Viewing blog posts in Bugs
Thought I was kinda struggling in the studio this month, but I guess I’m wrong – when I sorted out the stack, I had 26 more Ants Misbehavin’ to snapshot of this morning!!! And all of ’em done this month – it’s only the 11th!!!
Am in shock.
At some point – possibly today – I’ll finish my 150th ant! Geez. I’ve done sooooooo many of ’em that these two (from about 5 weeks ago) feel ancient!
I’m very fond of the one below – which is more of a symbol that captures the essence of ant, even to missing some legs. It’s a tough living!
I slammed water and ink down on a clean sheet of paper, transfer-rubbed it onto another and !!!!!! – instant, complete, wonderful picture! I was shocked.
And below, is a very curious one – also powerfully graphic but with some lovely, quiet little things happening too. My studio snapshot does it no justice. I had better get going on a new round of scanning!
Wow, I really like the one above, buuuuuut I also don’t like it, if you know what I mean. Think that means I’ve nailed it!
Below is a much sillier ant – perhaps playing peek-a-boo? Not sure what that’s all about, but I’ve included him as a sort of antidote for the yucks you might have gotten from the top one!
So, my sis says I’m not in love with ants so much as the marks I’m making them with. Smart girl! And it looks like I still have more to paint yet, because they’re getting weirder and I like that too!
– – – Quick snapshots of pictures underway – – – two dragonflies that look sorta fossil-like and artifacty, a Norwegian Mountain that must be finished – AND another monster ant. But I think I’ll turn my back on Mr. Monster today; he’s giving me ‘tude, trying to make me take his legs all the way to the floor. Not set up for that. Well, poop.
These things are exploding outta me! It’s thrilling and exhausting, because it’s frantic and fast – no time to think, barely enough to keep swinging!
AND IT’S BIG WORK. The b’fly (above) is almost 5 FEET WIDE! Not set up for this ink slinging on this scale, although clearly, I better change that.
I won’t touch the one above – it’s done. Will try to finish at least the first of the moths below. The 2nd one may not make it. We’ll see.
I am burying myself in bug pictures and butterfly wings! Don’t know where these came from or why I have such a strange compulsion.
My most pleasant surprise is that a lot of the transfer printing and painting I’ve been doing is suddenly working incredibly well. How is this possible? The charm of my method is that when things do work, the results are as marvelous as they are unpredictable. Of course, the flip side is that with so little control, unredeemable messes are just as likely! Yet I’ve wanted incredible butterfly wings and time after time I’m getting them!
I AM AMAZED! They are COOL. And they look almost as if they emerged all on their own without any help from me. Which means now I’m in kind of a jam: how on earth do I put little bodies in the middle of all of these wings that have the same spontaneous, happenstantial feel? I have absolutely no idea – – – yet.
Exuberant, graphic bugs are happening too. They’re done with rapid intensity and it seems like they end up finally working only after I’ve given up on them and started making crazy, what-the-hell moves!
And finally, comes the oddest little beastie of all. I’m not even sure it’s an insect! That whole, squarish, head-ish area (on the left side) is made of scraps torn from other dead paintings and taped down. Actually to be precise, it’s mostly the backs of the scraps you’re seeing, where ink has bled or been driven through.
Oh what is going on? Up is down. Wrong is right. Or maybe it’s still just wrong. All I know is that I must keep my balance and keep going.
SURPRISE!
The weather was iffy today, so no carpentry in the driveway. Instead, I used my unexpected studio day to mess with that sad loser of a picture I showed you on Thursday. Whether it succeeds or fails remains in doubt, but at the very least, I’m learning all kinds of things about collaging and at the same time creating surprising, actual textures. The surface of this picture is beginning to look a lot like an oil painting – and it’s done in India ink! Maybe kind of cool?
PLEASE click it to take a good look – you’ll see what I mean.
I wonder if I am edging towards becoming a black & white Impressionist?
More next week –
Your Buddy Bill
PS: This is where I’ve left it for the evening –
And just for comparison’s sake, here is what it looked like when I started this morning –
Good Evening All –
Why stay tucked away in a fjord? I felt like trying to paint a rough North Atlantic sea, and these two pictures are the result!
My thought was to do a view with a very high horizon line, and then maybe the glimpse of a headland peeking up, waaaaaay off in the distance. Then I nailed the picture above, and was (for once) smart enough not to keep messing with it. To me it looks like roiling, wind-tossed breakers. So maybe I’m still on shore.
Yet I wanted to try my original idea too. So I started the picture below. Hmmm, don’t think I like it. Should it be scrapped? Probably, but I’ll let it rest for a few days before definitely deciding.
Meanwhile, I’m going to finish my carpentry chores, so I doubt there’ll be posts over the weekend. Watch for new ones next week though!
Your Buddy Bill
For a change of pace, here are some life-sized, super realistic aquatic nymphs I made some years ago – all done with methods borrowed or adapted from those used to tie fishing flies!
If you wish to see and read more about them, click here!
Norwegian Cottage Garden – Blooms #2
India ink and surface alteration on paper. 16″ x 20″
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This is another one I began in Norway last August, and finished only a week ago. When I started back in on it, I doubted it had a chance. In fact this picture was a mess, but do you know what? Sometimes my very best moves come when there’s nothing to lose. And I’m always surprised by how close the tipping point is between a picture failing and succeeding. It often comes down to no more than a few brush strokes or just a bit of fussing.
I’m trying very hard these days to always sling ink as if there’s nothing to lose. It ought to be easy, but nope, it’s not!
Here’s hi-res image + a detail view: http://billloganart.com/drawings/recent-additions/10274/
Don’t trust that look! • • Cat #406
India ink and surface alteration on paper – 2016. 10.5″ x 14″
===============I’ll draw 1,000 cats/431 done===============
Click READ FULL ARTICLE to make him bigger!
Hey ya –
I have a brand new article out about fending off insect pests (as in the little menaces that eat fishing flies and what they’re made of).
Fly Tyer Magazine is the only one of its kind, so it created and has kept its niche. That said, I think it’s the best fly fishing related publication going. It’s well produced, informative and down to business, yet has it’s fair share of fun too. I enjoy working with the Editor, Dave Klausmeyer, who’s always enthusiastic. I’ve lost track of how many articles I’ve written, photographed and illustrated for him over the years. Recently, I’ve begun doing an occasional column as well.
If you want to learn more about Fly Tyer, you can visit their website: http://flytyer.com/
I’m dreaming of spring and trout fishing tonight!
Your Buddy Bill
PS: For a better look, click READ FULL ARTICLE in the grey bar below!
Hey there –
I have a new article out on fly tying tricks (as in better ways to make better flies to hoodwink innocent trout)!
Fly Tyer Magazine is the only one of its kind, so it has claimed a niche. That said, I think it’s the best fly fishing related publication going. Beautifully produced, it’s always informative and strictly no nonsense. The Editor, Dave Klausmeyer, is a straight forward guy – enthusiastic and unashamedly opinionated. In short, he’s a gas to work for (and chat with). Over the years, I’ve written, photographed (and even occasionally illustrated) many articles for this magazine, and am happy that I’ve recently begun doing a few columns for them as well.
If you want to learn more about Fly Tyer, you can visit their website: http://flytyer.com/
Okay, enough about bug making – now I gotta get back to ink slinging. Hopefully I’ll post about that tomorrow night!
Your Buddy Bill
PS: For a better look, click READ FULL ARTICLE in the grey bar below!