Living with mr. fleas

2011-03-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

When I told my first art class teacher about Hockney's digital art, he gave me a disparaging look. Computers, in art? He seemed to have taken firmly against the idea. Grave blasphemy, probably. And I was only making conversation.

There's a video interview with David Hockney posted on Bryan Appleyard's. As soon as I saw it I just wanted one of those iPads. But by teatime, I realised all I wanted was to have a go.

Thanks to my blogging friend, Steve, for this link to OdoSketch. Like him, I had to make do with a blunt finger on the small touchpad. Steve says it was like working an Etch-A-Sketch; I felt like I was getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. However, looking over their featured gallery, it shows you can do some half decent doodles with a proper tablet and stylus attached. There isn't a black brush though, just a thin pen, the eraser's a bit all or nothing, and my screen kept freezing up. Well, you can't have everything, and it is free.

Click Aarghh!! for a full size animation, and here to see what I was aiming for.

2010-06-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

bits (montage of doodle scraps)

absent mind; mindless; no mind; don't mind; don't; mind; mind gap; gap-year mind; yeah.
pink pritt-stick courtesy of daughter.

2010-06-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

glass (pencil and stencil in moleskine)

Filling up my moleskine exchange moleskine from last year.

2010-06-15T10:06:00.001-07:00

tuesday's lunch #1 (biro, highlighters, some pencil)

They call me mr. fruit-bat.

2010-06-14T09:56:00.001-07:00

map o' monday #1 (biro & hightlighters on back of envelope)

I thought I'd try to restart this blog today; all the best laid plans begin
with a road map.

2009-08-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

just who is thelma ritter? (graphite in moleskine)

The backward glance is interesting but what sold it to me was the heavy overcoat she's wearing - it was already heavy and I've made it over so. No one tends to wear heavy coats these days, and very soon no one will need to.

2009-07-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

art class final week (charcoal on cartridge paper)

...end of the course, where did the time go?

2009-06-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

art class week #4 (charcoal/pastels on sugar paper)

these past three weeks been procrastinating on printing my collagraph plate.

2009-06-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

art class week #5 (charcoal on sugar paper)

''...is that what you do - charcoal?''

2009-05-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

flight of the conchords II (micron pen)
i love you, porgy (micron pen & watercolour pencil)

The Conchords' Jemain was inspired by
Ammon's drawing also in Mary's moleskine.

2009-05-20T04:59:00.000-07:00

james lovelock (HB & polychromos pencils in moleskine)

''enjoy life while you can''.

2009-05-20T04:56:00.001-07:00

self portrait by kind request (HB pencil in moleskine)

when you draw yourself your ego diminishes until
it's in proportion to your true self.

2009-02-17T01:06:00.000-08:00

doodleville pink car (micron & brush fibre tip pens)

it could be a Cadillac, could be a Chevy. Might be a Ford - I know next to nothing about cars... Soon they'll all be electric anyway! In London, they're already installing ''Juice-Points'' where you can plug in your electric car.
Will we look back fondly on the infernal combustion engine with the same nostalgia we have for the age of steam.

Getting back into Late Junction (BBC Radio 3)...

2009-02-16T06:41:00.001-08:00

the worried man
micron pen & polychromos pencils in moleskine

according to tarot.org, 96.7% of all readings will turn this card during 2009.

2009-02-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

who will buy gandhi's few possesions?
micron & brush fibre tipped pens in moleskine

On the 4th or 5th March, in New York, collectors will bid for the spectacles, watch and sandals of the great Mohandas Gandhi.

2009-02-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Poseidon likes Jazz
micron pen & watercolour in moleskine

2009-02-11T06:21:00.000-08:00

Laundromat Blues
assorted felt pens & markers in moleskine

Whad'ya think of that?!
I'm sleeping down at the Laundro-mat
If you should pass by
Be sure to drop right in... (rory gallagher)

2009-01-19T03:22:00.001-08:00

man with double bass
faber pitt brush tips in moleskine sketchbook

the more I hear, the more the answer is no.

