An old drawing I found

This drawing, despite lacking in detail, is one of my favourites. It was produced in the life room with a piece of charcoal that was attached to a long piece of bamboo. In this way, I was forced to give up a certain degree of control as there was a one metre space between me (standing) and the drawing (on the floor). I was unable to manoeuvre the charcoal with ease, so having lost the temptation to make a mark on the page which simply had an enjoyable sensation (the sound and feeling of charcoal against paper tempts me to curve, continue or thicken lines unecessarily) I used my clumsy implement to capture purely what I saw.

Being rather flippant about what I was doing, I was surprised at the outcome. Despite the lack of tone, the lines told a story of what I saw before me and in some places recorded the weight of the body. It took me only a matter of minutes, however, unlike some of my other quick drawings it does not seem contrived. The drawing is highly inaccurate and vague, but somehow captures the tension of the pose and in that way, becomes an accurate account of that particular moment.
I rarely have the confidence to record visual information with a minimum of means and this technique gave me an 'excuse' to do so and to let go. For this reason, I also see the drawing as a more accurate record of the way in which my eyes move across and survey forms as we were given no stylistic guidelines to follow in this particular pose.
The drawing is direct and honest. Its immediacy appeals to me more than any other laborious pieces I have produced.

My cheeky wee neighbours

Well one fine afternoon whilst pottering about, I happened to look out of the kitchen window to see each and every flagstone of the neighbours' courtyard covered in the word 'please'. This I attributed to the group of art students living next door; surely they're doing some sort of installation? Anyhow, out pop a few midgets, who carry on colouring and decorating the flagstones with chalk.

Apparently they were begging their mum for a sleepover. Quite impressed by their initiative, I asked if I could take a picture. So snapped away from my window.....

Naturally, they asked if they could see the pics, which was when I thought, 'what will their parents think of a 25 year old adult taking pictures of their kids? hmmmm.' So told the kids that I had unfortunately lost the key for the downstairs lock.

10 minutes later: Martin (flatmate) suggests I look out the window.....what do I see. A giant 'HATE U' in our courtyard!

Chapter 1

This, my first blog, is quite a hurdle. I feel strangely exposed even though I am anonymous (ish). The internet is such a public forum and writing things about myself is quite possibly tantamount to standing naked in public with a paper bag placed over my head. You still feel naked.

That aside, I have decided to do this anyway so a handful of people at home can see little fragments of my life over here. Mainly pictures really.

My little blogging spot is right next to my window; painfully cold in the winter due to lack of double glazing, but glorious in the summer and spring. This is where I like to sit and read, sit and write and even do my schoolwork.