Tuesday 31 January 2012

Oops inside your head.


"The warbler hatched this cuckoo in her nest and still goes on feeding him, long after he has far outgrown her in size."

Another gem from Picture Post, I like to think the warbler's expression is one of dawning realisation. 

Saw some cats yesterday (I voluteer at a cat sanctuary).

Also, last weekend was the best weekend.

Monday 30 January 2012

"Metropolis" drawings.




Ink drawings over b/w photographs, college's "Metropolis" project 2007/08.

Our tutor made us a big ol' landscape out of scrap; hence my buildings look suspiciously like cereal boxes and bottles.

The first collage is rather Gilliam's "Brazil", second is a bit less dystopian (look there's a little tree!) and by the third I'd lost the plot and wanted to draw some wobbly seahorses. I haven't scanned half of my artwork, might be worth doing...

Y'know, actually put some of my art on Natalie's ART House. Instead of just crap.

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Two photos of tragic children.


“In a British war cemetery, a child stands by the grave of her father, who was killed in action before she was born.”

Photographed by John Chillingworth. 


“Rachamin Hadini, aged three and a half, has been a polio victim since his first birthday. Helped by arm supports, he has slowly learned to feed himself - and is proud of his new skill.”

Photograph supplied by the World Health Organisation.

Thursday 19 January 2012

Beans win races, ice cream is rectangular.

Some more scans from my beloved 1950s Picture Post, this time advertising foooood.



Farting his way across the finish line, well done Tim!


That’s nice to know!

These are the happiest and most obnoxiously bright of the Picture Post adverts I’ve scanned, it’s all graves and crying children (I’m serious!) from here on. This one does kind of make me fancy an ice cream though. Just not a weird rectangular one.

Monday 16 January 2012

War Horse, TGwtDT and cinema adverts.

I thought War Horse was alright. But it did seem a bit like a long series of heart-warming events (lit with matchingly gross warm tones of orange) culminating in the horse not actually dying.

Heart of stone, I know!


I did really enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo though! YEOUCH, probably not a suitable date movie. And I lurve Lisbeth, even though she has no eyebrows. It was as though they'd tried extra hard to make a good film because it's already been made and they didn't want it to be completely pointless. That opening sequence, what the foosh!?

Is Karen O collaborating with everyone and everything now? Not that I'm complaining (because I never complain lol).

From the pre-film adverts it appears that Virgin own EVERYTHING, EVEN SPACE, AND NOW YOUR MONEY. And there was an advert for cake or cookies or some shit, which looked like it was ripped off from God's David Shrigley's animations. Or he could be really broke and needed to sell his soul..

On a positive note, SHERLOCK! Who's either dead or not going to be on telly again for like another year. Yaaay.

Friday 13 January 2012

Love Lovecraft.

Just finished reading the very horrible "Under the Pyramids" by H. P. Lovecraft.

Egyptian mythology is probably my most enduring freak-out; when I was little I wanted to dig up mummies, until I started having nightmares about them.

So thank you Love. I am shitting myself. That sent shivers down my spine!

I do like him though, he's like Poe in space.

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Enrica Soma photographs.


Enrica Soma, photographed mid-1940s by Philippe Halsman.

I seem to post a lot about ballet. Mostly coincidental, the magazine I’m taking my scans from seems to be ballerina themed! Were they the favoured celebrities of their time I wonder…




‘Ricky Soma through the Ages’, photographed by Philippe Halsman as a renaissance painting, rococo courtesan and modern professional.

The article is a little tragic. According to Picture Post, Enrica was a dancer, and after becoming the face of Life magazine she trained to be an actress but was never actually filmed by the director paying her. These photos were then shown to director John Huston, who said he "liked her figure" and instead of getting a lead part, she became his fourth wife and mother of his children.

One of which is Anjelica Huston (90s Morticia Addams!), so at least her next generation got to act I guess. Hmm.

Saturday 7 January 2012

Vintage postcards of mysterious men.



In the meantime, here are some sexy vintage postcards of mysterious men that I found.

Job disappointment.

Didn't get the job I really wanted, but they said I was a very credible candidate, and if the competition hadn't been as strong they may have been able to offer me it.

Who was it, like Hercules?

Uuuhh. I'm only trying to crack jokes because I'm so disappointed.. Something else will come along though! Probably writing those crap jokes in crackers.

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Playlist for a moon disco.

A little story I made for my friend Camilla, accompanying a CD of music. The (very loose) theme was "songs that would sound great at a party in space". My music taste's a bit odd and hers is very good, so there are a few shockers in there!


There was once a disco on the moon. Pink Floyd (circa Syd Barrett) kicked off with "ASTRONOMY DOMINE" attracting Portishead, Beth Gibbons enjoyed it so much that she exclaimed "ALL MINE"! Her crackly vocals were heard by The Flaming Lips, who sang "SHE DON'T USE JELLY" in mockery. Lemon Jelly thought they meant them and did a "SHOUTY TRACK" in anger. Donovan appeared on his magic carpet and tried to calm down everyone with "COLOURS", but was trodden on by Ladytron riding their "WHITE ELEPHANT". Roxy Music flew over in Brian Eno's spaceship, chilling the scene with "2HB", but unfortunately attracted Richard Cheese and he had time to play "DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS" (originally by Disturbed). In response to a bad song, Blur came to the rescue with "GOOD SONG" but Alison Goldfrapp wanted to clone Damon's "LOVELY HEAD". David Bowie, who lived nearby, cried out "QUEEN BITCH" and Kings Of Leon (before they got shite) suggested they put her in "THE BUCKET". Doghorse hinted "I LIKE BUKKAKE" but everyone ignored them. "STUPID GIRL" said Garbage and Little Feat sensed hostility, so funked things up with "FAT MAN IN THE BATHTUB". CocoRosie were envious of Feat's facial hair and tried to distract everyone with "NOAH'S ARK" but Modest Mussorgsky, via a timewarp, put them in thier place with "THE CATACOMBS". Then The Vines (who actually have an alien in them) cheered things up a bit with "OUTTATHAWAY" and my dad sang a song about a "FORSAKEN MERMAN". The Darkness screamed the lyrical gem "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY WOMAN" to nobody in particular and Catatonia described them as just a "PART OF THE FURNITURE". Nobody had noticed that Radiohead were there all along, because they were in a massive "SULK". To round things off The Rolling Stones conjoured up a rainbow to slide back to earth on, by singing "SHE'S A RAINBOW", and they all went home (except for Bowie who lived there).

Wotta awkward, misguided partay! Other playlists I would like to make are "songs that are only popular on the internet", "songs I say I like to make people think I'm edgy and hipster", "songs I snigger at but actually enjoy and know the whole dance routine for" and "songs to have a good cry wank to".

And you get a cookie if you know where the very accurate moon photo is from.

Picture Post front cover, May 1955.


What a gem, I'll be posting more scans from this!