AANE art show over

[adhocisadirtyword]

More of Belfast's art has been posted.

Another comment from the art thread:

Incredible, Belfast.

[adhocisadirtyword]

bts, it seems as though that top one on the previous post is just for you.

The colourful one on the bottom caught my attention.

[Belfast]

More of Belfast's art has been posted.
Another comment from the art thread:

Incredible, Belfast. :thumbsup:

Thanks (I didn't know that icon meant "thumbs up") Sophist-and to adhoc for being considerate as to my dial-up status (takes too long to load other thread's images-so I comment here, with text).

From "Art by Belfast" thread:

bts, it seems as though that top one on the previous post is just for you.

I like the look of tiny dots, assembling to form galactic cloud, cosmic cluster sort of thing.

The colourful one on the bottom caught my attention.

Though it may not be apparent, that one is wholly dots also. Those markers "bleed" into each other well, making the dots less distinct. Was struggle to make piece that was NOT symmetrical.

2 012808 combo dots inkppr & 3.3.jpg (439.73 KB) love these two.

Think I commented about doing the ink ones already-glad you like it.

"#3.3" from page 1 of thread, 042808 grey#7 mrkbrd, is one of a large series I made using broad tip of marker to make short thin lines (or blocks), for similar effect as the pointillism of dots (but less agonizingly slow to create). I enjoy juxtaposition of colors (often intensely bright, sometimes subdued & dark) with shades of grey-and the "studied/intentional randomness" of simulated texture/pattern.
The series I made looks best to me when laid out on floor, each panel abutting the others, it forms a greater piece in itself. Can't really show that effect online, though. Also, I like being able to rearrange the "tiles", rather than having them stuck in a single pattern/orientation (of this one being next to that one & such).

And I really am drawn to the one that is second to last or two up. The checkered pattern. It's very attractive to me and the white that is here and there throughout gives it just the right touch. I had to look at the piece for a bit to realize that white was in it. Then I wondered if the white was chosen and used randomly or strategically? Whatever the case, it seems to have been put perfectly in place, almost like it "snuck in" and waits like a surprise for the eyes to recognize it. That's how it feels to me, anyway. The question in my mind is, how did you decide, or how did you know, where to put the white or when you had enough of it? Just because I question this doesn't mean you are obliged in anyway to reply, I'm really just wondering because I know it would be a concern of mine if I was doing a piece like that, I would probably get a little obsessed and anxious over where to put the white and when to call it a day, so to speak. At any rate, it is a really lovely work of art and I would hang it on my wall or wear a dress or skirt made out of that pattern.

Am guessing that's 032308 blocks#6 mrkbrd, the blue & purple one that looks "woven".
Often try to make pieces have "flip-flop" effect, of which is "figure" and which is "ground" ? White "negative" space behind/around "subject matter" looks more interesting (less blank & boring) to me if incorporated as design element. The white scraggly lines between blocks of color was half intent, half accident-as is most of how my stuff comes out. Sorry if that's not satisfyingly definitive answer-the truth is "both"-I notice a flaw, and decide whether to fudge (fix) it, or decide it looks cool, and embellish (encourage) it to continue appearing.

Was inadvertent, yet obviously/noticeably happening pretty early on. Liked the look, so didn't try to hide/cover/disguise that, and let it crop up in some areas. Tend to start pieces in middle (from center) or at edges (sides or corners) & don't measure or use straightedges for alignment-so there's bound to be unevenness, gaps, imperfections. Accepting that frees me from having to get things "just right" according to one kind of standard-and allows me to prioritize getting it "just right" according to my idiosyncratic aesthetic sense. Specific to this one was beginning at multiple points, and having them converge in middle, but they didn't meet/line up exactly-hence the variation in line. As rule, I don't have vision in head of end result for any of my works (totally make it up as I go along)-how something turns out is surprise (like a holiday present) for me, too.

[Sophist]

The thumbs-up means I really really like them.

