Offshore Breeze - Suspended in blue

Between the sky and water.
Warming westerly supples the spine.
Gently held by rolling swells.
Waiting for the perfect.
Suspended in blue.

Sprinkler

I remember when this photo was taken.
A very hot summer Sunday. Hair freshly combed.
As Mom took this photo she said, "Don't get wet."
We were going to my cousins shortly.
I stood there silently, not doing anything wrong.
Mom said a little louder, "You better not get wet."
I was just standing and thinking, geez.
"Go put your shirt on and don't get wet!"
What? huh, all this talk and standing in the sun makes me feel warmer.
Walking in through the back door Mom yells, "I'm warning you!"

Heartspace - Encyclopedia of Grim

The heart space a space of infinte richness or infinite emptiness.
Love found can make it feel like it's filled with the wonders and joy of the universe. Love lost can make it feel like it's filled full of nothing.

This is a drawing from the Encyclopedia of Grim.

Riding Around on my Rooney

What a great old day this Sunday. Sun's out, .......not in much of a hurry really, as it is the weekend. Just enjoying the day and having a ride around on my Rooney. 

A little drawing from the Brownsnake2 Sketchbook.


This has become an intriguing drawing for me because of a odd little coincidence. I drew this fellow on his chopper tricycle while in my bed before drifting off. The following day I spotted an article in the online Sydney Morning Herald newspaper announcing that the designer of the first chopper bicycle the 'Raleigh chopper', Alan Oakley, had passed away from cancer at the age of 85.
Here's a DailyMail article link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147366/Alan-Oakley-designer-Raleigh-Chopper-bike-dies-aged-85-cancer.html

Fade to Black

Fade to grey. Then to black.

ImpBoy Hitched

Walking down the banks of the River Styx I came upon this little ImpBoy.
He told me the Harpies stopped him on his the way to the Calgary Stampede and hitched him to a post.
Since the Harpies didn't bother to tell him why he was hitched to a post on the beach of the River Styx Impboy was finding it all a little undignified and was kind of embarrassed.
I decided to tell him a story about me, the Calgary Stampede and Muhammad Ali but since he wasn't in the mood to listen he just sat and sucked on his tail.


A little piece from the theatre of the biographically absurd and the Brownsnake Sketchbook.

Humanity, high yielding - self seeding

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae,

May 1915

Loitering with Intent

This Gumshoe detective seems to be in two minds about what to do next.

Standing, waiting, thinking, what is this guy intending, in his film noir - Mickey Spillane attire to do next?
Is that a street post in Papua New Guinea he's leaning on or is this Gumshoe's Pacific equivalent of the Maltese Falcon. I wonder if he's not hiding a precious, fragile intent in his heart which he shields as he scans his psychological landscape.

Gumshoe is another from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.

Popularity

The trouble with wanting to be popular and attracting attention to yourself is that you have no control of who succumbs to your attractions. You have no control over their thoughts and actions. It is a double edged sword.

This image is also from The Encyclopedia of Grim. This image was actually one that was highly dependant on the random paint marks of the background. I pulled the figures out of the shapes of the colour blocks. A skull shaped yellow area was the catalyst for the leering figure on the left. The white facial area block sitting on the pink body was the catalyst for the figure on the right. The concept developed gently from the ongoing theme of the The Encyclopedia of Grim sketchbook which was the grimacing mouth shape.


Apologies for messing up and submitting two links to the Illustration Friday site.

Encyclopedia of Grim

Winston appears on page one of The Encyclopedia of Grim which is my submission to the Brooklyn Art Museum's Sketchbook Project 2012.
I've uploaded all the pages from my sketchbook to their site and they are available to peruse now.

The project will be touring various cities in the USA starting April 14th 2012 in New York City. The Australian creations will also be shown in Melbourne November 10th - 25th at the NGV Studio, Federation Square, Russell & Flinders Sts, Melbourne Australia. Submissions from the UK will be shown in London sometime in 2012.  DATES and LOCATIONS.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/submissions/59324-encyclopedia-of-grim

Suspense

Hi all, if you are looking for the 'Popularity' post for illustration Friday. It is here: POPULARITY

I kinda stuffed my copy and paste. My apologies.

