Anyway, I had lots of fun drawing a 3d Space Invader monster and remembering the much loved Atari game. I have also realised this to be the perfect follow on of my previous post. A little more permanent than the man who was doing chinese calligraphy with water. You see there is a website that has been around on the internet for as long as I can remember chronicling the activity of this chap who creates tiled space invader graffiti. The site is still running at http://www.space-invaders.com.

**UPDATE**

The Space Invader family needed to be completed, so here they are.

216 x 280mm | Watercolour

 Some years back I attempted some chinese calligraphy. Uploaded them here.

Calligraphy Brush & Ink with Watercolour on rice paper

Calligraphy Brush & Ink and Watercolour on rice paper

216 x 280mm | Watercolour, Pen & Ink and some pencil crayons

Saturday the 21st of January the Joburg Sketchers gathered at the Old Observatory of the ASSA (Astronomical Society of South Africa) for the 33rd Worldwide Sketchcrawl. It was an impressive turnout this time on a very hot day where we mostly sat in the sun for the sketching. The buildings at the top are a bit run down, because apparently Sutherland is where all the money goes now for the research. The house is an old library (empty now) that was designed by Herbert Baker. There was a bigger Observatory a little down the hill, but unfortunately nobody had key to get in.

At the top of the hill where we had a spectacular panoramic view of Johannesburg.

280 x 216mm | Watercolour

355 x 254mm | Oil on Canvas Paper

A5 | Watercolour and Pen & Ink

Panoramic Photo of the city of Johannesburg

Links:

• Barbara Moore – blog post of the day
• Cathy Gatland – blog post of the day
• Joburg Sketchers Facebook album page
• Sketchcrawl Forum Results from around the world

280 x 216mm | Watercolour

This white lioness is at the Lanseria Lion park near here. I find the light, delicateness of watercolours a real challenge, but if pulled off well, can give a freshness which oils can’t reproduce.

As children we used to catch these critters devouring my Mom and Gran’s flowers. So we marched around the garden snatching them off the plants and throwing them into a tin of paraffin. The smaller deeper yellow kind were most numerous, but these bigger kind were a little more scary because of their size mostly. Apparently they’re also called blister beetles, but nothing ever happened to our hands.

280 x 216mm

Here is an amusing quote:

The largest blister beetle, with either orange or yellow antennae can often be seen on brightly coloured flowers. It feeds on the petals and seems to have no care in the world as it flies lethargically from one plant to another – this is because it has a secret weapon against would-be predators: Cantharadin. This poison oozes from the knee joints of the beetle if it has been captured. The yellow liquid is distasteful and will cause a bird or mammal to release it and from then on the predator will avoid any such brightly coloured beetles. The aposematic (warning colouration markings that make a dangerous, poisonous, or foul-tasting animal particularly conspicuous) colouration of bright yellow contrasting with jet-black signifies that this species is best left alone.

Blister beetles can give severe burns and blisters when handled. They are known as “blister beetles” because they secrete cantharidin, a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin and painful swelling. Cantharidin is used medically to remove warts, and is collected for this purpose from species of the genera Mylabris and Lytta, especially Lytta vesicatoria, better known as Spanish fly.

Professor Clarke Scholtz at the University of Pretoria was asked, “Is it true that their poison can kill a human being?”

The answer was, “Yes; they are poisonous enough to kill people – especially a big beetle. They are claimed to have aphrodisiac properties. The poison is very toxic and actually causes collapsed tissue. It would also depend on the weight of the person, as with any other toxin. The poison of a CMR beetle, that is dried and powdered, is sufficient to kill a 70kg human”.

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Africa/South_Africa/photo157688.htm

Well, we must of handled thousands of them and never got harmed in the slightest! People do get paranoid!

…there is a mimic too which I drew one sample of in the mix. I’m not sure if I should even ask if you can spot it. Its referred to as the Agelia petelii.

