Went for a quick pint of Krusovice (Dark, appropriately) after watching the Batman sequel, and drew this in copic 0.1. Good film; Heath Ledger was pretty incredible as the Joker. Then, a long walk home in the evening heat. Right now, I’m up watching Superman II (richard donner cut); speaking of saving the world, I’d better send off that sketchbook… Off to San Francisco tomorrow morning for some sketchery.
My entry for Illustration Friday (I haven’t done one in a while), theme: Foggy. Yes, I had all these ideas of San Francisco or Prague or Strasbourg, of buildings half-immersed in grey, but I’ve been drawing so many buildings in grey lately that I wanted a change, and came across an old pic from an interesting evening in Belgium in late 1999.
This is my oldest friend, visiting me when I lived in Charleroi. We went, as always, to my local, La Cuve a Biere (an excellent and warm little place), and I got one of my favourite beers, Kwak (it comes in that funny shaped glass and is pretty strong, and tastes incredible). Tel did too. He liked it so much he downed it and ordered another. The Belgians on our table were surprised (and possibly nervous), for these sort of beers you have to enjoy, not chug down – for a beer like Kwak can be a bitch.
The room went foggy, the walls started spinning, the speaker above us started changing shape – at least that’s what Tel told me at the time. He suddenly got up, went into the bathroom, and pretty much didn’t come out for almost an hour. From what I heard, it was not pretty. When he emerged, we wisely decided not to get another, and walked home in the snow, not even stopping for a kebab. He has not so much as sipped a Kwak since. I can’t say I blame him.
This is faber-castell warm grey pen, with pilot varsity ink as the wash, on bristol paper. Yes, I’m trying something new for a change. I might illustrate other chapters of my life in strip form, if I get around to it.
For those of you watching in black and white, Jack the Ripper is the one in grey.
This is the Ten Bells pub in Spitalfields, where several of the Ripper’s victims drank (and the rest) before meeting unfortunate endings involving bits of them being mailed to the local bobbies. They never caught the Ripper, but I bet he was a bit of tearaway.
I love the French name for him, Jacques L’Eventreur. I love all the foreign names for him: Jack lo squartatore (Italian), Viiltäjä-Jack (Finnish), Jack Trbosjek (Croatian), Kuba Rozpruwacz (Polish), Seoc an Reubainnear (Gaelic), Джак Изкормвача (Bulgarian), ג’ק המרטש (Hebrew), Jack Bantha-poodoo (Huttese). Okay, maybe not the last one.
Originally he was known as Jack the Perforator, but the papers didn’t like it. These days, he would probably be called a Tearorist. Oh come on, it’s late, gimme a break here.
Actually it’s just down Fleet Street. First Irish pub in London (c. 1700), first pub outside Ireland to serve Guinness. Possibly the inspiration behind the song, at least I used to tell people that on the tour-bus. Well, it is a long way from Piccadilly and Leicester Square, if you really need a Guinness. Personally I don’t really like the stuff. Too much iron; turns your poo black, and leaves you open for an attack by mutant villain Magneto.
Parts 10 and 11 of the Sketchbook Project, and I’m wondering if the world actually needs saving, I mean once someone sets themselves up as a saviour then we’re in all sorts of problems, aren’t we. Perhaps we then need saving from them? Or their followers, or their enemies?
And never ever trust a politician who runs their election on “only I can save you”. Over and out.
I got out and sketched today – I saw the sunshine – and before long it was raining. I don’t get much opportunity to practise my rain-sketching back in scorching Davis. It’s a good job my paper is for watercolours. I enjoyed walking about in the rain, and with my sketching stool I could sit aywhere: this was drawn beneath the shelter of a theatre awning on st martin’s lane, the angel and crown pub, a very typical old pub in central london. I finished the colour off in the warmth of the ship in wardour street. I’ll post the rest of my sketches later; scanning here is more time-consuming!
petescully 