Viscount Bubbles - 26

Viscount Bubbles - 26

 Today I've spread my time between work on this and planting and sowing seeds...I've wanted to replicate an arrangement I had many years ago in a previous house where I had a curtain of plants in my front room window...so today bought a couple of troughs and pots to plant Geraniums in....I love Geraniums and their bright red blooms...I also looked for some lemon scented varieties, but the garden centre didn't stock them.

I've tried to deepen the shadows here behind the figures,,,the globe thistles ( I looked to buy some of those too but they didn't have any) needed lots of work...I think I'm getting there...or at least closer to something I'm happy with.....and in response to Devil mood's comment yesterday, I've now shown below the whole area of the composition...I admit looking at it now I'm really over half way finished!

Below is a closer look at the area I've been working on today.

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 The area shown above so far represents around half of the picture...I've completed this in just under 80 hours..relatively quick so far!I've worked on the fox again today and added a few more Crows to the mix...I've also worked on the under wing and fuselage of the aircraft.

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 Temperatures here in England have been unseasonably well above the average..March usually sees temps around 9c...but hovering around 20 during the day time...I went out for my run this afternoon and was able to dispense with the warmer clothing I have worn since November...I was back in T-shirt and shorts! Six miles of running in the warm sun was wonderful.

I've worked today on furthering the plant background and decided that for interest's sake, I'd start work on the second of my foxes. seeing the reduced size of the photo here enables me to see the things I have to alter..for example the ears are terrible...asymmetric to say the least...I'll sort that tomorrow!...I also think his body needs bulking up a little.

So with that , I'll bid you good evening,!

Viscount Bubbles - 22

I spent time today working on the area around the Starman's stool..I also refined some of the darker areas on the boy giving better resolution to the binoculars. I next need to move into the area behind the fox...once this is filled in, the light effect from the glowing orb will be more effective.

Viscount Bubbles - 21

I have a real love hate attitude to foxes...there are lots of them in suburbs where I live...when i'm out running , which is usually after dark, it's rare that my path isn't crossed by foxes...they always seem to stand in the middle of the road and look at me teasing me as if to say, "well...I'm here in your neighbourhood...whaddya going to do about it?" before scurrying off and for all intents and purposes...disappear.

i often see them sneaking about at the bottom of my garden, and in the warmer months when I sit out on the patio in the growing dusk (with a drink in hand of course!) they might sit and stare at me...bristling with redness and magnificent stealthy sleekness. I have to admit that they're beautiful, built for speed and sneakeryness...

Of course when i'm on one of my rare bouts of gardening, there is that moment when you realise that you've got something on the sole of your shoe..and that stuff is incredibly pungent...fox crap has the tenacity of super glue...or super poo if you will!...and only a good scrubbing in water will shift it. but I wouldn't see the back of the foxes...they symbolise ( despite their scavenger's nature) the drive of nature to survive..and to survive in style..To the urban fox, it's redness and beauty is always something that is amazing..they live with and apart from  us...they are illusive whilst seemingly everywhere. I love them!

Off the buffers for a day...and Thompson Twins.

Sorry no progress on 'Viscount Bubbles' today...I spent a day at a local school talking about and demonstrating Pointillism to two classes for the day. It's the same school i spent a day at last year and marks an actual occaision of money earning for me. It's always a pleasure and a revelation to see the eager and enthusiastic participation of youngsters who know how to enjoy making art before the education system and life in general beats it out of them and tells them that there are more relevant and productive means of functioning in society.

Oh, and I've been listening to some old favourites of mine recently: Thompson Twins...Here the 'song of the moment for me and a little video from some TV show or other from around 1983! See you tomorrow!

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It's all looking a little 'involved' what with the bubbles and crows...but once the bubbles are filled in, you'll see it in a different light.I need to address the area to the left of the Starman soon...I intend to carry the globe thistles across the page...I have yet to decide if I'm going to add any other creatures into the bottom of the picture...a fox/ badger or the like possibly.

Vickers Viscount.

For those of you interested enough, or those of you who have insomnia, here's a video I found on youtube showing footage of a Viscount just before it's retirement in 1996. I post it only as a guide to the unique sound of it's rolls Royce Dart turbo Prop engines which had me as a little boy ,running out of the house each time one flew over. - End of geek post, back to the picture next time!

Viscount Bubbles - 18

The aircraft pictured here is the Vickers Viscount, it was the first  four engined turbo Prop airliner to fly in service anywhere in the world. It began development as early as 1942 designed by Vickers Armstrong who had been responsible for such famous aircraft like The Wellington bomber.  As Britain's government sought to make consideration for air travel in Europe for when the war would hopefully end. The prototype aircraft flew in 1948. Deliveries of the production aircraft began in 1953 and some 459 aircraft were eventually built up until 1962.