Here is another fascinating bit of info on the life cycle of the CMR:

The life cycle of Meloid beetles is rather remarkable in that they undergo hypermetamorphosis — a situation in which the larva transforms into markedly different stages between moults. The first stage (the triungulin) is small, active and runs around on the soil surface seeking out grasshopper egg pods that have been pressed into the soil. On finding one, it burrows into the soil and soon moults into quite a different type of larva which is stouter with smaller legs, and moves more sluggishly. The next two or three stages are in the form of fleshy C-shaped grubs that continue to feed on the eggs. The last of these burrows deeper into the soil before forming a resting stage at the end of the summer. When the warm weather again arrives, another active stage appears after another moult, and this soon pupates. The beetles are commonly seen from November to April, and may often be seen emerging and feeding in areas where locusts or grasshoppers are known to breed.

http://www.pestsandcrops.com/index_files/Page405.htm

216 x 280mm

The next sketch was far more intense. Try to grasp the perspective lines, the joins in the railways, which train belongs to which track… Would have been great fun in oils actually. But a little awkward spot for that.

216 x 280mm

Some of my fellow Joburg Sketchers gathered at Nelson Mandela Bridge

 It was already around midday and some went home, but some of us needed MORE! …so we walked around quite a bit until Barbara spotted a stairwell on the corner of an office block which looked to have a view of Nelson Mandela Bridge. After going up and down the office block, being told by security we couldn’t get there, refusing to accept that, we eventually found an open door to level 4 parking lot!

216 x 280mm

Related links:

• The group’s sketches on Facebook
• Barbara Moore’s blog post
• Cathy Bricka Giordano’s blog post
• Cathy Gatland’s blog post.

255 x 177 mm | Oil on Canvas Paper

This giraffe is at the Lion Park (Lanseria) not too far from here which I’ve taken overseas guests to a number of times. A favourite thing for tourists is the feeding of this giraffe.

It always intrigues me the assumptions we come to regarding colour. Here, is a “yellow” giraffe which really has no yellow in it at all. Perhaps it would be better to say a yellow ochre giraffe if you must. The background went through a number of colours, but eventually settled on this cloth rubbing stain which was originally intended so I could put down a different colour. Happy accidents!

216 x 280mm | Water colour and coloured pencil crayons

My Dad has now got some Brown Swiss cattle on the farm. They really are beautiful cows. The calves especially have so much character. They’re also look strong and sturdy, especially in their legs. God really has an amazing creation.

Have you ever wondered at the strange response to Solomon’s request for an obedient heart to judge Isreal. God’s gift of wisdom involves giving of knowledge of animals, birds, reptiles and fish. What has this got to do with politics? Is this even theology? Is this wisdom?

Here is an extract from the Holy Spirit himself:

God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore…

…Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005.

He described trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. People came from everywhere, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. 

(1Kgs 4:29-34, HCSB)

I’ve heard plenty of theories on what wisdom is, but nobody ever suggested to me it involves a communicating information of God’s plants and creatures and the gift of writing songs and proverbs.

John Piper recently made a fascinating observation when his tweet came through on his Facebook status update: “What do you say when you are filled with the Holy Spirit? ‘See, how mighty are the works of God!’ Acts 2:11″

 One of my favourite Psalms tells of God’s creation communicating knowledge to us. Speaking to us. Instructing us on the glory of God.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber; it rejoices like an athlete running a course. It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat.

The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.

(Ps 19:1-7, HCSB)

A5 | Drawing with pen, watercolour and coloured pencil crayons

The anatomy of an ant is fairly complex – half way through I realised I competely messed it up. Apologies to all the Entomologists out there. I’ll have to give it a more serious go sometime. Also discovered what a wonderful technique it is to use coloured pencil crayons on top of watercolour to bump up the colour intensity. …I could never understand why the cheap box sets of school coloured pencils always came with this bright, unrealistic green.

Recently watched an interesting little Youtube clip via Gurney’s blog post on an art lecturer talking about the anatomy of a horse. I wonder how many art courses teach the anatomy of insects.

Entomology