Voice of the Sun

Here’s a portrait of Karen Carpenter I made about a year ago, based on a photato of her recording her ‘unreleasable’ solo album. It’s a great snapshot of the experience, showing Karen in the zone, free of any Carpenters baggage and really feeling the music. The drawing was meant to appear as part of a publication, but it appears this fell through as I heard no more about that. Ah well. Here she is again, anyway. In my haste (explained later), I took what was just a straight drawing and ‘sunnied’ it up rather a lot, duplicating layers, blurring them and overlaying gradients.

I think Karen’s vocals certainly had a sunny quality, juxtaposing the somewhat more prolific – especially in hindsight – mystery and darkness. Sunrise, sunset. There are many layers to her readings and, even now, I can’t help but think her skills are underappreciated (and I could say the same for her brother, too). But maybe that’s just me being overprotective of a woman I never knew.

Why am I haplessly hacking together a sunshine analogy, you ask? Well, firstly it’s very generous of you to even call it an analogy. But, you see, it’s because I was recently nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Get in there, gowon my sun.

Thank you to Camilla at My Freddie Mercury for this honour. One of the very first people to ever follow me on here, now almost half a decade ago, I do admire Camilla for still putting up with my nonsense and supporting me to this day. Her blog is a must-visit for any Freddie fan.

Here are the nominations for the coveted Sunshine Blogger Award. Good luck everyone!

• The Anxious Gardener
• brushpark-watercolours
• Danielaprende
• Edoardo Dispenza
• Gardens for Goldens
• Jill’s Art Journal
• Make Art Magic Happens
• OutsideAuthority
• Richard Broom Photography
• Susan Feniak Art
• The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Congrats to all of our winners this evening! Do mingle and meet each other and make beautiful bloggy sunny music together. I did try to pick eleven fresh faces, so please don’t hate me if you’ve missed out this time.

I am now duty-bound to answer the following questions, pitched by Camilla herself.

ROCK or OPERA?
Rock, somewhat of a contest.

FREDDIE MERCURY or CELINE DEON?
Freddie Mercury, absolutely no contest.

COFFEE or TEA?
Tea, also no contest.

WINTER or SUMMER?
Now there’s a tough one. I’ve always loved the cosiness of winter, however, I also love the long summer nights. I think winter would edge it, because of snow and the fact that it’s the snowmen who are melting, not me (although I do come close when I step into a shop who have felt the need to whack their heating up to ‘inferno’. Wear a jumper, man!)

READ BOOK or WATCH MOVIE?
My terrible reading record has been dredged up before in these little exposés, and you’ll be disappointed to discover that nothing much has changed. I would definitely watch a movie, although honestly I don’t even do that very often. I’m such a fun, cultured person.

QUEEN or BEATLES?
Queen, most definitely.

QUIET HOUSE or PARTY HOUSE?
Quiet house. Again, life and soul of the party, me – so much so that I don’t even need to throw one. I live next door to a family who keep what you might call a ‘party house’ and it’s not ideal.

TRAVEL or SIT AT HOME?
I would love to travel but it’s not realistic at the moment. Looks like I’ll be sitting at home then. At least Norfolk is nice for mooching about.

LIVE ALONE or WITH WIFE AND CHILDREN?
Ha ha, well a wife certainly isn’t going to happen. I don’t know about children – he might turn out like me and nobody deserves that. I don’t mind being alone.

SPEND YOUR LIFE WITH FREDDIE or WIN THE £100M JACKPOT?
I’ll take the money, thanks Jeremy. Freddie would be entertaining I’m sure, but I doubt he’d want me hanging around, and think of all the positive things you could do with that much cash.

LOVE MY QUESTIONS or NOT?
Love them!!!!!

I believe I’m supposed to offer up eleven new questions for my nominees, but as I’m such a rebel I won’t do that. I shall relay Camilla’s questions to you. The rules dictate that nominees should go ahead and answer those, and choose eleven of their own favourites to award, but it’s really up to you whether you want to do it or not.

That’s it! After all that Christmas grub, I’m dashing off to get out of this tight-fitting tuxedo. There’s some nightmare fuel for you – and me! Well, we’ve time to recover, as I probably won’t be posting for some time, sadly – Christmas is all but over and my workload just skyrocketed, which means several projects have to go on the shelf for now. That’s why I’m putting this out quite quickly; I thought it was a nice way to break. I shall depart with a Happy New Year to all of you, and I look forward to catching up with you, some other time.

Very Mysterious Ice Cream

A very happy new year to all! I hope it has started as you mean it to continue, and long may you continue to visit and make this little community a fun one.

I thought a suitably joyous way to kick off proceedings in 2018 – and my 250th post, as it happens – would be to accept a blog award, something I haven’t done for some time. Just before Christmas, Dernhelm kindly nominated me for the Unique Blogger Award. If you want some awesome illustrations, a visit is heartily recommended!

My accompanying portrait doesn’t really have anything to do with the award, but after such an honour I thought I’d treat myself. The charming Cesaro, formerly known as Very Mysterious Ice Cream – which might be the best ring name ever – certainly qualifies on that score. He’s unique in his own right, for not only for is he the first Swiss wrestler to come to prominence in WWE, but he’s surely the only grappler with a vlog all about coffee – or, at least, he used to. Little appears to remain these days, but it looks like it was hilarious.

