Weekly Photo Challenge … Grand
Reading is not a big town and many of our grand buildings have been hidden by lowly facades . Which is a shame because if you look about the streets of Reading there are some grand buildings and works of famous architects. I have in the past mentioned Reading prison, Block Barracks, even our town hall is situated near the famous Reading Abbey was designed by Alfred Waterhouse. I work at the Museum of English Rural Life a very grand building previously owned by the members of the famous Huntley and Palmer family. Nearby on the University Campus we have a particularly grand building; Foxhill House is a Gothic revival style building and now is now the home of the School of Law.
The house was built in 1868 by the aforementioned architect Alfred Waterhouse and where he lived for a while
So while it doesn’t perhaps match some of the other grand buildings already posted it does have a good pedigree.
Last week I learned …
Last week I learned to use a timer, did some drawing exercises and attempted multiple plate printing.
In a bid to perfect my drawing skills I spent 30 minutes looking at a brass weight; drawing it from different angles, 🙂 with various types of pencil and charcoal and in varying sizes. Each exercise was carefully timed so it was important that I used a timer. This procedure I hope to do each day so that I can ‘generate ideas and produce a series of marks and shapes’. (so they say!)
On Saturday I went to my Printing Class and I learned to print an image using three different colours. The results,are perhaps not works of art, but a basis from which I can learn. So the vital lesson learned is that to use a timer is pretty easy; the rest is a work in progress and I will not as they say ‘give up my day job’.
Silent Sunday
Saturday and Christmas begins today!
Happy thoughts for the future!
Today I can begin to plan my daughter’s visit home from Brazil. She will be coming with her partner. They have been together for 5 years and he is considered part of the family here in UK; especially by his ‘ niece and nephews. ’ They are all looking forward to seeing him and and talking about the world cup! For a while his part in the trip has been put on hold due to bureaucratic inadequacies. However after three costly attempts he has been issued with a visa. So we all heave a sigh of relief and begin to deck the hall with boughs of holly
Saturday and Christmas begins today!
Today I can begin to plan my daughter’s visit home from Brazil. She will be coming with her partner. They have been together for 5 years and he is considered part of the family here in UK; especially by his ‘ niece and nephews. ’ They are all looking forward to seeing him and and talking about the world cup! For a while his part in the trip has been put on hold due to bureaucratic inadequacies. However after three costly attempts he has been issued with a visa. So we all heave a sigh of relief and begin to deck the hall with boughs of holly
Friday’s Library Snapshot …
I really do enjoy looking for books that have a good mix of pictures and narrative. I have done with reading too much! However, this book has all of the above and an added extra ‘how to do it.’ So I will buy it although a little pricey; I see. Then it will go on the ‘when I retire I will do this shelf; which is beginning a bow a little.
Alphabe Thursday C is for Carmine, crimson and cochineal
It really is blood red!
My favourite colour is red. it is the colour of blood, sunset, rubies and glowing coal. Red, particularly carmine or crimson is the pigment obtained from cochineal. For centuries it was the treasure of the Incas and the Aztecs; after that the Spaniards guarded it carefully. The blood of the cochineal was used to dye the robes of kings and cardinals, used on the pallets of great masters and by makeup artists. It was, I hear at its best when fresh; one of the most valued natural dyes ever produced. However, it was not I understand used for Buddhist robes as there was too much death in it.
The cochineal is a parasite that lives on the prickly pears in South America; there are plantations in Chile and Peru. It is a tiny white insect about the size of a bedbug; when squeezed and killed it releases a blob…
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Alphabe Thursday C is for Carmine, crimson and cochineal
My favourite colour is red. it is the colour of blood, sunset, rubies and glowing coal. Red, particularly carmine or crimson is the pigment obtained from cochineal. For centuries it was the treasure of the Incas and the Aztecs; after that the Spaniards guarded it carefully. The blood of the cochineal was used to dye the robes of kings and cardinals, used on the pallets of great masters and by makeup artists. It was, I hear at its best when fresh; one of the most valued natural dyes ever produced. However, it was not I understand used for Buddhist robes as there was too much death in it.
The cochineal is a parasite that lives on the prickly pears in South America; there are plantations in Chile and Peru. It is a tiny white insect about the size of a bedbug; when squeezed and killed it releases a blob of dark scarlet blood. Left to their own devices the insect will eat a prickly pear to death. So the farmer has to monitor the situation carefully allowing the cochineal to get so fat but not destroy the plant. The plant is able to recover in a couple of months when it becomes invested again.
Harvesting is hard work and dangerous. The spines of the pears are blinding should they get in ones eyes and difficult to remove from the skin.So it is essential that protective clothing is worn. The white parasites are blown off the plants with large machines into buckets like snow, The live pregnant bugs are tipped into steel vats and churned into colour index 4. It doesn’t feel such a lovely colour any more; says me who wears a leather shoes and a fine silk scarf.
Women on Wednesday
I would like to know more about Sakhnorskaya do you know anything about her?
I am always on the look out for a woman for Wednesday: after a busy weekend I thought I had exhausted the possibilities. Then I found this wonderful illustration in Wood-engraving and woodcuts by Clare Leighton. It is called Woman in the 1905 Revolution by Sakhnorskaya; this is all I know about the image and the artist.
It is very like other Russian prints I have seen; with crisp lines; and details that are almost like pen and ink drawing; as seen in the central man’s apron and the ladies’ dresses. This stark black against white is often described as tour de force describing the most precise cutting up against the remaining lines.
The work is strongly animated and representative of the best Soviet school of modern wood engraving . While the English engravers of the time allowed themselves to to be dominated by craftsmanship the Russians were more concerned about…
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Women on Wednesday
I am always on the look out for a woman for Wednesday: after a busy weekend I thought I had exhausted the possibilities. Then I found this wonderful illustration in Wood-engraving and woodcuts by Clare Leighton. It is called Woman in the 1905 Revolution by Sakhnorskaya; this is all I know about the image and the artist.
It is very like other Russian prints I have seen; with crisp lines; and details that are almost like pen and ink drawing; as seen in the central man’s apron and the ladies’ dresses. This stark black against white is often described as tour de force describing the most precise cutting up against the remaining lines.
The work is strongly animated and representative of the best Soviet school of modern wood engraving . While the English engravers of the time allowed themselves to to be dominated by craftsmanship the Russians were more concerned about the emotion of the subject. They were also less constrained in the shape and borders of their prints and used the outside of the page as part of the design.
Coat Hanger Doll's House 