Friday 21 May 2010

Dye is good

The doctor told me to get an elastic bandage for my ankle. But they're white, which means:
a) they get dirty
b) I have to wear socks over them, which is a fouter, and rather warm.










Enter Dylon! And, since it's a waste of a packet to only dye a little, I did a couple of other things while I was at it.
Two very faded pillowcases got tie-dyed, and one T-shirt which had mysterious mildew marks, but is fine for working. I fact, I really like it now.


A fun evening, and a new lease of life for some things, all for £3.20.

Monday 17 May 2010

Another PP Painting

Sex Crazy, Wants Everything She Sees, & Wishes to Appear Important
(aka Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, & Pride of Life)

Sunday 16 May 2010

Recipe

Chicken and couscous.

You will need:
Chicken
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
A dash of lemon juice & worcester sauce.

Breadcrumbs
Herbs (I used dried mixed herbs)

Couscous (plain)
Chicken stock cube - for one person half or less will do
Sweetcorn
Pinenuts
Dried mixed fruit

Instructions:
Cut chicken in bits - an inch or so in size. Mix with mayo, ketchup, lemon juice and worcester sauce. You need enough to coat them well. If you did it in advance you could leave to marinade, but not necessary.

Mix herbs with breadcrumbs. Coat chicken in breadcrumbs.

Heat sweetcorn. In the same container (to make less washing up) dissolve stockcube in the amount of water specified on coucous packet - they're all different! Add couscous, herbs, mixed fruit and pinenuts. Do whatever the couscous packet says next.

Fry chicken. This needs hardly any oil.

Eat. If you make way too much, as I did, eat the rest cold.

Saturday 8 May 2010

Painting

As I've now got the book layout more or less corrected (i.e. altering layouts so arms no longer cross the gutter - oops!), I can finally start properly with the painting. :-)

Stubborn and Changeable (aka Obstinate and Pliable in the original)

Glorious

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19v1

Wednesday 5 May 2010

New book


I've just bought this book. I was feeling I really needed to learn a bit more about graphic design, as I do so much of it, and have never been trained in it. Had a look in Waterstones, and I went for this. Rather pricey for what it is, but I had tokens I'd been saving up.

What I like about the book is that it explains exactly what it's doing and why. It doesn't seem to be aimed specifically at designers, but anyone who has to design things. However, you'd have to be familiar with design software to use it. He designs business cards, leaflets, booklets, powerponts etc, sometimes showing a 'before' amateurish design, and then explaining how to achieve what you're trying to achieve. It even gives tips on designing for desktop printers which don't print right to the edge.


As it's all by the one man the designs are all in his style, which tends to be quite clean and crisp - doesn't have anything about wackier, more random or grungy designs. Or kids' stuff. Still, lots of very useful info and principles.

Unfortunately doesn't have a chapter entitled: How to fit far too much stuff on a page.