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Peter-The-Knotter

Why Knot.....
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2021/2

1 min read
Hi all!,

Happy Holidays!

A Huge! Hug to all, Peter.
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My Friend Mort  :iconmortsbeads: passed away on November 20th 2019. 

I shall miss her terribly, her witty repartee, her amazing beadworks, her friendship and most of all, just being "Mort"

Always, always, always in my heart.

Peter .


Some of her work:





BTW: I'm leaving this journal...and my page more or less the same until I update it at the end of thje year with new stuff, a finished book...we hope! etc.  Until then : Best wishes to all and have a good year
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QU-INK

24 min read
Maintitle2 by Peter-The-Knotter
AN ILLUSTRATED ARTICLE ON INK
IN 5 PARTS, WITH A GALLERY
OF CONTEMPORARY
WORK


Two by Peter-The-Knotter

Pop by Peter-The-Knotter

Stitle1 by Peter-The-Knotter


1: First Encounters
Really!...I mean: c’mon guys! , who better to feature in a section on “Applied Ink”, than  Bob Giadrosich, someone who has, as the “Strap-line” on all their DeviantART comments:

“I ink, therefore, I am!"



and: Favorite Characters: Calvin & Hobbes
Personal Quote: "Practice, practice, practice!"


(The old ones are...y'know...) And this so succinctly and with much humour sums up that very humour and intensity of this man insofar as his chosen vocation or: love? is concerned... (I mean profession...surely....? yeah, that too...hehe!). I use the word love unashamedly as the patience, dedication, attention to detail as well as the creativity and imagination displayed in his work can, necessarily, only be born from a love of his chosen metier.



I first came across Bob a while back when checking out DA ‘s iliustrations/drawings/paintings in a rare moment of relaxation when having some time to browse... I was admiring his front page and remembering a “Duffle coat” I had rendered with a rotring pen using only dots... (I believe it came to about 20,000... but what art student counts these things?...), when I noticed that Bob had a crowd funding thing going on, on “Kickstarter”. I had never used Kickstarter, either as a designer/maker, or as a patron so popped over to check it out here. Note: On the Kickstarter site, (link to left),  are two vids, the second one is a complete slideshow of his book: "One Year After"

2: Serendipity
So I arrived at his Kickstarter project and was immediately entranced by his work.  It so reminded me of my artistic heroes like Jim Fitzpatrick , (Wiki), (Boris Vallejo)  , Roger Dean and many others, that I was immediately at home...and comfortable with this diverse range of subject-matter.  I was also in the happy position of having a little spare cash... and what better, than to invest in Art and someone's future... not to mention helping in a modest way to put bread on a very worthy table...  It's not always easy to stumble across something that speaks to you, with a frankness and directness like Bob's work did to me..and! the more I checked on progress, the more I wanted to invest....  I thank whatever gods there are for shoving me his way as I am now the proud owner of several of his limited edition prints, a unique one-off original, a book, and the satisfaction of having serendipitously come across an artist I believe in...and actually in the position to have been in on a really good deal!   (I also now have a few excellent presents for very special people!)

3: Brief Bio
Bob, very understandably is a fairly private though very sociable man. I have therefore included simply the couple of paragraphs that appeared about him on the Kickstarter site....

Seattle
Between 1987 and 2002, my illustrations appeared in books, games, and magazines. Until 2009, I might have met you at one of the hundreds of Fantasy/Science-Fiction/Gaming Conventions across the U.S., or, during the 10 years I co-owned Gotland Gallery at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. I’ve published dozens of fine art limited-edition prints, cards, and a few books through Sharayah Press, and continue to display regularly at galleries and other venues. I currently live in the Seattle area.

Changsha
From 2010 to 2013, I lived in Changsha, China, where, among other pursuits, I studied traditional Chinese ink painting. Between January 1st and December 31st, 2012 (my last year there), most of my time was spent at a dining room table drawing this project.

4: Influences: in Bob's words
When I was a wee lad (around 9 years old), I discovered my parents stash of Edgar Rice Burroughs books (Ace editions), which had covers by Roy G. Krenkel, Robert Abbett and some guy named Frank Frazetta. The art absolutely entranced me, and reading the adventures of John Carter, Tarzan, Carson Napier, and David Innes cemented a life-long love of Fantasy art and stories.

