Although I’m no connoisseur of fine wine, I have heard how wines and beers are described by those who proclaim to have superior knowledge of such things. They use terms like smoky, nutty and describe a plethora of fruit tastes associated with a particular vintage.
While I’ve been working on projects for Christmas, I have had the pleasure of working with several types of wood in the turning projects I’m working on.
I’ve noticed that each type of wood has its own fragrance; the cinnamon notes of Burmese Rosewood really are what caught my attention.
Rosewood, Cocobolo from Central America, Olivewood from the Holy Land and Koa from Hawaii are among my favorites. They are all “wood”, yet each is distinct in how they perform when worked.
I like to think that the projects I create will have the resonance of a fine wine and grow better with age, if only in the memories of those loved ones who receive them.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Santa's Workshop
It’s getting closer to Christmas, and I’ve been busy on Christmas projects. I’m getting things done, but starting to feel the pressure of the Holiday deadline.
I wonder if they ship tums by the pallet to the North Pole this time of year?
I wonder if they ship tums by the pallet to the North Pole this time of year?
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Save Loomis
About 10 years ago, I was introduced to the world of computer animation. It is a skill I have not used in a long time, but have been working with the software once again to create some still images.
I found my skills a little rusty, so I broke out several training videos and books that have been sitting on the shelf for years. One of the videos is on how to build a human head in the 3d CGI world. In the video the host mentions Andrew Loomis and his how-to-draw books. He said that you could find Loomis’ work at saveloomis.org.
I looked up the site and found it had been taken down. After some searching, I read that “lawyers” had forced the site to shut down.
I remember reading Loomis’ books as a young man. Even then, some 30 years after they were first published, they were wonderful. They simplified the construction of the human figure and explained how to draw in a style that was very easy to understand. When I took formal art classes, the techniques were pretty much the same as the Loomis method.
Even now, as I work with technology Loomis would have considered something out of science fiction; his lessons still serve as a guide on how to draw.
Seems a shame to have Loomis work stay out-of-print.
I found my skills a little rusty, so I broke out several training videos and books that have been sitting on the shelf for years. One of the videos is on how to build a human head in the 3d CGI world. In the video the host mentions Andrew Loomis and his how-to-draw books. He said that you could find Loomis’ work at saveloomis.org.
I looked up the site and found it had been taken down. After some searching, I read that “lawyers” had forced the site to shut down.
I remember reading Loomis’ books as a young man. Even then, some 30 years after they were first published, they were wonderful. They simplified the construction of the human figure and explained how to draw in a style that was very easy to understand. When I took formal art classes, the techniques were pretty much the same as the Loomis method.
Even now, as I work with technology Loomis would have considered something out of science fiction; his lessons still serve as a guide on how to draw.
Seems a shame to have Loomis work stay out-of-print.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Still Life
I remember standing in the National Museum of Art in Washington DC and looking at a still life painting by Willem Claesz Heda , “Banquet Piece with Mince Pie.” http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg47/gg47-72869.html
I started to think about the great still life paintings and how they all seemed to have a couple of things in common. For instance they mostly have some fruit, a glass, metal plate maybe a candle and some type of meat; such as rabbit or bird.
I wondered to myself what would a still life painter use today for his model?
What I came up with is “Classico vita ancora con il pasto americano modern” or “Classic Still Life with Modern American Meal” a tribute to the Modern American Diet.
I started to think about the great still life paintings and how they all seemed to have a couple of things in common. For instance they mostly have some fruit, a glass, metal plate maybe a candle and some type of meat; such as rabbit or bird.
I wondered to myself what would a still life painter use today for his model?
What I came up with is “Classico vita ancora con il pasto americano modern” or “Classic Still Life with Modern American Meal” a tribute to the Modern American Diet.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Fire Good
I thought that not having heat would be a major problem; however we have a great fireplace. It’s actually warm in the house!
Cooler Weather
Well, it’s been a week since my last post. The weather has turned decidedly colder, and I’m sitting here waiting for the asbestos abatement crew to show up. They plan on taking all the ducting out of the attic, but the crew to put in the new vents doesn’t show until tomorrow. This means, it’s finally wintery and cold, and we get to go two days without heat. Thank God for fireplaces.
UPDATE:
Nuff Said!
UPDATE:
Nuff Said!
Monday, November 15, 2010
A Good Run of Bad Luck
There was a time when I listened to a lot of country music. But I did not start out as a country fan.
As a teen, I was a true rocker and country and disco music were two things that made my skin crawl.
While in the Army, I crewed helicopters. The control of the radio was in the cockpit, so you either listened to what the pilot liked or you spent hours with just the hum of the aircraft. Most the pilots listened to country, and after several years, I began to actually enjoy it.
I became a fan of Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, among other country stars. What I liked about the music was that it told a story, one that was usually believable, and one that could happen to you.
The last few years, I’ve been listening more to Alternative music, but the last month has made me thinking about at least one country song.
Clint Black has a song “A Good Run of Bad Luck” which is a great description of the last couple of months.
So far, My wife got her car destroyed in an accident (she is fine), the washing machine broke (it cost more to fix than replace) the stove door won’t close (costs almost as much to fix as replace), my roto tiller finally gave up, my truck developed a coolant leak (had to replace the coolant tank), the jeep developed a “death shutter” ($1200 worth of front end work) and we found out we need the heating ducts replaced, but first we need to get the asbestos abated. All this and I haven’t had a paycheck since January.
Now to be perfectly honest, I’m starting to get a little bit down. But there is something inside me that keeps telling me that I’m going to catch a break soon, and this will be all behind me.
There is an old joke that goes; “what do you get when you play a country song backwards?” The answer is: “You get your dog, your truck and your wife back!”
Several of my friends have told me I should write a book about my life, I’m starting to wonder if a song is more in order.
Maybe I can write it backwards.
As a teen, I was a true rocker and country and disco music were two things that made my skin crawl.
While in the Army, I crewed helicopters. The control of the radio was in the cockpit, so you either listened to what the pilot liked or you spent hours with just the hum of the aircraft. Most the pilots listened to country, and after several years, I began to actually enjoy it.
I became a fan of Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, among other country stars. What I liked about the music was that it told a story, one that was usually believable, and one that could happen to you.
The last few years, I’ve been listening more to Alternative music, but the last month has made me thinking about at least one country song.
Clint Black has a song “A Good Run of Bad Luck” which is a great description of the last couple of months.
So far, My wife got her car destroyed in an accident (she is fine), the washing machine broke (it cost more to fix than replace) the stove door won’t close (costs almost as much to fix as replace), my roto tiller finally gave up, my truck developed a coolant leak (had to replace the coolant tank), the jeep developed a “death shutter” ($1200 worth of front end work) and we found out we need the heating ducts replaced, but first we need to get the asbestos abated. All this and I haven’t had a paycheck since January.
Now to be perfectly honest, I’m starting to get a little bit down. But there is something inside me that keeps telling me that I’m going to catch a break soon, and this will be all behind me.
There is an old joke that goes; “what do you get when you play a country song backwards?” The answer is: “You get your dog, your truck and your wife back!”
Several of my friends have told me I should write a book about my life, I’m starting to wonder if a song is more in order.
Maybe I can write it backwards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)