If there are godlike beings who see all of humanity in their 'true' form, to them I imagine I look something like this when I am experiencing a mild panic attack -- as I did while taking a math exam in 4th grade.
.JPG)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
"Selbstbildnis"
WILLIAM BLAKE'S GIFT/PROPENSITY/MADNESS
If there are godlike beings who see all of humanity in their 'true' form, to them I imagine I look something like this when I am experiencing a mild panic attack -- as I did while taking a math exam in 4th grade.
If there are godlike beings who see all of humanity in their 'true' form, to them I imagine I look something like this when I am experiencing a mild panic attack -- as I did while taking a math exam in 4th grade.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Odd Little Dreamlet
Strange -- it cannot have been more than 2 days since I had this dream, yet I cannot recall whether it occurred during a night's sleep or an early-evening nap. Anyhow, what makes it intriguing and somewhat humorous is that the dream was about this blog, or more specifically one of its running themes, the 'Verbal Synchronicity' series (it's a collection of memorable coincidents, particularly the kind that happened to include a linguistic element -- where I happened to read or see a certain word and simultaneously heard someone speak it next to me -- if you haven't come across these posts before, check out the link at the bottom of this post).
In the dream I was talking to someone about red beans (the kind that's also known in English-speaking countries by the Japanese name 'azuki'), with the radio playing in the background. It was probably an echo of one of the movies I watched last weekend with my friend Ev at one of our 'Korean Movie Night' get-togethers; red bean porridge was featured prominently as part of the plot. Anyhow, just as I said "red beans" in the dream, someone on the radio said "adzuki" (as I heard the word I simultaneously saw the word in my dream head, and it was spelled with a 'd'). I immediately made a mental note to my dream self to post it on this blog as the latest Verbal Synchronicity incident^^
Related posts: Synchronistic Incidents
In the dream I was talking to someone about red beans (the kind that's also known in English-speaking countries by the Japanese name 'azuki'), with the radio playing in the background. It was probably an echo of one of the movies I watched last weekend with my friend Ev at one of our 'Korean Movie Night' get-togethers; red bean porridge was featured prominently as part of the plot. Anyhow, just as I said "red beans" in the dream, someone on the radio said "adzuki" (as I heard the word I simultaneously saw the word in my dream head, and it was spelled with a 'd'). I immediately made a mental note to my dream self to post it on this blog as the latest Verbal Synchronicity incident^^
Related posts: Synchronistic Incidents
Friday, April 11, 2014
.jpg)
Big Phone Doodle
I call these free-associative figures "phone doodles" because they owe their origins in part to the little meandering doodles I used to absently draw while talking on the phone. Then I began to draw them deliberately sometimes, when I was bored. Like today, when I had a lot of free time at work. I just kept making more marks and this one grew and grew, putting out buds and pseudopods like some monster plant, and I had to tape on extra pieces of paper to accommodate the growth. It ended up being 17 inches high, and I did not want to just chuck it in the trash after using up so much graphite.
The eye of hindsight notes the vaguely fractal-like character of this figure, its thematic spiky shape being repeated at ever decreasing scale.
Also, I find it interesting that the maze-like construction and multiple outlines bear more than a passing resemblance to certain automatic drawings that I've seen,
and also to some of the products turned out by psychiatric patients in art therapy, perhaps most famously represented by the cat paintings of Louis Wain, who is believed to have suffered from schizophrenia. Check out these samples of his work for comparison:
.jpg)
The eye of hindsight notes the vaguely fractal-like character of this figure, its thematic spiky shape being repeated at ever decreasing scale.
Also, I find it interesting that the maze-like construction and multiple outlines bear more than a passing resemblance to certain automatic drawings that I've seen,
and also to some of the products turned out by psychiatric patients in art therapy, perhaps most famously represented by the cat paintings of Louis Wain, who is believed to have suffered from schizophrenia. Check out these samples of his work for comparison:
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
.jpg)
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Patience Pays Off !
IN AN UNEXPECTED BUT DELIGHTFUL WAY
For a long time now I've been trying to catch a hummingbird in the midst of free flight, close-up. Which is pretty much impossible -- the critters move so fast and so suddenly that a lumbering human with a cheap hand-held camera could never hope to move quickly enough. The most one can do is to find a bird in repose, aim the camera and wait -- zoomed in halfway so that the partial shrinkage of the visual field, which decreases the chances of snapping an image before the subject flies off-frame, is balanced out by the increase in the size of the image if one somehow manages to click the shutter in time. A compromise of compromises, but that is all I could come up with.
