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It seems ironic so few of us stood so bravely against Hitler for so long to earn the liberty to express our prejudices and hatred so freely.

Mother London. Michael Moorcock

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Mummery argued that the English had always been filthy, foul mouthed, lazy, small minded and rapacious. "Like Japan," he had told her, "ours is a nation which survived through most of its history by piracy, mainland raiding and, when all else failed, colonial adventure. It was the Victorians, with their inspired hypocrisy, who refused this truth. The poor buggers who swallowed that idealism are the ones who are still suffering. John Osborne for example. You'd do better to treat us as the xenophobic barbarians we are."

Mother London. Micheal Moorcock

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Been a while... some anatomy studies focussing on back muscles, all from reference. I’m going to attempt some full torso studies from imagination next.

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Happy Diwali!

Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

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There’s a great big neon sign on top of the roof of the last hotel I stayed in, and throughout my stay there I’ve been looking at it thinking “how can I use that?” I waited until my final night stating there and then decided to climb up there to take a look. It’s a 10 storey building, and the very top is a 3m x 3m platform which extends another two storeys high. It’s pretty small so with the neon sign there’s not much room to manoeuvre. It was also raining and the smooth flat surface was kinda slippery. I got up there with my tripod and camera gear, had a look, and decided to play “Blade Runner”. Here I am, wearing a cheap rain coat 12 storeys high trying to do my best replicant impression. This was the best photo of the lot I took before realising that a tall man standing in front of a neon sign on a tall building next to a main road is very visible, and I should get down before I get in trouble.

Standing up there looking down on the city, feeling the wind and rain hitting my face, I wandered if this is how Batman would feel if Batman was real.

I don’t encourage this kind of silly behaviour at all.

Worth the risk in my opinion 🙂

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Thoughts on traveling, vol. 3

I worry about returning to the UK after a year traveling...

How do I adjust to a 'normal' life after the incredible experiences I've had?

7 months to go.

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Mind numbing but so worthwhile

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I remember while traveling through Italy and Croatia I spent hours trying to master drawing the basic shape of the pelvis, the pelvic bucket. This is an extremely complex shape, a tapered cylinder at an angle, that depending on how it is angled can make or break a gesture. The hips indicate so much of a characters center of gravity and weight. I think I spent three weeks drawing this one shape, trying to get it right.

After that I spent two weeks drawing ribcages. This was easier to master than the pelvis, but I wanted to do the mileage anyway.

Once I arrived in Seoul I committed myself to drawing 200 skeletal torsos, the ribcage and pelvis combined, twisting and angled and foreshortened in perspective, with clavicles and shoulder blades. I spent hours day after day sitting in a quiet corner of a coffeeshop drawing the same shapes over and over in a small sketchbook I picked up in Dubrovnik.

Tonight, after completing 34 anatomical studies of the muscles of the torso, I attempt drawing a torso freehand in pen, no guidelines. I draw several, real rough, one continuous line, not lifting pen from paper.

I think I've nailed it. Granted these aren't great drawings, their private scribbles drawn very quickly with no guidelines or preparation... But I understand the shape, in three dimensions, and how it can twist and change shape.

This is a great feeling. All of those frustrated hours drawing the same shape over and over have paid off. I understand the structure of the torso and how the muscles wrap around it.

Learning to draw well is hard work. It's discipline, it's repitition, it's hours of work on hundreds of drawings you'll never show to anyone and in a world of social media and instant feedback believe me it is hard! It's starting to pay off though.

I remember before I left the UK drawing torsos from reference but getting frustrated doing it from imagination.

Next challenge, drawing the limbs! This is a real weakspot for me. Next update in 6 months then...

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More anatomy studies. Starting to understand how this all fits together. Being able to identify the muscles and how they interact with the skeleton is a huge help. Learning anatomy is time consuming but definitely worth while.

I’ve had a few people suggest to me I jump straight into professional drawing, but I know I have so much work to do before I can do that. I want my figures to look believable, and I want to be able to invent forms without being too reliant on reference. I know this kind of studying will become a lifelong practice too. Basically art isn’t easy, it’s a discipline, and it requires discipline to master. There’s good enough, which I could probably get away with, but then there’s being really good.

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Anatomy study, focussed on the torso. No reference for this one... on the left I worked out the positioning and flexing of the muscles based on the skeleton. On the right is my attempt to clean up the mess on the left

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Judge Dredd illustration I didn’t do anything with. I think I completed this as I was passing through Rome?

I’ve got a few more of these, but I’m going to sit on them for a while...

