Yikes! ..I'm a Discordian

Discordianism,
originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Today is a great day for conspiracy theories...(06-06-2006)... but thats onlt the beginning of it... i was minding my own business, well discussing an upcoming collabortative artist's manifesto for net real artistist.. I have been boring others with this a lot lately (it will be blogged about soon enough so don't panic)... when I was confronted with the angry retort "You're just a discordinan and don't know it"... well I didn't know if i was, so i asked politely while ducking punches... a delightfully attractive witness in the coffee shop later slipped me this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrypha_Discordia
scibbed on the back of a scrap of pink paper that read
[a discordian is] one who likes to wear emperor norton’s old clothes

emperor norton... that sounds nice... unfortunately he was a famous madman in san franciso... not me

but I have been in search of the goddess for a long time now... so maybe i am... a discordian and don't know it

Tribute to David Hockney

This david hockney style polaroid mosaic was created with fd's Flickr Toys.

some format changes

By Request (Faux Magazine Cover) button
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I've updated the button down on the right hand side, under the "other places of interest", i've made them bigger (so you can actually read them) and updated the by request button

also underneath that, there is a new "hot search" facility i though i'd let you try out... as you use it to search, the key words will get bolder and/or change as each vistors uses it to find other interesting topics and the searches are supposed to get more and more relevant... as always feed back on these changes is welcome

happy birthday blog

believe it or not this blog is two years old!



for illustration friday's cake topic

Burlesque - Art & Originaliy

Burlesque
Originally uploaded by geener.

As you know i love originality in art.... and dispair greatly at what is posted on yahoo groups & 360 sites, blogs and especially flickr... but there are exceptions , like eugene smith(aka genner) who post his art regularly of flickr as well as dialy on his everydaysketch blog

this sketch of a dancer is great but I really identify with his obervation" I did this one from a photo posted on The Drawing Club's blog. It's way too tight for my taste and doesn't have any of the spontaneity of a life drawing.".... it still damn good mate especially the legs & stocking

June calendar

June calendar,
originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I've done something different with this months calendar... other than using a composite image... I've used the fd flikr toy's option to create one the size of a CD (jewel case)....

so you can print out this image... trim it up... and insert it in a spare CD cover, then put it on your desk or where ever as a "standup by itself" calender

Thinking about pastels

These images where sketched a while ago... and under the low light of typical "mens" nightclubs... I'd previously thought pastels where a media for "mature ladies", slow and tedious, but they did let me capture the lighting and atmosphere... the thing that has drawn my attention back to them now is the richness of the colour...

Maybe I'll have find those pastels again... or buy myslef a new set

mitzi (by request)

mitzi (by request)
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I know I haven't been posting many sketches of late... sorry... but is just a matter of getting time... & more precisely getting myself organised.... this "By Request" sketch is from a photo on flickr, and marks the introduction of strong blues... (instead of reds)....

If you want yourself sketched... just send me an IM message (via the yahoo IM link over on the righthand side) or post your favourite photo(s) on flickr and drop me a line there... like mitzi did

have you seen the new flickr?

"you can't close yet he's still waiting for his flickr photostream to open in 2 column format"

new flickr format
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Wow... flickr has changed a lot since last week... how... why... what the....?

hmmmm... why is it taking so long....whats with this double column format! (seems I'm not the only one to be less than enhusiastic.

See the anti 2 column group/

that didn't take long to form

Happy Mother's Day (in OZ)

happy mother's day to all the australian mums.... i trust you got spoilt

Reclining lotta

Lotta in soft pencil

few to play

Gmail and travelling

the chain mail starts
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I must admit i like gmail it is simple it doesn't require me being well orgainsed (a big plus) and it works from almost any cyber cafe... so it is great for travellers

The only trouble is the massive capacity it gives you i now have over 1000 unread emails... its not that I ingore people its just that I gave up looking at chain mail (particularly the ones with FWD: at the front of the subject line)... there are two reasons I'm paying for the time when I'm in a cyber cafe and that cute cat that goes meow probably cost me a couple of dollars and considerable frustration... secondly a lot of the images aren't feline pussies and they might offend the other cafe patrons... so i seldom read what looks like a chain mail or multi-forwarded post... so don't be dissapointed when i break the chain... that is the reality of living in low bandwidth zones

post modern sex... some light relief

I'm getting pretty jaded about all the "me to" celebrities (that are not) on flickr, yahoo and much of the blogsphere... self publishing has not unlocked originality it has just expanded conformity...



well there are original folk out there and I think I should spend at least one post a month promoting that originality.... so here goes... I happened upon a great podcast series... I'm getting quiet fond of podcasts, they let you listen to what you want when you want... but this is a very unique podcast by a self confessed geek, and all about post modern sex... it is honest and simply great.. showing that there is a big difference between appreciating real sexuality and the total boredom that pornographers want you to pay for, or what the "me too" celebrity thinks will gain then fame



Marie B does need a bit of cyber clicking support... please visit her site, listen to a podcast or two and then vote for her on podcast alley... We need more originality on the net

