This week is going surprisingly slowly, I must say. Today was the day that I first broke my unbroken 16 year no detention streak, when I was detained for half an hour for not handing in some business studies homework on time. This was particularly annoying as completed the sheet on the day it was set! However, I had to accept my punishment like a man, as I couldnt find it anywhere.

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's day, which means its a day where the seasoned drinkers come out and celebrate irishness! Unfortunately, Cein and myself cannot go on our pub tour of Ireland for then, but that can always wait for the summer, or alternatively, Saturday. But for everyone reading this, I must say, please drink responsibly, you wouldnt want to ruin a good night by knocking everything over and subsequently getting alcohol poisoning.

In other news, the prodigy have announced that they will be releasing the film, "Worlds on Fire", which will be documenting the Warriors Dance Festival from summer last year! For those that dont know, this was a single day festival put on by the prodigy in milton keynes. It featured the DJs doorly, eddy temple morris, and zane lowe, who got progresivly less shit, and played between sets. Zane Lowe was particularly good, as he really got the crowd involved. The acts who played were, Does it Offend You, Yeah? Enter Shikari, Chase and Status, Pendulum, and of course, The Prodigy. This was one hell of a line up, and we were lucky enough to get just to the barrier! However, it was possibly one of the most exhausting experiences of my life, 11 hours of dancing with no food an minimal drink does not bode well for the body, especially when you have to walk a couple of miles to get to your car!

But anyways, it would be brilliant to re live this, almost a year on, and will get me excited for the summer holidays, which I think will be well worth the length preperation/exams period. The film will be showing for one day only in slough, and all of us will be going that went, so we will all be filled with nostalgia and the un restrainable urge to start dancing in the cinema. But seen as though it will be slough there wont be many people in the screening, but if they do, they will probably be armed, so I suppose we'll have to be carefull.

Sorry if this post didnt make a whole lot of sense, its getting late and Im tired D:

- Colm

In the many weeks since my last post (I think), many a thing has happened.

Blossfeldt Style Developments...

My father, sister, another person and I went to see my schools production of "Oklahoma", which I thought I could review... but you know I am a very lazy "blogger", so I'll keep it brief; for your sake as well as mine.

I thought it was good, despite not liking musicals, but the storyline was somewhat lacking in a clear purpose, and depth. However, it was definitely worth going to just see a close friend of mine threatening people with weaponry larger than him, and singing "the farmer and the cowman should be friends"!

On Saturday, I was lucky enough to go to see Two Door Cinema Club in the Roundhouse. The two supports were both good, with the acoustic relaxingness of Dry the River sharply juxtaposing with the 15-strong I'm From Barcelona. Two Door Cinema Club themselves were very good too! The standing atmosphere was the perfect amount of getting crushed/moshed/beered, and I felt that a good time was had by all! I feel that despite my predjudiced views of them being, "gay acoustic", I will now listen to more than the three songs of theirs I knew.

More when I can be arsed!

- Colm

More art development

So, for friday we need to create an a3 page of 6-9 small developments for art, and at times like this, I am glad it was suggested that I do photography, as it really doesnt take too long. Although I guess I could do some drawings if I wanted...

Also, in more random news, I believe that the only reason I revise english, is to make everything else in my life better. I genuinly dont think there is anything worse.

But im too tired to write anything else, sorry for not making sense!

 

"Development"...:(

More development. This is why I love doing photos for art, only takes 5 minutes :')

As I sit here watching the NME awards which I recorded and never had the chance to watch, I cant help but think that I have nothing to write about. So apologies if this is a bit random and pointless.

A Macro of a maths paper, apologies

I was taking some photos earlier cos I didnt really know what to do with my time and I couldnt be arsed starting my a3 art drawing. I then did some mediocre edits to stick into my art book, in order to show "similarities and/or differences". Exciting shit, I know. Well, the sketchbook seems to be gaining some weight, I think its something along the lines of 20-something pages done, 42 to go! And with four weeks to go to our exam, I really have a feeling of not being too bothered. I am doing the work, and I want to do well, its just that I feel with this module I'm just going to relax a bit, and do what ever I feel like.

Something on my desk... I guess you can guess what it is!

In other news, whilst much English revision has arrived, many other good things have happened, like finishing my graphics product, and the likes which I have gradually learnt not to mention. But either way, :D

Its my first camera, what has dust on it. Crazy deep shit here.

I genuinely dont know what else I could write about, but Mathew Bellamy's voice is incredible. Both speaking and singing wise.

- Colm

Half-Term

Geriant style sculpture

So once again I am sitting here with absolutely no idea what I should be doing. I've been doing some assorted revision over the past few days, as well as the occasional art coursework and graphics coursework. Nothing can quite compare to filling your sketchbook with cardboard "samples" to imitate the style of the wonderful artist Geriant Edwards, and his obsession with Ziggurats, which for the record, is chronically misspelt on his website. 

Yet another Geriant style sculpture

For my graphics I've just been painting my "phone" up, which still manages to look like a block of paint with some paper stuck to it, but hopefully it should look better after I add some 'embossing'; basically just sticking some cardboard on the pack and painting it over silver. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but hopefully it will be pulled up by the rest of my project, not least the "orgasmic" packaging, which is now in its fourth, unmade, iteration. On top of that, I still need to cram the working drawing onto one a3 page, and finish the development pages, which has now needed to be pushed down to font size 7, due to the amount of images, i.e. errors in production, on the page.