[Belfast]

from "Art by Belfast" thread:

ha ha, an entire piece of paper covered in dots!!

The one after that one makes me think of little flies all buzzing around. I was going to say some particular shapes looked like wings, others like bodies, but I couldn't work out which ones looked like which - the flies are more of an overall impression. A picture of flies is not a bad thing by the way, especially nicely colour co-ordinated grey and pink flies.

041708 grey#2 mrkbrd (after fine-pointed dots, before the blue blocks).

Well, I can't pretend the idea that they appear as flies doesn't "bug" me (oh no, the pun!)-but so "bee" (oh no, another pun)-so be it.

Sorry, couldn't help myself there.

Yes, I enjoy covering entire sheet of paper (or in these cases, a 10.5 inch by 7.5 inch piece of mat board) with ink/marker dots or blocks. Like to be efficient & thorough. I derive great satisfaction from end result: effect of how it seems random-yet not made by machine, but done incrementally by human hand.

[Belfast]

Edited Sophist's posts on the first page to replace the artwork on there with the whole piece (most of the piece was lost in an original e-mail transmission issue). The 7th and 8th picture were affected

Thanks so much-it's just felt irksome knowing the pieces weren't "whole". Admit one of them (blooms dots) looks pretty much identical (indistinguishable if one doesn't know the original), though the other one obviously lacked the symmetry due to being only top third of piece-so it's relief (aesthetically) for me to see them in entirety. Really appreciate your efforts.

In addition, here are two early versions of the last piece of art posted on here to show the process of development. Sorry they are different sizes -- I resize everything so they don't look massive on here, but they didn't resize the same way based on the proportions I usually use. It is the same piece - I promise.

When I scanned them in (and cropped them to eliminate white space around edges), the dimensions came out differently-the earlier one looks bigger (than the later, more developed one, further along in process), don't know why-they were from exact same original.
I've been asked how I draw, as far as a plan or vision-and I don't have a clue, so I figured showing a couple intermediate stages along the way (of a finished piece) might be of interest to some. It's neat for me to see, too-to revisit points at which things might have gone in different direction, to "go back to the past" & see where the complete version came from.

[Belfast]

From "Art by" thread (since that takes long time to load, I comment here):

Outstanding and prolific... enjoyed muchly, especially the maze. Felt like I was sitting down to write music when faced with that - the seeming ease turning into ever-changing complexity with each step. Other favourites are your avatar and stellar dots. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for checking them out & making comment.
Am bashful at accepting positive reaction-requires continual practice at tolerating what I like to hear/read.
(insert quirky emoticon punctuating this sentiment).

If one has hankering for further mazery:
180+ mazes I've done, displayed over past 3.5 years:
http://www.ibrattleboro.com/staticpages ... 9162256584

[Belfast]

Quoted from other thread:

More art. For one of the ones below, I posted a close up of the center, because I love the texture that the gel pens give which I think is lost if you can't see the picture in full resolution. The close up is right after the original piece. (Hope you don't mind, Belfast.)

Gotta' say-that was cool (ingenious, clever) putting close-up of center portion.
Done with those metallic (which only comes across in seeing the original, in person) ballpoint gel pens (Staedler brand). Tips kept getting dry, were hard to work with-I'd have to scribble with them elsewhere & then use the pen for awhile on the picture. Plus, that kind of ink smears easily (takes several minutes to dry).

I really really like the top one called 'Swirls'

Man, I love each of those, it's so hard to choose which is my favorite. But I do agree, I really like that top one with the swirls. It reminds me of Escher and some of his tessellations.

Glad to hear that, because I was iffy about including it-as it seems too casual, "simple" for me to feel secure about presenting (it was quick to make & is not intricate-which is unusual for my art).
Materials: colored pencils (Prismacolor, of course) on black board-I like doing bright or light lines atop dark backgrounds/surface (said that already).

[Sophist]

It looked like it wouldn't have taken as much time to make as the others. But that definitely doesn't make it any less eye-attractive.

