Robbies Bubbles

Life's right hook

2012-01-24T10:57:00.000Z

Life is very good at jabbing you, deep, in the kidneys.
You can attempt to prepare yourself, glance the blow, if you see it coming.
But when it's out of the blue, it pops your vision out of sync and after the numbness subsides, you feel the pain of your insides being twisted out of shape.
You recover from these jabs in time, although never fully.
There's always a scar, an un-suppressible memory, for good or for worse.

Life can be beautiful, but occasionally, it can be a right bitch.

The Geek with Chic boutique!

2011-12-09T15:59:00.007Z

Over the past year or so I've grown quite fond of my thigh tickler. So instead of shaving it off, I thought I'd try my hand at designing some cool products in aid of raising money for Movember.

As I had no clue as to what people would like to buy, I decided to keep things simple by using my 'Geek with Chic' logo as a template (it's a classic after all!) After guesstimating the sizes, I had a small number of them cut out of acrylic via a laser cutter, then attached the findings.

Etsy made setting up an online shop a doddle, and within a short time - and some support from great people - I had my first sales.

My first collection

After some friendly badgering via FB and Twitter - I try not to go on about it too much - the shop started to get some interest. With a couple of items coming close to running out, I had enough confidence under my belt to make some more, and whilst at it, added some other designs into the mix, which I have to say, look rather smart :)

A few additions

Despite not making a huge amount of money for Movember, I thoroughly enjoyed the process and have decided to keep the shop open, I have even started working on some new designs and some other products that I hope to share with you all soon. The first of which wil be some test brooches made from wood - if these work well then I'll be making some of the above in wood too, but as a starting point (and some healthy encouragement) this is a how it looks so far...

Pipe & Beard combo

The problem has been finding the right wood to use. I originally wanted walnut, but it's quite hard to come by locally, so I tried a 3mm 3ply. This did not go well - how was I supposed to know it was fire retardent? The laser gave it's best, but simply was not cutting through. So I moved down to a 1.5mm 9ply which cut like a dream, yet alone it seemed a bit fragile so I have glued two together with the above results. I like it! It's a 40x45mm brooch which I'll test drive this weekend. If all goes well, there'll be new product in the shop soon!

Talking of which, if you would like to check out the range, please click the link on this page or click HERE

Many thanks for stopping by :{D

*BONUS CONTENT*

As a special treat I thought I'd share my most recent modelling escaped! Last week I was asked to model for a shoot, as I looked "retro" and that was her theme. As it turned out, we used 90% of my own clothes and I set up the lighting and camera... it was like one of my many self portrait sessions, without the camera being on timer. But with some minor RAW editing I think the end result was really quite dapper, with a nice painty quality too it - Enjoy!

Excuse me Sir, do you sell American comics?

2011-11-07T12:14:00.000Z

Like most kids, I loved my fortnightly comic fix. My first subscription was for The Dandy, which one of the two old ladies running the village Newsagents would deliver, along with the local gossip for Mum ;)
Back then there was two main comics for the younger readers, and you was either a Dandy or Beano kid.

The exception (and often the highlight or the year) was christmas, when both would publish a hardback album, and there was a good chance you'd get both! =D
As I aged, I discovered the wealth of other reading material out there, most of the more exciting comics were published by 2000AD, with The Nemesis and Judge Dredd being my favorite characters. By this stage my village newsagents had closed its doors, so I had to rely on trips into town which meant I often missed out on vital story arches :/ Something to consider at this point, I did know of American comic characters, but only via TV shows and films. Favorites being Superman, Batman, The Hulk (and Wonder Woman), yet it had never occurred to me that they existed in print. So when I saw a kid at school reading Spiderman, I was blown away! But as life throws it's curve balls, buying comics became a rare leisure as I explored adulthood, with only a few Marvel UK prints adding to my collection. In the end, I had to rely on graphic novels for my comicy caper fixes.
That is, until now.

Reading graphic novels meant I wasn't totally out of the loop when it came to comics, yet occasionally a story arch would be completely out of skelter with my character knowledge. So when I heard of DC's New 52 I was all over it like a geek in cosplay. For the first time I could follow some of my favorite characters for the get go, to actually be a part of their adventures as they happened made me a very happy boy indeed. Which ones to buy was a major first hurdle, but in the end I am happy with my choices. The most surprising favorite being All star Western, a true victorian style thriller which put me in mind of a classic Sherlock Holmes story. The second choice was weather to go digital or not. I really like the digital format, yet I couldn't help but feel I didn't actually them, besides, I built a book shelve just for my graphic novels and it would be a shame if my comics didn't join them! So for the first time since I was 8, I now once again have comics arriving at my door; although sadly not by a slightly batty gossiping old woman :(

Here's to everyone's inner kid, may it never leave you (as it's often what makes you charming)
Thanks for stopping by ;)

The Englishman's Moustache Wax

2011-10-31T17:44:00.001Z

A year ago today, I shaved off the majority of my face fuzz to aid a halloween costume. With my training beard gone, it was my whiskers time to flourish and I liked what I saw! Once hallows eve had passed I decided I'd nurture this new look. But as each day passed, it became apparent that I had no clue as to how you tame such a beast!?

Like most folk venturing down an unfamiliar path, I decided to look to the WWW for help. I was truly amazed at the support found, and comforted by not being alone with my lip wig quires.

My first attempt to calm my man strands, was by using DAX Red. This did a fair job but is soft and lacks moulding power, plus it did not fare well when out for a few jars of ale. Another factor is it's size, fantastic value for money, but not something that slips in your waist coat pocket. Saying that, when at home, with no inclination of venturing out, it's my first choice. Its soft nature makes it quick to apply and whilst not elegant, keeps my tache in check.

My second foray into 'tache grooming was Pinaud's Clubman' Wax. At the time it seemed to be the most prevalent moustache wax available via the web. With varying shades to match (change?) your own hair, plus a small comb for simple application. For myself, the most notable delight was its fresh citrus aroma - a characteristic my lady was quite fond of too. It's holding power worked a treat and I thought my search was complete. Yet as my Mo grew, its weight crushed Clubman' efforts and I was left drooping. Not only this, but as my whiskers stretched out, I found I was using more and more and the tube was quickly emptying. I was foreseeing this method becoming an expensive endeavor. But for short to medium length 'taches, it's quite suitable, and certainly a step up from DAX.

My search was now common knowledge amongst friends. It was recommended to me that I look up a magazine called The Chap. As well as being a marvel to read, their website has a shop section which led me to the London made solution of my whiskery needs, and a fond appreciation of Bounder Extra Firm Moustache Wax. It made no attempt to hide what it is, an old fashioned wax that may require a bit more work to get the desired results, but once your lip is sculpted, it tends to stay that way all night, and often into the next day too!

As it's a more solid affair, it helps to warm it up a little by keeping it in your trouser pocket for a while before use, this makes application much easier. This wax also goes a long way, three tins with regular use lasted me near on 9 months - fantastic value for money.

Attention to detail is something I warm to, and every aspect of this product makes me smile. The presentation is top notch, from the banter on the outer packaging to the design of the tins themselves, Mr Wax clearly cares about what he makes and his customers. To top this, upon my recent delivery was attached a note from Mr Wax himself, which clearly marks him as a true gentleman. Long may he keep our man bristles looking sharp.

Many thanks for stopping by! :{D

Street Pokemon Zombie Heart!

2011-10-26T16:00:00.000+01:00

I've been awfully slack with my blogging of late, mainly due to working on 3 posts at once :/ One I have had to admit will take much more work (as do most of my creative writings), another just needs another delivery from the postman and the third (the most exciting!) 'was' awaiting the postman, but is now back in full swing to be posted soon - eeeep!

But in the mean time, I thought I'd share some fab things I stumbled across whilst traversing the web. First up is this fantastic set of nail art depicting characters from Street fighter 2.....

I may be wrong, but these look ace! Why is it not reasonable for manfolk to get epic nail art? Although for me personally, I would never go down the Street fighter root. I was more of a Darkstalkers fan, mmm Morrigan, until I was introduced to Mavel Vs Capcom 2! What a game, My Captain America and Venom tag team were unbeatable! (only in my mind, in reality I was beaten countlessly)

Next up was someones Redhead Evolution, Pokemon style. Apart from Pokemon Stadium (N64) the only Pokemon games I played involved lots of cards and glass beads. Yet whilst I never collected many fire cards; I was more of a water and leaf boy. I'm a huge fan of Castle, True Blood & Christina Hendricks... I mean Mad Men - although she was also pretty ace in Firefly & Life ;)

Thirdly, via Geekologie I saw this advert for genuine Zombie ammo! Yep Nebraska based ammunitions company Hornady, have specially designed bullets to take down (for a final time) the armies of the undead... "just in case". This is no joke, despite the comic like box art, they take their ammunition very seriously...

Disclaimer: Hornady® Zombie Max™ ammunition is NOT a toy (IT IS LIVE AMMUNITION), but is intended only to be used on…ZOMBIES, also known as the living dead, undead, etc. No human being, plant, animal, vegetable or mineral should ever be shot with Hornady® Zombie Max™ ammunition. Again, we repeat, Hornady® Zombie Max™ ammunition is for use on ZOMBIES ONLY, and that's not a nickname, phrase or cute way of referring to anybody, place or thing. When we say Zombies, we mean…ZOMBIES!

Lastly whilst following the tweets of @VictorianLondon (great blog here) I saw this wonderful map created by D. W. Kellogg circa 1833–1842. Whilst not too complimentary, it does give an insight as to how women were viewed by certain society members during this time period.

Yet for me for most fascinating aspect of it, was it's design. So much forethought in it's layout and an admiration of the fine details made with tools long laid to rest. Wonderful :)

As mentioned, exciting things are happening in my vacuous cranium. I shall post all very soon!

Thanks for stopping by :{D

The awakening of Flynigan Chyn

2011-09-14T12:04:00.035+01:00

Image by Andy W Clift

A young boy sat high up in a tree not far from camp. Confident he was not followed he examined his ill gotten gains. Twirling a pocket watch through his fingers, the silver and gold gilding sparkled in the shards of moonlight that broke through the canopy. The clan rarely met with town folk these days through fear of men getting drafted into the ‘great war’, and stealing from his own people was becoming less and less of a challenge.

Still, ever since his magpie-like vice was discovered by his parents (in hindsight, under his bunk was not the best place to hide his loot) the sting of his father’s belt and the shame of having to return his prizes to their owners, meant that he was trusted by no-one and rarely left alone. Rather than deter him however, he accepted the greater challenge of not only swiping a valuable, but to then return it before suspicion led folk to be calling at his Pa's caravan door.

Whilst contemplating his many mini victories, the watch suddenly became weightless. He starred wide eyed as it hovered just above his hand, then almost fell off his branch as it rose past his face and high up into the branches. The watch travelled towards an impossibly dark patch high in the canopy. Before any sense could be made of it, a shard of moonlight revealed a large pale hand that reached out to take possession of the time piece. Although fear had him frozen to his perch, he was in awe of the mysterious figure that had managed to stay hidden from him all that time.