Barmaids - May cover comes a little early

Barmaids - May cover
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.
Photo by Tantek

The idea of using "faux" magazine covers as link to buttons on the right hand side... has certainly tidied up my blog layout... well i'm pleased with it at least and i'm seeting up this a it early as I am planning a phine and internet free R&R period for myself (I deserve it I've been travelling)

It has also been had a great benefit in posting the covers... as a reall nice way to promote the barmaids group in flickr...

so guys (and girls if you want to promote yourself) next time you are out use that fancy new phone camera you have just procured and post your favourite barmaid's photo, if you don't have such a phone yet... grab someone else's... they are only talking on it to impress you anyway

yes you can email into flickr directly from most recent camera phones

back to basics

sketching from webcam is fun... and it lets me see personality... instead of worrying about copying detail... a littel song bird friend in pencil

Happy Easter

Dye Job
Originally uploaded by Nikita Kashner.

this was posted on flickr by a friend... i loved it so much here it is... enjoy your choccy eggs & the holidays ;)

Sunny Sophia

Sophia can be nice this time of year
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

The Centre of Sophia reminds me a lot of Melbourne... and it's more than just the trams... the coffee is great, well if you like short blacks and plenty of good places to get some... (NOT a starbucks in sight... yet i guess!)

Maybe its the light... maybe... i don't know but it sure changes quickly as you get out of town into the rows and rows of dull brown and grey buildings that are the big legacy of the russian presence all over eastern europe.

The rest of europe is still in very unsettled weather but after a cool morning it is glorious here...

some more art by request

This a rescan... after a rewash... from the busty nurse series... she is such a delight

Do you like the new colour scheme

Webcam Portraits (Mock) Magazine
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Just wondering if anyone would like to comment on the new colour scheme and layouts.... I felt the green was becoming boring and the slate grey lets the colours of my watercolours stay true in tone and intensity... also the stuff on the right hand side had become cluttered and boring so i've tried to unify and simplify it a bit...

The new (mock) magazine covers are a bit of fun... think of then as big buttons... click on then and they will take to interesting places

Pencil sketch of yoko

yoko1
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I'm travelling.... but that doesn't mean i stop sketching... the trouble is how to scan the result (actually it is no trouble, just use my digital camera... and this one just needed the pencil to add a balance to the composition)

Phone me @ midnight, for free internet... yes absolutely free!

I have for some time been looking for the right place to set up my long term cartoon project, an on-line cartoon bar on the net itself. Regular folks can attend via suitable web portals but must assume a comic book character style avatar on entry. It was to be called Club Zero.

After a long search for the right ISP to host this I stumbled on a very interesting phenomena, but lets start where the story begins, Whilst traveling in the southern pacific last year I came across a beautiful uncharted set of tiny islands at lat -6.160990°long 179.991670°

It was a beautiful spot, i spent the better part of a day there. I also accidentally left behind an old satellite phone still hooked up to a radio transmitter and solar powered recharger. It was most likely behind a rock or somewhere not so obvious and didn't miss them until a few weeks later (too late to return)
Amazing it still answers the phone and lets me control the radio. The only good signals I can get are on american samoa, about 3° south and 10° to the west. Luckily there are an a couple of unsecured WiFi node, called afdj1 & afdj1 there and I can get internet access. All pretty amazing but only the start of the story...


Back to the hunt for an ISP, I was drawn to the many affordable domian registrations options available through Tovalu, which also happend to have the domain idenentifier.tv so clubzero.net.tv was born... Now if I manage to time my call to my satetlite phone perfectly, just afters it's local midnight, and connect to the hotspot in american samoa which takes under 2 seconds, then connect to my website in Touvalu another 2 seconds, I have two entries on the interent to establish my session but the start is in yesterday and the response to it is in tomorrow (with respect to the inital request). You see the signal is travelling back and forth across the date line, once by radio and back by the net. All works well except on the internets central bandwidth billing site. The one day time difference causes the session to be dumped as an error, and while i can stay connected without much difficulty, it is is prefectly free for the rest of that session. So come and say hello at the club some time soon and i might even share my access number and the afdj codes.

13K visits wow...

It was a surprise to see I've reached 13 thousand visitors.... I had promised myself to tweak the colour scheme and layout of this humble little on-line sketchblog when it reached 12 thousand visitors... buggar distracted again... I'll blame yahoo 360.. i've been seduced by their background themes... (is it just me or are they too sugary? looking and tasting good on the first bite but leaving you unsatisfied in the long term longing for more sweatiness)....




well time to spring to it!

For Illustration Friday's topic: Spring

Nude (except for stockings) ascending stairs

Nude (except for stockings) ascending stairs
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

nude descending stairs was a great work by duchamp... it was influenced by time lapse photographs of just that... this is a sketch of a (partly clad, if stocking count as cloths) nude... based on a photo... and itself a photo of a sketch... confused yet...

well i'm not, i'm inspired

by request

Most of my sketchs in this blog have been drawn "live" from my friends and models webcams... lately I have been doing a few requests... from photos... if you ask nicely i will do my best when time is available... nothing is charged... but i do like to post the results in here and/or flickr (with your permission of course)

Wow that was quick

Join the barmaids group now
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I made this "virtual" magazine cover... just a few days ago... to start promoting a flickr group I inherited... not sure why i was picked to moderate it (hmmm maybe they didn't what the topless barmaids deleted!)


