Lorna's Thunks

Action!

2010-10-15T16:36:00.003+01:00

The never-ending long long weeks of full time freelancing have finally drawn to a close. I've loved the routine of it. Cycling 18 miles per day, getting up at a routine time, eating delicious chef-prepared lunches. But everything else ends up on-hold. I'm not a one trick pony. Doing the same thing day-in and day-out always makes me feel like chunks of my soul are neglected.
So for a couple of days Steve and I built new double glazed opening skylights for the boat, and I have a few painting projects on the horizon.

Better hop to it.

Oooops

2010-09-23T18:29:00.005+01:00

I disappeared for a while there, huh?
I've been working pretty much full time for some months and rarely get chance to sit down on my computer at home.
I'll leave you with a little scrabble of pictures before I dash off again...

Summer

2010-07-06T13:45:00.001+01:00

Well, the summer is turning into a busy one, and melting by like ice-cream in the sunshine.
I've been working most of the time lately, and been doing very little 'creating' so there's not a huge amount to add on here.
I'll leave you with some pictures of a very settled in Oryx to make up for it.

Oryx- Moving picture.

2010-06-02T18:44:00.001+01:00

Oryx from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Oryx

2010-06-02T17:38:00.004+01:00

Welcome to Oryx. Our new little kitten. He's been here for just a few hours and already captured everyone's hearts.

He obviously has some very big boots to fill, but he's so incredibly loving and playful that I'm sure he'll have no problems filling them.

Garden Barge Plan

2010-05-24T19:09:00.001+01:00

New Illustration Garden Plan of the garden barge next to us. Just need to add all the plant labels.

Natural History Museum

2010-05-18T08:45:00.002+01:00

On Sunday we went to the Natural History Museum. I love that place so much.

Year Aboard 06/05/10

2010-05-06T15:59:00.001+01:00

Year Aboard 03/05/10

2010-05-04T16:53:00.001+01:00

I received some wonderful herbs for the deck for my birthday.
birthday oregano
birthday sage
birthday rosemary
birthday lavender
birthday thyme.

Patchwork

2010-05-03T19:17:00.002+01:00

Do you ever wonder if one day, far in the future, all those things that you put your heart and soul into that feel so separate as you are going along, will all stitch together? That they'll form a patchwork quilt that is the entirety of you?
Do you ever worry that you'll reach the end and just be left with a box of colourful swatches of fabric, that serve no purpose or use at all?
I do.

Bandit

2010-04-27T18:16:00.000+01:00

Spring is here, time to dust off my pencils again.

Vortex

2010-04-01T17:22:00.002+01:00

Vortex went missing a few weeks ago.
Today at low tide, we spotted the sad remains of a cat caught between two boats. We can't be 100% sure it was our little fella, but it's highly likely that it was.
In a way, it's nice to have some closure.
It's nice to stop hoping that he'll jump out of the bushes every time I walk back across the mooring.
But we'll miss him so much.
Night night Vortex.
xxxx

Fist Full of Rollers

2010-03-16T23:30:00.004Z

For anyone that hasn't got tickets for Saturday's Roller Derby bout A Fist Full of Rollers, here's a link to the live streaming.
Our game starts at 7.50pm GMT.
Here's a link to the live streaming.
Go HERE

17/02/10: Year Aboard

2010-02-17T11:22:00.001Z

10/02/10: Year Aboard

2010-02-10T10:47:00.001Z

My carnivorous plants have been resting over the winter. When we finally have a few days that aren't snowing I'll get them ready for a new season of growth.

08/02/10: Year Aboard- coloured

2010-02-08T15:17:00.001Z

Year Aboard:08/02/10 Signs of Spring

2010-02-08T12:42:00.000Z

The Hellebores are sprouting.

Year Aboard:04/02/10 Boat Thursday

2010-02-05T15:25:00.001Z

Yesterday we made a hatch cover out of metal. It looks SWEEEEEET!

02/02/10:Year Aboard

2010-02-03T12:03:00.002Z

The other project that I did last Boat Thursday was panelling out one side of the room with ply. All the blue bits on the drawing above are completed with their neat new finish.

year Aboard:28/01/10 Boat Thursday

2010-01-29T10:28:00.004Z

Yesterday was another Boat Building Thursday. This week I built the work surface in the office Galley, and then made the deep shelves beneath it. This area will house all my paintings that have been festering in a big box for 2 years. Plus it will organise all my new watercolour paper, making my workspace much more organised. On the top surface, we'll have a little tea and coffee making area, and underneath the shelves we'll have our mini fridge.