"My dear Flynigan, what do you think the punishment would be if Rufeos knew you had his great grandfather’s watch? A watch that I gifted to his family no less, for the kindness they have always shown me"

Flyn's mind raced, for so few words spoken, they chilled him to the bone. If the man's coarse emotionless voice was not unnerving enough, the stranger knew his clan’s leader, claimed to be over a hundred years old and most terrifying of all, knew who Flyn was. If he could have moved, he would have been down the tree and sprinting till his lungs caught fire, yet a part of him knew that running would have done him no good. To his surprise, he heard himself whisper, "I was going to give it back," submissively, with just a pang of rebellion.

"Yes Flynigan you shall. Master your skills, learn from the animals, the owl and the fox can teach you much of deception and cunning. Next we meet we shall talk of items of true desire, not mere trinkets. Although, they may take you more than one lifetime to discover, if you are willing to make that sacrifice...."

With that, the dark shape of the man seemed to thin out and moonlight was again visible through the leaves, the pocket watch dropped from the heights, and only Flyn’s honed reactions led his hand to grasp it out of the air. He sat for some time trying to remember every detail of what just happened, burning every part to memory. Eventually the morning dew started to chill him, so he made his way back to his bunk with the knowledge that his chores would have him up again in no time. On that short walk back he thought to himself, 'If I managed to steal from a man like that, then I'd know I was the best'...

••••

Fourteen years pass since the night spoke to him.
With Germany's second conquest denied, conscription fears are no more.
Hearts are filled and crushed by teen spirits.
He avoids his peers, unless cards are on the table.
A Mother, lost to sickness.
The night comforts him.
He grows and deepens.
A boy becomes a man.

A sudden lurch of the caravan woke Flyn as it came to a standstill. They had stopped outside the old town of Gissing, mostly built from locally cut stone which is uniquely chestnut in colour. Through the window he could see it glow in the midday sun like hot coals, and commotion outside meant others had already started unpacking. Stepping out of the wagon his father called out "I hope nothing fell on that head of yours son" There was no mirth in his voice, he hadn't even looked over from adjusting the horses harness. It has been some years since they had seen eye to eye, so he ignored the old man to get on with the chores of readying camp.

As the night wrapped its cloak around the land, Flyn slunk off to practice with his throwing blades (there was no better way to snipe a pheasant out of the air, without attracting attention from game keepers). He found a stump not far from the camp and readied himself; in the distance Old Gissing was now an imposing canopy of turrets and chimneys.

Suddenly a deep steady voice broke the near silence:

"You've come a long way Flynigan Chyn. You impress me. Now I have a challenge for you, although if you accept, failure or success will change your life forever"

Fourteen years since he'd heard that voice, and in that time he'd learnt all the sights and sounds of the night. He could pick out a doormouse hiding in fallen leaves and hear an owl swoop as it dove for its prey. Yet the man was somehow behind him, and he'd heard or seen nothing. Fear and a personal frustration led him to consider the blade in his hand, yet his resolve was strong, and with a deep breath he was calmed. Turning to face the man he had begun to think of as a figment of his imagination, he said "I'm listening..."

••••

Branches whipped Flyn's face as he sped through the undergrowth, legs burning, heart pounding, sweat mixing with his blood soaked clothes. The challenge seemed simple enough: "I want you to break into the oldest house in Gissing and steal a book. It should be easy to spot. It will no doubt have it's own pedastal with a wolf’s head branded into the cover." In spite of his determination his pace was slowing, with each forced stride he could hear the squelch of blood that was pooling in his boots. If he lived long enough to see the stranger again, he'd definitely be giving his blades another consideration.

Everything was going so well, the house was easy enough to find, at night the bricks were rust red and turrets dominated its peaks. He noticed that the windows were shuttered from the inside, a security feature that wasn't mirrored in the doors locks, which were old and laughably easy to pick. With little noise he entered into a grand hallway, which led to a reception area twinned either side by opposing staircases. The air had a chill to it suggesting the inhabitants were either out, or snug in bed; not sure of which, he proceeded cautiously.

Concentrating on the ground floor he systematically scouted the rooms. A waiting room and water closet were quickly passed, but a study caught his attention. The teak panelled walls consumed what little light there was, yet its clutter free layout made it easy to traverse. Confident he was currently alone, he sparked his Zippo to life, pushing back the darkness with its flickering warm glow. Although here for a book, the stranger didn't say not to help himself to things opportune. The study contained two facing high backed chairs, poised between an ornate chess table, and a large writing desk crowned by a green leather swivel chair. As with the other rooms, heavy wooden shutters obscured the windows, but impossible to miss was the large painting depicting an gruesome battle that dominated the room, beautifully haunting in its detail, its brass plaque titled it 'The battle of Quatre Bras'. At the writing desk the drawers bared some fruit, a silver letter opener, a gold nib fountain pen and a well crafted cigarillo case, all items that could fetch him good coin. Before leaving the room, a framed photograph sitting upon the desk caught his eye. It captured a small group of fresh faced soldiers ready to go over the trenches, at what he guessed was late dusk. Not only was the willingness in their eyes strange, one of the men bore an uncanny resemblance to a foot soldier in the painting. "This family must be gluttons for punishment"

The kitchen and pantry held little of note. “Too little” Flyn decided. With no fresh food to speak of and the chill that filled the house, he concluded the occupiers must be out of town. This thought annoyed him to distraction. How could he prove his skills as a thief if there was no challenge involved? Somewhat disheartened, he continued his search for the library, taking less care with where he placed his feet, secretly hoping that his deliberate disregard would summon them home and make for an interesting night again.

The library was impressive, occupying a rear quarter of the house and spanning both floors. A spiral cast iron staircase to the left of the entrance led up to where a brass railed walkway gave access to the second tier of books. Fairly confident the shutters were capable of keeping light from spilling outside (added to the flickering from his Zippo giving him eye strain) he sought out the light switch. As the gloom was beaten back by many evenly spaced lanterns, the grandeur of the room settled on him. Every available wall space was filled by books of all sizes. Not coming from a family of readers he found it hard to imagine that this many books existed at all. The fruity, almond-like musk that accompanied them told him that many were old, and for the first time he considered the wealth of knowledge that must be contained within such pages. But it was back to business when his eyes landed on five plinths at the far side of the room.The plinths were all of simple and solid construction and each held a book. As expected one had a wolf’s head branded into the cover. On the others were a flower, a mirror, a mask and a sceptre. He took his prize and slid it into a spacious pocket within his coat and out of habit, placed a book of similar size on the plinth so that the theft would not be obvious.

With the chill now finding its way through his clothes and his instinct to not stay in one place for too long, he shut off the lights and made his way back through the house. He felt a little smug; the stranger obviously expected the building to be occupied, so his swift return would add merit to is abilities - he needn’t tell him the truth. As he walked across the hallway, the exit in sight, he stilled as the sound of a door closing above and behind him reached his ears.

"Ahh, good. A trespasser, I was feeling a little peckish"

Not sure of the words he heard but aware that he'd been caught, he spun to face their owner, hands reaching for his belt knives.

"Halt!"

As he turned to face the voice his body seized up, muscles tensing, no longer obeying his actions. Frustration flashed through him as his fingers graced the blades, yet all he could do was stare at the man, poised like a stuffed predator, fear beginning to consume him.

The man was younger than his voice let on, well dressed, confident. Flyn recognised the family features as he walked casually down the stairs. Whilst fear and confusion set about to destroy him, Flyn's survival instinct concentrated on getting his fingers moving again.

Half way down the flight, the man stopped and spread his arms

"I am truly grateful you stopped by. It's been many days since I replenished myself. I get lost in my work you see... of course you don't, and it's something you'll never have to worry about"

Flyn, still frozen, became aflame with pain as his skin tore itself apart, his clothes dampened before he witnessed blood float away from his body. A silent scream filled his mental prison as he fought with all his will to break free. In moments the air was full of scarlet, a steady flow of plasma making its way to a new host. The figure, arms still outstretched, seemed to absorb the blood as it touched him, the consequence of which left a vision of ecstasy on the man’s face, a vision that turned Flyn's stomach. His knuckles went white as he finally gripped the blade handles...

...the vampire picked himself up, pulling a blade from his eye socket as he did, bone, blood and pulp running down his cheek. His good eye showed him the other knife buried in his chest, ruining an expensive shirt. Distracted by the pleasures of feeding he had underestimated the resolve of the human, and looking at the blood now covering the stairs and floor, he doubted he'd ever see him again. A shame, best liquor he'd tasted in decades.

Legs burning, heart pounding, sweat mixing with his blood soaked clothes. In spite of his determination his pace slowed until unable to hold his own weight any longer. He collapsed in a copse that edged a farmer’s field just a mile off the gypsy camp, just a mile, yet no longer could he continue. His body now numb to the pain, he propped himself up on the fourth attempt, not wanting to die with his face in the dirt. Through his staggered breathing he managed a chuckle; of all the places to die, the last thing he’d smell was cabbages.

“You’re an unusual man Flynigan. Death sharpens his scythe before you, yet you smile at it’s edge.” The stranger stepped into view. As he looked down at the torn and broken human he felt an echo of pity for him. He knelt and reached into Flyn’s coat to retrieve the book. Flyn didn’t resist, he could hardly see let alone put up a fight, the stranger was right, the Grim Reaper was close.

The man caressed the cover of the book, a quiet intensity lining his words
“This is a true item of desire Flynigan. The writings within this tome will allow me to master the Gangrels gifts, no longer will their claws keep me from putting them in their place. Years I have been waiting for this, that paranoid sorcerer had so many wards protecting his haven, that a vampire couldn't get within twenty feet of it, but he never expected a human to be brazen enough to steal from him. Tell me Flynigan, would you like to live in my world or shall I let you depart in peace?”

Eyes closed, Flyn’s imagination was able to take charge. Before him, the reaper stood a foot taller than he, and in the distance he thought he could make out his mother, waiting patiently within the cabbage field. Soon they would be together again, and he was unsure of how he felt about this. Mention of the sorcerer though, brought him back to the now, mind suddenly lucid, fuelled by a final burst of adrenalin. Eyes wide, the stranger came into focus, his face dressed with either pity or amusement. But that didn’t matter to Flyn, if there was an out, he’d take it, besides:

“I think I may have dropped my blades in that house, I’d love to get them back”

For when scones just aren't English enough - Rock cakes rule

2011-09-07T12:01:00.002+01:00

Recently, the fairy godmother of cakes filled my mind with thoughts of baking. It's been a while since I baked so whilst the magic she used was compulsive, I knew the limits of my abilities.

