
| "Friends, Romans, countrymen; lend me your haggis and Irn-Bru, that I may chow down righteously'' |
Nope, turns out he's just chillin', preaching to his homies. Like a modern-fucking-day jesus. That pose is reserved for fictional people.
Incidentally, something more serious is in the works, I just like to take opportunities for mockery.
I should probably add that these are not my photos and I do not own them or intend to imply that I do - I basically crudely swiped them from The Scotsman's website. They rightfully belong to The Scotsman, I believe, if the photographer has sold his rights to them.
Sunday 8 January 2012
Oils, Inspirations and Visions
So I've recently been painting in oils. Water Miscible Oils, to be precise. They're made with safflower oil that has been chemically altered at the molecular level to be water-soluble. Paint and chemistry - together at last!
So it was important for me to try and do some research on the subject, since I have no formal art training and I understand that oils are a highly technical medium. I want to do well right away. I read some online tutorials about the subject as preparation, knowing, of course, that they wouldn't be quite enough. But at least I have a theoretical understanding of the very basics. I did some Googling around for these tutorials, scanned a few and discarded them, but there were two that stood out as being sufficiently nuts-and-bolts to help me - Jess Bates's website and Bill Martin's. There are, presumably, others that are technical in intention, but I'll have to get arounfdto them later.
It's also not enough to simply know how to do a thing - one also must know what to do with it. Sure I could be trying to do dry tonal exercises on spheres and cones, but to be honest that sucks boaby. I don't have the time or the canvases to spare on that, and little interest. I am aware that I'll probably have to do it to progress in the future, but right now I am focusing on having fun with the medium, mostly just figuring out for myself how the paint feels and works. The only problem is that to do anything other than dry technical exercises, it seems that one needs inspiration. And many days, I find that lacking.
Everyone has their own method of getting some inspiration together. When I feel like I need to do something, but don't have a clear idea of what I need to do, I generally round up my artbooks and leaf through them. I also do this with websites of artists whose books I don't own. So to present a very few of the colossal number artists whose work gives me ideas: dark-themed hyper-realist Michael Hussar, providing, if anything, a gruesome and insightful commentary through his symbolism (check out the piece entitles Vasoline), Scottish Colourist J D Fergusson who evidently delighted in the 'voluptuous delights of life', the expressive work of Chris Dingwell and the fantasy hyper-realism of Christophe Vacher, Paul Bonner and John Howe (I know, there's clearly something about me that loves highly detailed fantasy art). I might also suggest that one checks out the sculptorial/assemblage work of Christopher Conte, which I discovered through the tattoo blog Needles and Sins. I love me some mechanisms and biomechanical stuff. Oddly not so much in tattoos, though.
Anyway, these are a few of the things that I am drawn to when languishing in the doldrums, or lost in need of direction. Like a dog that instinctively grubs for the roots and herbs that it somehow knows will cure it of its maladies, I return again and again to these people's work, most of all the sketches and preliminaries. There's more, of course, but that'll have to wait for another day.
So there you have it - a little technique, a little inspiration and a buttload of determination, and I'll go from here.
So it was important for me to try and do some research on the subject, since I have no formal art training and I understand that oils are a highly technical medium. I want to do well right away. I read some online tutorials about the subject as preparation, knowing, of course, that they wouldn't be quite enough. But at least I have a theoretical understanding of the very basics. I did some Googling around for these tutorials, scanned a few and discarded them, but there were two that stood out as being sufficiently nuts-and-bolts to help me - Jess Bates's website and Bill Martin's. There are, presumably, others that are technical in intention, but I'll have to get arounfdto them later.
It's also not enough to simply know how to do a thing - one also must know what to do with it. Sure I could be trying to do dry tonal exercises on spheres and cones, but to be honest that sucks boaby. I don't have the time or the canvases to spare on that, and little interest. I am aware that I'll probably have to do it to progress in the future, but right now I am focusing on having fun with the medium, mostly just figuring out for myself how the paint feels and works. The only problem is that to do anything other than dry technical exercises, it seems that one needs inspiration. And many days, I find that lacking.
Everyone has their own method of getting some inspiration together. When I feel like I need to do something, but don't have a clear idea of what I need to do, I generally round up my artbooks and leaf through them. I also do this with websites of artists whose books I don't own. So to present a very few of the colossal number artists whose work gives me ideas: dark-themed hyper-realist Michael Hussar, providing, if anything, a gruesome and insightful commentary through his symbolism (check out the piece entitles Vasoline), Scottish Colourist J D Fergusson who evidently delighted in the 'voluptuous delights of life', the expressive work of Chris Dingwell and the fantasy hyper-realism of Christophe Vacher, Paul Bonner and John Howe (I know, there's clearly something about me that loves highly detailed fantasy art). I might also suggest that one checks out the sculptorial/assemblage work of Christopher Conte, which I discovered through the tattoo blog Needles and Sins. I love me some mechanisms and biomechanical stuff. Oddly not so much in tattoos, though.
Anyway, these are a few of the things that I am drawn to when languishing in the doldrums, or lost in need of direction. Like a dog that instinctively grubs for the roots and herbs that it somehow knows will cure it of its maladies, I return again and again to these people's work, most of all the sketches and preliminaries. There's more, of course, but that'll have to wait for another day.
So there you have it - a little technique, a little inspiration and a buttload of determination, and I'll go from here.
Wednesday 4 January 2012
Some of my projects
I've been guilty of neglecting the art intention of this blog a little, but here I present a few of the things I've been working on. 
The warm (averaging 9 degrees or so this week) wet weather here in Scotland this winter has caused fungi to sprout everywhere, which continues to delight and fascinate me. I didn't get the chance to do the macro shots I wanted, but next time, dammit, next time.
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For a wee while I'm going to be focussing on the oils to get a grip on them. I know it's generally regarded as a massively complex technique, that requires at least months of academic education and intense technical study to even approach, but I don't have that. What I do have is paint, brushes, some canvas, some time and a fistful of determination, and dammit, I can work with this!
Anyway, that's probably enough excuses for now...
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