Anyway it has been a very popular image making over 100 views in under a week... just goes to show blokes are hopeless when barmaids smile (and flash a bit of cleavage)

ask me what i did today?

let me try your patience

over a telephone line

lets plan small secret

lets hold a surprise

lets build an evil genius

and keep warm tonight

we gonna meet with a laywer

we gonna change our name

we wont make it to the movies

oh be happy you came

... ...



ask me what i did today?




the lyrics are from a song called PF


I like my ipod... and i have become intrigued by podcasts... which mean i can listen to what i want when i want.. anyway the IOD podcast is where i first heard about controller.controller... check out the link to their web site which has some MP3 for download under their media section... they are a Toronto band with a edge somewhat reminiscent to the early deborah harry... well thats what I think'

A short break

cyclone yarn
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Please excuse a little bit of a break in my posts here... its not permanent... there is a whole world outside the net... it can be both a wonderful place and a hell hole... i'll in search of the former... and maybe making a sketch of two

up all night

Watched the sun sinking low

Watched the moon rising slow

Watched it move across the sky

Till I saw the morning light



lyrics of "up all night" by the waifs



Somethings a great location and good art can do that to you

freshing up the approach to drawing

I have been reading the new "drawing with the right side of your brian"... the theory is a bit beyond me, but the right brain exercises definitely do work and can be fun

Seeing eyes a fresh

Sketching eyes has been one of the greatest challenges for me... I know what eyes look like but if I try to draw them that way... I end up destroying my sketches... i especially destroy and expression of personality... thats assuming i have seen it properly... I sort of writhdrew and just put the shadows of the eyes and pupils in as best I could guess their correct position... usually with very little detail and almost never a lower lid

Well there are lots of places on the net that can help including the link to about.com above... now here is my question to you... does anyone recognize these eyes



Some detail in a watercolour wash

"If eyes were made for seeing, Then Beauty is its own excuse for being."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

becky's sketch

becky
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Whilst becky may not be from my normal group of models... I felt she deserved a bit of praise in here for her great website and especially her fun stuff/games page... it is via her becky's web thar you can play my Nude variation on Sudoku... (just click on the button below, or the one over on the right hand side)

... ... thanks becky

more dreaming

perhaps this is a little lighter than my normal scrawling but i do loved the pose and dreamy's expression... graphite pencil on course paper.

art & well being

I am relaxing and doodling and just liked this quote and article (chase the link below)... commuity is something that i lost.... was it yahoo closing the chat rooms... me travelling so much.. or something deeper... well time to get drawing and find that well being that art can bring again...




“Art is not merely a decorative enhancement of our lives, but a sign of our desire to live in the world fully and honestly.” .... Jan Zwicky

sweet kelly

a small honor

i got this a while ago and forgot to display it.... seems like i must have annoyed someone... "well you can't argue with the ignorant..." and i want stop sketching big girls

If you get asked to join that particular group on flickr and you are not a self opinionated a "look at me, i'm intellectual i don't make typos" type who thinks that art only means a bloke showing off a semi erect penis in strong relief lighting, well don't join.... they are cruel and spitfull... but it seems they could not handle me ;)

if you are interested in the artistic side of nude join fine art nudes instead

A pleasant night at the theatre

Last night I went to see dusty the original pop diva, a new muscial about the life of dusty sprigfield... it really is worthy seeing... very good theatre as well as good music... most of the cast are unkonwn (well to me) but excellent... well except for deni hines,(she is well known here in oz) who was really great... all this is saying a lot given that dusty was considerable skinnier than the full sized girls I normally prefer



I particularly liked the song with dusty, her hair dresser rodney and her dresser (vicki I think?)... using wigs that represented the popular UK female singer of the 60's... ok that does't sound a very exciting description but dusty is a show worth seeing. I'm sure it is one show that will travel the world

A time for romance......?

Dawn in yet another plane

Dawn in yet another plane
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

Over the past two weeks I have seen the dawn through the window of an areoplane on no less than 8 days...
thats about 4 times too many...


still it is a magical sight...


but i still have quiet a few countries to visit... at least accourding to the country visited website I'm only 48% of the way there, according to there list...




create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

found@last

Many of my friends will be pleased that I have found a couple of sketchbooks and loose sketches from late last year.... watch this space for updates.... PS don't worry girls I'll check with you first before I publish

where the f??? am i now

where the ??? am i now
Originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I have been so many different places in the past few weeks i am starting to forget where i am... well i supose i just have to relax and enjoy it... won't I ... this is another post from my phone, if you have a flickr account go checkout how you can do it its easy... so easy I can do it without even spilling my beer