We are (not) amused

In actual fact i did think the false motorcade, and osama costume was both funny and a sad reflection on the fultility of all the extra security hype that is cluttering our airways.

"The only thing they posed a risk to ultimately is our senses of humour,"

The boys have been naughty again.

I like the ABC Chaser's War on Everything so much I now subscribe to their vodcasts, if you have itunes, you can subscribe using this link... my ipod nano doesn't do video but my psp does.

Here is some of their work, also about APEC security, from earlier this week -

toktok pidgin

I'm trying to simplify my on-line life, go on a email/chat/IM/social network diet so to speak... and it sound easier than it is. I would not describe myself as an addict but as twitter has shown me it doesn't take long to get out of the loop these days, flickr/yahoo are conspiring to frustrate me, myspace and facebook are not my scene and second life just leaves me cold. So what does an old bloke do.... start speaking in new language of course...

NO it is not a new languauge at all Pidgin is the portable apps upgade of GAIM, that lets you converse across several IM systems, including GTalk, Yahoo and Msn... and while I'm here I should plug portable apps, you can install them on a USB memory stick and carry around your most useful applications, including even the great free graphics software GIMP... everything useful on one memmory stich now that is a diet!

flickr hiccup over...

September FlickrFunMat, originally uploaded by sigh clone.

We'll it looks like my earlier harsh judgment of flickr was a bit premature... now all i ill have to do is figure out why i am unsafe when I have always been a advocate of self filtering...

st

ok I deserved it...

ok I deserved it... I'm a crank pants... but my fellow life class student's made me buy a beyondblue wristband... so I looked up the beyondblue website and realized just how many people are suffering, anxiety and depression in silence, so if thats you don't... ...seek help ...and as for me ...the blue wristband will stay on till my splints come off.

What did i expect...

cyclone mad,
originally uploaded by sigh clone.

I have been mulling over where to shift my yahoo photo collection for some time.... you see Yahoo bought out flickr and they want to close their yahoo photo facility... and they offered to send your photos (in my case dominately art work) to several other sites, which included flickr... i procrastinated, what do you expect... but notice they now offered 3 months pro-account on flickr.... so I signed up.... i new i had a few images duplicated, bu i figured with the added power of a pro account I would be able to sort it out.... i'm also laid upo at the moment so it would be a good project or so I though.... ok i had to wait a few days till the transfer was done but then i got the message that every thing was transfered abd the public images from yahoo were now private... click here to make them public again.... Hmmm





I did follow instructions, seems its a little more than hiccups, now I am totally locked out of access to the organizer.... such is life, on the unsafe side of flickr iI suppose

on the mend

I'm working on the principle that...
a sketch a day will keep the doctor away

watercolour wash on paper (mainly wet on wet, limited palette exercise, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, ultramarine)

I trust this one is not too cheeky!

Does NUDE always have to be considered LEWD

The australian public are being bombarded with a lot of governent funded ads, many about something-nothing (ie just to make the unthinking actually think that the government is doing stuff, co-incidentally just before an election)... anyway last night it was the netalert campaign blitz, and the govenrment are providing free anti-porn filters for anyone to download. Is this, along with the security fence in sydney good use of tax payers money? Am I becoming too cynical?

Don't get me wrong, I do encourage the use of net filters and parental invovlment on internet usage, it is just I feel strongly that a piece of software is not a substitute for parental care. Parents please take an interest, share your time and experience with your kids (including the net savvy adolescent ones, whom these filters are unlikely to stop anyway).

The net alert site even has some good advice here.

continuing the protest theme

Billy Warhol, a flickr mate, active over at the orange fridays, drew this to my attention, the imagery is wonderful and the song isn't so bad either.

The cost of freedom

Sydney woke to find it has become traversed by a big ulgy fence.. is it caging the inhabitants in? .... keeping the unwelcome out? ... or it is the cost of being allowed to protest? ... correction thinking we are allowed to protest? ....or truly just security for those visiting APEC that have a lot on death and destruction on their conscience? ... will it keep terrorists out, so they can kill the innocent, instead of the guilty?

NO maybe it just to scare us all a little

inspiration into art

Pastel sketch becomes a painting

When does ART stART?

Is it in the first few marks made, during the inspiration, extracted as the work is developed, or is it only fermented in the mind of an appreciative viewer?

This is my attempt a special "gift" to my regular readers, for bring this humble blog all the way to 20,000 visitors...

new toys

There are an ever increasing number of applications and "toys", turning up for twitter these days... well i call them toys, they are fun things to play with... Twitter blocks is an amazing 3D staircase world that tracks conversation threads across your friends and followers... but don't get yourself too deeply embedded, you may never return from this esheresque labyrinth.

IF through the looking glass... sort of stuff

for illustration friday's topic alphabets, loosely inspired by alice in wonderland meets vegetable soup, and the I ate this trend on mobile phone cameras and flickr

....it is also my first artwork, since i had my broken wrist strapped in a splint!

deja vu...

This cartoon, by hugh of gaping voids blog, really amused me.

congratulations carolyn

If you are a long timer reader of this blog you will know that one of my favourite on-line erotica artist is carloyn weltman of art for enginners,she has been asked me to donate two of her pieces to their permanent collection, which is huge, and is part of their Kinsey Confidential exhibition which is now showing and will continue through to December. AND if that is not enough she is also involved in crybaby's FOURPLAY exhibition

what is art? (again)

Photo from uncyclopedia

Came across the Uncyclopedia by accident, its no more (un)authoritative than most other web locations but it does appeal to me, especially the art section, if you are serious about art please scroll down a bit and be warned about the seven deadly arts.

IF - Visitors

for illustration friday's topic visitors

BTW its a twitter joke

still life - limited palette

Oil on canvas board

Exercise using a limited palette, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber

still life - new media

this is an acrylic underpainting on canvas board, with a some pastel overwork

it is meant to be something quintessential australian

more from the life class

rapid (5 minute) sketches in pastel on paper

the life class

pastel sketch on coloured paper

life classes are a traditional way to gain experience and just perform art... it is time i did it!