I seem to have a case of writer's block. Think I need the cerebral equivalent of Dyno-Rod to come and plunge my proverbial (verbal, even) pipes. Ideas for things to write about are floating about: the dead mouse, horsehair weaving, deep sea divers, recent forays into Northern Soul and a teenage pregnancy scare, with a bit of music thrown in if possible (I even had Deadmau5 lined up for the first topic, but have yet to decide what could accompany horsehair weaving). Unfortunately that's all they're doing, though - floating. Maybe I will manage to flush them through at some point but right now I can't seem to.
So, in the meantime, please have a look at some pictures! I found these two ancient 'How To Draw' books in a charity shop. How could I resist?
Drawing Children by Victor Pérard, 1945
Drawing Animals by Victor Pérard, 1951
Here are some of the inside pages...very anachronistic:
I love this guide to facial expressions in particular:
There's even a picture of Buster Bloodvessel...
but I can't quite bring myself to include Lip Up Fatty as a soundtrack today.
Maybe I should get one of these books : How to make Money!
ReplyDeleteYou just need to learn how to draw banknotes...:-)
DeleteI know the feeling about writer's block, but illustration is a good way around it! "satisfaction" looks decidedly smug. The covers are lovely, though.
ReplyDeleteThanks mondoagogo, yes it's good that blogging can sometimes just be about pics. 'Satisfaction' does look terribly smug indeed - and 'Pleasure' looks a bit shifty to me...
DeleteFrom your para above C looks like you've still got plenty to say!
ReplyDeleteI suppose I do, and I want to, but I can't seem to say it very interestingly!
DeleteI was happy to see these illustrations, C! It's interesting to look at drawing and/or writing manuals from past decades. There's always something to be learned from earlier methods, I think. When I was playing around with drawing and watercolour, I read John Ruskin's 'The Elements of Drawing' and worked my way through many of the exercises.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're just looking for a topic that fires your imagination!
Thanks Marie, I agree there's always something of interest in art books. Even though I've been drawing for a living for some years now I know I'll never stop learning... and looking at other work always brings something new to think about. What I found interesting about these books too is the way the subjects were tackled; for instance just the idea of showing chimps dressed up and a kangaroo boxing are so outdated now. I can't imagine those images in a contemporary equivalent!
DeleteAs you may know, my drawing skills are second to....everybody, so these could well have come in handy at a tender age. Alas too late now! I would still have picked them up if I saw them in my local charity shop though - they're brilliant! Horsehair weaving, deep sea divers? Can't wait for you to become unblocked.
ReplyDeleteI believe most people can draw better than they think they can, a lot of it is down to confidence. I love the way young children just draw all the time without inhibition nor fear of being judged... but for some reason that changes quite early on and a lot of people stop. The books are just lovely artefacts in their own right though, as you say.
DeleteI fear the topics I mentioned won't be anywhere near as interesting as they sound here in isolation!
Busted blood vessel. Ahhhhhh
ReplyDeleteI've been having my problems with this too...only I'm being blocked by circumstances and my own unwieldy ambition. There's only one thing for it...a Video Post. You're just gonna have to post one C.
We'll be waiting.
Video posting?! Ain't gonna happen!
DeleteBut I appreciate the idea... and you know how I love to see yours... so I'll be waiting too!
Biggest disappointment on the internet.
DeleteAw, I'm sure it was only meant as a compliment by acknowledging that it was something which interested you, but I know what you mean!
ReplyDeleteIt took a huge amount of effort to even start writing that first paragraph...weird... but I'll keep trying!
Haha, easily done - I probably wouldn't even have noticed anyway :-)
ReplyDelete