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[15 Dec 2007|01:23am] |
Thursday morning frost.
Friday morning.. you can just see a magpie on the grass.
It's been a lot colder than this time last year, it'd be nice to
have snow for Christmas.
very busy with decorating and Christmas shopping.
decorating the spare room, the walls have been painted here.
old desk, getting rid of it.
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[12 Jan 2007|03:55am] |
yesterday i bought two books as well from poundland..
Ancestors of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L. Paxon about the fall of Atlantis and the founding of a temple in Britain, Stonehenge.
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson, about a group of children with wings created in a genetic experiment.
last week at night a car caught fire just across from our house, i heard a bang, a minute later i looked outside and saw a car completely on fire, i dont know if it exploded or somebody maybe set a firework under it.. the firebrigade were there in less than 5 minutes and soon put it out.
( fire )
i'm trying to organize all my photographs
i've got some old ones to post that i never got round to uploading
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[11 Jan 2007|02:08am] |
went shopping wednesday.. we ordered a dvd recorder with hard drive to reserve and collect, when we got to the store they had none in stock, something wrong with their online system.. i did see a nice laptop, all black 17 inch, think it was a packard bell, beautiful, the screen looks so much bigger than my 15.1 inch.. got this leaflet for acer computers, they've got this 20 inch laptop, crazy, can you imagine carrying that around.
bought halfprice a A5 sketchbook
and watercolour pad (lovely thick textured paper) from Whsmiths
a wind up smeagol
justice league figures £2.99
some cheap figures from poundland
i thought they were well done and the human figures had a nice oriental feel
( more photos )
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[27 Oct 2006|05:19am] |
tuesday night i watched X-Men The Last Stand.. my brother hired it, i didn't want to watch it at first, because i couldn't stand the first film and i've never seen the second.. i finally decided to watch it late at night and i enjoyed it, stupid story line, vinnie jones looked stupid as Juggernaut, the actress playing kitty pride was cute..
i also watched The Eye on tv, the hong kong film, supposed to be a horror film, but i would call it more like a supernatural thriller.. in the paper it said horrific, i was expecting it to be violent and a lot of blood, not what i usually like.. but it had a really good story, a bit like Sixth Sense.. a blind woman gets a corneal transplant and starts seeing dead people, though at first she doesn't know they are dead. when she figures it out you think its all going to be fine, but theirs a bit of a shock, i wont mention what it is, but i was surprised, and thats not easy to do. very good film..
today i've watched Hum Tum, a Bollywood film, entertaining with the usual songs and dance.. i still prefer the older Bollywood films, their are some good ones from the sixty's..
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| moon |
[23 Oct 2006|11:59pm] |
the weather's starting to get colder.. i've started trying to lose some weight again, i've lost half inch off my waist since last week.. and i'm trying to get up earlier in the mornings, started taking multivitamins again as well.. hopefully soon i'll be able to wear some of the clothes i haven't been able to wear for a while..
saturday i saw School of Rock, it was good, not as funny as i was expecting, i bought it ages ago and never found time to watch it.. also watched Welcome to Collinwood on tv, that was really funny, i'd never heard of it before, almost didn't watch it.
i've bought quite a few second hand books, i'll list them later.
a new book i've bought is Sayings and Tales of Zen Buddhism: Reflections for Every Day.
Over the river the shining moon;
in the pine trees, sighing wind;
all night long so tranquil - why?
And for whom?
here is a photograph of the moon i took a while ago, i just altered the colour a little, i may use it as part of a halloween image.
( moon )
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[06 Sep 2006|10:36pm] |
today i did some wordprocessing for the tutor, i like to get a chance to practice my typing, i'm probaly the fastest there, everybody else just prods with one finger, i use both my hands, but i can't touch type, i still need to look at the keyboard... and i helped somebody set up a hotmail account, so they could register for some site. strange there's still people who have'nt used email before.
i think the college tutor is avoiding me, i've sent in a form, left messages, yesterday they said she would get back to me in half an hour, but she never called, so there either very busy, disorganised, or ignoring me on purpose... maybe it's from last year when i slammed the door by accident when they said i could'nt go to any more lessons untill contacted.. it was one of those big solid doors that looks heavy and hard to open, so as i went to go out of the office of the art and design department, i pulled to hard on the handle and it swungopen and banged into the wall.. maybe they thought i did it on purpose and have blacklisted me.. or maybe i'm just paranoid.. i'd sill be better going next year when i will be prepared.
here's the nice shirt i got the sunday before last, it was with the sale items, last one, only £4 and my dad put a pound toward it.. and my mom bought me two nice towels, natural colours, caramel and chocolate.. so i dont have to have the grotty old ones..
