One of those odd drawings that springs forth almost fully formed, and without too much conscious meaning. I was thinking about the flower/faery happiness/growth avatar, and the fleetingness of happiness, when inspiration struck. It came together in a hot streak four mornings of drawing, and had me hanging out to get back to it, seeing […]
I really wanted that new job I didn’t get. It sounded interesting and challenging, but in the same way I imagine having an affair avoids any awkward self examination. Is security enough to get out of bed in the morning for? Is waiting around until my long service leave comes through enough of a plan […]
I was making good progress on this one, getting started first thing in the morning like a day job on my days off. Then I got sidetracked by applying for an amazing job… interstate. Spent a day off writing up a letter and resume. It was a weird bit of escapism, like I could jet […]
This probably seems like a strange one to celebrate 10 years since my original diagnosis, 10 years cancer free. Sometimes I have bleeding and it stresses me out, but as a drawing this was a dream to work on! The geometry of the shapes, the textures, even a couple of things that went wrong turned […]
Back in the day I was a fairly depressed young man. Full of woe for my life at the time, but somehow never really doubting my reason to draw or its “success” in the future. I wonder what that young man would think if he could look forward to now. To my life of security […]
I tried something different on my day off today. Lacking inspiration I went for productivity over creativity. Busted out the big scanner and set up a production line to scan the last few old sketchbooks. Back in the day I drew mostly in those books, tight and controlled pencil work. Then I moved on, set […]
It was a practical sort of procrastination on my day off last week, testing out the new inks. I haven’t given up on colour, only the methodology. Washes play nicely with the pencil work, mixes and opaque layers get muddy. Another day off tomorrow, no excuses!
I had a small epiphany recently. I’d borrowed a book on the relationship between the painter Klimt and the architect Hoffman. Always one of my favourite eras, fin de siècle Vienna, I finally realised that the work’s graphic and stylised line work was what I was digging! Whether it’s Art Nouveau or comics it’s the […]
Funny that I put a lot of time and effort into the last “happy” picture but this three hour quickie was more satisfying! My motivation and self-worth are still a work in progress but there is progress. Shame the flowering didn’t last long enough.
A mangled metaphor about the abundance of clear lessons to be had in this craziest of years. It initially came from pondering the universal ones. How can anyone deny the reality of climate change while the country literally burns around them? Why does it take a senseless racist murder in another country for 432 deaths […]