There are two particular cakes my Mum used to bake with frequency when I was a wee lad, eccles cakes & rock cakes. As I knew not where to start making eccles cakes, rock cakes was the way forward. With simple ingredients, they take hardly any time and are fully of nostalgic goodness!

For those that are not aware of rock cakes, they are basically sweet scones that demand you take as little care as possible with presentation. You could make them nice and neat or just gloop them onto a baking tray, the decision is yours :) Rock cakes became particularly popular in Britain during the WWII,due to limited resources, they were also often made with oats rather than flour, as white flour was so hard to come by.

(May I stress that Ani bought the baking trays, not me)

What you'll need:

1 medium/large egg - beaten

110g/4oz butter - make sure it's soft before you start ;)

225g/8oz Self raising flour
1 tsp of baking soda

100g or so of your chosen fruit, I used currents, but you could use any small dried fruit, I'm thinking cranberries next time - Yum!

55g of granulate or brown sugar

milk

How you do it?

• Pre-heat oven to 200º/Gas mark 5

•Sieve the flour into a bowl, then add the butter and baking soda and mix with your fingers until it all looks like bread crumbs

•Add the sugar and fruit and mix together

•Add the egg with a dash of milk and mix together until you it becomes dough-like, splash a tad more milk in if you need to

• Separate into 12 and plonk them on a greased (I used butter for this) baking tray/s

•I like to add a sprinkle of brown sugar to the top of each - just a little

•Stick them in the oven for 15 min

When they are ready let them stand for a bit then serve them up warm, either as they are, or with butter and jam - enjoy!

Needless to say, they go great with a cuppa tea!

Thanks for stopping by!

Simple retouching...

2011-09-01T12:12:00.000+01:00

In an attempt at making my retouching workshops simpler, I have been playing about with some of the many many approaches to the subject with varying results. But I think I found a combination that is easy to execute with fair results - What do you think?

(for a bigger window, view it on youtube)

p.s please forgive my poor video editing skills, if you've seen my other attempts, you'll know it doesn't get any better than this :{D

Sometimes, I make things...

2011-08-12T13:16:00.003+01:00

The Gaming/Coffee table

A few weeks back, I had to take up the floor boards in our loft, to improve on the insulation, which left me with lots of spare wood. And whilst playing Scrabble on the floor with Ani, it dawned on me that a low level table would be perfect for such activities! Plus if I made one with a lip, then dice would be safe from rolling off the edge when we play DandD or Vampire Masquerade. So with some time off work I thought I'd apply my hand, and spend some quality time in my garage ;{D

First up, I needed a plan. After much deliberation and hours of hard work, this was my outcome

Next up I had to choose my tools, I prefer the old ones ;)

First part I completed was the main piece made from the old floor boards

Next up was to make a frame for the table to sit in, kinda like a large picture frame!

Lots of bolts, screws and glue later, all I needed to add was some legs

And here it is sitting proudly in out front room, ready for the nights gaming activities. A job well done if I do say so myself ;{D

There is still much to do to finish it off, I want to stain it to start with, then add a picture to the centre.

Thanks for stopping by!

Update:

As requested, below is a picture of the table complete with stain. I much prefer the darker look, and in the sun it has a cherry red hue which is just ace :)

In case anyone was wondering, the tables dimensions are 110cm by 92cm and it stand a humble 20cm high.

I got mail!...

2011-08-05T16:43:00.000+01:00

I had my day totally made when I received this card via Mr Posty!

I love my job, I get to play with cameras all day and the opportunity to photograph myself is bountiful, but the main perk is working with the students, helping them along their path and ensuring their zany personalities shine through in their work, is very rewarding and often much fun.

But rarely after graduation do you see many of them again, and whilst there are still plenty of current and new students patiently waiting for September so that they may test me, its wonderful when you get a little thank you card from one that has flown the coup. I don't think I'm a bad tutor by any means, yet it's super awesome when you get a reminder that says you did good.

So a big thanks to 'T' who sent this card through (yes the rabbits do have little moustaches!) and also to those on FB who kept in touch - You rock!

Robbie

Sandman - you're a jerk...

2011-08-03T17:14:00.003+01:00

The past couple of nights have been intense, dreams that have had me waking constantly, eye's wide open. I'd calm myself and push the images away, before unwillingly diving back in where I left off upon closing my lids.

Two nights ago I dreamt I was living in the age of Zombies. To survive, the humans had joined forces and the country was full of tribe like pockets of survivors, each thinking they were the only humans left alive. In true post apocalyptic style they hung onto the past in a distorted fashion, they thought department stores where museums, depicting a glorious past where humans used a multitude of wondrous devices, most of which had dark rope coming out of them that ended in a strange metal claw. Throughout the dream we where attacked by Zombies on numerous occasions, each time losing a member of our tribe, no matter how many of the beasts we beheaded. There was never a sense of victory, hope was stretched thin, yet the desire to survive was strong. I awoke proud to be a survivor, yet quite depressed.

Last night had a different spin. No Zombies this time, but I wasn't particularly fond of this one either as I awoke drained.

I lived far from 'the city', the town had a 5 shop high street, a picnic park and a lake that used to be chalk pit. A place that tourists used to stop by to enjoy some fishing or a peaceful barbeque. But the new interstate meant people didn't pass by as much any more.

Someone had gone missing in the town, I local person we all liked. The police were moving from door to door; the usual enquiry stuff. As I went to answer my door, I noticed the missing persons jacket on the coat hook; he hadn't been here in months. The front door had a mottled glass panel so the officer could see I was standing there. Confused and feeling strangely guilty, I unwillingly opened the door that thankfully hid the coat rack. Mumbling through the officers questions, he gave me a thoughtful look before heading on. My back now damp with worry, I turned my attention to the jacket. Apart from it being where it shouldn't, it looked quite ordinary. A search of the pockets only turned out a yellowing page torn from a book. Along the border of the page was the word, L I N T in a heavy font with each letter looking individually punched. Although its meaning was lost to me, the irony was not.

As the dream continued various other items of the missing man turned up in my possession. His truck keys in my writing desk, work boots in the wardrobe, even his favourite beers in the fridge. It accumulated so quickly, that going to the police soon became a closed door, through fear of being a suspect. Someone was out to set me up, they could get in my house with ease and knew my routines. I figured it was someone I knew so I couldn't ask for help, I was alone and they knew it.

A second torn page appeared, stuck to my bathroom mirror using the condensation from the shower I was having, my remaining nerves fled when I saw it, I felt myself loosing hope. Knowing they were so close whilst I was completely vulnerable was crushing. I longed for a confrontation, one that I somehow knew I wouldn't fair well from; I didn't care though, I just wanted it over. Like the first scrap, letters were punched into the border, H O U P, again I struggled to find any meaning in it.

More notes appeared along with various other possessions, one in my wallet, another in my trouser pocket. More letters stamped into them - L Y C A and S L U E - but I couldn't figure out the puzzle, if it even was a puzzle.

Towards the end of my dream, I came downstairs to find a half drunk hot coffee on the kitchen side and the back door wide open. Running to the door I closed and bolted it, only realising as I did so that I may have just lock myself in with him. As my mind rushed, doors start slamming loudly on the other side of the house, my legs gave way, I slid to the floor. Fear and exhaustion fought amongst themselves in their desire to possess me. As a last ditch effort I took out the scraps of paper and lay them out before me, desperate to find a way out of this, all the time wishing I was better at anagrams - I hate anagrams - trying various combinations, I had to get this right, with each slammed door closer than the last, my fingers shook, yet through the frantic shuffling of letters something finally came through that seemed to make sense, yet made no sense at all - THE LUPIN CALLS YOU - I laughed hysterically at what I had made, as whether I was right or wrong, it wasn't going to end well. As the door in front of me opened, I woke up

Making fashion...

2011-07-29T18:05:00.000+01:00

A little while back I was asked to photograph some of the tools, that our fashion students use when creating their garments. It was the first time I had a chance to play with Canon's 100mm Macro lens, and what a dream it was to use. With an aperture of f2.8 and a minimum focusing distance of 30cm you can get some lovely results without the need of extension tubes. I recommend it thoroughly!

Here are some examples, enjoy :{D

(Some of the images are not full frame, excess has been cropped for effect)

Keep Calm and Smoke a Pipe...

2011-07-19T17:32:00.000+01:00

With the plethora of 'KEEP CALM' posters flying freely around the net and in our shops, I thought I'd make one with my own flavour to it. I have not been a pipe smoker for very long, but in a very short time I have been swept up by its charm. As an avid real Ale drinker I adore the variety of the tipple and the excitement of coming across a new brew. I see smoking a pipe to be of a similar ilk, as there are so many 'brews' and mixes to be tried, with tobacconists often creating their own blends for you to dip into. And much like Ale, you learn to take the rough with the smooth and appreciate that the flavours can change dramatically throughout a barrels (tins) lifetime, as the air gets inside and mixes everything up :{,

There is also the paraphernalia that accompanies the indulgence, a gentlemans pipe can reflect much his persona or mood, and can again change the flavours achieved from your chosen leaf mix. Above is my current favorite pipe, a Mr Brog's No.66 briar pipe, hand crafted in Poland, I like to think by Mr Brogs himself. It does not have a very large bowl so is perfect for a 20-30 min smoke, and so far has been a very cool ride.

To assist me on my current journey I have taken a particular liking to Orlik's Bull's Eye. Produced in a roll and presented a 'discs', I like the way the virginia and cavendish tobaccos are easy to separate so that you can 'build' up the bowl in a way you prefer. In my limited experience, I would say it is a smooth smoke with lots of natural earthy flavours and an aroma that everybody seems to enjoy, I'd thoroughly recommend it to pipe smokers just starting out.

Enjoy :{,

Straightening my collar....

2011-07-05T17:15:00.002+01:00

I've been the subject of my own photographic journey ever since I've own a camera. I wouldn't say I was egotistical or a vain dandy, in fact, I would consider myself quite self conscious and am often social inept. I would much rather be a part of the conversation than the topic, and I have always found it hard to strike up chit chat, even with those I have known for years. I really have to try hard at it (and it often sounds awkward in my head)

Why do I photograph myself so often? Well that's easy, it's comfortable.

I can play with lighting at my leisure, there's no one to direct and I can muddle and faff* as much as I like without due care to other people. I obviously care about the results, the end image is important to me, but I rarely start out with a goal in mind, I just know when I'm done.

Is there a story/meaning behind an image that was created with intent? Quite often, yes.

I only ever take pictures when the 'mood' strikes me. Sometimes they capture my playful side. Sometimes it's clear that I am sad, frustrated or angry - although I tend not to share too many of those images.

Today I felt the 'mood' and these are the results, I only took 8 pictures, that felt like enough. The setup built itself, and I think it captures how I feel perfectly. People are very good at disguising how they feel on a daily basis, we are all performers.

So why do I photograph myself? Sometimes it's just to see how well the mask is holding up.

