4 4 U

More monochromatic magic for you. What better way to start your weekend. Go search them out. I like this rather 'analogue' way of recommending stuff, when there are so many more direct digital ways! even a link or two would help : )

Things We'll Never Do, works for me

try Druganaut

give Coyote a spin

Society Is My Friend, well worth a listen

Look Mum, No Hands!

Here's a little snapshot of how things happen in my world. I thought I'd use one of those recent dressed clay figures, from a couple of posts ago, to make create a new Wish List character. This one just speaks to me... spoke to me. He's not bothered by his broken-off hands, he doesn't care that he can't feel, but he does care that he can't FEEL, deeply. As you can see i do take some liberties transferring my reference material, not exactly a photographic likeness! I now want to make a crappy wooden box (frame) to make the original clay figure in to a 3D Wish List. I'll paint the back wall a nice colour and maybe write the words on there, or i'll  just nail a little panel on the front...or i might just blackboard paint the frame/box and just chalk it directly on. Anyway, we'll have to see... i just need to find some planks in a skip and i can get that started.

Wish List- the hopes and wishes of a motley few.

What a great object!

Initialt sketch and then taking it on further, before scanning and colouring in Photoshop.

Recent Guardian Commission

... or how to get a lot done in very little time! 10.30am brief for 5.30pm delivery. That's including a round of roughs before even starting the artwork.... oh and there was also 4 spot illustrations to do for inside. It was a productive day and even better, i was happy with the result! This does not set a precedent though, just in case any of you Art Directors stop by ; )

My roughs aren't very.... rough! I just very lightly pencil forms in, then go straight for a pen. Bit of minimal grey to block things in.  I then re-draw it ALL for the artwork.

spot roughs

final spot illustrations

My Kind Of People

Bought recently at at charity shop here in St Leonards for the grand sum of £5. Bargain! Though i'm sure some would consider me ripped off!! Clay, wire bodies and cloth, about 12 inches tall. Just need to find a good spot for them.

not sure about this one

LOVE this guy though.

Squid Pants And...

Dadshops?

Boy, I'm useless. Practical, DIY useless. I can make stuff, objects, knick-knackery, but I can't do the real 'dad' stuff. Like I said, useless. Can I change this? I hope so, it's really starting to bug me as I get older, but no more useful. I've had a thought about starting up some informal instruction. See if I can't find some local dads who aren't useless... they exist. Then maybe get a small group to gather on a Sunday and fix stuff. Maybe we gather at a different dad's house each week and fix his problems (the structural kind, i wouldn't dare go near the other kind!) whilst learning from the practical dads. All of this with the help of a few beers and a chat, good spirits. The church of dad. Maybe one week on one's allotment, learn a few things whilst helping out, everyone's happy. Look, I'm not totally useless, I know that. In fact i was knocking up a spectacular roast leg of lamb whilst penning this.. and also i do manage to earn a living doing something! That's not going to fix my house though! A house which is currently shrouded in scaffolding (teach me to buy a three storey house!) as builders point out all the things I couldn't usefully repair (roof, sash windows) and tell me how much it will now cost me! I don't ever remember a builder at our house when I was a kid. Just my dad up a ladder... Or falling off a ladder. but that's a different story. How did he know how to do stuff (and his dad... and his dad)? How did it skip me? I'm not alone. Maybe art school educations aren't the best place for picking up DIY skills! I've become mono-skilled. I need a much wider range of skills, like people used to have, before we all narrowed down what we did, over-specialization. So maybe these skill-shares with a few generous and practical dads could start a ball rolling, reverse a trend. I'd like my boys to have the skills to do anything. To feel that if they wanted they could even build their own home one day. Well, they're not going to learn that from me as it stands. Something has to happen, i think I'll put this out on Facebook, see what I can do. To start with, I could do with just drilling holes first before I start forcing screws in! Right lets get these dad's back on track. Dad lessons, workshops... Dadshops!... Someone make me useful. Please.

FourTunes

A Colores

Head Money Box

 Just another little thing I'd made a while back. just wanted to make a simple head. I did most of the sgraffito with just a pocket knife rather than my usual sgraffito tools, i just liked the bold direct marks it made.

Feed me coins for my tea. My life is rich, but nothing's free

Wooden Garden Owl

I made this recently for my garden. I felt I needed something there to look back at me through our kitchen window. He's made of various bits and pieces. The metal bits came from a nasty plastic carriage clock , which I used the 'glass' dome for back here on this little party animal. Hat's an egg cup and a coaster. Head's a salt pot. Wings are a couple of wooden serving forks. The beautiful wooden post (shame i didn't get more of it in!) was brought down by my dad, he thought I might find a use for it. I plan to make a smaller bird buddy to go next to him at some point. I hope to get much more art outside next year, it cheers the place up!

3 Folk Gentlemen

All three of my Folk Custom trilogy sitting together on the shelf (They dream of being fired). The Earl Of Rone, Hastings Jack In The Green and the Whittlesea Straw Bear. The Jack has his crown now, which covers his coin slot... oh yes, if you weren't paying attention the first time, they are all money boxes (they have a hole for a cork at the back) and are about a foot tall... so lots-of-money boxes, greedy fellas!

Pots On A Shelf

Just been taking a few snaps around the place and here's one of the shelves in my pot/clay room. I've had my time out from clay, part work enforced, part technical problems that i'm not smart enough to resolve... but i'm starting to feel the urge to kick it up a gear. Probably take me the rest of this year and a trip to stock up... and the picking of a few smarter brains... but if i don't get this pottery going properly next year, I swear i'm going to smash my brains out on the nearest wall.... (unless it's covered in lovely pots!) 

FourTunes

Going to occasionally just post 4 albums I think are worth a listen. It'll be quick and it just might take you to something that will be with you for life. That's the magic of music. I'll try and mix it up . Some you might love, some you will hate, but others will hate and love them equally. I'm just putting it out there. To start with i seem to have gone all monochrome! Oh, you have to go and track them down yourself, it's just a tip off.

Little Slipware Face Cups

These were made a while back now, part of my throwing practice (better, but still pretty bad). Thought I may as well take them through a couple more phases and see if they ever make it through! They're purposely simple and a little sloppy, spirit not perfection. I don't spend too much time on stuff I'll only wreck with glaze and fire! Problem is I've grown attached to them sitting on the shelf watching me. I want to be able to use at least one! Gah!...pottery! I love it, but its not being good to me. It doesn't know that I never give up (yet!), but it will learn.

This is my favourite messy little face cup

Bird Trouble

Quick post, something kicking around the studio. It's eventually going to be a very late birthday present for my friend Emma. I'm just on the lookout for a suitable base and thinking about the lettering. (Hey, i did this from my iphone.. imagine!)