Its been a while since i perused the internet due to a relocation and new job and blah blah blah, all the things which need to stay excluded from my art life. SO here's the low down on the scant happenings in the creative side of life.

I've been experimenting with computers, so far i have just reworked some old images to see how and if they may be beneficial. I am admittedly a change-a-phobe and i do like my lovely hand drawn little images but in the cause of maybe making some more dynamic images i thought i should really give it a go. Although i think i must state that i will never abandon the hand drawn.

OK, so a reworking of a poster I drew ages ago for a friend, I changed up some layers and to be honest photo shop is good for experimenting and mixing things up without a whole new drawing. This side is OK. I am a fan of the scanner and i think this version of the poster is all together an improvement. HOWEVER, below is my attempt at using my graphics pad, poor, at best i think. I like the colour, i always like colour, but it looks awful. Next stop vector images to see if this will benefit my little in-expandable brain.

So to conclude my adventure into computers i think that I will use them in the final stages of editing a hand drawn piece in terms of illustration but they will stay away from the "fine" side (and i do hate to separate the two in such a filthy way) and until i find a better way they will not replace the lines I can make with a plain old pencil.

convert or kill

I'm currently watching chronicles of riddick whilst i draw, wouldnt it be lovely to conduct a convince or kill policy about your work? Also how creepy id thandie newton?

Anyway. What is inspiring me currently?

An old set of work from the deautsche borsche winning photographer Paul Graham has certainly caught my eye. It is undeniable that his work is stunning, i first became aware of him as part of a northern ireland exhibition at wolverhampton art gallery, and then a trip to New York which was littered with his work, a shimmer of possibility blinding its way to fame.

Recently however, i've rediscovered some of his older work; End of an Age, which is about everything which is occupying my mind and my work. I think the result of this set of photographs is a statement about age, about being in the no mans land of "young adult" and feeling like an observer in the lack of effect you seem to be able to have on the world. Drinking, smoking, placidly watching, his edge lingering clubbers are haunting and beautiful in an almost distasteful way.

new small drawings

Top : new

Bottom : old

I have been away from my blog for a while.
There is new work, interested?
I will show you, but i think i must explain that i am having issues with presentation.
I feel bogged down in the uptight attitude of a painter, everything in a line, perfect and crisp etc. This is the opposite of my practice as a painter and seemed a little bit like denying myself and the true nature of my work. Like dressing Britney in an evening dress, sure she will look beautiful but we all know we prefer her in all her trashy glory.
Following?
So this is something i will work on as a day to day process, for the first time ever a wall of my studio has been cleaned and painted white so i can do a daily display, which is time consuming and tiring but i think worth it.
So what else in this long time?
My smaller drawings! These are certainly worth mentioning. They began quite graphic, stylized and certainly attractive but black and white and i think that i would compare them to an oil puddle. I was not happy with this and decided the productive thing to do would be to put them to one side and begin again, as what is the point on pouring effort into an oil puddle right?
The newer drawings are colourful, less severe and more delicate. They have been applied to wood to make them tiles and i hope that this as well will be a daily practice although so far i must admit this has not happened. I will post pictures demonstrating this, i think its a big jump and i'm pleased with myself in a cat by a fire kind of way.
Also Ive started large scale paintings on paper, back to colour.
I think this is all i can say about where my work has gone to in all this busy working time. Thank you for reading.