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[05 Sep 2006|10:54am] |
new art book i got a week or two ago
i had a five pound voucher for WHSmiths
so i got this, it still cost me £15, but its got lots of great artwork, very inspiring..
i have'nt had much time to look at it yet
i'm still waiting for a call from college, i called the tutors direct line yesterday and somebody took my name and number, but they didn't call back.. i'm still thinking what the best thing to do this year, go to college or get a job and save up for a year.. and i've got to sort out my tax return, and see if i can get tax credits.
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[28 Aug 2006|10:31pm] |
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this week didn't go too bad.. on thursday i offered to design a form that the tutor was struggling to do in Word.. i did it in Publisher, which i haven't used for years.. it still needs a little tweaking.. since i've been on this training scheme, it's really focused my mind on what i want to do now.. and i don't want to waste another three months there.. i want to be improving my drawing and painting, but i cant do anything while i'm there and at night i've been too tired.. i found by chance while i was on the net there, that i may be able to get a learner grant that's paid every week in term time while your at college.. with that and claiming tax credits i'll be able to go to college and still get as much money as i have now.. but i need to do my tax return first.. then i can claim tax credits on a self-employed bases.. doing graphic design, and if i make any money that's just a bonus.. it'll let me concentrate on college for a couple of years.. friday i went to college and filled out a form, the tutor who interviewed me last year should contact me this week and i'll know if there is a place..
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[21 Aug 2006|09:02pm] |
today was ok, only needed 40 minutes rest when i came home.. but i'm struggling to do meditation, i tried for 10 minutes, and again half an hour ago, my minds too active, wont settle down, i'll try again later after i've had some camomile tea.. we got a film crew coming tomorrow, not sure what they filming, (must have heard that i was there.. ha)
last saturday was my dads birthday, we got King Kong to watch on sunday, i was disappointed with it, i think it was 30 minutes too long.. my dad had a kind of nervous breakdown a little while ago, he had some side effects from some medication he was taking and the stress of it and taking so long to sort it out, i guess was too much.. he now jumps at the slightest sound and wont go into shops, he usually stands outside while we go in.. we were going to go on holiday beginning of september, but not now.
two good films i've seen lately are Hostage with bruce willis, and Saints and Soldiers, about a group of American soldiers in the second world war behind enemy lines, they have to help this English pilot that was shot down get back with important information, it's a really nice low-key film, mainly about how they get on together and the small acts of heroism and self-sacrifice, no graphic violence, no swearing, a really refreshing film, filled with human dignity. i watched it again the day after and enjoyed it just as much, the acting is great, without being showy, each soldier has a distinct personality, not the two dimensional characters you usually have in war movies.. see this film.. you'll love it.
( charcoal sketch )
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[20 Aug 2006|08:56pm] |
i've done a full week at the place where they find you a placement, you've got to find the companies yourself and then they contact to try and arange a placement, so that, working on a CV and doing template for cover/spec letters and job search is all i've been doing. it's 9 till 4pm and 1pm friday, it was great to have those few extra hours on friday.. monday was really stressfull, morning was induction, then afternoon was in the room we were going to be working in, there was a guy their who was really agressive and swearing all the time, really anoying me, he hasn't been there rest of the week.. by the time i got home on the first day, i needed 3 hours laying down, just so i could function.. the rest of the week was better, then i only needed 40 minutes, exept wednesday, i needed 50minutes, it was a hotter day.
i want to get back into doing some drawing this week, even if it's only for an hour a day.. but relaxation and meditation comes first.. i want to prove to myself i can do something full time without getting too stressed and rundown.. i need to make sure i get proper amount of sleep, i've avoided using computer all week, so that i would avoid staying up late.
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[11 Aug 2006|01:52am] |
you can't change people, only inspire them to change themselves
without a conscious intent on there part no amount of nagging, advice or
information will have any effect.
( charcoal sketch )
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[10 Aug 2006|12:09am] |
books and videos i've bought in the last month or so..
videos
Fantasia
Blakes 7 tape 2
Earth: Final Conflict season 1, tape 2,3 and 4
The Water Margin, tape 1,2,5 and 6
Books
Meddling with Ghosts, sixteen ghost stories, from 1872 to 1993
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
Jaguar Woman and The Wisdom Of The Butterfly Tree by Lynn V. Andrews
Child of the Northern Spring by Persia Woolley
Books i've read
Doctor Who: The Hollow Men
Not The Only Planet: science Fiction Travel Stories
and i'm a third way through The Wizard of Oz, i'ts more subtle than the film, it keeps making me cry.. here's an example, "The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything."
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| bungling burglers |
[09 Aug 2006|10:03am] |
we had hottest july on record, three weeks of heatwave.. i wasn't going to bed untill 4.30 am when it got light, i didn't want to close my window, and didn't feel safe sleeping with it open in the dark.. thieves tried to break into next doors house, they took a brush from our backgarden and used the wooden handle to smash the kitchen window, the next door women lives alone, she was shouting at them and they ran off.. the police didn't come untill the morning.. i can't understand why didn't try to break into ours, maybe it was because the lights were on upstairs..
on monday i start on the work experience thing, i have to go to their offices, i don't know if they have got a placement yet, not sure what i'll be doing if i have to wait, it last 12 or 13 weeks, full time, monday to friday.
