Posts Tagged diary

94 results.

2023-06-16 Matisse in the Sun

Jun17
by on 2023-06-17 at 08:50
Chapter:

Yesterday we went in to town for lunch, and met Emma from Natural Learning Oxford in an art festival at Gloucester Green market. She showed us how to make cyanotypes, or “sun prints”. I made a quick cut-out in Matisse style and used it to partially expose the prepared sensitive paper in sunlight for about four minutes (it was a nice, sunny day.) Then washed of the excess and left it to dry. I’m told the colour is permanent. I think I will try more of this!

↓ Transcript
Matisse-cut-out-style fronds on cyanotype paper, together with its negative in mirror.

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2023-01-22 Water Rabbit

Jan22
by on 2023-01-22 at 09:57
Chapter:

Happy Year of the Water Rabbit!

↓ Transcript
A fluffy pink rabbit falls from a height into water, observed by an alarmed orange fish.
Text: from invisibules.org
+ Chinese traditional greeting in Chinese
+ Happy New Year of the Rabbit!

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2020-05-27 Over-doing it

May30
by on 2020-05-30 at 14:54
Chapter:

This always happens when I make bread.

↓ Transcript
Andrew was beginning to suspect the dough had risen for long enough.

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2020-04-25 Lego Hippopotamus

Apr25
by on 2020-04-25 at 11:41
Chapter:

After meeting Hoover, the big male hippo at Whipsnade Zoo, personally last year, I decided I needed to branch out from drawing and painting hippos, and get on with making them in 3D, preferably with moving parts. The (very short) movie can be found on YouTube.

At last I’ve discovered the true purpose of Lego!

Tech note: I’m using a gazillion “dark bluish grey” bricks, and the Spots-not-on-top (SNOT! I kid you not) technique. The upper jaw is much too heavy to lift alone, so the lower jaw is weighted and acts as a counterbalance (they are operated via 2 meshed 16-tooth gears, one with a lift-arm for each jaw.) Even then, and geared down, the old 1980s Lego electric motor is having a difficult time. Note also the muck-spreader on the back!

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2019-04-28 Artweeks

Apr28
by on 2019-04-28 at 19:08
Chapter:

It’s been really busy here, which is why I haven’t been posting much!
First there was the book (which you saw); and then Karen did her new show (and I made all the scenery); and now I’m doing Artweeks.
Artweeks is an Oxford/Oxfordshire festival, in which hundreds of artists open their studios to visitors for a few days.
If you’re in the area, do come and see the hippos!
My Artweeks gallery gives some idea of what I’m showing.

↓ Transcript
Andrew and his hippo-shaped Artweeks sign in the driveway.

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2018-12-27 Herd of Hippos

Dec27
by on 2018-12-27 at 17:40
Chapter:

Here’s my first ever herd of gingerbread hippopotamuses.

(Apologies for the site being down for a few days with hardware trouble. It’s solved for the moment.)

↓ Transcript
Hippos made from gingerbread with their biscuit cutter.

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2018-10-03 A spotty limerick

Oct03
by on 2018-10-03 at 20:12
Chapter:

A little doggerel for you.

↓ Transcript
A girl in pink, spotted pyjamas
Said for breakfast she'd like some bananas.
But when she came near
They said that "We fear
The whole lot were scoffed by iguanas."

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2018-07-31 Summer Garden Fantasy

Jul31
by on 2018-07-31 at 20:12
Chapter:

Sometimes the things that arrive in the sketchbook are best not explained.

↓ Transcript
woman sunflower black-eyed susan frog elephant hawk-moth caterpillar badger trumpet watering can cosmos murano glass elizabethan ruff robin crest fence

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218-03-25 Cheap dog-sledging

Mar26
by on 2018-03-26 at 18:40
Chapter:

We’ve just been on holiday for a week in Northern Norway with some friends, well inside the arctic circle. We were lucky enough to see the Aurora on four nights. It really is very beautiful there. The dog sledging was horrifically expensive (actually, so was everything.)

↓ Transcript
Cheap dog sledging -- a woman is pulled in a wheeled cart, by a collection of dogs of vastly mismatched sizes. The alpha dog has stopped to relieve himself by a sign saying "No Dogs."

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