My biggest influence, however, came later when Barry Windsor-Smith started illustrating Marvel’s “Conan the Barbarian.” Of course, that was just the start of Barry’s carrier, and I’ve been a rabid fan of his work ever since; always in awe of the skill and fidelity he brings to his craft.

Other artistic influences would be Franklin Booth, Wang Dongli, Roger Dean, Larry Elmore, Jiang Guo Fang, Brian Froud, Catherine (Jeff) Jones, Alphonse Mucha, Maxfield Parrish, Bernie Wrightson, The Wyeths (N.C., Andrew, Jamie), and Jheng Wen Xin (plus many others!).

On a side note, I’ve been tremendously influenced by the music of Loreena McKennitt, Sa Dingding, and lately, Daiqing Tana.


Stitle2 by Peter-The-Knotter

8cards by Peter-The-Knotter


Traditionalists:
So glad we could do this Bob, Thank you in advance for your time...  So, when did you discover that “Ink” was the one for you...?

Bob:
When I was 15, a friend of mine gave me an old calligraphy set, which consisted of a pen holder with various nibs and a bottle of black ink! From that age on, I’ve been fascinated with the medium. Years later, I met a comic artist named Ken Mitcherony who convinced me to try a brush, which has been my main weapon ever since. Lately, however, I’ve been exploring using disposable tech pens.

Traditionalists:
I guess you’ve probably already got a next project... (as opposed to individual commissions etc...)?

Bob:
Besides doing independent images, my main project (which will be in book form), is about the assimilation of cultures, and how a group of individuals form a unique identity as they struggle to maintain the balance between where they came from and where they ended up at. Based in fantasy, the story will be presented as an ancient artifact, exploring their conflicts, history, language, legends, social life, technology, and triumphs. The project is in the embryonic stage, so I can’t say too much about it at this time, but I expect to be working on it for a year or two…

Traditionalists:
...And, talking about years or two,  how do you see your place in the future...long or short term?

Bob:
When all is said and done, I just do what I do. My “style” has been in and out of vogue so often I’ve lost count! My aspirations are pretty simple, in that I want to keep exploring and pushing my craft in different directions. While in China, I studied traditional ink painting techniques, which opened up a whole new way of looking at the medium. More spontaneous and abstract, I see myself combining elements of both eastern and western aesthetics.

The image “Xiangbala” (Image of Lady in green at top of gallery, (below) ), is a small step in that direction. It is done by combining two disciplines: gongbi (meticulous brush work) and xieyi (spontaneous abstraction). The line work in this piece was all done with brush, while the background elements (water color, gouache and colored-pencil) are broken down into aesthetic shapes and groupings. I really like how the two play off each other, and will be returning to this arraignment in future work.
While I’ll always continue to push the ink (with or with out colour), I would like to get back into oil painting. I have some images in mind that I would like to render with oils. Perhaps for the new book!

Traditionalists:
That’s pretty straightforward...and is an elegantly simple expression of what will become..as it is already is, I expect?...a busy and productive future! especially with all those pesky deadlines and meetings...and putting holidays on hold...but, your personal future aside, how do you see the future of, what is traditionally a “hard copy medium” in the “digital future”?...

Bob:
What's the future for "Ink" vis a vis "hard copy" exhibitions: Great question, and one that I’m not sure I know the answer to. Right now, with the proliferation of digital applications, the “look” of colour art has become more “sketchy.” Digital “inking” has become quite the rage in some circles, also.

I’m pretty much old-school in my approach, in that:  everything I do is hand forged...  Illustration seems to go in cycles, in that, as what is new now, becomes old, the styles of long ago become “new” again. It really becomes a question of contrast. That being said, I’ve never been one to change my approach to fit the latest “look of the day.” I feel that, in the long run:
“ keeping a consistency is more important than trying to appease an industry...”


By the same token, that aspect has a tendency to work both for and against one as one seeks to maintain a working relationship with clients and Art Directors.