I also carried on skinning the rough galley walls with plywood that I cut to size. I'm about half way through doing the whole room and the next exciting bit will be sanding down all the floor to ceiling scaffolding plank shelves so that they have that wonderful silvery grey finish. Alas, this does mean finding new homes for all our building materials that have been taking up space on the shelves for 6 months, but I can't wait for the Galley to become a clean, neat space again.

Year Aboard:Vortex

2010-01-26T10:36:00.001Z

Year Aboard: 26/01/10

2010-01-26T10:30:00.001Z

There can't be that many morning of lighting the office fire left before spring.

25/01/10: Year Aboard

2010-01-25T15:07:00.001Z

Year Aboard: 22/01/10

2010-01-22T14:36:00.000Z

Year Aboard: 15/01/10

2010-01-15T19:28:00.000Z

Marla at the porthole.

Year Aboard: 14/01/10

2010-01-15T10:39:00.003Z

Yesterday was Boat Building Thursday again. Last week we rubbed down and insulated the hull wall section of the Captain's Cabin galley. Yesterday we built a frame out of battens, and cut plywood to size and screwed it on. I was master of the Festool saw. I had another day of "who'd've thought that all that woodwork last year would mean that I am actually quite good at this?". It was all pretty exciting and great to be aching at the end of a day of physical work. This wall is going to house a worktop with tea and coffee making space so that we don't have to go over to the main boat during our working day so much. I will also be building a planchest below the worktop to store all my paintings and large sheets of watercolour paper. I can't wait to have it sorted out as my artwork has been festering in a big cardboard box since we moved onto the boat a couple of years ago. I'm not especially precious about my paintings when they are done, but it would be nice to know they are safe. I'd love to have a salvaged hardwood planchest but they are just so expensive. Maybe one day.

Once we've clad the walls and ceiling and put down a floor in there, I'll be getting the sander out again and putting some more hours into sanding the scaffolding plank floor-to-ceiling shelves so that we can have the most amazing work-space storage. They will house all of our art-books, and the artmaterials that I don't use very often.

Year Aboard: 13/01/10

2010-01-13T14:03:00.000Z

Snow fell.

Year Aboard: 12/01/10

2010-01-12T10:38:00.000Z

The wonks.

2010-01-12T10:25:00.004Z

I was surprised by how much of an effect having a long break from drawing had on my hand-eye coordination.
My new regime of 1 hour of drawing time per weekday quickly highlighted the fact that my 'by sight' perspective is all squiffy, and getting any kind of straight lines was proving frustratingly difficult. These drawings are full of 'the wonks'. Lines that just aren't right. I think that's why some people think that they just can't draw- because they've not put hours and hours of training into getting the muscles working just the way that they want. There is something stomach-knott inducing about knowing what you want your picture to look like and your hand/pencil just won't create the look you are after. The great thing is that it shouldn't take too long to re-establish those drawing muscles, and it does provide yet another incentive to keep up with the daily routine. I really didn't want to put these pictures up here. My ego didn't want me to. But then I remembered that this isn't my portfolio, it's my diary, and the Wonks are an important part of life as a painter. They're the reason why you can't just expect to put your skills away in a little drawer for months and come back to find them perfectly intact.

110110: Year Aboard

2010-01-11T14:36:00.000Z

Miles

2010-01-06T15:47:00.000Z

06/01/10

2010-01-06T13:26:00.000Z

Marla

Miles

2010-01-05T11:29:00.000Z

Year Aboard: 05/01/10

2010-01-05T11:22:00.000Z

Watery neighbours.

New Year, New Routine

2010-01-04T16:21:00.002Z

A new year has begun. As you probably noticed, I find it difficult to keep any kind of balance between the different areas in my life. Therefore a new routine is called for, and now that it is painted up and pinned up next to my computer, you know I mean business.

Just like back here several years ago when was the most productive I've ever been.

Collings and Herrin- now in glorious slightly moving technicolour

2009-12-04T10:34:00.001Z

Collings and Herrin from Steve Brown on Vimeo.

My favourite bit of my latest After Effects project is the sequence of the traffic lights.

Rocket

2009-12-02T14:08:00.000Z

Rocket from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Sofa

2009-12-01T16:04:00.001Z

Sofa from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

I actually giggled like an idiot whilst making this one. It's the simple things that amuse me. Not stuff like story, punchline, narrative.

