Sinodd - 33

Still haven't decided to how adorn..or not adorn, the girl...will await inspiration. Meanwhile a day spent on the sky will eventually pay off....I'm sure of it!

Sinodd - 32

Working on the sky today...I've had a couple of days off coping with a rather nasty cold which has now subsided. The sky here will be full of very dark wispy clouds which I'll add at a later time.

Sinodd - 31

Badgers! I like Badgers...they're getting a bad press at the moment, being blamed for the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis. Evidence suggests that a cull to dispose of thousands of rural Badgers will not impact on the spread of BTB, the answer is in finding a suitable and economical vaccine for the cattle. Examples are available but have been in some cases found to cause side effects...although rare, it's thought at present the risk is too much to introduce nationwide vaccination programme.

I include Badgers in this piece not only because of their aesthetic quality and characteristic faces, but they might also represent a convenient target , a mistaken victim. You of course are absolutely at liberty to add your own interpretation to their symbolic nature ( indeed I welcome it!) and I will therefore not attempt to explain my own.

If you would like to know more about the threatened Badger Cull in the UK, or if you'd like to join the campaign to prevent the cull, you can do so by visiting The Badger Trust page.

Sinodd - 30

Sinodd - 29

I think I'm progressing well at the moment. I very soon need to address the girl and work on the Badgers which I've added to the bottom area of the picture. I still have yet to decide on how I'm going to represent the sky...I love starry nights, but I don't think it will be in keeping with the overall atmosphere....to be sure, I'll come up with something !

Sinodd - 28

As you know, regarding my work and financial situation, I've reached a crossroads..I am however committed to complete this piece and in doing so, I've returned to reading and finishing a book I was given a few years ago. 'Surrealizing the Nude' is an essay written by David Scott and published by Reaktion Books.It is the best and most inspiring book I've read not only about Paul Delvaux  (23 September 1897 – 20 July 1994) but also about Surrealism.....After reading this book I feel empowered to develop my themes and subjects.

"Whether by manoeuvring a clash of codes, creating juxtapositions or by hallucinatory images, surrealist art attempts to open up new perspectives on experiences, especially in relation to the unconscious and to desire. It often does this by attempting to eroticise the viewing process in relation to painting, both by the creation of visual tensions or problems that elicit the full mobilisation of our responses. This mobilisation is activated by a refusal to appeal only to our more conventionally coded or monitored reactions. An appeal to dream experiences, fantasy, hallucination or suppositions based on the imagined workings of the subconscious mind are brought into play in an attempt to deal with the obsessive return to the fetishistic objects and situations that characterise the surrealist painting such demands lead the beholder of surrealist art to examine afresh his or her responses to the visual image in painting in general, and to question the basis of aesthetic judgements and the conventions that form viewing habits" - David Scott, Surrealizing the Nude, 1992 .


I love this extract which you might or might not identify with.

Sinodd - 27

Sinodd - 26

 I must explain that the delayed publication of this update has been due to my poorly laptop, which as you can see is working OK at the moment. Progress can bee seen around the mad vicar on the right and the beginning of work on the pew which the other vicars are sitting on.

Sinodd - 25

The Pirates of Penzance job.

I recently wrote about my regular commission to produce publicity artwork for the Rose Hill Musical Society who produce a opera by Guilbert and Sullivan each year. Next year's production is the ever popular 'The Pirates of Penzance' So I duly set about researching the story and looking at examples of artwork used by other companies...I wanted to produce something original. The first artwork i presented to the publicity officer was deemed unsatisfactory. i thought it was rather clever. I printed out music from the opera and folded an origami boat which i photographed on a plain grey back ground. i then erased the boats shadow and replaced it with a Union Flag.(see the second photo)

I was asked to produce something more "Piratey"...so I used a pirate in the picture below (I used a photo of myself to base his facial expression on ) and added a chorus of Policemen who feature in the opera. I met with the client last night who approved the composition and use of a red theme. As in both examples, I've added text purely for effect..the dates are not indicative of the actual performances. Incidentally, the heart shape on the sword was not intentional, but is actually rather fortunate in view of the opera's romantic storyline!

The original artwork will go off to the printers who will add all the necessary text with appropriate fonts. I'm really glad it's all finished as I don't do the commission for a wage. I receive a small payment as a gift in return.

* please note that all artwork is subject to copyrite and therefore is not free to copy or redistribute. I am the owner of these images. If you wish to use them or reproduce them in any way, please do not hesitate to ask!

Sinodd - 24

Sorry for delayed publication of yesterday's progress...problems with ageing laptop refusing to start! So here it is! Work on the "more piratey" artwork has yet to happen....must push myself this weekend to do so!

Sinodd - 23

Here you can see the entire area of the picture..note the crow sitting on the end of the pew! Update to the artwork for Pirates of Penzance. unfortunately the client did not like the image I'd created and has asked me to produce some thing more 'piratey'...

Sinodd - 22

Continued with the Mad Vicars today and did a little more work to the leaflet. Met with the client last night who to tell the truth didn't appear to like what I'd done. They were very polite about it saying that it was "very different to what they had expected!"....I think once they've lived with the artwork for a short while they'll like it. Still can't show you yet as I have a few details to iron out.

Sinodd - 21

Continued working on the boiler and then the faces of the Mad Vicars today, also continued work on a commission for the Rose Hill Musical Society, an annual job preparing publicity for their Guilbert and Sullivan production. this year it's The Pirates of Penzance. I'm awaiting the approval of their publicity manager , then I'll let you see what I've come with this time!