There wasn't any extra time for drawing this week so I'm publishing this image from the 'Encyclopedia of Grim' of my Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook project 2012. This fellow is a water cooling tower from a coal-fired power plant. He awaits his fate with some suspense as the world changes and looks for a more sustainable human and planetary existence.


Two years ago a group of us had an interesting tour of the Mount Piper power station outside of Sydney. The cooling towers are a sight to behold close up as they have open bottom edges which, as the steamy heated water rises, draws in cool air and creating a powerful up flowing aircurrent that would suck you up and fling you out the top if you had a good parasail. Possibly a new adventure pastime could happen if a good anti-scalding supersuit was invented. I'll try and get onto it soon.

IF TWIRL - Eddy Rides Maelstrom

The word 'twirl' immediately put me in mind of a story and illustration that kept my minds eye spellbound for weeks after having read the story as a child.
Therefore as part of the background I've embedded the beautiful pen & ink maelstrom (whirlpool) illustration by the artist Harry Clarke from Edgar Allen Poe's story 'Descent into the Maelstrom' included in the 1919 publication Tales of Mystery and Imagination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maelstrom-Clarke.jpg
This image relates to a job I had after graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary Canada. To cut I long story short, after helping film a TVC for the Calgary Stampede, I ended up with a press pass that I used quite freely by spending a couple of days taking photos of the rodeo through the rail of the infield fence. This drawing recalls that time.
The twirl relates to the bulls movement as it tries to throw the rider off it's back. A bull may twirl or spin in circles. It may whirl and then reverse its direction of spin. If kicks out as well it's a harder ride and if the cowboy stays on for a full the 8 seconds the ride receives higher points. Maelstrom here twirls, whirls. spins, leaps and kicks to get that dang cowboy off.

'Eddy Rides Maelstrom' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.

Caterpillar Prep

– Sensing it was now time, Onno began the preparation. –

The story before this moment.............,
and after................

Caterpillar Prep is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of artworks.

Preparation Lepidoptera larvae

IF_ Highlight

Reflecting on 2011 there were a couple of highlights and lowlights moving me in and out of the din of the background noise of everyday life. A trip to Queenstown, New Zealand in May and an intentionally adrenaline-laced adventure there was the one highlight that jumps out at me. The trip was one where I could dare myself out of the background-noise comfort zone and push myself on to try what were previously very intimidating experiences. Paragliding started the adventure and the bungy jump concluded the adventure. The jump is somewhat recorded in this sketch from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series here.

A Shadow of My Former Self - Stars & Stripes

From the Snakeskin Sketchbook series a metaphorical comment on the current economic state of the USA and returning veterans of conflict zones.

Print available at my shop at Artflakes who are now newly printing in America so there are now reduced shipping prices.

Broom Brigade

The twins of the broom brigade share the work, share the effort and share the rewards of hard work, a clear place to breathe. 'Broom Brigade' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series.

Violence-Silence

Often the natural response to violence or the threat of violence is to stay silent. Silence in the hope of not attracting further violence. This character is hollowed out by the experience and the silence.

Fiona Fuels Her Fire

'Fiona Fuels Her Fire' is a simple portrait of a simple girl, with simple fuel requirements for simple fun.
A simple illustration today from me, a simple man, to keep things simple.

'Scattered Cloud Chance of Showers' IF

'Scattered Cloud, Chance of Showers' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.
Ah, cleansing water, wash away the accumulations from the day.

IA 9X5 exhibition - Opening Night

Illustrators Australia 9X5 opening night tonight. If you happen to be flying into Melbourne tonight I am sure it is the thing to do. All works for sale with a starting price of $195. Bidding occurs if more than one person really really really wants it too.

Meanwhile all the images are displayed on the web so if Melbourne is not in the itinerary you can have a good look at this groups entries for this years theme. You can vote on a peoples choice award and rate the images on a page that looks like this with my mine on it below.  Others I am liking right now are from: Adam Carruthers, Jill Brailsford, Emma Kidd, Louise Kyrakou, Matt Clare, Tracie Grimwood, Kim Fleming, and Warren Crossett.