Thanks for stopping by :{,

* Faff
Verb
1. to waste time doing nothing. 2. to waste time doing stupid things 3. to delay, dilly-dally, especially before leaving the house to be on time somewhere

I got into rubber quite young...

2011-06-29T14:26:00.000+01:00

Bath time was pretty straight forward when I was a kid, we were occasionally treated to bubbles which were an absolute joy, and to make the experience 'fun' we were allowed a bath time toy - a yellow rubber duck (unless I managed to sneak in a he-man figure without mum noticing) Needless to say, that despite it's limited functions the little fella had undeniable charm, that never failed to make the cleaning experience enjoyable.

Although later shunned to sit by the bath and watch whilst I played with submarines and dinosaurs as I got older, he was never forgotten. As I reach adulthood and learnt the pleasures of simply relaxing in a soapy hot tub, I'd bring him on board and let him bob and float his merry random path over the water.

(just a sample of the ducks that now live with us, including the ultimate Mega-duck!)

It would seem that the yellow rubber ducky is no longer alone in his bubbly flotsam world, in our house alone we have a fair few, but upon a some quick research I found that there is a billed bounty out there to tickle any individuals fancy, I made a collection below of some of the ones I quite liked, the Jake & Elroy ducks scoring very highly...

Of course, any blog entry with a batman reference is pure win!

Enjoy! ;{D

Tashman Tee!

2011-06-13T13:34:00.000+01:00

A tip top and dandy pal of mine bought me a ticket to London's Comicon. Now I've always loved the idea of dressing up 'cosplay' style yet I couldn't think of what to wear, then it hit me. I love Batman (here or here) and my facial hair has become quite prominent of late (here) so lets combine these great powers to create... Tashman! And after many drafts, this was the outcome...

Simple, yet striking - so off I went to get the screen made up...

Looking good...

...but I kinda got carried away and whilst I was waiting for the screen to dry, I made myself some badges! Before ultimately heading off to my simple setup in the garage to get printing!

And here is a none too beautiful picture of the end result at Comicon, needless to say the Tee went down quite well and whilst a few wanted the badges, I was very surprised when I was stopped to get my picture taken, without realising (honestly) I had become Tashman, what had started out as a fun cocktail of a couple of my favorite things had turned into it's own personality.

I am... the hairy avenger

Why make a hollow book?

2011-06-09T11:11:00.000+01:00

I wouldn't say I waste my spare time, I like to think I abuse it

Thanks for stopping ;{D

Lightsabers make history fun!

2011-05-25T17:20:00.000+01:00

Battle of the Cowpens

Painted by Don Troiani

Re-mastered by Robbie Munn

Despite depicting a battle that the English did not fair well in, as an ode to all historically based Hollywood films, I feel that by adding just a wee bit of science fiction makes it all the more interesting. History is fun once more.

(if you'd like a bigger version - just let me know)

Enjoy ;{D

Poos and don'ts...

2011-05-16T12:28:00.001+01:00

If you follow my FB or twitter page, then you'd know that I talk about poo quite a bit, most of which I managed to group into the following, although this was only for 2010...

Knowledge of my bowl updates even led to a song being written in my honor by the fabulous Balance Lost - check it out, it's called 'Void your bowls' I often listen to this at work :{D

But the other day I was brought into a conversation with the words "You like poo don't you, check out this picture"... now I understood why they could assume that looking at a picture of poo may interest me, and they did seem confused when I declined their offer, but just for the record - I don't like poo.

Pooing on the other hand, I feel is an underrated pleasure. A satisfying deposit can really set you up for the day and is also a fantastic time to reflect, ponder, play angry birds, read or just escape.

In light of this it is also important to make sure you are doing it properly, especially if you are not in the comfort of your own throne, otherwise it could quickly become chaotic, which I think the following poster depicts very clearly...

Enjoy (pooing) and thanks for stopping by :{D

'Hand-eye, coordination enhancement devices'

2011-04-18T13:40:00.001+01:00

'Hand-eye coordination enhancement devices' or 'games consoles' as they are otherwise known, have been around for quite some time now (My own collections documented here) and most think back to their favorite console or maybe just back to the games, with a certain nostalgic fondness. But what of the controller, the portal through which we jumped into these fantastical pixel wonderlands? The growing adoption of xbox Kinect - the non interactive, interactive controller - got me thinking about how things have changed. Long gone are the days where ergonomics was just a buzz word, but I am glad to be old enough, to have enjoyed being a part of the exploration process of console makers trying out the a variety of ways to enhance (not always very successfully) your gaming experience. My favorite being the 'Speedking' by Konix - by far the best controller I have ever used, and one that made my many years as a commodore 64 user, an absolute joy!

Whilst "working" this week, I discovered the fantastic chart above, which really brought together everything that had been bouncing around my skull just days before, and whilst I am not sure quite how inclusive the chart is, I was surprised to discover that had only used 29 of the controllers shown, a humbling realization. One I hope to remedy.

Cheers for stopping by, feel free to leave comments...

Trustworthy facial hair....

2011-04-11T13:49:00.000+01:00

You may or may not know, that I am an avid face hair curator.

So when I stumbled upon this 'Trustworthiness of Beards' by Matt McInerney, I couldn't help but chuckle at the creative playfulness that has gone in to making this, and when I next opt for a new face garden direction, I shall certainly be considering the desired response.

Enjoy!

(click for a larger image)

p.s although my current lip attire falls under the 'Questionable' category - I see it as more.... enigmatic :{D

Beer comes in many forms....

2011-04-04T10:34:00.054+01:00

Todays chart shows the overlapping complexities, that distinguish the many types of hopped based, tasty beverages out there! Hats off to the people over at Pop Charts for designing this info-graph of happiness, Homer would be drooling right about now - I know I am...

(click for a larger image)

For many years though this was far from the case, when I first started drinking I discovered that larger was not my friend, it brought out a darker side that despised smiling, not something I was/am very comfortable with, so in 18 years I've rarely touched the stuff.

I suppose everybody has their demon drink, it was just unfortunate that mine happened to be one of the most readily available, but a saviour (of sorts) was the boom of alchopops - please forgive me - and the likes of Two Dogs, Hooch and Mule flooded the bar fridges. It was great to be able to enjoy a drink with my friends without dark clouds blocking out the sunshine and life was good - or so I thought...

Some years later I moved away from my home town in Essex, to the big city and I remember well the day I said goodbye to my sugary past. It was St.Patricks day and I was bought a Guinness - not through choice - at a traditional pub in Stoke Newington, everyone was drinking this dark, not at all bright yellow, beverage. The first sip was uncomfortably bitter, but as I drank I started to notice the character hidden within the flavour, something I had never experienced before, and best of all, I was still smilling - I was a changed man.

After sticking to the Guinness for a short while I started to pay attention the hand pumps that often sat, rarely touched, at the ends of bars. Most pubs in London would offer the same drinks as any of its competitors, but these hand pumps often displayed varying badges, usually adorned with bizarre names like 'The hairy eyeball' or 'Nuns delight'. But trying them turned out to be a bit of a gamble, with some tasting like you where drinking from a buxom maidens radiant bosom, to others that tasted like you where drinking out of the washing up bowl. So with dubious consistency but plenty of variety, an appreciation of Ale was born, a - not so -secret love affair that I endeavor to indulge in, whenever I see a brew I've never tried before. The not knowing of whether it will be a bosom or sink experience, being part of the adventure.

I'm lucky enough now to live near an amazing Ale house, where the beers are always tip top. But only once have I managed to drink through all 11 varieties they have on offer in one session, much to the detriment of my memory - thank goodness for photographic evidence! - the real heavy hitter being the 3rd pint in, an 8.6% Christmas Ale, mmmm good times...

Thanks for stopping by...

The joy of impending doom

2011-04-01T18:30:00.016+01:00

Sometimes I wonder if I under value myself?

When I was a teen I had grand ideas of how I should leave my mark on the earth, I had it all planned out, and as far I could see, it couldn't possibly go wrong.

Step 1

Become an expert of geography, sociology, population, community and natural resources

Step 2

Using the above expert knowledge, determine the most likely location for a new town to be developed due to the demands of the ever increasing population

Step 3

Within said location, choose an area of land most likely to be the keystone of the new town based on it optimal geography, ease of building construction and access

Step 4

Buy this plot of land. Which of course will be dirt cheap as, at this point, there is no town present.

Step 5

Become an expert stone mason

Step 6

With above knowledge, build a mausoleum/crypt large enough to house/sleep around three generations of Munn

Step 7

Befriend/become (it was a considered job prospect when I was younger) the clergy and sanctify the ground.

Step 8

Grown old and die, happy in the knowledge that due to my impeccable planning, that my bones and that of future Munn's will no doubt be the centre of a town square, shopping centre, roundabout etc and that every member of the community will have to acknowledge me and wonder who the feck I was

Simple...

Although to date, step 1 is still a hurdle I'm yet to achieve. And as time does it's job, I am starting to wonder what I shall leave behind, you know... if the above plan doesn't quite come about. But something tells me I've little to worry over, there's plenty of kick left in me yet, besides, being old is something I look forward to. A time when I can be rude, uncouth, tackless, dastardly, cunning, bitter and reckless, without a care in the world. Because "I'm sure he didn't mean to call your baby a screaming prune, he's old, bless him"

As I was on a theme, I thought I'd experiment with how I may look when I get a few 'knowledge' creases. Pretty dapper I think! :{D Plus there 10 points to the first person who recognizes the background image....

Thanks for stopping by...

Haunting portrait

2011-03-29T17:22:00.003+01:00

Whilst working with Stelios Stylianou (concept) and Emelie Hultqvist (model) I used a considered balance of light either side of sheer fabric to create this portrait. I find that the more you stare at it, the more imaginative your mind becomes by adding in details to her face that are simply not there, making the image somewhat haunting.

Enjoy :{,

Minimalist Super Heroes/Villians

2011-03-29T09:45:00.002+01:00

Hats off to Fabian Gonzalez (a massive batman fan!) for creating these fantastic minimalist renditions of famous hero and villain characters... can you name them all?

Enjoy! :{D

Moustaches!

2011-03-24T16:55:00.002Z

Seeming as my students are currently learning Final Cut Pro - I thought it best to check out, what it is all about... and at the same time have a little fun ={D

So here is my ever so simple moustache stop animation

Enjoy!

Geektastic!

2011-03-21T16:26:00.004Z

I have to admit, this year so far has been a little bit more manic than I could have expected. And where as last year I took pleasure in documenting all I got up to, this year I've been so tired I usually just plop myself in front of the xbox and sever my reality tendons.

But I really miss blogging! I have found such satisfaction from the experience and conversed with some amazing people because of it, that I am feeling ever so guilty for my slacking. So whilst I attempt to back track over the last 3 months, and bring to life some of the great moments I've traversed through, I thought I'd start with something simple. For some time now I've been collecting charts and tables that have made me chuckle, enough to be able to post one a week for a while to come! So whilst I get busy with the key tapping and picture cataloging, please enjoy the first of many - Kudos to all those that found/created these treasures...

