Monday, July 31, 2006
Rebel Rousers and Cezanne in Provance Tonight
Great TV lineup tonight. On cable, SpeedTV, the great, cheesy biker movie "Rebel Rousers" staring Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern. 9 PM EST
At 10 o'clock (local Norfolk time), on PBS Cezanne in Provance
At 10 o'clock (local Norfolk time), on PBS Cezanne in Provance
A Mr. Show Movie? - Cinematical
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Painting Breakthrough - How to Paint Like an Artist
So exactly one year ago I decided to learn to paint. I've been documenting my progress over at Flickr.
Here, from RNRNRW archives is a post from last year of my second painting I ever attempted.
I have come a LONG way. But just last week (Almost a Year Later to the day!) I finally had a breakthrough that has opened up my painting to a whole new level. I wanted to paint a picture of the now, sadly, fire-damaged Blue Star Diner in my neighborhood. So I took my waterbrush pen over there and sat in the gravel. This is what came out:
And I was not happy. It doesn't look very artsy. It looks flat. There is no depth, and here is summer time. Outdoor time. Time to paint some citi-scapes, and I have no depth to my paintings.
So I went back to the place I always go when I need a pointer or two: www.sovek.com
I always learn something new there. Lots of good tutorials and old Artist magazine articles that he wrote. I want to paint more like that! I love his paintings, so I follow his tips.
Well I stumbled onto this article titled "Simplifying Your Painting..." and now I'm changed.
The jist of it is, narrow your scene down to just three tones: Darkest, Lightest, and a Mid. And Paint a base layer according to those tones.
And it WORKS!! I sat down with that Blue Star Diner watercolor and reference photo and followed the three-tone idea. Look! It's just a base layer and it looks like a painting!! The Depth is there:
When you're still learning it means nothing to read things like "Notice the tones in the far away trees." My experience level won't let me translate that sentence onto canvas. But whan I read about just using three tones (a dark, light, and mid) it clicked. I can do that! It's practical and achievable. Too many art teachers I've read or dealt with this past year generalize too much! I'm just going to keep it simple for a while and I'll slowly learn how to add even more tones.
I finished it off last night during Project Runway.:
"This Gap Needs Filled" Acyrlic on Canvas board, by Matthew Cox, July 2006.
Here, from RNRNRW archives is a post from last year of my second painting I ever attempted.
I have come a LONG way. But just last week (Almost a Year Later to the day!) I finally had a breakthrough that has opened up my painting to a whole new level. I wanted to paint a picture of the now, sadly, fire-damaged Blue Star Diner in my neighborhood. So I took my waterbrush pen over there and sat in the gravel. This is what came out:
And I was not happy. It doesn't look very artsy. It looks flat. There is no depth, and here is summer time. Outdoor time. Time to paint some citi-scapes, and I have no depth to my paintings.
So I went back to the place I always go when I need a pointer or two: www.sovek.com
I always learn something new there. Lots of good tutorials and old Artist magazine articles that he wrote. I want to paint more like that! I love his paintings, so I follow his tips.
Well I stumbled onto this article titled "Simplifying Your Painting..." and now I'm changed.
The jist of it is, narrow your scene down to just three tones: Darkest, Lightest, and a Mid. And Paint a base layer according to those tones.
And it WORKS!! I sat down with that Blue Star Diner watercolor and reference photo and followed the three-tone idea. Look! It's just a base layer and it looks like a painting!! The Depth is there:
When you're still learning it means nothing to read things like "Notice the tones in the far away trees." My experience level won't let me translate that sentence onto canvas. But whan I read about just using three tones (a dark, light, and mid) it clicked. I can do that! It's practical and achievable. Too many art teachers I've read or dealt with this past year generalize too much! I'm just going to keep it simple for a while and I'll slowly learn how to add even more tones.
I finished it off last night during Project Runway.:
"This Gap Needs Filled" Acyrlic on Canvas board, by Matthew Cox, July 2006.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Miss Modernage at Siren - Then and Now
So I'm looking for Siren info (I'm bummed because it turned out that I didn't get a chance to go like I hoped I would), and I find some cool stuff like:
Video of Art Brut - Emily Cane Live at Siren Fest, 2006 at youtube.com (listen for the Cat Stevens reference "You're wrong Cat Stevens.")
And, of course I have to see what the great Miss Modernage thought (she liked it a lot).
And later as I was flipping though the Village Voice pictures I see:
It's Miss Modernage looking so sophisticated and fashionably hot.
Unlike in 2003 when she just looked hot:
In her defense, I actually got to attend that year's Siren, and it was VERY hot.
She is holding a "Hipster Bingo" card which is pretty funny.
When I saw Modernage on the Village Voice site I thought it was strange because her "thing" is that no one sees her face (see her myspace pics). It made me remember that I once found that 2003 picture on the Rogers Sisters website and I dug through my old bookmarks and clicked on it. Sure enough, that old picture is still online so I just thought it funny that she was holding that Hipster Bingo thing.
For the record, I don't know Miss Modernage in any way except as a daily reader of her blog (which besides jinners.com is the only other weblog I've kept reading regularly all these years - even when she was /temp).
Video of Art Brut - Emily Cane Live at Siren Fest, 2006 at youtube.com (listen for the Cat Stevens reference "You're wrong Cat Stevens.")
And, of course I have to see what the great Miss Modernage thought (she liked it a lot).
And later as I was flipping though the Village Voice pictures I see:
It's Miss Modernage looking so sophisticated and fashionably hot.
Unlike in 2003 when she just looked hot:
In her defense, I actually got to attend that year's Siren, and it was VERY hot.
