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Post by garyweston on Nov 5, 2019 13:26:20 GMT -8
I'm a working class, engineering lad with indelible grime under my fingernails, thrown into the university arena without a shield or sword. Great opportunity, amazing experiences. BUT! We spent today appraising each others work, including that of the years above mine. What do I see? A video of some guy watching TV. Some paint slapped on a roll of paper, some smudges a happy 5 year old could have done better. We get to my stuff. "are you doing super realism of that woman's face"?
Nope. just trying to get a good likeness. (a portrait based on an Albert Fynch. Look him up. Gifted) Face is painted on a black background.
Head honcho. "You have obviously brought out the subject matter, (the face) but, the black background. Have you done enough with the black."?
Now call me old fashioned. You either paint black as black, or it ain't black. Seems I should paint the black a different black.
My point? Not sure I even have one. Sorry, Ted. Part of our course work is to maintain a sort of bloggy thing. I have already declared it to be a P C B S free zone.
As a distraction, we are swapping over to sculpture next week. looking forward to that.
Fortunately, to salvage my sanity, Sunday takes me into more familiar territory in my comfort zone as a writer with that biography to wallow into next year. At last! That's mine and nothing to do with the UNI.
You? Getting distracted with crap you don't need instead of what you really want to do?
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Post by Ted on Nov 5, 2019 13:50:21 GMT -8
Sculpture next week? Maybe you could craft a bust of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.
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Post by djmills on Nov 5, 2019 21:35:53 GMT -8
Uni is good at creating "hoity toity" idiots who can't paint realistically. You keep going with your black background. The main thing is to have fun while learning different styles. :-)
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Post by ChrisLAdams on Nov 7, 2019 7:48:27 GMT -8
"Have you done enough with the black?" Gary: "Why, yes -- I have. Now get back over there with the painted toilet paper roll you're so enamored with!"  |
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Post by ChrisLAdams on Nov 7, 2019 7:52:22 GMT -8
Part of our course work is to maintain a sort of bloggy thing. Gary, if you're a member of Goodreads they have a built-in blog feature, accessible from your Author Profile page. It should meet the req't for a "bloggy thingymagigger". By the way, since Goodreads is linked to Amazon, your blog posts (last 10 I think) also appear on your Amazon Author page.  Here's a link to mine: www.goodreads.com/author/show/15259542.Chris_L_Adams/blogAnd to illustrate the Amazon link: www.amazon.com/-/e/B01BU8S7VE?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070On that Amazon page you'll find my last few Goodreads blog posts. <Edit> I forgot to mention, I believe you have to copy the RSS link of your blog and paste it in the RSS field in your Author Profile on Amazon to get it to show up. I just now recalled that part. Been awhile since I did it. |
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Post by garyweston on Nov 7, 2019 8:46:37 GMT -8
Cheers, Chris, but this bloggy thing is a special one where we put our art topics on and is connected to the uni site. My blog is for the lecturers eyes only, and I have titled mine 'this is PCBS free zone' I've already warned them. Let me loose on something like this and watch out. Been on goodreads for years. I don't go there much these days.
Had an interesting day at uni getting our designs laser cut on their fancy gizmos. Making a clock out of mine. Next week it's clay sculpture. Watch out Wallace and Grommet.
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Post by garyweston on Nov 10, 2019 10:17:04 GMT -8
How to shift my writers stress? More writing. Had an entertaining, inspiring couple of hours with the woman wanting me to write her biography. Boy, what a story and such a wealth of material to dive into. SO different to anything I've done, (Starlight Army the closest) it will challenge me as no previous work. As requested, she has written out a lot of stuff for me, but listening to her and our mutual friend relating the many jaw dropping elements of the events, my creative juices were flowing big time. Other than some research for the time being, I won't be starting it until March next year, then I'll be ready to dive right in and write like a demon. Done right, this could be the most significant writing I've undertaken. Bring it on!
P S. My old staffy Sally has just seen our ghost again. I get that spine tingling sensation when she's staring at something I can't (thankfully) see.
