CynicalSaint

New career, new stress, back in school, less time!

So my fairly low production rate has some excuse this time.

As you can see from my uploads, I am working almost exclusively on van Gogh studies now.  vggallery.com has an amazing library of all paintings and drawings.  

My goal, is to recreate every single drawing.  At a count of well over 1000, that should keep me busy for pretty much the rest of my life, but it's good to have a goal!

New uploads this week, and more to come when I can get some pictures taken of the others I have done.

Also have planned a very large scale version of The Potato eaters, somewhere in the 24 x 36 in range.  But that is probably a good ways off.

So,

Although I come here often, I glanced at my last journal entry and noticed that I have not updated it in years.  So here goes.

No longer in France.    Would give very dear parts of my body and soul to go back.

Not doing so much in the way of painting lately, but back on the drawing kick.

Mildly depressed by looking at the massive talent on Deviant.  :/

Submitting a bunch of stuff today, only a couple of which I am really happy with, but couldn't hurt.  

Well,

I have recently recieved some new DVDs here in France, two of which can't help but to inspire.

The first is Great Expectations, the art in that movie is so simplistic, and yet awesome.  Seeing the sudden rush of inspiration he gets in the portrait scene gave me some of my own.

The second, is If Lucy Fell.  If you haven't seen it, great movie!  Bit of a chick flic which makes it surprising that I like it, but one of the two main characters is a painter, and I just love how they capture the 'painters life'.

In response, I have tried picking up the charcoal again.  I have no inate drawing ability, but everyone has said that it comes with practice.  I however am the type of person who doesn't like doing things that I am not good at.  So instead of drawing everyday as I should, I only pump out about one drawing per month or so.

Two drawings in the last week should meet my quota for a while.  

Michael

Ever get one of those songs 'stuck' on your cd player?  Today it is Changes by 3 Doors Down.  Couple of the awesome lyrics...

I'm not supposed to be scared of anything
but I don't where I am
I wish that I could move but I'm exhausted
and nobody understands..

I'm tryin hard to breath now
but theres no air in my lungs
Theres noone here to talk to
and the pain inside is makin me numb.

I try to hold this, under control
They cant help me, cause noone knows.

Now I'm goin thru changes...changes
God I feel so frustrated lately
When I get suffocated, save me
Now I'm goin thru changes...changes.

I'm feelin weak and weary
walkin thru this world alone
Everything they say, every word of it
cuts me to the bone

I've got somethin to say
but now I've got nowhere to turn
It feels like I've been buried
underneath the weight of the world


God I love those lyrics.

Michael

I have really wanted to get into Portrait Photography since I got the photog bug.

Unfortunately, that is a tough task without good equipment, or good models.  

So tonight I took some self-portraits.  Armed only with an in-adequate camera, and a computer screen for lighting, I took about 30 pictures and found only two that I was slightly OK with.  

But, as the title states, gotta start somewhere.

I am currently in France as a student and an English assistant in secondary schools.  I have hated the job and the University, but I love Europe and France in particular.  

Unfortunatly, all good things...

I set my return date this week, and will be heading back to the 'real world' on June 6th.  Going to miss this place alot and just hope I can carry some of this enthusiasm back to the US.

Well, thats enough typing for tonight.

Michael