The D&D life experience flow chart

Enjoy!... more to come :{D

Finding wombs around me...

2011-02-20T01:12:00.001Z

It occurred to me as I sat as a passenger in my friends car, that I have an instinctive desire to be held by my surroundings

At 6ft 2" I am gifted with 'top shelf' legs, yet when I travel by car, I naturally pull my seat forward so that my knees touch the glove compartment*

I simply adore small cars and in the larger varieties I feel somewhat uneasy. I'm not suggesting I like discomfort, I just like to be comfortably confined, when I look back, I guess this has always been the case...

As a toddler I used to crawl around with the clothes basket on my back like a tortoise, as an infant I used to build 'forts' out of the sofa cushions, I wrap myself up in chunky jumpers, I cuddle up to watch a movie and I only ever write in small books... I know, the small book thing is odd, but the pressure to be coherent or even entertaining feels daunting on a large sheet of paper. I guess, in a way, it feels like I'm placing a part of 'me' on the paper, and my need to be 'cosy', extends to my mental state as well as in my physical comforts?

Maybe - I'm just a little odd :{,

iPhone 3G Screen replacement video...

2011-02-18T10:11:00.001Z

When I mentioned I was to be replacing a cracked screen on my iPhone, I was asked to make a video of it. "Why not?" I thought to myself. And here is the result... somewhat different from what I was intending :{. The first thing of note is that upon completion it turned out the sound channel was corrupt which vexed me somewhat - grrr - the second thing was that in total the event took nearly 14min! Mainly due to me waffling on like I do, plus a couple parts of the iPhone that took some elbow grease to get into. But determined not to be hard done by - I did take the time to record it after all - I sped it up and chucked in a cheeky soundtrack to make the experience less dull... because lets face it, it 'is' incredibly dull

So if at all possible - Enjoy :{,

My ever changing face...

2011-02-07T13:40:00.001Z

Not that I am overly vain, but I took upon an evening with a leisurely stroll through my Facebook profile pictures, only by skipping through time in this way was it evident that I tend to change my 'look' quite often.

Yet throughout all my changes, there is always one visible consistency. Something that affected by childhood to such an extremity, that it has been a part of my day to day life ever since. Scarred, quite literary, by its hunger for my innocence, a hunger which I was all to eager to satisfy. And whilst it clings to life in this modern age, but a whisper of it's former might, it will echo in the memories of the many lives it claimed, visible by the branding it left behind...

I touched up Mona Lisa...

2011-01-20T14:32:00.001Z

In this digital age, it's hard to imagine there are many pictures that are not treated to a Photoshop make over, it's just the done thing. Whether it's just to light it up slightly, or the full blown celebrity airbrushing treatment, images are rarely straight from camera to print and this got me thinking. When did this start becoming acceptable? What would the art world be like if it had always happened? What if, Leonardo Da Vinci upon completing Mona Lisa said "That'll do for now, I'll give it a once over in Paintshop later".

So with the technology at my fingertips I thought I'd give it go and treat the Mona Lisa as if it was Photo that I was asked to ready for press. Bare in mind I didn't want to change the image, just enhance it. The golden rule of Photoshop is that it shouldn't look Photoshoped.

It took much longer than I expected - almost six weeks in fact. The main reason being, I kept having to walk away from it when I noticed I was taking things too far, subtlety had to be the key. Despite making a couple of major changes I am quite pleased with the end result, I'm pretty sure over the next 6 weeks I'll be coming back to it and making even more changes, but for now I am happy and I hope you like it too :)

I've included a before and after below, which also shows the steps I used in the transition. Bringing out the colours in the background really helped to add depth, whilst changing her hair and eye colour seemed to give the picture more life - feel free to comment

Thanks for stopping by!

A touch of blue...

2011-01-18T16:14:00.002Z

A noticeable change in style has occurred over the last year or so, where as 5 years ago I was very much into making my images punchy with helpings of contrast. I am now very much into taking my pictures back to an almost monotone state, with the odd colour left somewhere to keep it alive. Probably the result of spending the past 2 years or so with the talented Ani Graves, a healthy influence on my art as well as my heart.

(Click on image for larger viewing)

Conception & Stylist - Kayleigh Firth

Model - Sophie

Easily does it...

2011-01-14T13:21:00.001Z

Sometimes, everything just works.

Below are a few images from a shoot that was a real breeze, so much so that none of these images have had any retouching - and in this digital age, that's becoming a rare thing - everything was just... simple

Styling - Emily Corbin

Hair & Makeup - Lucy Jayne

Model - Hollie Scriven

Thanks for stopping by :)

Batman poster

2011-01-05T15:29:00.001Z

It is fair to say that my blog has suffered a drought of late, so dry has it's bed become that people have mistaken it for a joke that they just don't get... So in good faith and a fresh start to the year, I made this motivational poster with a poignant quote from the Batman tv series

I hope you like it and thank you ever so much for stopping by, I shall endeavor to make this year be even more prolific than the last!

2 minute poems

2010-12-18T11:21:00.002Z

Whilst in the pub the other night (no change there) Ani and I challenged each other to write a quick poem on the scrap of paper we had to hand. Despite their simple nature - no doubt due to the beverages we had already mellowed to - I thought they were kinda neat and I've typed them up (unedited) for digital prosperity.

You may or may not enjoy :)

From me to Ani:

Whilst surfing the web, I met a young lass

a geek she turned out to be.

Thinking my luck was in, I invited her out

to enjoy a tipple with me.

She accepted with speed! which surprised me somewhat

as I expected a night on my tod.

But we met with smiles that lasted all night and to this day,

I couldn't be a happier sod.

From Ani to me:

Robbie is a manly man, but for the ring in his nipple.

His hair was long, except on his chest

when he invited me out for a tipple.

His moustache needed a trim, when I first saw his grin

but, that never need matter.

For our love is strong and will last forever long,

as in love, we are as mad as hatters.

You may or may not enjoy :)

Galliano inspired shoot

2010-11-28T10:17:00.001Z

A big thank you to Heidi Wood for asking me to photograph her shoot and allowing me to get involved. Plus kudos on some beautiful styling, a bounty of props and finding a great model ;)

On the set only a single small softbox was used (positioned directly above) with a reflector used for fill, which created a slight theatrical look which I felt complimented the clothing. There were many nice images to choose from and over the last few days I have spent my free moments fine tuning one of them. It is hard to get a real feel for the detail here as I do not want to post too large an image on the web, but I think it gives you a fair idea. I hope you like :)

I'm not sure this is the final image as yet, but here it is so far

(click the image for a slightly larger view)

A cut away of before and after to show some of the detail, apologies for the poor quality

(click the image for a slightly larger view)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Batman Gotham Tattoo

2010-11-22T17:19:00.001Z

As some of you may know, I've been getting some ink done on my arm over the summer. With stage one now complete I thought it was time to show and tell - as I for one, am very pleased with how it's looking.

*If you want to skip the background blurb, scroll to bottom to see the finished ink ;)*

Last year saw the addition of bats to my existing D&D tattoo (See I'm bats-man...) inspired by various bats I found in my Batman graphic novel collection. And true to form, within a month I started planning the next installment. I decided I wanted a sleeve but couldn't think of how to make it work, at the same time my girlfriend was keen on getting a new tattoo also, so after having trawled through many 'bird' tattoos - Ani loves birds, I love bats - I stumbled across a sleeve where the guy had birds flying out of a forest on his forearm, up towards his shoulder. I loved it, instantly I saw it transform into a cityscape with bats flying out from it - Like a child in a queue to see Santa, I was incredibly excited by the prospects.

With my mission clear I hit the graphic novels again, trying to find some appropriate examples of Gotham city that I could use to build up my sleeve. In the mean time I was re-introduced to the artwork of Dan Chase. when I last met Dan he was heavily into his graffiti art, but in the past 'X' years he's been applying his hand to tattooing - with a particular specialization in grey shade. Upon seeing the amount of detail he was capable of, I got in contact and we started working on the sleeve together, with me finding the research material, and Dan using his skills to bring it all together. Here are some of the pictures I found that I felt had the right mood, with much inspiration coming from Frank Miller and Jim Lee's Allstar 'Batman and Robin the boy wonder' (you must read it) plus some lovely artwork from 'The Batman Vault':

Due to Dan's busy schedule, it was at least 10 moths before any work began on my arm but after seeing some of his sketches I knew I was in for a treat! So as not to waffle on for any longer, here is my tattoo so far. I say so far, as there is still plenty of room left on my arm and I can see a bat cave in my future :)

Top of the arm, reworked with more bats and clouds

Forearm with Gotham city, bats and a cheeky batman hidden around the back

A close up of some of the detail in the city

And lastly, here is me just before the clouds got added, Geeking it up

Cheers for stopping by!

Black on Black

2010-11-03T16:39:00.001Z

Sometimes it's the simplest setups that get the best results and often the easiest to get wrong. So I thought I'd share my setup for achieving a rich black on black image within camera, without having to faff* around too much in post production.

(Click for a larger image)

The problem always lays in needing lots of light on you subject to bring out the detail, without getting too much - if any - light on the background. But not so much light, that your blacks start to turn grey. Below you can see the setup I used to achieve the image above which, whilst not the most beautiful, demonstrates a strong/rich black on black result.

To restrict the fall off from my main light source, I used a 2'x2' soft box supported by a larger silver reflector held just out of shot to serve as a fill in for the shadows/eyes. Then used umbrellaed lights (power split from one B2 pack) to act as rim lighting to hold the edges of the subject. Finally I used black 3'x9' ploy boards, to mask any rouge light from hitting the background or camera.

I hope that all made sense, let me know what you think :)

*vb (often followed by 'about')
informal (British) to dither or fuss

Floaty light (backlit photography)

2010-11-01T11:33:00.001Z

(click for a larger image)

Over the summer I was gifted with a very large sheet of semi opaque fabric* and ever since I've been eager to get some use out of it. I finally got my wish when Alexandra approached me with a shoot idea that I thought would benefit from being backlit. So with the aid of a step ladder and quite a few clamps we soon had ourselves a Very large softbox - powered by 2 umbrellaed lamps attached to a B2 pack at full power.

Capturing some movement in the fabric was key to pulling off this shot, with such a powerful backlight capturing the moment, I needed a constant light up front, that would allow me to benefit from using a slower shutter speed. For this I used a Bowens Studiolite, which at full power, gave me just enough oomph to get the job done.

I had great fun on this shoot and am very please with the images, so a big thank you Alexandra and hats off to her sister who agreed to be her model for the day :)

Thanks for stopping by!