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Ria Stone
SWF Writers
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 11, 2019 5:39:50 GMT -8
How to shift my writers stress? More writing. Had an entertaining, inspiring couple of hours with the woman wanting me to write her biography. Boy, what a story and such a wealth of material to dive into. SO different to anything I've done, (Starlight Army the closest) it will challenge me as no previous work. As requested, she has written out a lot of stuff for me, but listening to her and our mutual friend relating the many jaw dropping elements of the events, my creative juices were flowing big time. Other than some research for the time being, I won't be starting it until March next year, then I'll be ready to dive right in and write like a demon. Done right, this could be the most significant writing I've undertaken. Bring it on! P S. My old staffy Sally has just seen our ghost again. I get that spine tingling sensation when she's staring at something I can't (thankfully) see. I am surprised you are entertaining the idea of ghostwriting someone's autobiography. Good luck with that. I have had people approach me but it was just too much for me.
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Post by garyweston on Nov 11, 2019 9:13:07 GMT -8
Ah, well, Ria. Although the woman has had a full life, a writer she isn't. Plus all the indie stuff to s p we know about. In Starlight Army, a bio about my friend and her biker mates and the animal rights work, it was a fictionalised account of some of their true adventures. With the new one, I'll probably adopt a similar approach with the blessing of the woman. To be fair, she has had such a full on life that it will need little embellishment. All the characters names will be changed to protect the woman's I D from possible retribution from her rather nasty ex husband. It'll take my mind off the P C B S at the uni.
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Ria Stone
SWF Writers
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 14, 2019 8:50:43 GMT -8
Ah, well, Ria. Although the woman has had a full life, a writer she isn't. Plus all the indie stuff to s p we know about. In Starlight Army, a bio about my friend and her biker mates and the animal rights work, it was a fictionalised account of some of their true adventures. With the new one, I'll probably adopt a similar approach with the blessing of the woman. To be fair, she has had such a full on life that it will need little embellishment. All the characters names will be changed to protect the woman's I D from possible retribution from her rather nasty ex husband. It'll take my mind off the P C B S at the uni. Better you than I, Gary, you have energy to spare! Good luck :-) |
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Post by garyweston on Nov 18, 2019 12:54:33 GMT -8
Another day in la la land. If I have to sit through one more two hour lecture on modernism, post modernism, conceptual excuse for art, I'll probably self combust. That a pile of scrap can be called art just offends me. Thinking it's just me, as I drag my weary carcass out of there, four others much younger than and obviously as flumuxed as I was, asked me what all that was about, I can only stagger away mumbling something unrepeatable. I asked the young lecturer later if she really thought a pile of scrap metal was art, she looked me straight in the eyes and said yes. Is it any wonder my alcohol consumption is on the up?
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Post by ChrisLAdams on Nov 19, 2019 6:15:59 GMT -8
Another day in la la land. If I have to sit through one more two hour lecture on modernism, post modernism, conceptual excuse for art, I'll probably self combust. That a pile of scrap can be called art just offends me. Thinking it's just me, as I drag my weary carcass out of there, four others much younger than and obviously as flumuxed as I was, asked me what all that was about, I can only stagger away mumbling something unrepeatable. I asked the young lecturer later if she really thought a pile of scrap metal was art, she looked me straight in the eyes and said yes. Is it any wonder my alcohol consumption is on the up? I know what you mean on that scrap metal crap, Gary. Now, I had a nice visit to Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend. They have lots of nice statues about the city. While there we visited some graves of repute -- Muhammad Ali, Mia Zabata (singer for The Gits), Col. Sanders, and Nicola Marschall (designed the Confederate flag). Beautiful cemetery. The Palace Theater was awesome and filled with killer statues and faces. Went to see some bands. Had a really cool blue ceiling that made it feel like you were outside. Bird statues in-flight were a nice touch.    |
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Post by Julie Harris on Nov 20, 2019 0:21:16 GMT -8
I tried to warn you about the BS, Gary.
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Post by garyweston on Nov 20, 2019 7:49:54 GMT -8
I know, but I'm an eternal optimist. Some glimmers of hope though as tomorrow I'm discovering my lack of skill on the potters wheel and next week some actual painting tuition so all good. I'll just have a good nap during the B S lectures. Got the canvas stretched on the new frame about 4ft x 5ft 6 for a new soldier / angel painting. Might take months but I'll send you pix when done.
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Ria Stone
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 21, 2019 7:32:43 GMT -8
I know, but I'm an eternal optimist. Some glimmers of hope though as tomorrow I'm discovering my lack of skill on the potters wheel and next week some actual painting tuition so all good. I'll just have a good nap during the B S lectures. Got the canvas stretched on the new frame about 4ft x 5ft 6 for a new soldier / angel painting. Might take months but I'll send you pix when done. Gary, I am enjoying your adventures in "higher education." |
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