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[23 Jun 2006|03:29am] |
i saw Underworld Evolution, it was good, more action than the first film, but it lacked depth, just kill big monster..
i did about 3 hours of art thursday.. another study of a van goth painting in oil pastels.. and i think i've done one of the best pages in my sketchbook ever..
i bought stuff today.. first time in months
charity shop stuff
Leon on video for a £1 great film..
X-com collection for PC, it includes, UFO: Enemy Unknown, X-com Terror from the Deep, X.com Apocalypse, X.com Interceptor and X-com em@il, just for £1.50
two Childrens Illustrated books, 10p each, i got them for the illustrations, ones a bit Tim Burtonish.. about a witch..
( oil pastel study of a Van Goth, A3 size )
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[20 Jun 2006|02:55am] |
watched Howls Moving Castle, it was really good, funny, imaginative and beautifully animated with good characters, even the evil witch had depth, and wasn't just a baddy.. it based on a book by Diana Wynne Jones.. i first read her charmed Life when i was at school.. she's so much better settings than J.K. Rollings.. i'm gonna draw some stuff from the film and maybe do some original compositions.. i've still got to watch the interview with Diana on the second disc..
i slept 10 hours and didn't get a chance to to draw today, just scanning and stuff..
i'll organise my time better and do 3 hours a day.
now this is a supposed to be a drawing of Fred Astaire
with background in coloured pencil
( sketchbook page )
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[16 Jun 2006|03:05am] |
i need to go to bed, i was drawing tonight because i was to tired earlier.. i tried drawing a trumpet, hard work, very complex shape, not very happy with what i did, need to improve much more.. tomorrow we've got howls moving castle to watch, we got the 2 disc version.. after i'll play it on my laptop and take screengrabs to do some drawings from.. i've also got a collection of trigun japanese anime to watch, over 10 hours, it belongs to a friend of my brothers, i dont know what it's about, only that it's sci-fi..
here's an easy way to draw heads in profile
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[14 Jun 2006|08:51pm] |
i just finished my sketchbook, i started it on 22nd june 2005 and finished on 14th june 2006, and half of it was done in last six or seven weeks.. 77 pages total.. i'd like to fill a 80 page sketchbook every three months.. today i did one pastel drawing.
now i'm going to watch new tv series, The Convent, four women go to live in a convent for 40 days
( sketchbook page )
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[12 Jun 2006|11:54pm] |
i found my fixative spray today, it was in a small box i thought i had already looked in.. so i did two charcoal sketches, 15 mins each, i think they turned out ok.. i also did a study of a Van Gogh painting in oil pastel.. they were all done on A3 paper.. it's good to be drawing nearly every day now..
the weather's been really hot since friday, it's a bit cooler tonight.. i had to go out at 3.00 pm for an interview with new deal adivser.. i've got an apointment on wednesday at 11am for some training thing, they find you a placement with some company and it lasts 13 weeks, you don't get paid, just a little extra money i think it's £10.. i was only out a short time, but the heat got me so stressed, i was worn out when i got back, so i had a few hours sleep.. my hayfever has started about a week earlier this year, it's usually middle of june, but i started last week..
films i saw..
Doom.. quite boring and unimaginative
Walk The Line.. it was great, wish i had time to see it again before it went back.. Reese Witherspoon was wonderfull
( sketchbook page )
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[29 May 2006|08:30pm] |
i managed to do two hours of drawing friday and some saturday, nothing today, maybe later tonight after double prison break.. i've got untill about the end of june to apply for college, so i want to get as much art done as i can before then.
just watched this interesting program on Doris Day (i've always loved Doris) she got married when she was a teenager and had a child when she was about 17 i think.
( sketchbook page )
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| P'Tang Yang Kipperbang |
[25 May 2006|09:20pm] |
i haven't got any drawing done this week, so far, i've been busy tidying and trying to get rid of some stuff.. i'm going to start putting much more effort into my art, organise my time better and plan the areas i need to work on, for now i need to work on still life, hair and improving shading to suggest depth..
i saw a film monday, that i've wanted to watch for years, i last saw it when i was still at school, i could only just vaguely remember it and didn't know what it was called.. when i saw it in the tv guide the title sounded familiar to what they said in the film i'd seen, but i wasn't sure.. and it was, yay.. P'Tang Yang Kipperbang.. the title and what they say when they meet.. about a 14 year old boy likes a girl in his class.. it's a gentle sweet comedy and it's English.
"your either grunting, lolloping or being a beast in the field"
my blowup alien having fun at christmas
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