Geriant's egg

But any who, I am going on an "art trip" tomorrow, which has been organised by the amazing Connor O'Shea. I'm not completely sure that I even have to go on a trip, but at least it will be a couple of pages more minimum, and should give my sketchbook a slight edge, and some additional, much needed, direction.

ditto

Segmenting his juice sculpture to show "Similarities and/or Differences" :O

In other, non work related news, I collected some birthday cards, which I had left at my friend and I's party (joint birthday), including one which had a ticket to see Two Door Cinema Club! I would have been very annoyed with myself if I had lost it, so much love to aforementioned friend who found it, and of course the person who was generous enough to give it to me!

Further development of his egg

Hello all!
Sorry its been ages since my last post, I feel bad for putting this off. But after feeling thoroughly outdone by my companion over at http://mikesysblog.blogspot.com, I feel it necesary to remain competitive in todays harsh economic climate.

Today was quite possible one of the most terrible days of all time. The day started of good, with a AIDS-licous tutorial, which we must have covered about 10 times allready, but howanever, it was interesting and enlightening. Then was art, which has to be one of the most enjoyable lessons; theres not many where you can sit there and draw to your hearts content for an hour and five minutes. But after that, the imminent shitstorm began.

It was the time of our bullshitacular war poetry timed essay mock. The only time where I spend fourty five minutes getting a hand cramp without a reasonable goal in sight. Well, I'd love to sit here and bore you about the way in which Owen and Sassoon protest against the death of soldiers in war in the poems, "Anthem for the Doomed Youth" and "Suicide in the Trenches", but I have some serious unfinished business to get down to.

It has been requested of me that I write a review of a White Lies gig I went to a couple of weeks ago at the Shepards Bush Empire. Said person would like to pikey this review, thus exploiting me to get closer to her dreams of being some kind of musical journalist person, so I would highly recommend beating the crap out of said person if you see this on their site, however, here goes...

"Sexy" Charlie

The train journey to Shepards Bush was hardly anything interesting, however, numerous interesting things were about to happen. Not least, quite possible the most stereotypical incident I have ever witnessed. After arguing with my sister and her friend about wether to go to the venue now or later, we decided to split out ways, with her and her friend being slightly too obsessed, and my friend and I being slightly too hungry. We made our food choice, the local KFC, however, as we were entering we were stopped by a man, who then proceeded to shout at us, screaming: "Please get me a bargain bucket!!! Please! I dont even care, it can be a snack box, just get me some chicken!". Obviously we were taken by suprise, but coolly replied no, as we were pushed for money ourselves, and didnt know this man at all. Well, with this slightly humorous situation behind us, we bought our food and went downstairs, where I had to stay focused on my food and try not to listen to the woman next to us talking about rather sensitive topics, or "DUTTEH" as she described it, many a time... in gory... graphic detail.

So, after filling ourselves up we went to the queue and queued for just over an hour. As soon as I got in I was shocked at how small and intimate the venue was, and how few people were in there. With a nice spot at the barrier calling me over, I dashed to it, and we all managed to get right to the front, with room enough to be comfortable!

The first support act was called "Active Child", or something like that. We talked to the frontman breifly afterwards, following one of my fellow gig goers shouting, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME???". He looked strangely like a ginger Eminem, fit with the US accent. Which also meant we couldnt understand what he was saying. Nonetheless, we nodded and smiled politely, just incase they do get famous and we can say we talked to them!

Ginger Eminem breaking down

Their music was hardly spectacular, but I couldnt help but get drawn into the hypnotic beats and almost celestial synths, with intricate loops and bass, and even a harp! But I was here for the White Lies, not a chill out session, so I dont reallty think they were appreciated too much, other than for laughing at his ridiculous dancing. He made it look as if it hurt to touch his keyboard, crouching to the floor and kicking about as he played. However, in ridiculousness he could not top the next support: Crocodiles.

Someone behind us took that, and afterwards made the rather humorous comment, "They look like more than friends"

Ill be honest with you, Im not completely sure what Im talking about, but presumably this band was strongly influenced by some kind of punk music. The prickish sunglasses-wearing-indoors, redunkudunkulous skinny jeans, and even spitting on the stage gave it away.  The lyrics were completely inaudible, other than a constant whining, and an occasional dog-esque "EIIY"ing. Well, I was glad when they were over, to say the least.

"Now Im poised in an awkward stance..."

From HMV

Finally, the White Lies came on. The first two songs almost acted as a warm up, getting everyone into the feel of the concert, and introducing us to the flavour of the evening. There were all the classics, "Farewell to the Fairground", "Death" and even the suprising but brilliant, "E.S.T". Not only this, but some brilliant new album tracks from "Ritual", and some older gems from "To Lose My Life". I was surprised at how well "Power and Glory" was converted into an excellent live track, which really got the crowd going, and everyone dancing. This was the penultimate song, followed by their lead single, "Bigger Than Us".

Yes, we were that close!

The set list!

Even after the astounding gig had ended, the good times just kept on rolling. Kathleen the Italo-pikey managed to grab a setlist, and Cein caught a drumstick, although he kindly donated this to a neighbouring fan, as he had one from their HMV concert a few weeks previously. All in all, it was a surprisingly good concert, something I expected to be good, but not that good, from a band as relatively unknown as White Lies. They managed to come out with some hard hitting live songs, something I didnt expect from them, purely due to their lyrical and musical style, but I would seriously reccomend checking these out whilst the tickets are still cheap!

p.s. I didnt actually take any of these photos! (I think)

- Colm.

Art Photos

Some general photos to study the title, "Similarities and/or Differences". Here I was looking at the texture of two different objects, and editing them to emphasise the textures and patterns.

Apologies for being a simpleton, but I couldn't resist a simply high contrast edit.

 

Sorry if these seem a bit random, but I'm just making a post to keep the blog going, and these are the photos I have been working on for art at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions/advice, please leave a comment. If you do, there's a high chance it will appear in my sketchbook, as I'm short on ideas for photos/edits at the moment.

- Colm