Painting Update...
A couple people asked and I've been lazy about keeping up my " painting journal" but anyway, the painting looks like this now and is about ten hours from being "pinished"...
I changed quite a bit and I used different patterns, I adapted the Chinese luck symbol I've been using and that's an Indian lotus flower, standard issue. I'm having trouble with the clouds...what's the balance between caricature and trompe l'oeil.
I'm also having to make some technical decisions...
There's a combination of gloss and matte in the false reflected sky in the above foto. I have to decide between one texture or the other...Crap, a simple patch (covering up a mistake) leads to a conceptual crises...should that area be gloss or matte? I'm thinking gloss, just to correlate with the idea that it's supposed to be water and a reflection...or is it? Even I'm no longer sure, heh.
I wasn't so sure initially, but I have grown to love this painting and I am very happy with it. It reminds me of Indian high-camp art. I like that.
Many more evolutionary pics here in the gallery.
In other news, American Idol meta...
A little Q about Idol voting, which strangely reflects actual voting these days. Here's the thing...I've never voted (or for that matter, really watched) American Idol before and I wonder how many people like me (newbies) think strategically and contemplate voting for the underdog (in this case, Syesha, sp?)* in the hopes of squeaking in a lesser competitor in order to guarantee a win for the person that is to me the clear winner (David Cook)? This is eerily similar to what I was grappling with before voting in the SC Primary. Sheesh. Never thought I would type these words or correlate these things.
*And honestly, I think David A. (I can't remember the spelling of his last name, so I won't butcher it) would best be served with what would probably be a five star career on Broadway. When I watch him sing, there is clear talent and an amazing vocal range, but there is always this stiltedness and affectation and it was never more clear than when he attempted Chris Brown, tonight. The way he "phrased" the libretto, so to speak, the vocal cut-offs he made was just hopeless...not pop, not anything but Broadway via Disney. And I've said before this kid gives me sugar ache in my teeth, I just don't get the appeal, or any sense of personality, despite the huge talent.
Having said that and disclosed my bias, I think Syesha has a surprisingly big voice in a below the radar package and I honestly think she should be in the running over DA because she has a greater range of possibilities. And of course, COOK FTW!!!! Probably,
malnpudlcan explain his virtues better than I, but I have a fairly low annoyance threshold with music and I look happily forward to his first record.
About that low annoyance threshold...I recently remembered that I had forgotten that I've got an XM subscription and I've decided this was a sucky time to remember because across my preferred 12 some channels, throughout the day?...the playlists SUCK HUGE, with a preponderance of Nirvana. For fuck's suck, you've heard one Nirvana, you've...or on the classics channels Bryan Adams or else Def Leppard, Hysteria...which is a nice respite from Bryan Adams but hey, I've heard it 20 times this week, how bout some Journey? Steve Perry can sing, eh?
FWELARSEHOLEKWJRKEQN XM! Please to translate that as my displeasure and sincere hope that your June playlist improves.
Lastly, here's your weekly whippet:
Miss Lia Bella is auditioning for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. She's wet and it's hot out. If I were the editor, I'd choose her. Wouldn't you? It's all in the eyes!
Once upon a time I had this very nice pair of diamond stud earrings that I screwed into my ears and never gave a second thought to. Then I was attacked by parrot fish while diving. My dive instructor (the venerable and superhero-like Wayan) and I were confused as to what had initiated the sudden frenzy of tropical fish around my head but we forgot about it and I didn't notice the fact that I was missing a diamond stud until some days later.
So I had a remaining diamond and I was beginning to work with metals and so I made a ring and went ahead and brought it to heat. I figured diamonds are impervious. Well no, I fired at 1650 for half an hour. Diamonds cook after 1100 or so. So this is my brushed silver and diamond ring.
It's not the best pic, but notice how the diamond looks like something rolled around in soot. I like to call this ring "Patience" or, alternately, "I got my ass kicked by stupidity, capriciousness and failure to research". I wear it as a reminder and I actually get quite a few compliments on it (until I mention the diamond at which point people look at me funny and seem to want to mourn. Sheesh.)