Sofa

2009-12-01T11:57:00.000Z

Christmas Amaryllis

2009-11-30T15:31:00.001Z

Growing Amaryllis Bulb from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Because the best way to learn new skills is through practice, here's a special seasonal moving painting for you.

Panic! At the disco.

2009-11-26T09:51:00.001Z

Panic at the Disco Collaboration from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Growbag

2009-11-26T09:49:00.000Z

Grow Bag from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Animated Blog Header

2009-11-26T09:48:00.000Z

Blog Header: Lorna's Thunks from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

Back Deck

2009-11-24T19:03:00.002Z

Year Aboard: Back Deck Garden from Kamikaze Kitten on Vimeo.

I'm currently exploring converting still images into moving ones in After Effects. It's all new and exciting and I have so much to learn- but it's a nice way of looking at my work with fresh eyes. It still feels like magic at the moment.

Above is a version of the painting of the back deck of the boat where I see just how far I can push a flat image in 3D before it starts to distort too much. In very high resolution the text containing the plant names was much more legible. This would probably work better with bolder names, or illustrated names on plant labels dropping down and into the different pots.

Blank Page

2009-11-19T10:14:00.002Z

As you may have noticed- I'm still struggling to keep everything in balance right now. I've had a lot more retouching work lately, which I totally love, but that combined with Roller Derby means that there is no room left for illustration. And the longer I leave one part of my life unattended, the more anxious I get- and confused about whether I'm 'doing life right'. And the more confused I get, the more I waste time on pointless stuff. And I'm still avoiding doing the unpleasant task of my accounts, which is like a little nagging monster tugging at my stomach whenever everything else is quiet...

Winter Wonderslam: 5th December 2009

2009-11-06T15:58:00.001Z

Thankyou!!!

2009-11-03T13:33:00.003Z

Thanks for everyone that voted for me! We won the flights to New York for my team, which is SO VERY EXCITING!!!!! If ever I am short for motivation to work my butt off to be better, I'll remember all the wonderful people that put their faith in me.
Thank you.

And if you don't know what Roller Derby is...

2009-10-23T16:49:00.002+01:00

...watch this:
LRG on You Tube

It would be swell if you'd Vote for me.

2009-10-23T16:19:00.007+01:00

Image Courtesy of Matt Patterson, Flag coutesy of Clare Patterson

Hey Everyone.
It would be totally awesome if you could spare a few moments to go over to the BA Great Briton's website and vote for me.

Great Britons Website

I'm trying to win flights to take my whole Roller Derby Team, London Brawling, to play in America next Spring. London Brawling are currently undefeated and the European Champions, and there's only so much growing you can do without getting your ass whooped. We are working hard (3-4 practices per week, plus running, plyometrics and strength training) to make us the best team that we can be. The next step has to be facing our American sisters, and getting put in our place good and proper.
If you have facebook, it's really easy to vote on their site, if not then you just need to log in with your email address.

Thank you all very kindly, from the bottom of my rollerskates.
xxxx

Photo Courtesy of Matt Patterson.

Igloo (take 2)

2009-10-09T16:42:00.000+01:00

Navel Gazing and Introspection: Year Aboard 09/10/09

2009-10-09T11:08:00.003+01:00

The changing of the seasons always brings about contemplation. For me, I am progressively feeling my achy finger joints on cold mornings. But rather than a sad thing, they remind me of all the work I've put in over the year. Grinding, painting, building, carrying, welding, hammering, lifting.

I think most artists must revert back to drawing their own hands at some point. Maybe when they have stopped looking outwards for a moment, and only have space to look inwards. To concentrate on the thing that enables them to be creative.

The aches in my hands lately have reminded me of Albrecht Durer's 'Praying Hands' drawing. And that you can't do everything alone.

05/10/09

2009-10-05T18:13:00.000+01:00

Year Aboard: 04/10/09

2009-10-05T15:44:00.002+01:00

We have new lovely lodgers- and wonderfully old lovely lodger furniture that makes the place feel so much more comfortable.

Interior Coffee Shop

2009-10-01T18:18:00.002+01:00

I've been attempting to broaden my illustration style. One of the ways in which I can make my work more useable is to offer illustrations that aren't cut-to-white. However this relies on a completely different use of colour in order to still have a 'fresh' feel. It'll take some practice I reckon.

Year Aboard 15/09/09

2009-09-19T17:08:00.001+01:00

Local: igloo

2009-09-19T17:04:00.001+01:00

One of my favourite local shops is the prettiest little Flower shop in Shad Thames.