I now have to pick up to thirteen bloggers upon which to bestow this very same honour. It’s always so difficult! Obviously there are hundreds of candidates for this – I’d say all the blogs I visit are unique. In trying to be fair, I did generally go for people I haven’t shared on previous awards, so please forgive me if your blog shouldn’t appear.

Drum roll, please… your nominees are:

• Autisticinnerspace
• Brush of Dawn Art
• brushes and papers
• Doodlewash
• Gregory Josephs
• Little Illustrations
• Make Art Magic Happens
• method two madness
• M o o r e z a r t
• Remrov’s Artwork
• Steve Kidd Art
• Susan Feniak Art
• tierneycreates

And the winner is …

Everyone! Yay!

Now, we come to the part of the evening where, sozzled though we may be, we have to soldier on and, for a laugh, answer the questions that Dernhelm has left for me. Lord knows I love interviews!

1 – IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE YOUR BLOG IN ONE WORD, WHAT WOULD THAT ONE WORD BE?
Panic!

2 – WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME (BESIDES BLOGGING)?
Panic! And then go for a walk.

3 – DO YOU READ BOOKS? ANY FAVOURITE GENRE(S)?
Panic! I fear we’ve been over this in previous award ceremonies. I struggle to read very often, and, at best, stick to verse. ‘Less is more’, and all that carry on. Most recently I picked up an anthology of War poetry, but such a context proved – perhaps unsurprisingly – to be a bit heavy, and I haven’t got very far. I should probably stick to nonsense.

As per the rules of this award, I have to now ask all nominees three questions of my own. I will keep mine pretty similar to those above, and because I’m feeling a bit dull, I’ll keep it strictly business:

• Which one word do you think best describes your blog?
• Is there a post you’re particularly proud of and would like to reshare?
• Have you any grand goals for your blog/practice this year?

And, of course, the spirit of the award means nominees should also go ahead and nominate thirteen others, ask questions of their own etc. etc. As usual, there is no obligation to do that, or anything at all because I have said so. Go your own way! But indeed, my thanks once more to Dernhelm, congratulations to all nominees, and big thanks to all for your patience! See you at the after-party, which I was told is down there somewhere…

That Sunday Feeling

Crikey, how I used to loathe Sundays as a child. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. The battle against bathtime, the suffocation of five argumentative siblings, the spectre of The Antiques Roadshow, whose deceptively upbeat signature tune always seemed to bring the homework diary with it, and then the early night. Eurgh! Bar the occasional fun trip, it was just a stressful mess.

I feel I may have my British citizenship revoked when I say that the traditional Sunday dinner was no reprieve, and indeed, I’m still not much of a fan. Only really when there were mountains of Yorkshire puddings thrown in, or I found myself bribed by promises of apple crumble for afters, did the roast become anything close to pleasant.

Or indeed, when it was turned on its head and presented differently. Toad-in-the-hole, for instance, or shepherd’s pie. These struck more as more fun, and so were tolerable… just. Lesser evils. I used to keep my fingers crossed that they were coming instead – well, it was always quite transparent; if things were looking up, mum would tell me outright; if not, “wait and see” or “you’ll get what you’re given!” How harrowing those words were at teatime.

It’s been a little while since I brought anything to the table for the Doodlewash Dinner, and though the festivities are probably all the better for less of my cooking, I don’t want to look impolite. Hence, I’ve given you a hunk of a rather gooey-looking shepherd’s pie, in the hope that it’ll make your Sunday a touch more Funday (even if The Antiques Roadshow is bound to be on later, still doling out the heebie-jeebies). I’ve not made one of these for real since the age of about fourteen, back when I was at loggerheads with my Food Tech teacher (we didn’t get along), so don’t get your hopes up. Still, it may taste better than it looks – dig in if you dare!

And.. (taps glass)

…now comes an after-dinner announcement, as it appears I’ve been nominated for my second Liebster Award. My thanks to the lovely Sissh at Sissh Art Journal for thinking me worthy of such an accolade – do go and explore her wonderful and fun blog.

I hope you’ll forgive Sissh, that, having been nominated before for this, I shall forego the full proceedings this time, and instead use the publicity purely for nominating those more deserving. Perhaps if any of the following would like to participate, they could respond to the questions posed by Sissh in her post? Of course, this comes with no obligation.

Now, go and take a look at all these champion chaps. With Who Wants To Be A Millionaire still coursing, I’ll expect you to wave awkwardly to us all as I announce you one-by-one:

• A Certain Line
• Create art every day
• Creative Echoes
• Hedgecrows
• itsmyhusbandandme
• RebeccaEvans Create
• Robot of The Day
• Sharon Mann Illustrations
• Siddie Bowtie & The Watercolour Orchestra
• Verena Cave

Now, who’s got the fastest finger?

Congratulations to all nominees!

