Dan Dennett

This will be my last post for a while, a few months maybe. As of this weekend I am officially homeless, in a good way. A man without a country. I've packed up my things and starting on a voyage unknown. New places to explore, new people to meet and adventures to have.

Below are a couple progress shots of this portrait, I tried to use a more traditional approach.
And this was perhaps the first time I went from start to finish without checking the tone with a desaturation level. I'm going to assume this is just a fluke that I got it right, at least until I can reproduce the result without relapse.

Rincewind

About to head off on another adventure, so it's time to make a post and start drinking as per my tradition. I've only two half bottles of white wine, but they should suffice.

I'm a big Pratchett fan, I've either read or listened to every Discworld novel he's published. And have re-read some of them 2 or 3 times. Nigel Planer makes a brilliant Rincewind in the audiobook series, so good that every time I read one of the Discworld novels I hear his voice in my head.

It's a pity they didn't use him for the role in the movies, because I think he's physically perfect for the role too. Of course I'm also a big Young Ones fan.

Halloween

Cesarean Section

"Nosotros", es mi palabra favorita en Español

It sounds like, "Nostromo". I tried to read Nostromo recently but found it impossible. Conrad's sentences are so long and meandering I can not keep focused. After just a few sentences I don't know which character or story line I am reading about, why, in which time period and whether I am reading the authors words or that of another character. After 6 chapters I finally gave up. 

Deuterostomes and comets

Here is a self portrait, inspired by those awkward family photos that can be found strewn about through out the interweb. In this alternative universe I am already bald, and I imagine I am a salesman of some sort, perhaps I sell second hand refrigerators, working for my father-in-law. My honey bunny is with child, our first. If it is a boy we will give it a plain name such as Daryl and for a girl, perhaps Susan is normal enough.

Derelict

As I'm about to head off for another adventure in about an hour, two things I must do. Firstly make a quick post, lest I let this blog die a cold and lonely death. And secondly to drink a substantial amount of my dwindling Vodka stash, with an aim to finish it, so I can have the correct drunken composure required for my check in and take off.

Lately I have been revising my knowledge of brushes, and drawing techniques, doing a lot of playing around and finding new interest in old places. Mostly concerning the formation and foundation of the initial painting, ways to find shapes and subject without planning. So below you will see some thumbnails and speed-painting that will hopefully later evolve into something of more import.

Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken.

It's Something

Crabby Patty

It's been a very busy month for me so far, not much free time left for doodling. This is a quick experiment I did, trying out a new technique, using the Color-Dodge brush. I'm quite pleased with how it worked and will continue to experiment with it.

Cthulhu and Cannibalism

Call me Ishmael

En plein air

Dreamworks and the Croods

Last week I received a package with a few Croods items from the guys at Dreamworks animation studios. Some plushy toy characters and an art of book worth having a look at! ( The alcohol was not part of the package ) A gift for leading the art on the Croods game at Rovio last year.

Was a hectic project, but learnt a lot.

While you were sleeping

There is little in life I enjoy more than the sound of my luggage wheels rumbling over the ground early in the morning. Staying up the whole night, drinking, and then setting out on a new adventure as the sun rises, passing through empty streets as the people of the town sleep.
As I will soon depart on a new adventure I thought I would quickly make a post.

While listening to Górecki

HIV-mother cradling her new born

Merman

Nothing to say about this one. Just thought I'd post something before I head out for the day. Clear skies, brilliant sun, cold beer and street markets.

Alte Dame mit Spiegel

Mumm-ra

A portrait of Mumm-ra, from that epic old cartoon series ThunderCats. Maybe I should do some more of these, or maybe I should remain lethargic in all my artistic endeavours. If my environment should change too quickly, I might become unsuitable, ill-equipped, and soon I will render myself extinct.

And now for a few glasses of wine while I pack up my bags yet again, as will be flying soon and I want to make sure that I am either drunk or hungover by the time I'm in the air. Never wanting to be one that breaks such a standard tradition.

Madam

Ein Geburtstagsgeschenk für mein kleines Schnitzel.

Skull-Fucker

I'm really enjoying the new Zenbook. For the first time I have a fully mobile studio capable of handling anything I can throw at it. I thought I would try a more 'finished' type piece today, something that could perhaps be used as a book cover or illustration. I normally only do these for jobs, and rarely ever do finished pieces for myself. In this I was mostly interested in getting some sort of transparency to the skin, and keeping the rest quite simple. I think my inspirations for this type of art are self apparent. I guess Skelator was also on my mind from the week before, this could be a re-design.