*22'x11'

Turning up the colour

2010-10-29T10:55:00.001+01:00

This photo shoot - styled by Sian Cheesman and Louise Chim - was great fun to do. By keeping the lighting incredibly simple* we were able to have fun with 'space' and use the studios inherent lines and low key tones to our advantage.

Model: Emelie Hultqvist

Photographer: Me

*A single 3x4 foot softbox on a Profoto B2 pack

Comments...

It all started with chest pains...

2010-10-08T21:17:00.005+01:00

Begrudgingly I creaked open my eyes and looked down, it was early - too early. Yet feeble light still managed to punch it's way through the blinds, caressing my chest with enough luminance to highlight the cause of my non-sleeping state. A hole.

A gapping chasm that sunk impossibly deep was seated in my upper torso - well that certainly explained the sickening pain I was in - but being what I would consider a regular guy, not seeing my chest jungle was decidedly difficult for the grey matter to be dealing with, especially at this hour. Rather than make sense of the situation, the more imaginative parts of my brain mustered up the sounds of fast moving water coming up from the depths, with the occasional squark from what I could only assume, I thought an eagle sounded like - having never heard an eagle before it was kind of a cross between a Parrot and a Sparrow - I appreciated the effort it had gone to, and with some success the relaxing fictional sounds, were taking the focus away from the torturous pain.

I flopped my head back onto the pillow and took decisive action, I chose to ignore it. Well that was the plan, but as it turned out the adventurous-imaginative parts of the brain wanted to explore the chasm. So after some futile resisting, I found myself fully kitted out in climbing gear, descending the cliff face that was lining my chest cavity - surreal only just starts explaining the state of events I found myself in - I leaned back on the zip cord which was secured somewhere out of sight, and dared to look down. To my surprise I could see the rapids some way down, breaking in angry foam on the occasional boulder, and looking about, the scraggy cliffs were far from barren with many shrubs taking hold in the cracks, even the odd ambitious tree was trying to make some sort of life for its self. I was taken aback, it was quite lovely here, I've always loved a good outdoor adventure and this was really lifting my spirits. I looked up expecting to be graced by a rich blue sky and a warming sun, though it seemed my fantasy had a sense of grounding intact, as I instead laid eyes on my ceiling fan, complete with the cobweb strung between two of its blades.

As I frowned at the cobweb my footing gave way, the cord quickly snapped taught with a twang so I didn't fall far, but I was winded by the sudden jolt, confused, my face squished against the wall, I had a bad feeling. The ground started shaking violently, debris falling past me, each piece larger than the last, I was scrambling to find some fresh footholds, hand grips, a twig, anything! Then it dawned on me - fantasy, my fantasy - with very little effort I left the scene of impending destruction and open my real eyes. Back in bed, still too early, still a cobweb on the ceiling fan - I really must do something about that - the chest pain had gone though, so with some hopefulness I looked down. My hairy jungle was back, it's curly abundant foliage no longer marred by the strangeness that was the hole. I needed to clear my head, the mornings experience had been vivid, I could still feel the remnants of pain in my ribs and it had left me feeling queasy. I rested up onto my elbows and sighed. Regardless of whether I imagined the chasm or not, there was quite clearly a whirlpool where I would usually expect to see my belly.

The water seemed relatively calm as it slowly swirled, none of which was sloshing over the sides onto the bed - which was nice - I stared at it a moment before deciding to stick my finger in it - I should have known better, I've seen curiosity get the better of my cat many times - as the tip broke the surface three things happened. Firstly I was surprised by how warm it was. Secondly I noticed I had made a wave that intensified as it rippled out. And Third? Nausea sucker punched me, knocking me back onto both elbows, I wasn't sure which way I was going to blow, but something was coming and fast! The whirlpool was fierce now, it's speed had increased with violent waves crashing about with malice, out of nowhere clouds started forming above the vortex, as the storm intensified the clouds grew, darkening and crackling in a truly epic fashion - Up till now I had considered myself a patient recipient of a morning of abnormalities, but Panic was now dutifully stepping up to take the reigns, I didn't argue -

Panic was just about to introduce tears as the storm reached it's pinnacle, rapt, yet feeling somewhat tortured, I watched as the clouds lit from within, then as one, unleashed a mighty sliver of lighting into the vortex. The accompanying thunder was so forceful it knocked me flat. In my prone, slightly blinded state, I witnessed the duvet swirl into the air and off to the side, the blinds rattle against the windows and the cobweb bluster about yet hold fast.

The calm that followed was almost instant, sitting up I seemed to be my normal self again, yet Panic was still in charge and didn't release the reigns unit a frantic search of my person revealed no more 'surprises'. Apart from being a bit achy, I felt great, fantastic even! I was considering starting my day before remembering how ridiculously early it was, I rarely get a lie in as it is, so I picked up the duvet, jumped into bed and got cosy again, the memory of recent activities already fading fast. As I dosed off, I promised myself, I'd never eat beans before bed again.

Thunder - Thunder - Thundercats Ho!

2010-09-30T15:16:00.001+01:00

(vote now for your favorite designs)

With my silk screens almost complete and supplies being finalised, I am almost ready to kick off the Geeksticals brand! But as ever I am always tinkering away with potential designs in the background, so here are two more for the mix with obvious inspiration from one of my favorite childhood shows...

Thundercats (his)

Thundercat hoe (hers)

The immediate problem I have is choosing which designs are to become reality for the first run!? I am thinking of starting out with 4 and seeing where they take me, so here is your chance to have a say in which 4 they may be! Check out Geeksticals.com to see all the designs so far and vote for your favorites!

Many thanks for stopping by and please vote! =D

Hyper-Sharp, High Contrast Portrait

2010-09-27T17:53:00.003+01:00

Whilst constructing a workshop for my Yr2 students, I'd thought I would try out a lighting setup that I saw on a great blog run up by Ted Sabarese (which I wholly recommend). The aim of which is to create images that have depth and punch without losing detail.

Again - please forgive the subject matter, but I think for portraits and to a certain extent fashion, this setup works really well. With only minor tweaking in Photoshop you get a rich, contrasty, hyper-sharp image with minimal bleed in the highlights.

To achieve this I used two heads with umbrellas hooked up to a B2 pack - power evenly spread - for a bright white background, metering at an even f11 all over. To prevent bleed I had two black 7'x3' polyboards either side of the subject, which also enhanced the nice dark outline.

To get a really sharp image, the main light was a zoom dish head with a 20º Honeycomb attachment. This was position about 4 feet from the subject, a foot above head hight and metered in at f8 upon the face. Then as a fill, I used a Pro Ring metering in at F4.5 (I had the above two lights hooked up to one B2 pack with a 1/2 - 1/4 spread of power)

I hope that all made sense!

Cheers for stopping by =D

1 bit and beyond...

2010-09-26T18:02:00.004+01:00

Televisions have always consumed me

As an early riser I used to rush down stairs and plonk myself in front of the screen.

Nothing was being broadcast though

just static stared back at me.

I used to see shapes and imagine characters

living in the black and white hiss,

creating stories and going on adventures

often of epic proportion.

Dragons, knights, spaceships and more,

I found solace in this analogue maelstrom.

Eventually the signals came through

and my imagination could take a pew,

as Laurel and Hardy impressed upon me

the beauty of slapstick comedy

It all started with Intellivision

I was four or five that christmas,

when Mum gave Dad his gift.

And I waited patiently as he set if up,

wondering what it could be.

Before me the screen shone simple shapes,

I was struggling to see the attraction.

Until he explained that he was an archer,

defending his castle from an enemy invasion.

My inner eye took a hold of this,

the battle field sprang to life

"watch out for the catapult Dad!"

As 9 pixels unleashed it's destruction

My early mornings gained a new routine

with imaginary worlds more focused.

Colourful sprites where the new dragons

and I was now the knight in question.

Saving the day with magic and swords,

hands and eyes becoming one.

But I still watched Laurel and Hardy,

as slapstick will always be fun

Thanks for stopping by ;)

P.S

I'd just like to say a massive thank you! Especially to those that visit often - I really do appreciate the support you've given - I've just recently hit quite a milestone on the unique visits counter, and with some joy I'll pass some more in the future too. So now I'm going to crack open this bottle of port and raise a glass in your honor - Cheers! =D

Fashion Textiles - Quick shoot - Available lighting

2010-09-16T16:23:00.002+01:00

As a promotional exercise, I was asked to photograph a selection of student fashion textile designs. Like most things in my life, time was of the essence - as in we started out with loads, then ended up rushing around like a man on Christmas eve :) But I'm happy with the end result - all shots lit by available light sources, with enough variety of locations without needing to leave the fashion floor - phew!

Thanks for stopping by!

From one man cave to another

2010-09-04T18:47:00.002+01:00

One of the beautiful things about owning a garage/shed is being able to build things. Today I spent my time building an old workbench that I found in our loft... I kid you not, hidden behind our ceiling hatch was a fully constructed, hard as nails, heavy duty bench. From observations I can only assume that the previous owner of our house, liked nothing more than hide himself away from the world and build things... in his loft. From the look of it, it's seen plenty of action too, with holes, spills and nicks a plenty. He had even made himself a tool rack on the chimney breast and installed sockets for his power hungry machines. But due to my needing a some kind of table so I can start screen printing my tees, I thought I'd transfer the beast to my garage - which turned out to be no mean feat! The bench itself was obviously one of his creations, with multiple types of timber in varying thickness' and held together with 5inch nails. I had to admire him, the thing oozes man made and could probably survive being sideswiped by Godzilla! But I was determined, so hours later with lots a hammering and levering, I managed to break it down into small enough parts to fit through the ceiling hatch. And now it resides in a new man cave, to continue its part in the creation of things and making another man happy =D

Profoto Lighting Test

2010-08-19T15:11:00.001+01:00

Using a simple set up - light from the left and small reflector to the right - I have created a series of portraits which highlights the different types of light that can be achieved in the studio, using various sources. Try not to get too distracted by the handsome model, but pay attention to the depth of the shadows and to how far the light travels...

The lights/attachments used

Bare Dish

•hard light, deep shadows, large spread, long drop off•

Dish with Honeycomb

•hard light, deep shadows, narrow spread, mid drop off•

Dish with Umbrella

•soft light, mid shadows, large spread, long drop off•

Beauty Dish

•mid light, mid shadows, mid/large spread, long drop off•

Softbox

•soft light, soft shadows, mid/large spread, long drop off•

Snoot

•hard light, hard shadows, narrow spread, long drop off•

Ring Flash

•Hard light, soft shadows, mid spread, short drop off•

Well I hope you found that useful, thanks for stopping by (",)

Earliest memory of making words...

2010-08-12T17:03:00.004+01:00

I like to rummage around in my memory, it's always so wonderfully elusive. Today whilst I trundled through memories flora, I stumbled upon the earliest memory I have of forming words. I was 4 and the evening was dark, suggesting a winter in full anti-bloom. The living room consisted of just my mother and myself sitting by an open fire. Before me was an old tobacco tin filled with white cardboard squares, each with an individual letter stamped upon it. Next to that was my homework book, about the size of a pocket diary, it had a simple blue card cover with 4 printed black lines, on which I my teacher had written my name and class details. The aim of the homework was simple, using the tin of many letters, all we had to do is create short sentences, then write them into the book. A task, that from the look of the tins letters, many generations had done before me.

