hahahahahaha Trumpets !......

So, threats of violence worked.

In the end, I took it outside and read it the old horoscope. All that 'tekie' stuff may have had some effect, but the real power lay in creating an atmosphere of fear. Somewhere in the deepest recesses of it's circuitry, it heard my sincere threats.
Obviously it had previously listened to my coaching, then polite requests, followed by child like pleading and lastly infantile begging and sobbing. All this it heard and silently mocked me.
However, show it the four pound club hammer out in the yard, and lo an image was browsed, uploaded and resides above.
In the valley of the laptop, the artist with the hammer is king, oh yes.

In the style of Don from Hotel Room Nudes;
'up above is Lucile, painted last Thursday, in Mundesley'.......I'll be staying a while.

I'll tell you how bad it's got.....

I have fannied about with this poxy machine for days. I know it's contours better than I know those of my wife.
I am basically a creative person. I think in pictures, not 1's and 0's, so it makes my head hurt.
I don't need to know all this stuff. I have a lot of things to think about, and not much RAM left on the old hard-drive. Why will it not obey me ?
I have emptied trash, cleaned disks, de-fragged things, burnt images to cd's, checked for contigious memory, operated McAffe like a pro, and gasped my way through a pound of roll-up tobacco.

STILL it won't upload image files.

If the present, frankly rather rude, winter conditions prevail, I am going to have to do a Titus Oates and nip out for a long walk.................they never did find his body you know.

argggggggggggghhhhhh

Sorry, sorry sorry.

Shitty computers, I hate them.

Thanks to all of you for commenting on the stale and boring post below.

While you wait for me to get it together, go over to Paul Robinson's site at the top of my links. He's a very talented painter, and a very top bloke.........off you go then.

issues......

.....with uploading images, AGAIN !

As soon as I cure it I'll post something marginally more interesting.

That will be all.

out and about

A cold wind and horses that won't stand still.........it's a tough life.
The biggest positive to be drawn from the weekend, from a painting point of view, was the fabulous light. Just being out in it was inspiration enough.

I have made a couple of attempts at the local nags in the last week. Great practice for speedy work but proper bloody hard to be accurate.

More tomorrow, have a lovely evening.

vigorous.......

and immediate, that's what I'm trying to preserve in the work.

I have a tendency to fiddle, you see. Now, when I work in charcoal or pastels I work quickly with a certain flow. However, sometimes when I paint, I get bogged down in the detail and the end result can look overworked and tired.
Enter the new Pochade box. I think the small size of the work, and the compact nature of the palette and box are helping the speed and flow of the work.

So, here are two of the first pieces done from life. Each one took about thirty minutes.
Off to find some more willing ladies to be immortalised..........If you are reading this, fancy laying around naked and you are in Norfolk, drop me a line............

it's been a while.......

It's 2009 then. Stunning revelation I know.
Before you ask, I have not just woken from a RipVanWinkle like snooze, I just find January a bit trying. The first week always vaporises in a haze of post Christmas malaise, and before you know it, there are only eleven months of the year left.

In an effort to avoid feeling guilty about wasting time, I have been out and about painting with a new plan, and a new piece of kit. It's called a Pochade box, and is only new to me. Painters have been using them for ever, the likes of Monet and co. were big fans. In terms of results, the work is small, (8"x6"), and hopefully executed with flair and speed.

The nice thing is that all the paint, brushes and bits go into the box, and there is room for three boards in the lid. All I have to do is pitch up on the iron horse, open the box and crack on.
It's early days, but I'm very happy with the results so far.

I do need some thicker socks though......