The aircraft was significant to me mainly due to the sound it's four Rolls Royce Dart Turbo Props made. when they were newly bought to serve East Midlands Airways, they flew regularly over my childhood house with the airport being only 10 miles away, and my Brother Tim and I would rush outside to watch them fly over. To cut a long story short, they represented the aspirations of a young me, dreaming of flying...and marvelling over the terrific whine of the turbo prop engines, If you're interested..everything you ever needed or wanted to know about this classic British aircraft can be found at The Vickers Viscount Network. If I can find a good youtube clip featuring the sound that beguiled me, I'll post it!

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Viscount Bubbles - 13

One thing you must know about the long process involved with the creation of my pictures is that sometimes I just simply dislike what I'm doing and can't imagine ever finishing it. This is one such a time. There's a very long way yet to go with much to introduce and develop. I've also continued work on the dream piece I mentioned yesterday. A new sketch took shape today which I'm rather pleased with.

Viscount Bubbles - 12

A day spent working on the undergrowth behind the boy...the more I work on it, the darker it seems to need to be..don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the way it's developing, but I've begun sketching work on my dream picture from earlier in the week...still at a fairly rudimentary stage, I'm liking the way that is developing too.For the time being however, I'll continue to work on this one!

On the running front, I'm continuing to run on an almost daily basis. I have a regular 5 mile route which I don't have to plan, I know exactly where I'm going and the kind of effort needed at which point. The challenge is to improve my times and technique. Other than that I run a six mile route regularly and have completed two 10 mile runs in the last 3 weeks. I find that running takes my mind off the problems at home and allow me to think freely about my artwork. This is a good thing!

Viscount Bubbles - 11

Some more pencil work..crows, bubbles and the Viscount!

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I've extended the vegetation which is complicated but interesting work..to develop the depth and shadows will take even longer.....but I love losing myself in the intricacies.

Viscount Bubbles - 9

It's something that happens very rarely, at least as far as I'm concerned...it's the special spark...the ignition of an idea...inspiration that can come unlooked for and sometimes unwanted. I experienced an incidence such as this during the night last night. I'd woken after a particularly vivid dream with images swimming in my mind. I'd gone to bed normally and no, if you're thinking, I'd not had a drink!!! I lay awake pondering these images but found it impossible to get back to sleep..I wondered in fact, that if I did get back to sleep, would I still remember the images when I finally got up. There was no question really, I had to get up an get sketch pad and pencil, go downstairs and get drawing. That was at 4:00am.

I was able to sketch undisturbed and get back to bed relatively quickly happy in the certainty that at least I wouldn't forget .Now...that leaves me with a problem..having found inspiration, and a potential of 2 more months work on my current picture, do I stop work on this piece and start on my inspired piece, or do I wait until I can devote time solely to the new piece?...or do I work on sketches and planning for the new piece whilst simultaneously working on the present one.Well dear reader whatever I settle on..you'll be able to see it here!...But oh how it's a bug bear of the artist, and my advice is, that if it happens to you..get the ideas down on paper as soon as you can.

Viscount Bubbles - 8

Having seen some very inspiring and atmospheric work by an artist called Aron Wiesenfeld I think that if I could restart this picture ( i'm not going to by the way!) I'd leave out the Starman ...However...I'm stuck with him...and this piece is going to plan so far....

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Here's a real close up view taken using my camera's macro function...

Viscount Bubbles - 6

 It's time to work on the symbolic and fairly alike image of myself. I told you yesterday about the reason I've decided to incorporate the binoculars. I copied the drawing onto tracing paper and transferred ti on the page. however upon closer examination, I thought the overall appearance of the facial features was too cartoonish...now i know I've gone all 'Marvel comics' with the Starman...at least at this stage of the development, but I wanted more realism. So I've consulted a series of photographs from my childhood (below).

 You can see me pictured along with my brother Tim ( who'd recently undergone surgery on his hand and leg). you'll also see my mum and Dad. Tim and I have examples of model aircraft we'd built...I was always ( and still would be if I had room) a keen model maker!

 As with the Starman, I've dotted over the pencil work which I'll erase at a later stage. Below you can see the boy in relation to the Starman.

 ..and to finish today's post, here's a close up view of the boy....

Viscount Bubbles - 5

I've worked on the Starman and drawings for the little boy ( me ) ....I was originally going to have the boy peeking out from the bushes, but when I was little, i often used to have a pair of Binoculars hanging from my neck...I used to want those tacky plastic toy ones all the time, but one Christmas, my bother and I was startled to find we'd each been given a pair of real proper dead good ones!... I loved using them to spy on my neighbours, watch the moon, stars, aircraft and birds. I've always been a watcher...