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61 figure studies, hopefully showing improvement as I go. Focussing on the muscles of the torso, and gesture and movement.

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My current favourite place to eat. One large bowl of binimbap and assorted side dishes for less than a fiver. Plus friendly service and mingling with random strangers who want to take a selfie with me. So that’s food and entertainment for all involved.

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More travel thoughts

I’ve been travelling for three months now, and I’m almost at the end of my tour around Europe. I still haven’t committed as much time to art as I would like, but I keep reminding myself it’s ok. I started this trip under the worst possible circumstances I could imagine, but I’ve got this far and it’s been an incredible experience. I’ve learned a lot, met some great people, and some amazing things. I may write a guide on how to travel, or how not to be a tourist. Same thing.

The less people have to loose the friendlier they are.

Supermarkets are amazing. In every country.

Not drinking alcohol is better than drinking alcohol.

Healthy street food does exist.

Eat fruit whenever you get the opportunity.

Random and unplanned is the best way to explore. The most interesting things happen when you don’t have a plan. In large cities, limit planning to “this area is safe” and “this area is not safe”.

Too much planning leads to failure, disappointment, and anxiety. Less cool stuff happens.

Sometimes disasters happen. Don’t panic, have faith, be patient. The universe will provide.

Taking a rest is ok. Especially if you’ve spent between 9 and 14 hours a day every day for 3 months on your feet exploring.

Camping in Europe is cheap and fun.

Nature can provide much better entertainment than any digital device, for free, and with no carbon footprint.

Getting ill cannot be avoided. It will happen. Get some rest, drink plenty of water, and ride it out.

Be wary of random strangers, especially if they offer you something.

Always be polite and smile.

There is always a cheaper option for whatever you’re looking for. Look some more.

Taking photos for other people is fun and satisfying. The look on the couples face when I captured them kissing on the phone they gave me was priceless. Also I hope the American family appreciate the random selfie of me gurning as much as I did. Haha!

Don’t bother lending your camera to someone so they can photograph you. Most people don’t know how to use a real camera. Including most of the people walking around with DSLRs.

Don’t buy carpets in Istanbul. There is no special discount. Everyone has the best carpets or the best leather. Don’t make excuses. Just say no. Walk away.

There is no special discount anywhere. Just walk away.

Don’t use taxis.

If you photograph a street entertainer then pay them.

Forgiveness is better than revenge and provides more closure.

Tourists are awful human beings. They will push and shove and be rude, often so they can all take the exact same photo on a smartphone.

Where ever you go you are a guest. Respect the locals, including hotel staff, waiters and waitresses, shopkeepers, tour guides, anyone you come into contact with. They are doing a job and pushing, shoving, and shouting makes everybody’s life harder. You are in their home, and they will appreciate it if you behave respectfully. I’ve learned a lot from local people who were willing to talk to me just because I showed some humility.

Don’t push or shove. Be patient. Whatever it is it will happen, just give it time. Everyone else wants to see it too.

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Hallstatt, Austria 🇦🇹

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Things I've learned while traveling

I've nearly been traveling for about two months now. Here are a few things I've observed...

People are people, wherever you go. They have the same fears, desires, and habits. They're polite and rude and have good days and days. We're all human. Treat everyone with respect.

Most people are friendly and happy to accommodate for a mono-lingual traveller. It kinda makes me ashamed to be British.

Most tourists are awful, self centered, and aggressive. Watching people pushing and shove each other just so they can all take the same photo on their smartphone is horrible. Tourists in general behave very badly. Everyone I've spoken to local people they've said they don't mind tourists so long as they behave, and mostly they don't behave. See above.

There are some amazing places in the world. There are definitely nicer places to live than the UK.

London is not the greatest city in the world.

The myth that the EU is a homogeneous force trying to normalise all cultures into one is a myth. I've seen and experienced a wide variety of distinct cultures and national identities throughout Europe.

Schengen is a wonderful thing. Travelling around Europe has been really easy.

English is spoken more or less everywhere. Considering English is a nonsensical dialect comprised of several different languages that was once localised to the Thames Valley, this is incredible. Considering the awful attitudes the British generally have to other languages, I've been amazed at how friendly and accommodating most people have been.

More people should travel and experience the diversity and wonder that we have in this world. I'm sure if everyone had this opportunity we'd have less borders and less walls.

Balancing work with travel is hard. This might be because I'm time limited and I'm moving around so much.

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Dredd head. Starting to draw these without reference now. The perspective is a bit wonky and needs some more thinking, but overall happy with how this turned out. Back to drawing 200 rib cages....