I think that there will always be a place for “hard copy” art, at least in the foreseeable future. High quality reproductions and prints will always be deemed collectable, but the method of delivery could change. With the advent of digital accessibility, there are few things the artist can do to protect their intellectual property, but I feel that, if given the choice, most people would still prefer a physical, signed and numbered print that the artist has taken the time to handle and inspect for quality. The same applies to art shows, where the viewer has a chance to see originals displayed. One thing that cannot be duplicated on the internet or in a book is the sheer “wow!” factor that comes into play from seeing a large scale painting or drawing in person.


Traditionalists:
I’ve talked a little in my intro on you about your time in China, your delightful Chinese Wife, and the inspiration they have both given you...  May I ask one last question if it’s not intrusive?...which is:
U.S.A. or China....or Both?... sort of “Commute or Constancy” ...as I feel sure there must be so much for you in those two incredibly different cultures that will tug at you as a person and an artist?

Bob:
Both! There are many things that are unique to each country and its culture, and while I currently reside in the U.S., I’m sure that I’ll be travelling back to China many times in the future.

In a very real sense, I’ve become indisputably tied to these two very different places, as I seek a greater understanding of my years living overseas and my wife’s culture. I have a great affinity for the Chinese people, whose recent modern history (from 1700 forward to today) has been both tragic and inspiring. While I love the communal aspects that the Chinese bring to their society, I also revere the individual mind-set of the American tradition.

One area in China where I’ve been completely won over, however, is with cuisine. My wife is from Hunan province, which is right behind Sichuan province in the amount of hot peppers they include while cooking! As a result of living in Changsha for three years, I absolutely adore spicy food, and now, prefer it to American or European fare.

Traditionalists:
Well Bob, Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview in your busy schedule and I speak personally and professionally when I say it’s been a pleasure and a privilige to share some time, thoughts and ideas with you. I'm sure we all, on DA, and particularly the "tradionalists" wish you success with your future!

Bob:
Thank you Peter, It was very nice of you to choose to support my work and create this article!

Traditionalists:
Not at all... you are most welcome

Bob:
Bye for now.... (smiles)



Stitle3 by Peter-The-Knotter



XIANGBALA

Xiangbala by giadrosich

FAERIE GATE

Faerie Gate by giadrosich

FENG HUANG: WINTER (preview sketch)

Feng Huang Winter: Preview Sketch by giadrosich

STARS

Stars by giadrosich

FROM TRACTORS TO ROCKETS

From Tractors to Rockets by giadrosich

ITINERANT

; Itinerant by giadrosich

GoMC:
AUTUMN IN GUANGZHOU(Inked)



WINTER IN SHERWOOD FOREST

Winter in Sherwood Forest by giadrosich

AUTUMN PEOPLE




Stitle4 by Peter-The-Knotter


BOB:

:bulletpink: DeviantART Profile Page

:bulletpink: Facebook

:bulletpink: At Epilogue Gallery

:bulletpink: DA Portfolio

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

DA INK GROUPS:

:iconmoshui:   :iconbrush-inking:   :iconengaging-in-ink:   :iconink-lovers:   :iconinkblooded:   :iconpenandinklovers:

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

ARTISTIC INFLUENCES

:bulletpink:Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs  Tarzan

:bulletpink: Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta  Frank Frazetta

:bulletpink: Roger Dean
Roger Dean
Aimated Roger Dean Designs
Does Design Matter with Roger Dean - Part 1

:bulletpink: John Carter
:bulletpink: John Carter

:bulletpink:The Wyeths

:bulletpink: Alfons Mucha
Alphonse Mucha

:bulletpink: Catherine (Jeff) Jones

:bulletpink:Franklin Booth
Franklin Booth Book and Intro  Franklin Booth on wiki
Franklin Booth on Lines and Colours Blog (v.interesting site)

:bulletpink: Robert Abbett

:bulletpink: Carson Napier on ERBzine

:bulletpink: Larry Elmore

:bulletpink: Brian Froud

:bulletpink: Jheng Wen Xin
Jheng Wen Xin on Artnet
Official Site

:bulletpink: Maxfield Parrish
Maxfield Parrish at the NMAI USA
Maxfield Parrish on Wiki

:bulletpink: Jiang Guo Fang on Art Oddysey's Blog

:bulletpink: Bernie Wrightson

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

TECHNIQUES and TUITION

:bulletpink: Care of brushes:
Windsor & Newton Site: full of useful stuff!

