Seeing is believing...Can the brain control Colour Perception?

This is just to illustrate how important it is to be aware of colour combinations and how one colour can influence another. Can you believe that A and B above are actually the same colour? You better believe it, because they are! If you are an unbeliever then try a cut and paste. This goes to prove how much the brain interprets our reality for us. Colours appear to change when placed beside different colours - so we can enjoy a lot of fun when experimenting with the best combinations. Experience helps then to choose the best combinations or ones that give a desired effect. If you find colours that go well together, keep a notebook and write them down. Build up a reference file of colours you like together. It will be well worthwhile.

Drawing People

Drawing people is something I don't do enough of, although I consider it an essential skill as an artist. People are one of the most common elements that you may be required to put in a painting. They create interest in what can be an otherwise vacant scene. Immediately, they raise questions in the viewers mind. Who is that? What are they doing, thinking, expressing... etc. They make people study the picture in more detail, and viewers sometimes remember similar instances in their own lives. Perhaps someone in the painting is buying flowers, looking at a street busker, or going somewhere. Perhaps they are just enjoying a quiet moment. Either way - the presence of a person in the scene will completely change the atmosphere and message of the art. Here's a sketch I did in biro a while back and was just to practice. I never meant it to be anything other than that. Enjoy it for what it is.

I will continue to be very time short over the next two months unfortunately from art side of things. So bear with me and check back from time to time.

World's oldest man is 113 today!

First up I'd like to show you my etsy shop. I hope you enjoy visiting!
And now...
A bit of a diversion from art, but I am interested in the oldest inhabitants of this planet and there are now only a few people left who were born in the 1890's. Tomoshi Tanebe is one of them and today in Japan he celebrates his 113th birthday!
Hope he enjoys it!
The oldest ever person was Jeanne Calment, and getting back to the art theme, she met Van Gogh when she was 13. It was 1888 and he came into her uncle's drapery shop to buy some canvas material. He spoke with her briefly, and she remembered him as being somewhat rude, sick-looking and contrary. So that was a fairly good assessment of his personality I would think.
She died around 1997 or 1998. She spent her whole life in Arles in the south of France. She cycled until the age of 100 and lived alone until she was 110!! Photo gallery of Jeanne Calment.


Also this year as of today there are 12 remaining soldiers from the first world war still alive, most of whom did not see active combat. All are on the allied powers side, France, Britain USA. In May this year the last remaining central power soldier ( Germany, Austria-Hungary side) died. There is only one survivor from the horrific western front trench war still alive. His name is Harry Patch. He is 110. He is the 9th oldest man in the world. Harry Patch biography. Harry is affectionately known as The last Tommy.

Poetry Corner

West wind - were dost thou blow,

The small rain down can rain,

God - that my love were in my arms,

And I in my bed again.

Anonymous.

Now I am taking stock and resting from painting. Soon I will feel myself wanting to begin painting again, but for now I am at that in-between stage that I always find myself going through from time to time. It's hard to describe but it always happens this way. I take a breather for a while and then feel drawn back to painting. I guess it's a natural recharging of the batteries. I think sometimes it's good to do this. But I won't get too lazy... so keep checking in for when I post new work. Enjoy the poetry corner!

Finding time for art...

The last weeks have become increasingly busy for me outside of my 40 hour working week as I have had to do a number of house projects also. Redecorating, etc. This will be continuing for some time. Therefore the blog is going to be the item that gets squeezed. Somethings gotta give...

Still I hope to use my time efficiently and get some art painting done. I think it is best to keep several works on the go if possible as it is easier to be motivated when you can change between them. So if possible I shall be able to post some more work as I progress it, over the next weeks. I anticipate that the busy time will last until around November. It depends on how much I push myself. And it can't be all work and no play either!!

The above photo is of the Asgard II , the only Irish sail training vessel. It was one of the participants in the tall ships race, an event that was held (annually I think) between various destinations on the Irish, South England, French and Iberian coastlines. It held a crew of 29 approx. Last week it sank off the coast of Brittany. At 2am an alarm was triggered showing it was taking water. All crew, including 20 or so trainees evacuated to lifeboats and it sank by 7am. It had been on it's way to a port in Brittany for maintenance. How ironic! The actual cause of the sinking is still unknown.

Back from holiday...

Just back from a break for last week or so and feeling tired with a lot of things to catch up on. Therefore the blog has been dormant. I will kick start things back to life over the next few days.