She is holding a "Hipster Bingo" card which is pretty funny.
When I saw Modernage on the Village Voice site I thought it was strange because her "thing" is that no one sees her face (see her myspace pics). It made me remember that I once found that 2003 picture on the Rogers Sisters website and I dug through my old bookmarks and clicked on it. Sure enough, that old picture is still online so I just thought it funny that she was holding that Hipster Bingo thing.
For the record, I don't know Miss Modernage in any way except as a daily reader of her blog (which besides jinners.com is the only other weblog I've kept reading regularly all these years - even when she was /temp).
Stereogum got hacked??
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Relative Theory Boys in all thier Glory
From this weeks Portfolio Weekly "The Best of the 7 Cities" article:
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Woody Guthrie on PBS
Why am I just finding out about this now!! Just yesterday I cleared my Rhapsody playlist and re-filled it with Rambin' Jack and Woody Guthrie. And now I find out that a 90 minute documentary on Woody aired on PBS' American Master's LAST NIGHT!! And I don't see anywhere that they are going to replay it.
I'm so, so, so, so, so, so sad. Somebody youtube this please.
Anywho, the guy's who did the documentary are doing a chat about Woody Guthrie on the WashingtonPost website today at noon.
I'm so, so, so, so, so, so sad. Somebody youtube this please.
Anywho, the guy's who did the documentary are doing a chat about Woody Guthrie on the WashingtonPost website today at noon.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Bob Dylan Based Musical headed to Broadway
What the freakin' heck-fire is this about?
Broadway Musical based on Dylan Songs
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In better news, I might be seeing my precious Art Brut live (for the first time) by heading to Siren Fest this weekend. And I was just visiting New York last weekend and I may get to got back! Here's Jaime on Mott Street fussing at me because she doesn't want to model her new headband:
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Oh, I've had some good times at Siren fest. This year looks like a few things are coming together to let me pull it off (but it good still all fall apart before Friday).
Anywho, in Art Brut related news, the Chicago Music Critic boys say Art Brut will change your life. They RAVE and RAVE and RAVE about Art Brut on their "Top CD's of 2006 so far" show. Plus they talk about their other "Best Of (So Far)". Awesome podcast by the music critics of the two top Chicago newspapers:
Sound opinions Top CD's of 2006 (So Far)
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Are you Bored? Really Bored? Are you me? Then you just might enjoy reading of my first adventure to Siren. The time I turned down the geriatric hooker on 42nd street at 4 am. Yeah, that time:
From the RNRNRW Archive:
Siren Fest 2003 recap (Epic Greyhound, 24 hour's awake in the big city trip)
Siren Fest Trip 2004
Broadway Musical based on Dylan Songs
---------
In better news, I might be seeing my precious Art Brut live (for the first time) by heading to Siren Fest this weekend. And I was just visiting New York last weekend and I may get to got back! Here's Jaime on Mott Street fussing at me because she doesn't want to model her new headband:
--------
Oh, I've had some good times at Siren fest. This year looks like a few things are coming together to let me pull it off (but it good still all fall apart before Friday).
Anywho, in Art Brut related news, the Chicago Music Critic boys say Art Brut will change your life. They RAVE and RAVE and RAVE about Art Brut on their "Top CD's of 2006 so far" show. Plus they talk about their other "Best Of (So Far)". Awesome podcast by the music critics of the two top Chicago newspapers:
Sound opinions Top CD's of 2006 (So Far)
------
Are you Bored? Really Bored? Are you me? Then you just might enjoy reading of my first adventure to Siren. The time I turned down the geriatric hooker on 42nd street at 4 am. Yeah, that time:
From the RNRNRW Archive:
Siren Fest 2003 recap (Epic Greyhound, 24 hour's awake in the big city trip)
Siren Fest Trip 2004
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Italy Scores! The Video.
Italy wins! Here's the video of the last two minutes of the second overtime in the Italy vs Germany game:
Italy's Two goals in two minutes
Italy's Two goals in two minutes
Virginia's Sales Tax Holiday
Buy you're clothes the first weekend of August here in the motherland:
Virginia Department of Taxation
"A Sales Tax Holiday is a temporary period when certain purchases are exempt from the sales tax. In 2006, the General Assembly approved Virginia's first Sales Tax Holiday, to take place each year on the first full weekend in August.
In 2006, the Sales Tax Holiday will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 4, 2006 and end at midnight on Sunday, August 6, 2006.
During Virginia's Sales Tax Holiday, purchases of school supplies selling for $20 or less per item, and articles of clothing, including footwear, selling for $100 or less per item, will be exempt from sales tax. All retailers selling these items MUST participate in the Sales Tax Holiday. Sales tax exemptions do not apply to items selling for more than the amounts listed."
Virginia Department of Taxation
"A Sales Tax Holiday is a temporary period when certain purchases are exempt from the sales tax. In 2006, the General Assembly approved Virginia's first Sales Tax Holiday, to take place each year on the first full weekend in August.
In 2006, the Sales Tax Holiday will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 4, 2006 and end at midnight on Sunday, August 6, 2006.
During Virginia's Sales Tax Holiday, purchases of school supplies selling for $20 or less per item, and articles of clothing, including footwear, selling for $100 or less per item, will be exempt from sales tax. All retailers selling these items MUST participate in the Sales Tax Holiday. Sales tax exemptions do not apply to items selling for more than the amounts listed."
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Martin Scorsese Student Film from 1968
I found this on youtube.com. Written and directed by Martin Scorsese for a NYU film workshop in 1968:
What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing In a Place Like This
What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing In a Place Like This
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