Local: The Harpy

2009-09-11T18:11:00.002+01:00

Local: The Design Museum

2009-09-11T12:36:00.001+01:00

I'm painting a small selection of local landmarks.
Here's number 1:
The Design Museum.

07/09/09

2009-09-07T13:01:00.002+01:00

06/09/09

2009-09-07T12:56:00.001+01:00

05/09/09

2009-09-07T10:15:00.003+01:00

This is the view of our neighbour's boat from our back deck where I sit and have a cup of tea on warm mornings. The warm mornings are coming to an end as the seasons are changing over earlier than usual.

27/08/09

2009-08-27T18:07:00.003+01:00

The Sundew in my studio has flowered. It has the prettiest, dantiest lilac/pink flowers on a single stem.

25/08/09

2009-08-25T13:56:00.002+01:00

This gull has been hanging around this exact spot on our neighbour's boat for days. I think he's up to something.

Seahorses

2009-08-24T16:04:00.000+01:00

19/08/09

2009-08-19T17:55:00.002+01:00

There was a 1.5cm hole in the rear wall of our office- through which a cable used to go through- we didn't need it any more, and so I put a small plate of metal over the inside of it when we first started work on the office.
Now that I have the Plasma Cutter, I managed to cut a small disk of metal to fit in, welded it up and ground it all smooth.

16/08/09

2009-08-19T17:44:00.002+01:00

14/08/09

2009-08-19T17:44:00.001+01:00

Daily Grind (14/08/09)

2009-08-19T17:31:00.002+01:00

I've started a new welding/labouring job which is keeping me out of mischief.
Grinding welds completely flush is an interesting exercise in keeping your mind occupied.

12/08/09

2009-08-13T15:21:00.002+01:00

Today I set up my box easel on the secondary desk in my studio. It's the perfect height to work at standing up. It's nice to have the option to work sat at my big desk or stood at my easel.

11/08/09 Year Aboard

2009-08-13T15:00:00.002+01:00

Wheee, I now have my second hand plasma cutter. I'm looking forward to trying out doing useful boat stuff, but ALSO doing some creative cutting and making a metal Serenity sign too.

Not all as it seems.

2009-08-13T14:25:00.003+01:00

I worked into my last painting some more, learning some interesting techniques along the way.
I also changed the title of the painting to one that is closer to my original intention for the image. It's a little more about the Wizard from the Wizard of Oz, than about being the controller of fear. About the big scary 'idea' of monsters that turn out to be all bark and no bite.

The addition of more texture and lighting was achieved using indian ink layers, and the obligatory sprinkling of salt.

Taking charge of your fears.

2009-08-11T19:04:00.001+01:00

A new painting. I may alter it after I've had a sleep. I think there needs to be a little more going on, but I'll have a think about that.

10/08/09: Year Aboard

2009-08-10T16:21:00.002+01:00

Today I converted my little glass teapot into a cute Terrarium. I started with a layer of charcoal, then a small layer of moss, a bit of soil, and then a few tiny succulents from my bigger succulent bed on the back deck. There is something about keeping scale small that makes me appreciate the tiny details of the miniature world.

09/08/09

2009-08-09T16:32:00.002+01:00

We also found a rusty old Navigation light in the engineroom that I was intending to plant up but never got round to doing it. Today I found another use for it. I sprayed it my favourite shade of Ultraviolent Green and used the rusty holes to keep my big paintbrushes under control. It looks very zingy on my lovely desk.

08/08/09

2009-08-09T16:26:00.002+01:00

And my favourite Semporvivum is in flower. (I believe that means the plant will die off, but I'm hoping she'll shoot out more babies before she does).

07/08/09

2009-08-09T16:21:00.003+01:00

I built two big long planters as little commemorations of my Nan who died recently. I've planted one up with strawberries and one up with succulents and painted them sky blue.

Close Up

2009-08-07T14:42:00.012+01:00

I spent some time today adding lots of finishing touches to my new studio. Sorting through my paints, organising paintbrushes, filling trays and boxes and drawers. Lining up pretty things on shelves. It really is turning into such a wonderful space.
As you can see, the main desk is made from 3 sanded down scaffolding planks that we hauled out of the river. It curves to a thinner shelf on the right in order to give access to the Captain's Cabin Staircase.

The little square drawers were given to me by our lovely friends Matt and Clare. Each drawer now contains a different colour of watercolour tubes (the paints I use most often).

