tombé en panne

April 26, 2008April 27, 20084 Comments

Today was very hot in Davis; not good for allergies, not good if you hate bugs, not good for redheads like pete. After spending the morning playing guitar to the baby I decided to get out on the bike to draw. My bike, however, did not think so. After twenty minutes, on the bike path, it just died; the back wheel refused to spin. I wrestled with it in the heat for an hour, getting filthy, before taking it to a bike shop, where they apparently fixed it by turning a nut with a wrench. Ok, thanks, yes I tried that with my bare hands, that might have been the problem. I cleaned up, and finally got to draw something, choosing a particularly nondescript corner, in fairly nondescript sepia, because I was in a mood.

I then got on my bike to go home. And after ten minutes, the chain went, and then five minutes later the back wheel stopped again, stopped like a french worker in striking season (that’s about this time of year, usually). I had to abandon it, I had no phone with me, there were no payphones, and so I walked home defeated in the heavy heat.

I think the phrase is ‘Bugger’.

no colours any more

April 25, 2008April 25, 2008Leave a comment

The silo, yet again, at lunchtime, encore une fois, in sepia, for a change, today. Hey. it’s at a slightly different angle. I sat on my little stool beneath a tree (it was a lovely sunny day). The last time I drew it though (a month ago, in sepia) the tower was bare, now it is full of leaves and a luscious summery green (um, as you can see in this very brown picture).

Brown…when I was a kid, I used to think Bran Flakes were actually called Brown Flakes, because they were brown, and we were from London, that’s how you say it. Bran Flakes. Similarly, whenever Americans would talk of what we know as cling-film, Saram-Wrap, I thought it was called Surround-Wrap (again, makes sense, ‘cos it saraands it), because my accent said so. Quite a surprise when I found out. Maybe my way makes more sense.

illustration friday: primitive

April 23, 2008April 25, 20089 Comments

I still have all the postcards i’ve ever been sent. I still love sending postcards myself, from all the places I visit.

These days, fewer people bother. One friend told me he doesn’t send them any more, since there’s email and texting and facebook, but that misses the point of the postcard. Another friend, on the other hand, he sends me postcards from various places he visits in the UK on his acting tours, and I love it. You don’t collect those emails in a dusty old shoebox that you come across many years later (one of the postcards in the picture was sent by my oldest friend, tel, from a holiday in devon when he was about 13 or 14, when it was the furthest he’d ever been; now he lives in korea). You can’t stick those facebook wall entries to your fridge. Writing and sending postcards does take a little effort, but it’s an enjoyable effort, and brings a little more sunshine into the world than seeing “inbox: 1”.

Here’s my illustration friday entry for this week, theme: primitive. Here’s to the more primitive forms of communication. Answers on a postcard.

sitting in his nowhere land

April 18, 2008April 19, 20083 Comments

The last, or the 24th if you prefer, of the You See Davis word/image unrelations. It has been fun. I will do more, similar things of equal unimportance. There may be slight differences. Rounded edges, perhaps.

This could be anywhere.

But it’s the large metallic window-sparse building called the ‘Death Star’ locally. I don’t know why; it’s not round, it has no superlaser, as far as I’m aware it has the ability to process a lot of paperwork but not yet functional to destroy planets, and I think its exhaust pipes are a little better protected. Maybe the locals know something I don’t? Tractor beams? There are a lot of farmers here…

the day breaks, your mind aches

April 14, 2008April 25, 20087 Comments

I’m in California, but this is Aix-en-Provence. I spent a year there from 2001 to 2002; I met my wife there, and she met me there too. I drew this last night, Micron Pen 01, and intended to add a wash, possibly in a warm sepia; I still might, but quite like it as it is.

Aix is art country. I did draw a lot while I was there, and paint, but I wish I could go back and draw and paint more, in the way I do nowadays. The light is amazing there – like in California, but possibly better. You have toi watch out for dog-poo though, and dog-people. Et les nains de jardin au parc jourdan, bien sur.

a song outside my window

April 13, 20085 Comments

I would open the window, look out towards the tall trees of the park, smell the dewy morning air, listen to the birds, watch the streetlights slowly flicker off, one by one.

modern love walks on by

April 12, 2008April 12, 20081 Comment

it got very hot today in Davis – 88, 90 degrees? felt like more – and in the afternoon I went cycling, and drew this house on B street. So hot for April, when in England I hear it’s raining. Rain? Is that the one where the water falls out of the sky?

we need to talk

April 11, 2008April 12, 20082 Comments

The 22nd of the You See, Davis series (see the rest here); this 24-pic davis-themed series will end soon, and has been a little slow in completing lately, but has so far gone from autumn to spring.

If you eat out in America, you may know this feeling. You’re in the middle of a sentence, when “So how is everything today?” inserts itself rudely across the table. You’ve just taken your second large bite of your roast chicken, when “would you like to see the dessert menu today?”. “Can I get you a refill on that?” after two sips of a diet coke. See that’s not good service, good service is knowing when not to butt in.

my baby don’t care for clothes

April 10, 2008April 11, 20085 Comments

One of my art goals this year is to learn to draw baby. One particular baby. So far I’ve mostly drawn him asleep; only twice have I drawn him awake, both times from a photo. Above are the second attempts; the boy with his easter bunny. I drew in pencil and scanned before adding watercolour; still learning. I tell you what though: the top he’s wearing, I totally want that top in daddy size. It’s damn cool. Luke’s got some cool baby clothes. Of course, he quite likes to stain them.

every day is just like starting over

April 9, 2008April 9, 20082 Comments

Welcome to the new petescully blog!

Well, petescully volume II. This is in all senses a continuation of the old blog at 20six, so expect the same again. I spent three years blogging at 20six, and now I’m here.

As way of introduction to this blog, my name is pete, I constantly sketch things around me, I write about some things, I am from north london but i live in california. I just became a father. Life is pretty bloody good; but being British, I can still find some things to complain about. I’m not a blogger who writes about all the petty things at work, or announces “I’ve just eaten mayonnaise” (46 comments), or reveals secrets learnt the night before in the pub. My personal remains so. I hope you enjoy what you find here.

For all 600 past entries, please visit :

http://www.20six.co.uk/petescully