Derek Hess

I do love Derek Hess, his line quality is something I have been insanely jealous of for some time now. I first discovered him through some album artwork he'd done, and his use of materials and drawing back on top of magazine pages is something I've recently begun to think a lot more about, especially in relation to my own drawing enquiry and drawing book.

 However recently, when I've been checking his website for recent images, Im finding myself thinking...is this it? Really? Penguins in army helmets? just...REALLY?

Its quite disapointing, I'm all for a sense of humour in your work, but I just cant understand how work in the same digital gallery, can range from this...

2002 "Valentine"

http://www.derekhess.com/sub.cfm?section=gallery&menu=gallery&year=2003&catid=1&ID=358

To This...

 2006 "Santa Devil"

Maybe I'm missing something.

Who says Facebook doesnt have its uses...

I have tendancies to spend entire nights plonked in front of the laptop, getting annoyed at all the rubbish on facebook, and yet finding myself unable to tear myself away from it. For the first time (possibly ever) though, facebook has shown its usefulness, when a southern aquaintance of mine posted a link to an artist who had done portraits of his Mrs and himself...

http://iamatrapstar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Nina-Kate-sm-819x1024.jpg

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qaaoo8tBRTI/S7fd4au-ZpI/AAAAAAAAAds/aNdL2HctTi8/s1600/Latex.jpg&imgrefurl=http://graffoto1.blogspot.com/2010/04/alex-young-portraits-of-alter-egos.html&usg=__Xvk8NmXnhme_qC93OhQvUjTQTyw=&h=1600&w=1295&sz=253&hl=en&start=3&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=TR0jMSV-ZyUtdM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalex%2Byoung%2BStitch%2BD%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=EQCJTYzWAoSGhQeU-8jCDQ


The artist is Alex Young and he uses spray paint on canvas, and has been obviously inspired by pointilism to create this unconventional style. Its an interesting technique, and I especially like how the drips and spatter have a kind of "accidentally on purpose" quality to them.

Sick of this Madness

Selfish Anxiety, burning inside of me.

Im struggling with my own brain again. Its not that im not motivated, im painfully aware of how little time we have left for this collaborative project, and I want so much from it, I know I have to put so much into it, and its scaring me that Iv got some sort of brain block. I keep thinking, il do a bit of this or il do a bit of that...and its just not enough. Im trying to think outside of my box and outside of my comfort zone, but I dont know whether im pushing myself too far or just not enough...Either way iv got a brain block at the moment, which while im used to it, im not used to knowing that its not just going to be on my head if I dont get my arse in gear, we're a collaborative and I have to contribute.

This blog isnt about whining

One of an endangered race, this blog actually isnt about whining for once. Something rather good happened during reading week and i shall express it hereforth before I forget...


http://www.norrieharman.com/page2.htm

Through a chain of people I was put in touch with the locally based painter Norrie Harman, who offered to meet up for an artistic chat. I met him at Red Brick Mill in Dewsbury, where his studio and gallery space live...A really interesting character to talk to; aside from his tales of alcohol fueled antics and really quite mad stories, he doesnt mince his words and once I got to grips with his thick scottish accent I realised theres a lot I can learn from this guy. I have so much admiration for the way he paints, and I was really kind of surprised at how open he was when it came to answering my questions about how he starts a project, how he starts a particular piece, the timescales etc. He answered everything honestly and gave me some sound tips and advice which im eager to try.

While I was trying to describe some of the issues Im finding myself facing, Norrie offered me an unbelievable opportunity to come and watch him work...His next project is based around skinhead portraiture, and although this is very different from my current subject matter, I feel that I can still benefit immensely from seeing how he starts a piece and how it develops in the early stages (something i struggle with)

Iv never really been taught how to paint, and I dont know what other peoples experiances have been like in being shown techniques etc,  but for me, through school you only really got told when you were doing it wrong, not how to correct it. Im very sheltered artistically and I think watching someone else paint could have unlimited benefits for me in not only seeing how someone applies paint, but how they hold the brush/applicator, how they mix paint and how the thing actually looks as an unfinished work in progress...We only ever see paintings as finished works, and I think seeing how something develops would really help me. I cant wait, and by Norries attitude, hes quite happy for me to go and harass him a fair bit, I feel very lucky and very excited.