Painting

So.
A few days ago I decided to take up painting. I've mostly done works in pencil and marker over the years, but I thought it would be something new and challenging to try out. I bought some acrylics and brushes and such and gave it a shot. My first attempt didn't go nearly as well as I'd hoped. I found I had the most trouble with controlling the brush. I wasn't completely discouraged, though. So I tried again and this one came out fairly decent. Nowhere near a masterpiece, but it's definitely a start for someone who's barely painted in his entire life. I wasn't really thinking too hard on subject matter. I really just wanted to practice and get some sort of technique down. Here's what I came up with.





I dunno.
I thought it was cute.

Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch is probably one of the only older artists I like. By older I mean he was alive from 1450-1516. A lot of his work has an unnatural, otherworldly feel to it. To me, anyway. They all seem a tad bit creepy. One of his works, The Garden of Earthly Delights, reminds me of some sort of Dr. Seuss scene (or vice versa). My favorite painting of his, and the first painting of his I came across, is Death and the Miser.

The Erl-king

O who rides by night thro' the woodland so wild?
It is the fond father embracing his child;
And close the boy nestles within his loved arm,
To hold himself fast, and to keep himself warm.

"O father, see yonder! see yonder!" he says;
"My boy, upon what dost thou fearfully gaze?"
"O, 'tis the Erl-King with his crown and his shroud."
"No, my son, it is but a dark wreath of the cloud."

The Erl-King Speaks
"O come and go with me, thou loveliest child;
By many a gay sport shall thy time be beguiled;
My mother keeps for thee many a fair toy,
And many a fine flower shall she pluck for my boy."

"O father, my father, and did you not hear
The Erl-King whisper so low in my ear?"
"Be still, my heart's darling--my child, be at ease;
It was but the wild blast as it sung thro' the trees."

Erl-King
"O wilt thou go with me, thou loveliest boy?
My daughter shall tend thee with care and with joy;
She shall bear thee so lightly thro' wet and thro' wild,
And press thee, and kiss thee, and sing to my child."

"O father, my father, and saw you not plain
The Erl-King's pale daughter glide past thro' the rain?"
"Oh yes, my loved treasure, I knew it full soon;
It was the grey willow that danced to the moon."

Erl-King
"O come and go with me, no longer delay,
Or else, silly child, I will drag thee away."
"O father! O father! now, now, keep your hold,
The Erl-King has seized me--his grasp is so cold!"

Sore trembled the father; he spurr'd thro' the wild,
Clasping close to his bosom his shuddering child;
He reaches his dwelling in doubt and in dread,
But, clasp'd to his bosom, the infant was dead.



I've always really liked this poem.

Brand New Day

I'm not sure how I feel about Amazing Spider-man right now.
I guess I can see how a big change was needed. I just think it's really sad.
We'll see, we'll see.
I can't say I hate it.

You just hit the Jackpot.

Indy IV

Well, I approve of the trailer.
I'm still nervous about the whole thing, though.

The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats

Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water-rats;
There we've hid our faery vats,
Full of berries
And of the reddest stolen cherries.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances,
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Away with us he's going,
The solemn eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.
For he comes, the human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
From a world more full of weeping than he can understand.

I thought it necessary for this poem to have a place in the blog.
So there you go.

World of Faerie

My copy of World of Faerie by Brian Froud arrived a few days ago.
I think it's awesome how he can take something like faeries, which seem like they would be more for little kids, and make it deep, sophisticated, and even moving. Great stuff, right there.

Gorey

Edward Gorey. His work is a great inspiration to me. Not so much the drawing style, really. Although, I do really like his artwork. The writing and layout of his books are what I like. They're like children's storybooks that definitely aren't for children. Some of his stories involve orgies, murder, kidnapping, and such. Which is kind of creepy and messed up, but works with his style very well. Also, the little rhymes that he uses in some of his books make it seem a lot less messed up. The following is a link to one of his books online.

users.aol.com/emarko/gorey.html

Back In Black

I started reading Spider-man Back In Black last night. It was one of the saddest things I've ever read. It's so depressing that nothing in his world will ever be the same because he was an idiot and revealed his identity. No more classic fights. No more trying to keep his identity secret. He's hiding from the government and hiding his family from his enemies. I need to know what happens next. On the plus side, Spidey's badder than ever now.

A Dream

I heard the dogs howl in the moonlight night;
I went to the window to see the sight;
All the Dead that ever I knew
Going one by one and two by two.

On they pass'd, and on they pass'd;
Townsfellows all, from first to last;
Born in the moonlight of the lane,
Quench'd in the heavy shadow again.

Schoolmates, marching as when we play'd
At soldiers once--but now more staid;
Those were the strangest sight to me
Who were drown'd, I knew, in the awful sea.

Straight and handsome folk; bent and weak, too;
Some that I loved, and gasp'd to speak to;
Some but a day in their churchyard bed;
Some that I had not known were dead.

A long, long crowd--where each seem'd lonely,
Yet of them all there was one, one only,
Raised a head or look'd my way.
She linger'd a moment,--she might not stay.

How long since I saw that fair pale face!
Ah! Mother dear! might I only place
My head on thy breast, a moment to rest,
While thy hand on my tearful cheek were prest!

On, on, a moving bridge they made
Across the moon-stream, from shade to shade,
Young and old, women and men;
Many long-forgot, but remember'd then.

And first there came a bitter laughter;
A sound of tears the moment after;
And then a music so lofty and gay,
That every morning, day by day,
I strive to recall it if I may.


Random Irish poem I found.
Thought it was pretty awesome.

Pencils of the Colored Variety

A few days ago, I started a drawing using colored pencils. I usually don't draw in color, mostly because it takes up a lot of time and it's very hard to fix mistakes. So far, it's going pretty well.
it should be finished by tomorrow. I'm debating whether or not to draw a colored background. That would take up a lot of blue. I guess there could be a lot of clouds. I definitely intend to draw in color more often.

Possibly the artist that inspires me in the area of colored pencils (and all areas of art for that matter) would be Brian Froud. He wrote and illustrated the Faery books. He was also the concept designer for Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, which are two of my favorite films.


www.worldoffroud.com