Muse-ic - 2

It's been a day of interruptions and other things..so not a lot work-wise has gone on. However, I've now attended to the ear and continued with his hair...I will continue to develop the shading of the face ...as I progress and get a feel for the level of contrast with the rest of the figure, I'll return to the facial features time and time again. But for now...so far so good!

Muse-ic - 1

 It's time to begin the new work. I've called the picture Muse-ic addressing firstly the 'Muse' and secondly 'music'..The 'IC' also can be pronounced 'I see'. The muse I see! Simple when you know! Anyway...I transferred the drawing of the boy and the Spitfire (see above) but felt distinctly unsure about his face...so I reworked the drawing and decided to instead have his attention taken by the aircraft...he is I think more wrapped up in his play to notice the viewer or whatever else will be going on around him!

 I tried to replicate how I looked as a boy his age, but didn't have any good photos to work off...so I made it up..I'm actually happy with the way things turned out (I really never looked that angelic!) and so began the first application of ink.

Once I was happy with the initial establishment of the facial features, I could begin work on the hair...tomorrow I shall also give him his ear!...so as long as you'll give me your ear and attention, you'll see what I have in store for your eyes over the next few months!

Muse-ic - prep/ sketches.

 The photographs above were taken around 1970..they show my Mum and Dad posing with me(in the red) and my brother Tim (who'd just returned from hospital after having an operation on his hand.) The reason i wanted to show you this was to illustrate my original love of model aeroplanes..in the top photograph, although it's hard to see in this copy, I'm holding the very first model I made with the help of my Dad...it was a Douglas Boston which was an American twin engined fighter/bomber that also flew with the RAF in World War 2.....I no longer have the model you'll not be surprised to hear, but one day I'll make another one !

Oi!...wake up! This is important to me!

For the purposes of my next composition, I wanted to include a likeness of me holding a model of a Supermarine Spitfire..Below you see the sketch I published yesterday which I've scanned and enlarged to the size I want for inclusion in the picture. this is overlaid with a tracing i made making refinements and alterations..and a small model Spitfire for reference.

Below is the same drawing with a few more alterations...I need to work on the shape of the aircraft wings a little more before it's ready for transfer...

As a little post script, i thought I should mention that it was exactly a year ago today that i began my exercise and weight loss programme...I've kept the weight off and I'm running on a regular basis...physically I've managed to totally change my life in the last year !

What i'm up to....Muse-ic of the stars.

Apologies seem to be in order...there seems to have been a fault recently with my Blogger settings which has meant that a few comments haven't reached me..and my recent posts have not published. Viscount Bubbles was completed on Friday, but the post somehow didn't get published...it will later today!

Meanwhile, i thought you might like to see this Little sketch which might wet your appetite for the next piece. In my own opinion, I've been producing work which is below par...I'm constantly being left deflated and dissatisfied, and I don't like it. OK, so it's the desire to attain perfection that keeps us creative types striving for the perfect composition, and yes, that's a greater part of my current state. so onwards I go...the main aim is to block out all negative feelings...all hesitations and doubt...find the space where the muse is not only whispering words spun of gold and star light into my ear...but shouting them so that they echo off every sense and memory resonating notes of visual wonder....

easier said than done you'd possibly think? Well only time will tell...I came up with the sketch of the little boy who, yes represents me...he's begun appearing in my recent works and I'm happy to say he'll be in the next one...I used to love my model aeroplanes...the Airfix Spitfire 1:24th scale was the ultimate when I was 10...so here it is..so let the wonder begin!

Viscount Bubbles - finished.

Viscount Bubbles (2012)

48 x 31.50 cm.

Viscount Bubbles - 49

 Penultimate session working on this...having finished the jobs around the picture I needed to do, the final part of the process is to shade in the white areas on top of the aircraft...this is slow work and needs to be even to give the right effect. Below you can see the area I've finished in contrast to that which I have yet to do on the left of the shot.

Found this old Corgi model of a Vickers Viscount that was languishing up on a shelf...I wonder if there is one available in the BMI livery?

The next post will feature the finished picture!

Viscount Bubbles - 48

Coming to the end of work on Viscount Bubbles thankfully! I've spent the whole of today drawing bubbles...and there were a lot of them! I'll show you the bigger picture tomorrow, but here are a couple of close ups as I worked on the bubbles. Bye the way, I didn't intend the Cello Girl to look like she was inflating a condom, but it does look like it doesn't it?  

Viscount Bubbles - 47

 Approaching the final stages now...have completed the Globe thistles in the lower left hand corner..you'll note that my signature is still pencilled in..the last thing I do at the end of a piece is to rub out my signature leaving the white of the paper below to show through. I've started work on the bubbles and will move onto the white of the aircraft's fuselage..I will also have to finish the Starman's hand which you see in the picture below. See you tomorrow for possibly the end of this piece!

Viscount Bubbles - 46

I'm exhausted this evening..I spent the whole day working on the plants to the left which involved a lot of concentration...then this evening I went for my run which this time was a new route I'd not tried before..it was still the same distance but included a brutal (at least as far as I'm concerned!) up hill section stretching over 2 miles ! Sp at the end of this day I can honestly say I'm mentally and physically tired...it actually feels very satisfying!