And that is what I was doing today with this hummingbird, when it suddenly spread its wings, leapt off the branch, then quickly returned to its perch, only to take off again immediately, this time not to return. I pressed the shutter convulsively, certain it was useless -- and sure enough, when I checked the image there was no flying bird silhouetted against the sky. Foiled again..!
But then, I noticed something, and when I zoomed in, I realized I had inadvertently caught the bird at a truly unique moment -- the very instant it was launching itself off the branch!
I love this image! And I'll wager there are no other hummingbird photographs like this on the internet. In this "shoving off" position it looks so odd and awkward, so out of kilter with the usual, dragonfly-like grace of its kind; makes me think of a child making like a flying superhero with its arms stretched forth^^.
For a long time now I've been trying to catch a hummingbird in the midst of free flight, close-up. Which is pretty much impossible -- the critters move so fast and so suddenly that a lumbering human with a cheap hand-held camera could never hope to move quickly enough. The most one can do is to find a bird in repose, aim the camera and wait -- zoomed in halfway so that the partial shrinkage of the visual field, which decreases the chances of snapping an image before the subject flies off-frame, is balanced out by the increase in the size of the image if one somehow manages to click the shutter in time. A compromise of compromises, but that is all I could come up with.
And that is what I was doing today with this hummingbird, when it suddenly spread its wings, leapt off the branch, then quickly returned to its perch, only to take off again immediately, this time not to return. I pressed the shutter convulsively, certain it was useless -- and sure enough, when I checked the image there was no flying bird silhouetted against the sky. Foiled again..!
But then, I noticed something, and when I zoomed in, I realized I had inadvertently caught the bird at a truly unique moment -- the very instant it was launching itself off the branch!
I love this image! And I'll wager there are no other hummingbird photographs like this on the internet. In this "shoving off" position it looks so odd and awkward, so out of kilter with the usual, dragonfly-like grace of its kind; makes me think of a child making like a flying superhero with its arms stretched forth^^.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Another Well-Timed Shot (On My New Computer)
MORE RANDOM ASSOCIATIONS
My computer crashed a while back. It's been almost two weeks since the last post, but finally my new computer is hooked up!
Anyway,
this image reminded me of: #1. the old naval tradition of marking the crossing of the International Date Line with a ceremony; and #2. the Relativistic effect of different observers experiencing the same event as occurring at different times, depending on their frame of reference (^^).
Related post: A Well-Timed Shot
My computer crashed a while back. It's been almost two weeks since the last post, but finally my new computer is hooked up!
Anyway,
this image reminded me of: #1. the old naval tradition of marking the crossing of the International Date Line with a ceremony; and #2. the Relativistic effect of different observers experiencing the same event as occurring at different times, depending on their frame of reference (^^).
Related post: A Well-Timed Shot
Monday, March 10, 2014
Pair Of Crows
This slightly odd chance image made me think of technical illustrations showing objects in different views^
And inversion layers and heat mirages.
Perhaps a crow haunted by her freefloating shadow...
+-+Copy.jpg)
And inversion layers and heat mirages.
Perhaps a crow haunted by her freefloating shadow...
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Parking Lot Cracks
Two weeks ago I had occasion to visit the County library at Montebello. While walking up the parking lot I noticed numerous cracks in the asphalt that had been filled in. They made for some very interesting designs, so naturally I took out my camera and photographed the best ones. Some look like mysterious writing, others rather resemble humorous cartoons, and some have been 'enhanced' with little whimsies of my design, to complete the picture.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
An Old Sketch For Something...
A rummage session in a box of old stuff produced this nigh-forgotten drawing from the bad old days.
Wonder what the heck I was smoking when I drew it --
I definitely want some more.
.JPG)
Wonder what the heck I was smoking when I drew it --
I definitely want some more.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
My Favorite Time Of The Day
The all-too-brief magic half-hour, when everything is bathed in a nostalgic, otherworldly golden glow. When Day and Night meet to trade places, and earthly lights begin to assert their own claims.
Related post: Magic Hour
.JPG)
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
The Many Colors Of A Hummingbird
So far we have had unseasonably warm weather this winter. Which means unusually frequent hummingbird sightings in January and February.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)