Time-Tested: 210/Liebster Award

Our weekly spin of the wheel and foray into Reddit has taken a slightly different turn this week… well, actually, a completely different turn, given that I didn’t go to Reddit Gets Drawn, nor did I use the wheel to determine the length of the exercise.

It’s time for me to miss a button my shirt, leave my collar on the wonk and then trip over the red carpet (or my chair… again), as I’ve been nominated for an award!

The man to blame for this is our subject this week, one Charlie O’Shields, keeper of the doodlewash blog, who nominated me for the coveted Liebster Award along with nine of his other most crazed fans. What better way to exhibit one’s gratitude for this wonderful gesture, than to roundly offend the kind gentleman with a whistle-stop portrait? I’m sorry, Charlie. Please can we still be friends?

I think I pretty accurately captured the smile, and indeed I did all in my power within the three-and-a-half hours to show a sunny character, for that is, I think, what best describes doodlewash – a warm, friendly and addictive artistic community. And, like the sun itself, we all warm to Charlie, who is in the centre of it all and somehow manages to be entertaining and endearing on a daily basis. He also spends a great deal of time championing other artists from around the world, which is deserving of recognition in itself.

I suspect 90 per cent of my followers came from doodlewash in some way or another, but if you are one of the minority, go follow! And do it now!!

Now, in accepting this award, I’d like to thank my mu… oh, time’s up already? I’m being given fingers by the floor manager! I thought that kind of stuff only happened in rehearsal…

We’ve reached the stage where I now have to share ten (only ten!?) blogs who I think deserve this honour. With such a small number, I did, as Charlie did, rely on WordPress stats for the most part, to show who have been the most prolific on the site as well as who have been following me for the longest time. I also left out a couple of potential nominees because Charlie beat me to it. What I’m saying is, please don’t hate me if your name does not appear. I still love you.

THE NOMINEES ARE (!!!):

• Allan Arcilla drawing collection
• Clive Hicks-Jenkins’ Artlog
• Fearsome Beard
• Fun with Zbrush
• gaydinosaurtales
• Graham McQuade
• My Freddie Mercury
• RebeccaEvans Create
• Scott Keenan Illustration
• Stuff and Nonsense

I would of course have added Charlie in here myself, but I believe the rules are policed as tightly and seriously as playground touchy – that is, there are no touch-backs.

(blows party horn) Congratulations all round! In accepting the prize, you should show the Liebster Award badge, nominate ten people of your own, and then answer the questions below. Participation is, of course, not obligatory.

Yes, as mentioned just there, before I can scuttle off to my uproarious after-party, I apparently have to undergo some form of interrogation, answering ten taxing questions for your own perplexing pleasure. Well, here goes nothing:

1 – WHICH LITERARY GENRE DO YOU PREFER?
Oh blimey, first one up and this is already getting to ‘phone a friend please, Chris’ territory. I don’t read many books, actually. I should probably read a lot more. In fiction, I rather enjoy thrillers, and non-fiction, I enjoy anything to do with history, design, or melding the two. A relatively new-found literary love, though, is poetry and verse. I wish I could write a decent poem or a good old sizzling sonnet.

2 – WHICH BOOK YOU KNOW AND LOVE?
Patently, Top and Toby – A First Book of Letters… I can tell you how that one goes from cover to cover! Failing that, probably Treasure Island, as it’s the first book I can remember picking from the library and reading myself.

3 – WHICH BOOK YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT NOW?
I can’t say I’m passionate about a book at this moment. Honest answer. Moving on.

4 – WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
I’d be bored stiff otherwise. That, and having the concept of the blog there pushes me to continue with what I’m doing, which is trying to make art (incase you hadn’t gathered). It’s like a muscle, it requires training and it’s easy to atrophy, so having the community there is a wonderful thing.

5 – ORDER OR CHAOS?
I bounce wildly from one to the other. My digital files are all stored with impeccable order, my daily routine is very rigid, yet my space definitely deserves the label of ‘chaos’.

6 – WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE?
Somewhere bracing and out of the way. Norway, for instance. That could be fun.

7 – STARRY SKY OR SUNSET?
Hmm, both are beautiful, but probably the stars. They seem to stimulate my imagination more than a sunset.

8 – BETTER THE PAPER BOOK, RATHER THAN THE E-BOOK?
Again with the books. Lots of the newer books I do own are in e-book form. It’s a godsend, really, as I don’t have room in my extensive library for any more hardbacks.

9 – WHAT IS THE WRITING FOR YOU? DO YOU SEE IT AS A HOBBY OR HOPING FOR A FUTURE AS A WRITER?
This is probably why my writing is so poor – I don’t read enough. I’ve always enjoyed writing, though mostly as a hobby. When I was a teenager I spent summers penning Batman screenplays and a children’s book, so maybe there is a writer in me somewhere.

10 – WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKS?
I would think it crude to slam them while writing on a social network, but indeed one should be careful what they share and who they interact with. I don’t do Facebook, Instagram or any of that stuff anymore – I only use WordPress. It seems the nicest of all and I’ve certainly met a lot of wonderful people in the time I’ve spent here.

There we are then.

I believe there’s a conga line to the after-party due any minute. Thanks once more to Charlie, and well done again to all nominees!