Viscount Bubbles - 45

Viscount Bubbles - 44

Not sure what to write about this evening..you know all about what I'm up to...you can see the progress being made...you know I'm never satisfied with what I'm working on...you know that my mind is turned to and expectant for the next piece ( which of course will be my master piece and therefore perfect!). But..and here's the big but ( and not the one on my lovely cello girl!)...I'm actually quite enjoying this at the moment..it's an awful picture..my anatomical proportions are all wrong...the details on the plants are woeful...my lack of resourcing my own photography is poor...(see I told you I'm never happy with my work)...but I'm quite enjoying it...shouldn't be too long till I finish....all I have to do is keep going..

Tomorrow...knickers!

Viscount Bubbles - 43 and Echinops.

did I tell you that I really love the Globe Thistle?...Echinops come in an aray of different varieties all having spidery leaves and flower heads that bloom in blue before forming globe shaped thistles. They are usually very hardy plants and can often be seen growing along railway embankments, but keen gardeners are happy to have them in their borders.I first became aware of this plant whilst visiting my friends in North Berwick in Scotland...travelling by train from Edinburgh , there are swathes of the thistles along certain areas and depending on the time ( they bloom in mid to late summer)...they appear as a cloud of blue...looking closely the globes look like  blue stars in a green nebula...Below I've posted a few pics which hopefully illustrate what I mean!

You'll probably be surprised to know that despite my enthusiasm for these wonderful plants, I don't actually have any in my garden!...My aim this summer is to rectify that!

Influences and inspiration. - Jean Rollin

Now..I'm certainly NOT an expert on the life and movies of Jean Rollin( that's why I've posted a link to a Jean Rollin dedicated blog at the bottom of this post!)...but I've seen a few, and I love his use of space...atmosphere and low budget filming. what Hollywood and multimillion dollar CGI production can achieve in seconds...Rollin weaves subtle and dreamlike sequences to achieve a poetic and hypnotic scape of fantasy and horror.

I particularly like his Vampire movies which often feature religious symbolism and winsome girls walking through cemeteries and deserted beaches. I love the cinematography..the bleached out colours..the lack of dialogue and composition. the acting leaves a little to be desired, but these 'art house' horror movies are to those prepared to fore go their preconceptions, tales of beauty, fantasy and morality.

love him or hate him, Jean Rollin secured a niche in the market by producing stylish and cult favourites. the series of photos here represent what I consider the more attractive reasons to view his movies, and I for one can releate totally with his framing and subject matter!...Head on over to the link below to find out more!

http://requiemforjeanrollin.blogspot.co.uk/

Viscount Bubbles - 42

Thought about an all over pattern for the stockings, but this would I think be overpowering ...so I designed a subtle border of butterfly's which if you look carefully you'll see. I was quite pleased with the knees too!

Viscount Bubbles - 40

Work today centred around the fox and the globe thistles behind him...also to the back ground behind the Cello girl. I like my Cello girls...each time I draw them , they become a little more elaborate. I shall continue to develop them don't you worry! For those of you who might be wondering..the white of the aircraft will also be dimmed down...I will address that little subject when I render the bubbles. This will be towards the finish of the piece.

* NB. this post somehow got saved as a draft and wasn't published...so please forgive the fact that it's out of sequence!

Viscount Bubbles - 41

Went for a run this morning...I ran my usual route, but did it in reverse (no stupid...I didn't run backwards!)...simple idea, but it made the route fresh again. Trouble was, I usually run at night, so when I got home just before lunch, I was exhausted... I've therefore only worked this afternoon. However, as is so often the case, whilst running, I'm able to think in a very objective but also creative way...I was musing over the concept for my next picture ( good to have a basic concept as for this current piece I had no overall prior concept...just a subject matter)...I was able to tie together the various themes and symbols to make a whole..I'm excited ! It's just a matter of finishing this one!

Viscount Bubbles - 39

I'm feeling quite empty at the moment. I'd like to see the back of this piece...so i'm trying to push myself...it's having the opposite effect...but I'm probably about 5/6 of the way there now..so...not much more..I reached 130 hours..should probably take another 20 or so. 

Viscount Bubbles - 38

I've settled on a butterfly theme for the gloves which I'll carry on into her stockings . Tomorrow I'll show you what's going on with the rest of the picture.

Viscount Bubbles - 37

Viscount Bubbles - 36

It looks at the moment as if she's wearing black latex gloves...whilst they would be a nice idea..it's not what I'm intending. I will develop a pattern on the gloves...I might opt for black dots..but I'm thinking of other motifs..possibly Crows or butterflies...all I can say is I'll know when it comes to doing it! I'm really keen to move onto my next idea...so I'm going to push myself in the coming week to see if I can finish it before the end of the month!

Viscount Bubbles - 35

I seem to swing from absolute joy and hatred of this piece at the moment. I'm just not satisfied. when I work on it it's great...when I post my photos of it here, I see all sorts of shortcomings...inadequacies...argh!