:bulletpink: Artists talking about their tools Comics Site

:bulletpink: ...So what is a Ruling Pen?

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

MISCELLANY

:bulletpink:International Society of Pen and Ink Artists

:bulletpink:Jim Fitzpatrick Video Interview

:bulletpink:Superbe French Bande Dessinee Site

:bulletpink: sketch ink colour

:bulletpink:Enchantment in an Ink-based Author

Article on Kinja following Moebius's passing

:bulletpink: Boris Vallejo
Boris Vallejo Julie Bell Site  Boris Vallejo on Youtube Slideshow Boris Vallejo on Facebook

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

Books by Peter-The-Knotter

BOOKS OF INTEREST

:bulletpink: Gill - The Thames and Hudson Manual of Rendering with Pen and Ink www.amazon.co.uk/Rendering-Pen…
:bulletpink: Smith - The Pen Ink Book www.amazon.co.uk/Pen-Ink-Book-…
:bulletpink: Simmons - The Technical Pen www.amazon.co.uk/Technical-Pen…
:bulletpink: MaGinnis - Pen Drawing www.amazon.co.uk/Drawing-Illus…
:bulletpink: Nostalgia Press - The Art of Franklin Booth www.amazon.co.uk/art-Franklin-…
:bulletpink: Reed - The Magic Pen of Joseph Clement Coll www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Pen-Jos…
:bulletpink: Pennell - Pen drawing and Pen Draughtsmen www.amazon.co.uk/Pen-Drawing-D…
:bulletpink: Guptill - Rendering in Pen and Ink www.amazon.co.uk/Rendering-Pen…

Bar by Peter-The-Knotter

SOURCES FOR E-BOOK SOFTWARE

:bulletpink: ◦Kitabu: itunes.apple.com/us/app/kitabu… (Free - Mac)
:bulletpink: ◦Adobe Digital Editions: www.adobe.com/ap/products/digi… (Free - Win Mac)
:bulletpink: ◦EPUBREADER plugin for FireFox: addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firef… (Free - Win Mac)
:bulletpink: ◦Calibre: calibre-eBook.com/download (Free - Win Mac Linux)
:bulletpink: ◦Kindle: www.amazon.com/ (Free - Win Mac)
:bulletpink: ◦BookReader: itunes.apple.com/us/app/bookre… ($10 - Mac)

:icontraditionalists:
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QU ' INK

16 min read
Maintitle by Peter-The-Knotter
AN ILLUSTRATED ARTICLE ON INK
IN 5 PARTS, WITH A GALLERY
OF CONTEMPORARY
WORK


ARTICLE INTRODUCTION:
This is a brief overview on the subject of INK by someone who loves the medium from his teenage attempts with rotring and mecanorma pens at a time when "cut 'n paste" meant: “Literally” that!  It is by no means whatsoever!, exhaustive.., but, rather, a fond friendly walk through the Ink landscape, pausing now and then to admire this or that aspect that has caught my eye.  In so doing, if I somehow manage to pique the interest of one or two budding, ( or accomplished), artists to explore this incredibly versatile medium of expression, I shall sit back in my armchair, Pernod or Cointreau in one hand, with an Aztec-style dark Chocolatl with chilli's in the other, ...a happy and very contented individual.

In this Article, of 5 illustrated parts and a gallery, I shall insert notes below each section within each part, together with relevant links so as not to necessitate scrolling overmuch. The illustrations may be clicked on to take the reader to the actual deviation page where those images may be magnified by simply clicking the mouse, for clarity and closer inspection.

There will be a link to the next part, (in the series), inserted at the end of each part as each further one is completed.

ARTICLE CONTENTS:
PART 1: FROM CHINA TO THE WEST: "AN INK TRAIL..."
PART 2: A CLOSE LOOK AT APPLIED INK: “BOB'S TALE: A DEVIANT IN CHINA"
PART 3: ENGRAVING: "BLOCKED AT EVERY TURN”
PART 4: CLASSIC INK: "FROM LINDISFARNE TO LOHENGRIN"
PART 5: POPULAR INK: "COMIC SANS = NOTHING”
Appendix: DEVIOUS INK: "A GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY INK”



One by Peter-The-Knotter


ink1 by Peter-The-Knotter



A: A Brief History Of Ink
Before ink came along there were several rudimentary ways of recording information or pictures. One of the most famous is the impression of simple lines into clay in groups and at different angles to symbolise sounds, ideas or quantities. Another way was to use naturally occurring pigments like clay and daub them onto a contrasting substrate (thin surface material) like stone,  large leaves etc. and, naturally, also on walls...

