Drawing Elective: Jon Fox

Again this is highly detailed and highly skilled. I think it is more sylized than the previous artists Ive posted up though. The textures are smoother, there are smoother transitions in tone. Also the colours are calmer. The line work is highly refined and precisional, this seems to be a running theme in the artists I have chosen.

Drawing Elective: Robert Williams

Robert Williams part of the pop-surrealist (or low-brow) movement that came out of the 60's and 70's. I suppose he was around at the same time as Robert Crumb, I like admire the highly skilled painting thats used to twist and exaggerate reality. I think it could be seen as cheesy but I like it. I have always loved typical comic book art as well, the bright colours and precise line work really does it for me.

Drawing Elective: Mark Ryden

Ive known about Mark Ryden since I was about 15 and have always found his work inspiring. I like the constant themes of Meat, Abraham Lincolne and Kids Toys. It is dark and hallucinatory and all his paintings make me feel uncomfortable. On top of that, I believe he is a technically brilliant painter.

Drawing Elective: Gary Baseman

I really like this sort of pop surrealist style and will post another couple of artists in the same style who I really like. Gary Baseman is an illustrator, painter and animator who has been behind animated television series such as "Louis and Louis." I really like his use of colours, they give depth and perspective to the piece. I also admire his fine line work which is really careful and clean. I also like the darkness and fear in his paintings, both these pitcures are themed on mortality, memory and maturity.

Beatherders "New Tent" 2011

So this is all really exciting but I cant post any pictures or say too much because its all so bluddy secretive.

Basically I'm part of a team managing a new tent at the Beatherder festival 2011, were developing a visual theme to go along with it, building making and painting decorations and planning wierd and wonderful activities to go through the days of the festivities.. I'll post more as I can but figured I should at least say this much as its a very important part of my PPD.

Drawing Elective - James Gillray

I know this is cheating, but I wanted to reblog this for an example of an illustrator I like for the drawing elective. Well known political satirist and caricaturist, James Gillray.

What is Viscom?: French Revolution and James Gillray: "The French Revolution began in 1789 with the meeting of the States General in May. On July 14 of that same year, the Bastille was stormed..."

Drawing Elective - Gerald Scarfe

I have loved Gerald Scarfes work for years. His ability to create expression complex characters from simple sweeping lines fills me with awe and is something I aspire to. I went to see him talk at the Ilkley literature festival a year or so back and he was brilliant, but what I realised was, by the age of 18 he could draw in a very technically sound manner. In order to achieve what I want to be able to draw like, I really need to learn to draw technically and quickly and the only way to achieve this is through excessive practice.

I havent even mentioned Scarfes vicious political satire! Which I also love... but since Ive never been such a political person I have always felt like I would leave that to the folk with the strong opinions and use the skills I develop to draw immersive, detailed fantasy type pictures of memories and places that I love.

Drawing Elective

Today was the first day of our drawing elective, firstly I did three drawings of a boot and then I made a wire model from the drawing. Then I did a drawing from the model and then another model from the drawing and continued that process until the end of the day. The image above is the models I made from string, wire and tape hanging from the ceiling in fron the three drawings I did from the models.

I enjoyed experimenting with bleach and ink and had the oppertunity to make drawings from shadows, which I have been meaning to play around with for some time.

Tomorow morning I will go out and do some drawings of buildings in the city centre as preparation for the afternoon session. So far so good!

Jim Woodland - Songwriter

This is my Dad. This week we are off down to London to play his songs in a club somewhere!

I'm not sure of the details... We have been rehearsing for quite a long time now and the set is starting to feel pretty tight. All good news!

He's a great songwriter our Jim. Stopped gigging eventually because of the death threats but after 20 years in hiding he's come back out again.

Good for you Jim. :)

I am going to upload his recordings to SoundCloud quite soon as he wants his stuff publicly available again but until then I cant post anything up to listen to.

http://www.hovefolkclub.co.uk/past/20090306.html

Thats a review of one of his last gigs.