October 19, 2010

miscellania

On Friday morning my old laptop started gasping its last. Like the 18-year-old truck I unloaded last year, it was still working, barely, but every peripheral function had retired, and it was only a matter of time before it self destructed with me on board. It was time for my first brand-new computer and the timing was right -- just when prices have sunk to obscenely affordable! Since then I have been struggling to master my new baby to the exclusion of almost everything else (except for an amazing autumn hike on Sunday -- photos still in limbo).

I'm pretty much back on board now with a couple of good ART-icles to share. Check out this piece on the psychology of taste in music, art, books, etc. Are you a taste hunter, thrill seeker, self medicator, decorator or something different? I totally identified with the taste hunter but have a heavy dose of the 'emo' self medicator as well.

And this article is particularly relevant to Canadian artists, especially disillusioned ones. It makes me wonder if future generations will consider the 20th century to be the golden age of social progress, never to be seen again.

But now, back to work on a drawing commission that I abandoned for cyber matters last week. This image (just a fun doodle) is from a pen-and-ink drawing I did from a pack of playing cards in the cabin while on vacation here, then scanned and coloured digitally when I got home. Hmm. That reminds me that I still need to load the scanner/printer software...

9 comments:

moreidlethoughts said...

"Don't you draw the Jack[sic] of diamonds, boy..."
You bone up on new laptop stuff;I may came yellin' fer help when I get mine. ;-)

Ellen said...

Psychology today always reminds me of Glamour or Mademoiselle magazine without the beauty or fashion tips. Your "Until you spread your wings, you'll never know how far you can fly." poster must be hanging in your bedroom or is it on your wish list?:)

andrea said...

Meow. And I thought you'd been declawed. Just for that I'm going shopping at the Gap and Restoration Hardware without you.

Lisa Riehl said...

What a great sketch! I never thought to scan and digitally colour mine - fantastic idea. Except I haven't drawn in ages, I seem to just go straight to the painting. My new excuse to draw some more...

andrea said...

Di: I am so overloaded right now I need to sleep for a week -- but happy to help if I can!

Lisa: It's addicting! And a nice break from the easel.

Hayden said...

Taste Hunter, mostly I guess. Now I finally have an excuse for the stacks of CDs and books and genres that go all over the board... some Thrill Seeker too, but not shoot-em-ups and horror movies. NOPE nope nope. Finally learned they are just too much of the WRONG kind of stimulus, wind me up and don't make me feel so good. But sensual/colorful stuff yes, and I can watch people doing stuff like surfing big waves, kayaking down suicidal runs etc. until there's no tomorrow... Just as long as they don't pull out guns and ambush each other.

andrea said...

There is still lots of wrong kind of stimulus that I just can't seem to avoid... :)

Mrs Button said...

interesting links - taste is an interesting concept - I'm just glad that we don't all have the same taste - it would be so boring! Love your doodle :o)

mrwriteon said...

Have fun with your new one. Much as I loved my old Mac (which had gotten increasingly dysfunctional) I love my li'l laptop even if it is a PC. Cool playing card.