I did my best to make words out of the letters, then I arranged them in what I thought could pass as a sentence - I'm not sure what the sentence was, but I'm pretty sure a cat was involved - I looked up at Mum to see if was doing alright and saw she was looking down at my simple construction with sadness in her eyes. Being a loving boy of mischief, I was familiar with Mums angry or disproving frowns, and I knew her sadness was not aimed at me. Not understanding the situation I asked what was wrong, and as if the sadness was never there, her eyes smiled again as she suggested we put the homework away and watch tv on the sofa. Homework could wait until Dad was home, I wasn't going to argue with that!

What I never found out until many years later, was that she was not a very confident speller and didn't want my teachers to think she was a bad Mother, by sending me in with poor homework. She knows now that she is not as bad as she always thought she was, and I really didn't mind at all, because what she lacked in literary confidence, she more than made up for in love and encouragement.

As it turned out, Dad was rarely home early enough to help me with my homework so a tv addiction was nurtured into fruition, and with so many cool cartoons and Carry On films now running around my skull, I'm very grateful indeed. Even if I do still make the occasional seplling error :)

Rough around the edges

2010-08-09T17:32:00.004+01:00

A very short post today as my mind is totally blank of late - when I finally managed to get the ol' grey matter into better shape, I'll be back with more tales and brain belches :) But in the mean time I thought I'd post a few images that have been kicking around the hard drive. I've done very little to them, I have not even cropped them - as I said, brain = mush. But I quite liked the shoot which was styled by Kayleigh Firth and shot by myself back in May, unfortunately I can not remember the models name, but as/when/if I remember I'll add the her details later - Enjoy

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Diablo 2 / Borderlands

2010-07-30T15:03:00.003+01:00

10 years ago, Diablo 2 entered my life and had me glued to my CRT screen for days on end. It was a great looking with addictive gameplay, yet what set it apart from everything else, was multiplayer was possible between MACs and PC's. For the first time my PowerMac 9600 was able to link with my buddys Pentium III PC via a 56K modem, enabling hours on end of co-operative hack n slash!

10 years later, I load up Borderlands on my Xbox and within minutes of playing, it all seemed incredibly familiar. First up, was the ability to chose from a selection of heros. Each with unique abilities, utilizing different weapon/skill sets that seem to mirror the past...

Barbarian•Amazon•Paladin•Sorceress

have been replaced by

Berserker•Hunter•Soldier•Siren

With the exception of the Necromancer, they are all present. Which is a shame as he was my favorite Diablo character - being able to make the bones of your fallen enemies explode was very cool :)

The next similarity to fall in line was the equipment page and skill trees, being able to have more than one weapon setups and the choice of dedicating experience points into three skills paths, allows you to shape a character to your playing style. This is one of the nicest parts of both games, as it is possible to play online with multiple Amazons/Hunters knowing that they will all play slightly differently. Something that Borderlands sorely misses out on though, is the ability to change your clothing. When playing Diablo online, you always tried to find the funkiest armor, to ensure your it was your Sorceress that brought all the boys to the bar

By far the most compelling characteristic that the games share, is the loot system. Most enemies slain will drop some kind of loot, and the bigger they are, generally the better loot they drop. Sure they drop money and health too, but it's all about the weapons, shields and armor. Both worlds adopt a rarity system which means you'll always be picking up regular to semi-rare items, but every now and then you'll find an exotic item that totally kicks arse, and the best part is, the more rare the item is, the less chance there is of you online friends having it! And there's nothing better than getting one up on your friends... in the nicest (yet competitive) way of course :)

It also means that you should not get too attached to items, as sooner or later, a better one will come to fruition. And you'll often meet players online that would rather pass on their previously favored items to lower level characters, than leave them out in the desert or sell them for cash they don't really need. Plus this fuels the competition more, as the lower lvl characters show off their new toys to their mates

Of course there are quite a few differences between the games too, being the future there are plenty of vehicles to drive around in Borderlands, plus pretty much all the weapons are projectile based. Comedy has replaced brooding and the bosses are absolutely staggering - in size, detail and fun factor. Online gameplay is flawless, though cross platform sadly never really took off. Yet despite 10 years worth of hardware, software and online enhancements, I still find that I can play Diablo for longer where Borderlands lacks the endurance to keep me entertained.

Maybe I prefer swordplay over gun play, maybe I enjoy it's slower pace or maybe it's knowing that Frank Gorshin (the original Riddler) voices one of the main characters. I'm not sure, all I know is I really enjoyed Borderlands, and I am thankful that it reminded me of how much I enjoyed Diablo, which has now been re-installed on my Mac mini and 10 years later, is as much fun as ever

Geek out

Portal Still Alive Song - The Best/Geekiest Remakes

2010-07-29T12:24:00.003+01:00

Like many gamers out there, I simply loved playing Portal by Valve, it was so different from the cacophony of FPS that had flooded the market. It's peaceful, inquisitive and challenging characteristics made it a classic, and to top it all off, when you reached the end and were presented with the end credits, instead of the usual lackluster scrolling text, you are treated with this little gem:

Portal, credits song - written by Johnathan Coulton - Posted by OverTheGun

And this song in turn inspired the gaming communities more musically talented, to create their own tributes. With literally hundreds of version out there I decided to dedicate this page, to the ones which I considered the best of the bunch. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Still Alive 3.0 - created using mario paint by geoffnet

Still Alive Typography - created by Kilrok

Portal Still Alive 8 bit - created by thesilentseraph

Still Alive 2.0 - created by 256byteram on an intel 8080 processor

Now time for some cake... what do you mean there isn't any?!

What doesn't kill you... Part 2

2010-07-26T20:58:00.002+01:00

(For Part 1 click here)

Ripped from the only life I knew, I felt lost, what does one do with a second chance? I started by throwing a quick prayer to whichever gods decided to keep me alive, I've never been the religious type, but I have manners enough to be grateful of the air in my lungs. I then fully took in the shack I woke in and the area it resided. It sats on the coast, far from the bustling merchant streets that Gaedred prowled, this was another thing to thankful of, I was in no rush to let him know I had survived.

With little else to do, and a desire to feel safe, I took it upon myself to rebuild the run down shanty house, it was a simple build of only three rooms within one level. Supplies where not a problem as drift wood was always being washed ashore, but with my physical limits, my best hope lay in befriending the crews of the fishermen that beached nearby. I knew approaching the fisherman was a risk as they are a notoriously superstitious. What if they witnessed one of my spectral companions? Would they think me a witch!? But I needed help, as it turned out I need not have worried as their suspicions never left the sea. As odd noises rose from nowhere and unexplained mishaps happened around me, all were blamed on Procan - God of the seas, whom they respect yet despise in equal measure, and consider him to have a dark humor. So in exchange of mending their nets - and no doubt some pity for a lone girl - I never went hungry and repairs went quickly. The shanty was probably more stout today than when it was first cobbled together. Independence was new to me, but I liked it and for the first time in memory I had somewhere to call home.

Living so close to the shore, the evenings only distractions came with a crash of boisterous waves. As I sit by the heart, encouraging the kindling to take, the same questions roll through my thoughts - How was it that I had survived Gaedreds magic? What was that mist filled place? Who helped me get here and tended my wounds? Would my spirit companions eventually leave me? And above all else, what was I going to do with myself? - two months had passed since I arrived and with the help of the locals, I had become a part of a small community. I get by doing all kinds of chores, mainly for those that need the assistance most, as it fills me with a warmth I never got from cutting purses. Two months. Filled with so much hard work that I didn't have time to think, but now... now I wanted answers and I wasn't keen on going where I might get them.

I figured I must have come close to dying that day, and the people with the most knowledge of life and death and all that lays in between, are the clerics. I have never set a foot in temple in all my life, partly because I could never afford the coin they charged for healing, but mainly because the thought of a pompous idealists telling me how I should live my life, whilst they slept each night on a comfy bed with a full belly, vexes me so much. But I had a thirst for answers and the compulsive kneelers were my key to understanding the afterlife.

Frequently wandering about my mind...

2010-06-06T00:55:00.003+01:00

Wandering - as I do so frequently - about my mind, I noticed how much of it was empty.

Really? Why so surprised? - I hear you ask

Ha ha - I reply

But this was a different kind of empty. Not the usual looking out the window empty, but a void, something was missing. I was already in a roaming mood, so I decided to wander some more, see if I could find any clues.

I found the usual hot spots still in-tacked, the computer game hub, the gadget lust center and the mammary gland appreciation gallery. But the void seemed important, I could feel its emptiness scratches at the edges yet was clueless as to what it could be.

I roamed some more - deeper this time - I see places that I have not visited for a while, not all good, but most bring a smile to my face. I see people and places from my past, they are dull and fuzzy as they bide their time in comfy memory pods, just waiting on the appropriate trigger to make them sparkle again. I love this place, so many pods, cushioning my life, a testament to my journey.

Still clueless, I went back to the present to give the void a long hard stare. It made me uncomfortable, all that nothing. A few years ago I would have turned away, but I've changed a little along the way, I'd say my life has more focus now. Instead of letting the void worry me, I decided on filling it up. Just think, all that space to create new comfy memory pods in! I don't know what the future holds, but if I'm going to get close to filling this thing, I'm certainly going to make the most of it.

Didn't catch em all...

2010-06-04T12:40:00.001+01:00

The moving house process led me to exploring my parents loft, where - amongst many geeky treats that I shall soon have room for in our new house - I found my old Pokemon cards. I remember when the cards first become big over here, as I was working at the WB flagship store on Regents Street, London - Fun times! - and a quarter of the store was dedicated to the funny little critters. Being in the hub of this craze it was easy to get swept up by the enthusiasm and become a Pokemon Trainer - Critter Herder - and I started collecting the cards. Never having been a game card player before, it opened up a whole new world to me. A good friend of mine showed me where I could buy the cards, as he was an avid 'Magic: The gathering' collector, and knew all the best card houses in town. I did quite enjoy playing Pokemon, but when I realised how many other games there were out there, my interest in collecting 'em all, dipped somewhat. What took it's place was the combination of card & console gaming - A Tomb Raider card game - swallowing my interest in a single geek drooled gulp, I was absorbed and became a collecting mad man... but thats a tale for another day. In the end, upon finding my old Pokemon cards, I decided to give them away to a more appreciated home, but not before I took a quick picture of some of my favorites - enjoy :)

Comments...

