Lots happening in July because we decided to take our first international holiday together in 9 years. Before this most of our time and resources were geared towards saving for our next batch of overseas travel in a cycle, I guess we’re at a different stage in our lives now. We went to Indonesia, spent some time in East Java and hiked into Mt Bromo and Mt Ijen, two active volcanoes. Then went to Nusa Penida, an island off Bali with the main mission to swim with GIANT MANTARAYS! We found them, they were incredible. They can get up to 5m wingspan.
OUTPUT
When there was a bit of spare time I’d work on a 5 point perspective drawing of where we were that day. I think 5 point perspective, or fish eye drawing, or curved linear perspective is really interesting for the same reason I’m interested in cubism. They’re both meant to be truer representations of how we view and experience, here’s an interesting video explaining how to do it. These style of drawings are particularly good for indoor settings, I’m happier with some of these more than others, usually I do them about three times bigger but these are the travel bite sized variety.
I also managed to find some choice sticker locations. If I’m new to the location I’m always careful to try and hit spots that already have a bit of coverage.
I’m doing a series of reflective cubist storytelling pieces, one for each hospital placement I do. I worked out the composition, and line work for my fifth one. Next steps are to do a colour study and then fully commit with watercolour for this one.
It’ll be a bit clearer once it’s coloured but some of the experiences I wanted represented in this piece are: Identical twin security guards, caravan life, cardiac patients and telemetry, stingray attack, alcoholism, and a broken car door and window.
I’ve decided to take a break from doing the design work for Cypher Brewing Co. for the moment, here’s my last can design, going out with a bang:
I’ve also cut off all my commissioned work. I want to get back in touch with doing art for myself and not ruin what’s been my strongest coping mechanism and source of motivation since I could pick up a pencil. I think making the conscious choice that I don’t want to rely on my creativity as my sole source of income has been the best thing I’ve done in the last few years. Reading Big Magic really helped form my opinion. Here’s two of my last commissions from last month, these may not be the final versions:
INPUT
Obviously this month the biggest input that’s been inspiring me is the trip to Indonesia. I love being thrown into new environments for the first time, some of the stuff that sparks joy:
Seeing the different shapes and colours in their flora. Natural beauty in general
People watching, what’s fashionable, and how chaotic things can seem as an outsider
How cities versus villages look. What sort of statues, architecture, how they do or don’t dress up the streets
Seeing hand painted signs and different languages hand painted
Slow month for movies, I only watched 8 and these were the top 3. I went through the whole Hell House LLC series, if you don’t like found footage it’s not for you but I loved how fun they were on such a low budget and pretty sure they were under 90 mins each. Long Legs had such a good marketing campaign but the movie was quite different to the marketing, which I liked. It had a bit of everything in there, definitely kept me guessing and the performances, sound design and cinematography were top notch. Deadpool and Wolverine was really good, I grew up copying my favourite characters from comics and have gotten pretty sick of marvel movies but this one was worth it. SO much fan service.
My top listens for this last month. I’ve jumped on the Joey Valence and Brae bandwagon like the rest of the world, so catchy. The newer Fontaines D.C. tracks have a quality of bleakness and despair that I absolutely love, the inhale in starburster has me coming back regularly.
These are the new books I’ve started in July. Lanny was fantastic, not really sure how to describe it maybe a surrealistic, existential, folk horror. Some of the more poetic passages had me repeating the phrases just to see how they’d feel in my mouth.
Like all Irvine Welsh novels I pick up I couldn’t put The Long Knives down. This is the first strictly crime book of his I’d read and the filth, grit, guilt, emotional distress and chaos fit perfectly.
Legendborn is something my better half recommended because of how it authentically weaves in generational trauma and racism into contemporary fantasy. I don’t usually read YA and felt it has been a bit slow to start but some big plot points are starting to drop.