I changed quite a bit and I used different patterns, I adapted the Chinese luck symbol I've been using and that's an Indian lotus flower, standard issue. I'm having trouble with the clouds...what's the balance between caricature and trompe l'oeil.
I'm also having to make some technical decisions...
There's a combination of gloss and matte in the false reflected sky in the above foto. I have to decide between one texture or the other...Crap, a simple patch (covering up a mistake) leads to a conceptual crises...should that area be gloss or matte? I'm thinking gloss, just to correlate with the idea that it's supposed to be water and a reflection...or is it? Even I'm no longer sure, heh.
I wasn't so sure initially, but I have grown to love this painting and I am very happy with it. It reminds me of Indian high-camp art. I like that.
Many more evolutionary pics here in the gallery.
In other news, American Idol meta...
A little Q about Idol voting, which strangely reflects actual voting these days. Here's the thing...I've never voted (or for that matter, really watched) American Idol before and I wonder how many people like me (newbies) think strategically and contemplate voting for the underdog (in this case, Syesha, sp?)* in the hopes of squeaking in a lesser competitor in order to guarantee a win for the person that is to me the clear winner (David Cook)? This is eerily similar to what I was grappling with before voting in the SC Primary. Sheesh. Never thought I would type these words or correlate these things.
*And honestly, I think David A. (I can't remember the spelling of his last name, so I won't butcher it) would best be served with what would probably be a five star career on Broadway. When I watch him sing, there is clear talent and an amazing vocal range, but there is always this stiltedness and affectation and it was never more clear than when he attempted Chris Brown, tonight. The way he "phrased" the libretto, so to speak, the vocal cut-offs he made was just hopeless...not pop, not anything but Broadway via Disney. And I've said before this kid gives me sugar ache in my teeth, I just don't get the appeal, or any sense of personality, despite the huge talent.
Having said that and disclosed my bias, I think Syesha has a surprisingly big voice in a below the radar package and I honestly think she should be in the running over DA because she has a greater range of possibilities. And of course, COOK FTW!!!! Probably,
malnpudlcan explain his virtues better than I, but I have a fairly low annoyance threshold with music and I look happily forward to his first record.
About that low annoyance threshold...I recently remembered that I had forgotten that I've got an XM subscription and I've decided this was a sucky time to remember because across my preferred 12 some channels, throughout the day?...the playlists SUCK HUGE, with a preponderance of Nirvana. For fuck's suck, you've heard one Nirvana, you've...or on the classics channels Bryan Adams or else Def Leppard, Hysteria...which is a nice respite from Bryan Adams but hey, I've heard it 20 times this week, how bout some Journey? Steve Perry can sing, eh?
FWELARSEHOLEKWJRKEQN XM! Please to translate that as my displeasure and sincere hope that your June playlist improves.
Lastly, here's your weekly whippet:
Miss Lia Bella is auditioning for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. She's wet and it's hot out. If I were the editor, I'd choose her. Wouldn't you? It's all in the eyes!
Once upon a time I had this very nice pair of diamond stud earrings that I screwed into my ears and never gave a second thought to. Then I was attacked by parrot fish while diving. My dive instructor (the venerable and superhero-like Wayan) and I were confused as to what had initiated the sudden frenzy of tropical fish around my head but we forgot about it and I didn't notice the fact that I was missing a diamond stud until some days later.
So I had a remaining diamond and I was beginning to work with metals and so I made a ring and went ahead and brought it to heat. I figured diamonds are impervious. Well no, I fired at 1650 for half an hour. Diamonds cook after 1100 or so. So this is my brushed silver and diamond ring.
It's not the best pic, but notice how the diamond looks like something rolled around in soot. I like to call this ring "Patience" or, alternately, "I got my ass kicked by stupidity, capriciousness and failure to research". I wear it as a reminder and I actually get quite a few compliments on it (until I mention the diamond at which point people look at me funny and seem to want to mourn. Sheesh.)