Viscount Bubbles - 34

Viscount Bubbles - 33

I think...at least I'd like to think that I've stumbled upon a nice discovery. A discovery for me you understand is something most people are already very familiar with. A very good friend of mine last week suggested I read a book by English author Iris Murdoch. (I've never read any of her books)  In England I live as far from the sea as it's possible to get ...yes, even on an island!...I live smack bang in the middle. so I love the sea , I dream about the sea..and my thoughts and emotions are drawn to the notion of the ocean! So my friend Alison ( who we stayed with last week in York) said the novel by Murdoch called 'the Sea, the sea' would be good to try.

I've just read the introduction which was wonderful...by John Burnside, it went on to discuss the reasons why we might feel the need to retreat from the world..to restore and regenerate ourselves...to 'find ourselves'.  The Times printed an obituary for Iris in 1999, the substance of which resonates completely with me and my current thinking regarding my work.

"Those who reproached her for her publishing too much were perhaps missing the point: her project was one of imperfection, or imperfectability even, as if the perfect - like the good, about which she meditated deeply - was fundamentally beyond human achievement.If for her every novel was a fresh attempt attain her ideal, she found each time that her ideal had moved on"

I feel the same about my work...I am forever disappointed that I'm unable to render that which is in my mind's eye...but I do not lose hope...I plan next time to reach the perfect......

If only?..... ;)

Viscount Bubbles - 32

Viscount bubbles - 31

Back from my holiday I've returned to work today..it's good to be able to switch back into work mode and find that having been to other places..seen good things..laughed with friends..eaten..drank and lived well has all gone to refreshing my imagination and huger to create. I have begun work on the girl's hair...I had considered and even sketched in some ornate art nouveux style decorations for her hair..but it looked out of place. the bob hair cut is important symbolically to me and for the character , needs to be similar to her appearance in previous pictures.but I would like to create a picture in which decoration, detail and adornment are something special. for now..it's good to be home and hopefully I'll finish this soon and get down to the next project which I'm really looking forward to!

Time for a break!

Hello...I hope you're having or had a good Easter?...I thought I'd just let you know that I'm going to be away for a couple of days...we're going to stay with Alison and Mark in York tomorrow with a trip to the seaside at Whitby on Tuesday...we're then driving up to Scotland on Wednesday to stay with Kay and John for a couple of days in North Berwick...It'll be good to see such dear friends and spend a little time by the sea ! We'll be back on Saturday...

Viscount Bubbles - 30

When Inspiration strikes!...it's magic!

I'm sorry I've not posted progress on 'Viscount Bubbles' for a couple of days..I've hit a dark period...feeling low and without a sense of 'joy' in my life. But I've been able to tap into a source of inspiration thanks to an old song sung by Olivia Newton John..remember the summer of 1980?...no?...well I do!..the movie 'Xanadu' had songs by my favourite group of the time 'ELO'...and to tell you the truth, I was disdainful of the other songs featured on the soundtrack album (including this song by ONJ!)...but out on one of my runs the other night, I recalled this song and the lyrics "Have to believe we are magic, nothing can stand in our way..." Despite the very present feeling of mortality and the constraints of my lumbering physical entity, I clung onto the thought that in fact we should believe in magic...call it what what you will....I like the term 'Magic'...and to that end I envisioned a composition...something that I can tell you revolves once again around the theme of bubbles...but I'm captivated and beguiled.

My pencil and sketchbook have been busy....and as always, you'll be first to see what becomes of my 'muse' (those familiar with the plot of Xanadu will understand!)....

Viscount Bubbles - 29

Here you can see the pencil work for my Bubble Blower...I derived the sketch from the previous 'Medicine' picture...I'm really captivated by the bubble blowing idea...I've got drawings that I'd considered for this piece but was rejected...it involved two girls facing each other and blowing bubbles across another girl facing the viewer...technically difficult to achieve without getting a couple of people to stand and model for me blowing bubbles at each other...but I like a challenge and it along with the various other ideas I have will be subject to a few more sketchbook workouts over the coming weeks!

What a difference a year makes!

                                4th April 20101                           4th April 2012

I found this photo on the left showing me on this day last year before I had started my get fit campaign!  I thought it would be fun to include a photo  which I took a few minutes ago to showing you the difference between then and now!

Viscount Bubbles - 28

I'm working on the sky (top left) at the the moment..it seems that as I move across the page..I'm darkening it fairly quickly...as the source of the bubbles is just visible...I wanted to have lots of stars visible for the remaining area to the edge of the page...so obviously as the sky gets darker, the amount of work...the density of the dots increases so therefore the obvious progress slows down.

Viscount Bubbles - 27

I've progressed to the point where my 'Bubble blower' needs working on...she's there just beyond the edge on the left.I'm fairly pleased with the ambiance I've created hear...I know some of the perspectives are not right...but that doesn't matter..I'm aiming at an atmosphere..something dreamlike and mildly disturbing..hopefully you think that too!?