To the right I have a new home for my Carnivorous Plants. I always bought them with the idea they'd end up living in the wheelhouse. Maybe for Christmas I'll add a couple of hanging carnivorous plants too, like Nepenthes.

I also got this really cute jug for my birthday this year, but although I adore the shape of jugs, I rarely use them for anything and so it now makes a perfect pencil container and cheers me up whenever I see it.

My rather silly collection of Anchovy tins (they always have such fancy typography) that now contains pencil sharpeners, erasers, scalpel blades.

And pegs for hanging up current projects/reference.

My very first Window Ledge. Lovely scented mist by Neals Yard Remedies, a kitten broach made by the talented Sarah Miskelly , a wooden heart sent to me by my mum years ago, my painted Kamikaze Kitten dunny, and my half-finished Kamikaze Kitten toy plane.

In the other corner I've put the original hard wood map chest that came with the boat, and to the right of that there is a hatch down to the engine room which forms the other half of the desk space. I'll be replacing the surface with more sanded scaffolding boards to fit in with the main desk. And then I'll be putting my cutting matt on top.

Inside the map chest I've got drawers for blank paper, works in progress, and finished artwork.

What do you mean you don't have your own cap-gun and russian dolls?

I've still got a few bits and pieces to add. I need some kind of cute bin (I'm thinking of a decorative terracotta flower pot), something for my paper recycling, a rug, we need to finish the ceiling and then edge it with ropelights, and a decent daylight simulation lamp that covers most of my desk for winter painting, oh and we need to re-cover my high stool because the stuffing is coming out of it at the moment...

But it's amazing to have a nice space to work in again. Squeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

2009-07-30 RollerCon Polaroids 11

2009-08-06T23:09:00.001+01:00

2009-07-30 RollerCon Polaroids 11, originally uploaded by CharlieChu.

Me, skating on Fremont Street, Las Vegas.
Thanks for the photo CharlieChu!

Year Aboard 05/08/09

2009-08-06T19:55:00.002+01:00

Vortex has been hanging out in my new wheelhouse. He especially likes the floor made out of reclaimed flooring that we found.

Wheelhouse Studio

2009-08-06T19:45:00.003+01:00

And then when I returned, Steve had completed my wonderful Wheelhouse Studio! It's such an amazing place to sit and paint.

Las Vegas

2009-08-06T19:36:00.003+01:00

I'm back from my Rollercon trip to Las Vegas and I had the best time!

I skated for hours and hours every day, met amazing people, saw plenty of Vegas, and ate a whole lot of Peanut Butter.
Wooohooooo!

20/07/09

2009-07-20T19:41:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the hiatus. I've been hectic with preparation for Roll Britannia.
We've also been busy making the roof waterproof and starting work on my wheelhouse studio.

Today I cut and sanded scaffolding planks ready to build my new desk up there.

06/07/09

2009-07-20T19:19:00.003+01:00

05/07/09

2009-07-20T18:46:00.000+01:00

04/07/09 Year Aboard

2009-07-20T18:43:00.002+01:00

Moonchaser II

2009-07-06T17:19:00.004+01:00

I tweaked the tones a little in this picture. I like it better now. More watery-themed drawings to follow.

03/07/09

2009-07-04T22:12:00.000+01:00

We fibreglassed two of the roof panels. It was hard smelly work!

28/06/09

2009-07-02T10:02:00.005+01:00

Another Screwfix delivery.

27/06/09

2009-07-01T22:13:00.000+01:00

25/06/09

2009-07-01T10:49:00.000+01:00

All the ranunculus under the sun.

23/06/09

2009-06-26T15:55:00.001+01:00

We've been building a framework ready for the new roof.

22/06/09

2009-06-26T15:54:00.001+01:00

21/06/09

2009-06-26T15:50:00.000+01:00

20/06/09

2009-06-25T14:53:00.002+01:00

19/06/09

2009-06-25T14:53:00.001+01:00

Moonchaser.

2009-06-25T12:22:00.001+01:00

To capture the moon you sometimes have to ride on the monsters.

18/06/09

2009-06-19T15:08:00.000+01:00

I tried to draw and watch Amelie at the same time. I hadn't realised how much narration there is in that film!

Zzzzappppp!

2009-06-19T13:42:00.001+01:00

17/06/09

2009-06-18T17:59:00.000+01:00

16/06/09

2009-06-18T17:50:00.004+01:00