[Belfast]

You're right, that close-up does look particularly cool.

Belfast, you're an awfully prolific artist. there are TONNES of pictures!

Well, I've been drawing for most of my life-some times have been more productive than others. Drawing is one thing I can do when everything else is terrible (and I'm unable to find something else-productive-to do). Depends on complexity/difficulty of piece, level of inspiration in technique I'm using at the time, and other factors (in rest of my life), may do few in a day or one in space of several days.

One the very few activities that I enjoy (both during & after, the process and what I produce) enough to spend great deal of my time (across hours & months) engaged in. Writing is another one, but it's harder to make decisions, take action, with words (verbal language) than with drawing lines or dots (nonverbal sensing-expression of a visual aesthetic).

These are really cool. I can see the kind of obsession with symmetry that I've experienced in my own life when I see this art.

Thanks-yeah, I've thought one could presume obsessiveness on part of person who'd bother with such excruciatingly tiny details or slow methods. Each individual has different (not necessarily overlapping with those of other people) areas in which he/she has incredible patience and/or skill & areas in which opposite is the case. Of course, as with many traits, obsessiveness can be obstacle, gift, or both (to any given person).

lol, about Belfast responding in a separate thread. I wasn't sure what was going on until I saw his/her response on the third page.

(Her).
Didn't want to fill thread with links to the other thread in which I relocate the comments. Glad you figured it out, sorry it's not more obvious (clearly marked that my replies are posted in different thread from the displayed images)-you can understand why I do that, though.

[Belfast]

Had resisted the pressure to start a blog-at last, I crumbled-so here's where some of my art is posted:
http://esjwmazesandmandalas.blogspot.com/
Not intended as a writing blog, but for showing my drawings-as there's only so much space/memory one can take up on it.
Several (but not all) of these have been previously posted in Gestalt gallery thread ("Art by Belfast").

[Sophist]

Oh my god Belfast, you've been busy! The blog is awesome. Such a good way to show your stuff. I'm bookmarking it.

[Belfast]

Oh my god Belfast, you've been busy! :shock: The blog is awesome. :D Such a good way to show your stuff. I'm bookmarking it.

Thanks.

My connection's too slow, so have multistep process* by which my ex-bf uploads the images for me, since he has fast internet. *I scan artwork into my computer, he burns cd of the files, then goes back home to his computer & puts the pieces on the blog for me (when he has time or I've given him another batch of files, so "new posts" are intermittent/sporadic).

Many of the tools or options on the blog baffle, befuddle, and frustrate me, though. Aargh-can't even get a sidebar link to work, so had to put the info. in my header or whatever (where it isn't clickable).

[Sophist]

Oh my god Belfast, you've been busy! The blog is awesome. Such a good way to show your stuff. I'm bookmarking it.

Thanks.

My connection's too slow, so have multistep process* by which my ex-bf uploads the images for me, since he has fast internet. *I scan artwork into my computer, he burns cd of the files, then goes back home to his computer & puts the pieces on the blog for me (when he has time or I've given him another batch of files, so "new posts" are intermittent/sporadic).

Many of the tools or options on the blog baffle, befuddle, and frustrate me, though. Aargh-can't even get a sidebar link to work, so had to put the info. in my header or whatever (where it isn't clickable).

I'm not familiar enough with blogger to be able to help unfortunately. Maybe someone else could lead you through it. Or your ex perhaps.

[Belfast]

I'm not familiar enough with blogger to be able to help unfortunately. :? Maybe someone else could lead you through it. Or your ex perhaps.

The ex is stumped, as am I-blogs weren't around way back when he was learning computer stuff. However, said he went to library & is trying to read up on it. Just mentioned it since there might be chance someone here was well-versed in such things.
Anyway, glad you checked it out & enjoyed. Novelty is intimidating for me, as is exposing/revealing stuff about myself-especially at a non-ASD site (a blog). Access & display (even if it's merely of artwork)=risk vs. opportunity, y'know ?