2009-01-08T01:45:00.000-08:00

why?!!!
felt pens in moleskine sketchbook

For the Moleskine Exchange. Inspired by an expression found on the face of the lead character in a French comic strip discovered in a Parisian newspaper - I only pinched the expression, mind. Drawn while listening to an album by Oliver Nelson which I bought for the title alone...The Blues & the Absolute Truth. It's kind of weird but I think I'm getting used to it.

2009-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

ruben with found paper.mate
found paper.mate in moleskine

I found Ruben on a new-age style network site. I found a grubby felt-tip paper.mate in my old work bag.
Happy New Year!

2008-12-03T00:50:00.000-08:00

s t r e t c h e d - c a t
gouache in moleskine sketchbook

The cat that was no trouble at all.

...back to being an art class student next year.

2008-11-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

emerging lotus
polychromos pencils in moleskine sketchbook

I was listening to a violin solo on Radio 3 yesterday whilst coming home from Oxford the pretty way, and starring in my own East European movie; A Short Film About Driving.

2008-11-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

waiter!
micron pens in moleskine sketchbook

to tip, or not? that is the question...

2008-11-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

3 o'clock fleas (pen & prismacolor) vs. blue note sketches (pen & watercolour)

drinking Redbush tea to The Sidewinder and Go! one for the moleskine exchange.

2008-11-15T06:13:00.000-08:00

the alternative title was ''Early in the Morning'' only because I was listening to Van Morrison & Georgie Fame doing that song at the time. the downside of doodle inspired ideas is that they can have a lifespan comparable to the mayfly's.

2008-11-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

Thought Process.
micron pen & polychromos pencils in sketchbook

another one for the Moleskine Exchange project. a conglomeration of free flowing doodles over several days, redrawn as a sort of comic book. not a story board, which would suggest linear progress, because all these events are unfolding simultaneously, free of time, as it would do in reality, though, unconsciously, we cheat our conscious perception and call the adulteration reality as though linear thought is more acceptable to us.

2008-11-11T01:53:00.000-08:00

M.I.A.
micron pen & watercolour pencils in moleskine sketchbook

2008-11-09T03:46:00.000-08:00

the grinchen pear
watercolour pencils & micron in moleskine sketchbook

all life is meditation. make it simple.
with a little help from Bembeya Jazz National - one of Africa's greatest bands.
one of my favourite IFs faithfully reproduced for Johnnynorms.

2008-10-23T01:17:00.000-07:00

Dali Season
polychromos pencils & micron in moleskine sketchbook

One for the Moleskine Exchange project.

2008-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

It was Golson who recruited fellow Philadelphians for Blakey's band...
polychromos pencils in moleskine sketchbook.

still undecided about what to do; feeling there should be something more (or else).

2008-03-27T08:36:00.001-07:00

life drawing class : (graphite pencil)

all over now until next term! and I never did work out the best way to photograph pencil drawings...

2008-02-13T05:08:00.001-08:00

nude sketches no.s 1 & 2 : (charcoal)

2007-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

Still life with pig and fruit : charcoal on cartridge paper

A half-term assignment.

2007-11-29T11:08:00.001-08:00

...five minutes left

2007-11-25T04:22:00.001-08:00

2007-07-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Looking out over the churn valley from my little room, I can see 67% of the town.

2007-05-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

olive tree no.2 : felt pen

Another sketch of an olive tree in the garden.

2007-04-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

mali blue : soft pastels on pastel paper (300x220)

...catching up on music, I was given a Lobi Traoré disc for Christmas. Sounds sweet!

2007-02-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

are we there yet?!! : soft pastel & charcoal on sugar paper (42cm x 39cm)

I haven't done an IF in a while.

2007-02-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

the gallery man : graphite, ink & felt pens, montage & digital colouring

tonal steve-o goes squart!

2007-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

lunchtime doodle : steve loya's avatar : HB & 2B graphite

2007-01-31T14:35:00.000-08:00

smoke 'em : graphite & caran d'ache crayons

smoke 'em smoke 'em smoke 'em if you got 'em
if you ain't got 'em then you hit rock bottom

...so, I found a tin of caran d'ache crayons under the bed.