Boot fair delights... innit

2010-06-03T20:48:00.003+01:00

Whilst enjoying an Ale a few weeks back with fellow geek, Mark Phipps, he mentioned that he'd be going to a boot fair over the weekend. Not having been to one since I was small, I invited myself along for the adventure which, fortunately, he didn't mind :)

As a kid I was never overly impressed with the thought of having to get up as the birds chirp, but with a life now crammed with 9 till 5 stresses, being alone in the street with an ambitious Sun looming and only bird songs entertaining my ears as I waited to be picked up, I was in a proper chipper mood.

We managed to traverse 3 different sites over the morning, and although I didn't purchase much, I had a great time. The simple act of looking through peoples things fascinates me, it's like they've invited you into their home as they display their now discarded treasures, on folding tables and blankets. I feel a little guilty as I rummage through their things, expecting them to notice me and chase me off at any moment.

Another treat of course is observing those around you, as an avid person ~~stalker~~ watcher, I can't help but wonder about my fellow treasure hunters. Some stand out as bargain hunting pro's - sensible shoes, darting eyes and a quick pace. Some are out for the company, slow paced lovely people, but if you're not careful, they'll be telling you about the lawnmower they owned 20 years ago and how they don't make 'em like that any more. And some because they can't sleep and it's somewhere to go before the pubs open - obvious by their general lack of interest, constant watch checking and the stagger in their swagger.

Last weekend I witnessed an exchange between two of the above that had me biting my lip to contain the belly laughter. A 'chatter' and an 'uninterested' were paused at a stall and both had dogs, seeing the dog as an open invitation to converse, Mr 'chatter' set about engaging Mr 'uninterested' into forced banter - "lovely dog you have there" "I used to have a boxer" "how old?" "lovely coat" etc All as you would expect, until I over heard this little gem:

Mr 'chatter' "...the thing is, I often find that the females are the ones most likely to cause trouble with other dogs"

Mr 'uninterested' "Well that's why they're called bitches innit"

The day only proceeded to get better, and I ended up walking away with the above items. The half pint tankard was for Ani, which went down very well. And once powered up, I discovered the radio only seemed to tune into talk stations with any clarity, which led to me re-discovering just how good BBC Radio 4 and 7 are, its has had me smiling non stop :)

I look forward to my next boot fair as you never know what will turn up, as they say "one man's trash is another mans treasure"

comments...

School of Fashion Photo Shoot

2010-06-02T19:40:00.003+01:00

Leanne Cannon

After a lengthy process, I've finally got around to posting some of the final edits from this shoot. One which had me working until the early hours, to make sure they were ready for the printers deadline (tired panda eyes ensued) The designs are by this years graduates, and I wish them all the best for next weeks graduate fashion week. Full credits at the end :)

Meral Karakum

Shreegowri Jayaprasad

Chelsea Bravo

Victoria Jolly

Lydia Vousvouni

Rebecca Davidson

Cherelle Reid

Carla Grima

Rebecca Watson

Emma Box

Credits

Photography: me!

Styling: Johannes Reponen

Styling assistants: Rachel Cooper, Garth McGrath & Stelios Stylianou

Hair: Vicki Lord

Makeup: Lucy Jayne

Models: Emmanuel Corre, Angelle Boucher & Celine Sheridan

If your up in London next week for GFW, I may see you there! :)

comments...

Cartoon Femme Fatales - The Teenage Years

2010-05-28T09:30:00.001+01:00

After last weeks Disney femme fatale discovery, my mind went a wandering - on the internet - in search of other childhood cartoon womanly wonders. It took much longer than I imagined to find what I was looking for, but when I considered the imagination and focus of most teenage boys, I was no longer surprised by quite how much triple X rated fan art there is out there. But after some gasps, some chuckles and disapproving head shaking, I managed to find versions of those childhood characters that best reflected how part of me remembered them. Characters that made watching cartoons as a, hormone heavy teenage boy... pretty confusing!

I thought all these pictures were awesome, with some neat twists on the originals.

Is there any that I missed?

Enjoy ;)

Sorceress of Castle Greyskull - HeMan

One of my favorite characters, powerful yet demure, with a sexy far-away voice

Evil Lyn - HeMan

Teela - HeMan

There are many sexy pictures of Teela out there, but this one made me smile the most :)

She-Ra Princess of Power - She-Ra

Cheetara - Thundercats

Part Cat, part woman - very confusing times

Gloria Baker & Vanessa Warfield - M.A.S.K

Sworn enemies that kicked arse better than the guys

Betty Boop

A classic character that hasn't changed since the 30's

Olive Oye - Popeye

Cadbury Bunny

This bunny really likes her caramel

April Oneil - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Wilma Flintstone & Betty Rubble - The Flinstones

Wilma or Betty? A common debate around the globe

Babs Bunny

Jessica Rabbit - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

still has that wow factor

Jane Jetson - The Jetsons

Teenangles - Captin Caveman

Sheila - Dungeons and Dragons

Heloooo Nurse - The Animaniacs

Related to Jessica Rabbit?

Marge Simpson - The Simpsons

Smurfette - The Smurfs

Lola Bunny

She-Ra, Rainbow Brite, Strawberry Cheescake

Too funny a picture not to be included

Daphne Blake - Scooby Doo

Always Freds first choice, but the fans have always had a bigger soft spot for...

Velma Dinkley - Scooby Doo

Always a geeks first choice :)

Have a great weekend!

p.s I'm sorry I didn't credit the pictures, but if I used one of your images it's because it rocks!

Comments...

Kids and adults love 'em so!

2010-05-23T15:06:00.001+01:00

There's something about gummy sweets that makes my soul happy.

Every time I get busy with the chewing I'm whisked off to a simpler time, a time when the weather could never get you down - if it's raining you got to stay in and play on the C64, if it was sunny you could go out on the BMX and build a camp!

As I chew I'm reminded of spending time with Little Nan, as she always kept a secret stash for when I visited. I'm reminded of pre-christmas when, as kids we were given catalogs to look through an pick future presents, but I'd spend ages just starring at the Haribo double page spread, that depicts a treasure trove of gummy delights. I'm taken back to handing my pocket money over the counter of the sweet shop, after spending careful consideration to which sweets I wanted the shop keeper to fill the paper bag with. Happy times :)

So imagine my delight when I received the package below for helping somebody out this week - a perfect gift for a big kid ;)

Simpler times that are never forgotten, as I chew I relive them anew, and smile

p.s what do you think of the new look blog? I'm still working on it, but do you think it works okay?

Comments...

Disney leading ladies - Comic book styling - Misspent youth

2010-05-17T10:08:00.003+01:00

Not one of my usual posts, but when I saw these images over at Geekologie, I had to give them some more coverage. The creations of J Scott Campbell - a comic book artist for over a decade - these sexy re-imaginings of classic Disney characters elbowed the ribs of my teenage memories, reminding me of a time when trying to position the camera above Lara Croft on the Playstation was a Sunday well spent. Is it strange to say I've always had a soft spot for Bell?

Which is your favorite?

Whoop!

Forgotten moments and baby steps

2010-04-26T20:35:00.001+01:00

After sorting through the mammoth of images from the end of last week, I stumbled across a folder I had forgotten all about! So I thought I'd give them some air :) I only took these images a few weeks back but have been so caught up with stuffs (see last post) that I had forgotten all about them

Also today I got my .com confirmed, and whilst I do not have time to make a web site just yet, I did manage to knock up a quick splash page. I hope to make this a great site eventually but as I said - baby steps :)

www.geeksticals.com

See you again soon!

Houses - Tshirts - Xbox- Fashion

2010-04-24T17:12:00.004+01:00

My online presence has been muted lately by the ongoing presence of stuffs...

•House

We've been in the process of house hunting for a little while now, and we managed to find a property that ticked many box's. The offer was accepted, our mortgage has been granted and we are just waiting for the paperwork to be double checked before we get our move in date. Each chapter of my life has been a ruddy good read so far, and I've got a feeling that this next one is going to be a real page turner. Especially as I now have the perfect proof reader ;)

The house it's self has oodles of character, and some nice intact Edwardian features. It has the all essential mysterious loft that hosts the remains of a 1930's workbench - I just know it's got a secret compartment somewhere! Ani has her large (and very pink) bathroom, and I get both a shed AND a garage, where much growing, sculpting, fixing, polishing, constructing and general boyishness will be taking place =)

•T-Shirts

I've finally swallowed the risks and am pushing forward with my T-shirt designs.

The brand will be called Geeksticals and the .com is coming soon (although I may need a hand making the site - eh hem) Two hurdles have been jumped this week, the first being I placed my first order for a design to be made. The design is based on a local May bank holiday event in Rochester called 'Sweeps' which attracts people from all over the country.

It is strictly limited edition and only 30 are being made with 2 available sizes M & XL (15 of each) and they will be on sale for £10 at a few vendors in the high street. But as a special offer to friends, if you fancy one, let me know asap and I'll keep one aside for you for only £8! Bargin :) Here is the design, I'll post a picture of the real article when they arrive on FB.

Limited Edition - only 30 exist!

As things have been moving so quickly I had yet come up with a logo, so this was the second item to be accomplished. I like it when the brand name becomes the logo, so working with that concept here is how it developed:

The final stage just has a few tweaks to make it usable as a stencil, as all the labels/tags will be handcrafted. I'm designing more prints each week, and when I have another 10 that I am happy with I shall post them (hopefully on the new website too) so watch this space!

•Xbox Mk1

Due to the house buying situation I've been on a very strict budget, which means I haven't bought a new game for my 360 in 3 months - with so many great games out there, this has been absolute agony. To suppress the new game itch, I decided to dust off the old xbox and mod it up. This is something I first did a couple of summers back with a buddy, but I never got it working quite right. Fortunately shareware, emulators and tutorials have all developed over the past two years and within no time at all, a fresh breath of life has been restored to my dusty Mk1. I now have a massive suite of SNES, Megadrive, MegaCD, 32X & N64 games at my disposal and am loving the flood of nostalgia that kicks in every time I load up a new/old game. To make the experience even better, the emulators make use of the xbox's inbuilt filters which make the games look as fresh as they did all those years ago - happy times :)

•Fashion Photography

Despite spending quite a bit of each week in a photographic studio, I do not get that many opportunities to be creative. So when I was asked if I'd like to take pictures of this years Fashion Design garments - with a teams of stylists, great models, plus hair & makeup - of course, I said yes! As usual our backs were up against the wall, we only had two days to get through quite a lot of garments, but teamwork won the day and much to our relief (and surprise) everything went smoothly.

Taking inspiration from 1920's studio lighting, I let my instincts take over and had a great two days. I had forgotten how great it feels to do a big shoot, to have confidence in your own experience when you can feel the nervous expectance of those around you. It felt great to be in charge of the studio again - I really should try and shoot more often. There are hundreds of pictures to sort through as yet, but here are a few non-edited teasers :)

I shall post again soon as time is against me today, but next up will be motorbikes & boot fairs plus more of my ramblings - cheers for reading =]