As if anyone is anxiously waiting for my next tale. Hah! I do have a couple in draft form, nearing completion. Sometime soon.
As an aside, my boss is reading Faulkner over his lunch hour's at work, and keeps coming in and pointing out the frequent use of made-up compound words. Our favorite so far is "hollerwhisper". We both agree it's the voice one uses when you hiss at someone else to be quiet.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Landscape - 6/19/2009
Here's a watercolor I did from a photo.
Click on it and it gets all landscape sized.
Click on it and it gets all landscape sized.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Reminder to Self
No shadow is black. It always has a color. Nature knows only colors … white and black are not colors. -- Renoir
Lesson: Black paint is boring. Always mix your darks.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Inspirations: Deviant Moon Tarot
You heard that right, I sometimes use a tarot card deck for story inspiration. I don't do readings or anything like that, more like I select a card at random and pick something from that card to kick start my muse.
To that end, I picked up a copy of the Deviant Moon deck from Amazon. Unlike the ubiquitous and familiar Rider/Waite deck imagery, the DM cards don't invoke a desire to devine my life, but to tell a tale. What strikes me in reflection is how that feeling was with me, instantly and with strength, it's almost enough to make me wonder...
I went through a fair amount of research on tarot decks before deciding on one, and a website that I found very helpful was JanetBoyer.com. Her review section on dozens of different decks was illuminating, although to be honest I was less concerned with the reading potential of a deck than the illustrations, and her inclusion of a large number of sample cards from each deck (at a size large enough to be useful) was most appreciated. There are several more decks I may pick up in the future.
Amazon also has a book for writers seeking inspiration from the Tarot. I don't own it, but it's on my wish list.
This is the first in a series I'm going to call "Inspirations". It'll be about techniques and things I use to get into a creative frame of mind. Don't expect life-altering concepts here, more like little tricks you may not have considered in your own life. If you have favorite ways of your own, leave 'em in the comments. Thanks.
To that end, I picked up a copy of the Deviant Moon deck from Amazon. Unlike the ubiquitous and familiar Rider/Waite deck imagery, the DM cards don't invoke a desire to devine my life, but to tell a tale. What strikes me in reflection is how that feeling was with me, instantly and with strength, it's almost enough to make me wonder...
I went through a fair amount of research on tarot decks before deciding on one, and a website that I found very helpful was JanetBoyer.com. Her review section on dozens of different decks was illuminating, although to be honest I was less concerned with the reading potential of a deck than the illustrations, and her inclusion of a large number of sample cards from each deck (at a size large enough to be useful) was most appreciated. There are several more decks I may pick up in the future.
Amazon also has a book for writers seeking inspiration from the Tarot. I don't own it, but it's on my wish list.
This is the first in a series I'm going to call "Inspirations". It'll be about techniques and things I use to get into a creative frame of mind. Don't expect life-altering concepts here, more like little tricks you may not have considered in your own life. If you have favorite ways of your own, leave 'em in the comments. Thanks.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Paint: Monochrome 1
A little practice with Payne's Gray, from an exercise in David Bellamy's excellent Watercolour Landscape Course.
Click for bigger, as usual.
Click for bigger, as usual.
Paint: Happy Little Trees
I've stashed away some "trees doodles" here (I giggled, oh yes I did, and so did you if you're as easily amused as I).
*ahem*
Click for ex-acorn size.
This is the first post for a new category: "Paint", where I'll share some of my explorations with watercolors.
*ahem*
Click for ex-acorn size.
This is the first post for a new category: "Paint", where I'll share some of my explorations with watercolors.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Story: Manifest Destiny
This one's brand new. Feedback appreciated. Seriously.
Manifest Destiny
He never doubted himself. As he lay in the dark, with the walls and bars of his universe closing in, he thought back.
He thought about the times as a kid when he had gotten into trouble. Each time, he could trace events back to someone. A so-called friend. His "loving" parents. Meddling teachers. It was hard experience, but that's how you learn, he thought. And now, he knew the system.
He also knew that he was smart enough to play the system. He saw himself as someone to be reckoned with. No doubt about it.
His mind drifted inward and back again as he considered his adult life. It was full of unfulfilled dreams and plans gone wrong. He clearly saw the myriad ways, large and small, that the system had conspired to trip him up. To prevent him from achieving his destiny. He was intimate with every detail, because he had spent many a long night in contemplation. He had time, and there was nothing better to do. He saw again and again where things should have gone differently, if not for the system. The system was afraid of him, because of his knowledge and experience and clever mind. Oh yes, he knew the system was afraid.
So he counted down the days of yet another long stretch, thinking and planning and biding his time. His confidence never wavered, for he knew that he could use the system against itself to realize his dreams.
Next time it would be different. He was sure of it.
Manifest Destiny
He never doubted himself. As he lay in the dark, with the walls and bars of his universe closing in, he thought back.
He thought about the times as a kid when he had gotten into trouble. Each time, he could trace events back to someone. A so-called friend. His "loving" parents. Meddling teachers. It was hard experience, but that's how you learn, he thought. And now, he knew the system.
He also knew that he was smart enough to play the system. He saw himself as someone to be reckoned with. No doubt about it.
His mind drifted inward and back again as he considered his adult life. It was full of unfulfilled dreams and plans gone wrong. He clearly saw the myriad ways, large and small, that the system had conspired to trip him up. To prevent him from achieving his destiny. He was intimate with every detail, because he had spent many a long night in contemplation. He had time, and there was nothing better to do. He saw again and again where things should have gone differently, if not for the system. The system was afraid of him, because of his knowledge and experience and clever mind. Oh yes, he knew the system was afraid.
So he counted down the days of yet another long stretch, thinking and planning and biding his time. His confidence never wavered, for he knew that he could use the system against itself to realize his dreams.
Next time it would be different. He was sure of it.
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