Monday, August 29, 2011

Illustration Friday - Disguise

It was rumoured that Andy Warhol hired an actor to pretend to be him and represent him at social functions.  I'm not satisfied with the likeness of this attempt at a portrait of Andy so let's say it's a portrait of an actor disguised as Andy Warhol

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Illustration Friday - Influence

The great Louis Armstrong. The following is from his Wikipedia entry:
"Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extends well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general."
This is a detail from a work in progress, I'll put up the finished picture if I don't completely ruin it somewhere along the way
Here's a link to his amazing version of St James Infirmary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMx8OW32Bs

and here's the final version:

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Illustration Friday - Swell


I immediately thought of a song by Iggy Pop and Deborah Harry from a 1990 AIDS benefit album called Red Hot and Blue, all of the songs were written by Cole Porter. Turns out the song is actually called Did You Evah from High Society but I always thought it was What A Swell Party This Is. Cole Poerter definitely was "swellegant"

The lyrics (radically altered by Iggy and Blondie)


Have you heard, amoung this clan
I am called 'The forgotten man'?
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

Have you heard the story of
A boy, a girl , urequitted love?
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

What frills, what frocks!
What furs, what rocks!
What gaiety!
It's all to exquis!
That French champagne!
So good for the brain!
That bands, it's the end!
Kindly don't fall down my friend.

Have you heard? Professor Munch
Ate his wife and divorced his lunch.
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

Have you heard? The countess Krupp
Crossed the bridge when the bridge was up.
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

Have you heard that Mimsie Starr
Just got pinched in the Astor bar?
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

Have you heard that Uncle Newt
Forgot to open his parachute?
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

It's great, it's grand!
It's wonderland!
What soup, what fish!
That beef, what a dish!
That grouse, so rare!
That aged camembert!
That bab au rhum!
Will you please move over chum?

Have you heard that dear old Blanch
Got run down by an avalanche?
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!

Have you heard? It's in the stars,
Next July we collide with Mars!
Well, did you evah?
What a swell party this is!
What a swellagent, elagent party this is!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Illustration Friday - Imperfect (and Obsession)

I had wanted to finish this painting for the Obsession topic since golf is certainly an obsession of mine, however, as someone said "Golf is not a game of perfect" and my game is as imperfect as it gets. This is a view of the fourth hole at Victoria Park East Golf course in Guelph, Ontario where I've been a member since 2008. I have left a large number of balls in this pond over the years