Ink was invented at roughly the same time by the Chinese at about 3000bce, (oh no not them again!... 'fraid so...), and in Egypt and probably/possibly the Indian subcontinent. The name India(n) Ink derives from the materials; like “Lamp black”, (fine soot from lamps(FIG A) ), “Gum Arabic” to bind the soot//pigment to the page, (gum from acacia treesFIG B), and other sources of fine carbon like bones, as well as, predictably, tar and pitch... (the same substances used to seal the timbers in boat construction and maintainence...)

By the 4th century BCE, it was being made on a large scale in China and several other countries like Egypt where Papyrus had become the surface of choice for recording information (as well as tomb walls: FIG 1and illustration of "books" like the Egyptian's: Book of Coming Into The Light*1(see fig 1), Book of the Earth etc.... and the Dead Sea Scrolls (approx 300BCE). (See fig 3 above)

INK2 by Peter-The-Knotter


B: Mass Produced Ink

As time went on, more types of ink were discovered or formulated, including iron gall ink made from tannic acids and iron salt produced by vegetation which became regularly used up until the Victorian era. During the early middle ages, (around 500-700ce), the soon to become ubiquitous quill pen was invented, (many of which didn't keep much of the actual plumage attached when in use), and were tools of the monks who produced copies of works using black and other coloured inks, to produce some amazing works of art as well as reference.  Some examples of this latter capacity for beautifully illustrated and exquisitely calligraphed volumes are shown in the illustrations above, including a Picture of Guthenburgs page of type, the famous .Limbourg brothers’ Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.created in the late medieval period: approx14-15th centuries... and a couple of other ink-based examples of medieval work.  

Guthenbergs press heralded, at least in the west, (the Chinese had produced en masse since the9th century...sigh...), the start of mass production of books: which inevitably led to better education and particularly, more widespread access to knowledge, hitherto guarded jealously by those in power...; and the dissemination of revolutionary tracts and satirical illustrations which served to inflame the populace of many a country...especially the poor.

Ins3 by Peter-The-Knotter

C: Colour and Pleasure

Naturally enough, the next advancement was in mass-produced colour.  There were several methods of achieving this from the hand-carved woodblock prints of Ukiyo-E Japan through to offset litho used in modern times.  The advent of coloured inks allowed for more artistic expression and thus, pleasure in the eyes of the beholder, (but more on “Beholders” in part 4....), plus, indicators of states of being were easier to portray like the ghosts in Japan, ruddy-cheeked inebriants in regency satirical cartoons in hogarth’s England; not to mention tracts produced by politicos with the intention of graphically inflaming the masses.

Ins4 by Peter-The-Knotter

Moveable-type became the method of choice for newspapers which were now available and although, for much of their history were monochrome black, became like the newly arrived specialist magazines, a colourful addition to the newsagents shelves....

Many Individual artists manufactured their own inks from raw materials like painters did with egg tempera pigments... but many of these, in the renaissance to the 19th century, made them painstaking to create as well as costly until the middle of the 19th century when the Impressionists with their scientific analysis of perception and interest in chemistry, used chemically-based pigments and used those “daubs” to create, from a distance, those wonderful paintings like Monet’s Giverney lilies and japanese bridge amongst so many other exponents.  Inks, similarly became heavily chemical based but, much more accessible to those who would otherwise be unable to afford and indulge their desire to draw and paint which was principally a reasonably rich person’s prerogative....



Technology progressed to the point where now we have an almost embarrassingly huge choice of Inks with which to portray anything our imaginations can come up with: mettallic Inks, Ultra violet reactive Inks, Invisible Inks used to hide information or property rights, inks to test for legality of banknotes, Inks to show that a person has already cast their vote at elections... the list of types of ink at our disposal .... but, like so much in this modern world, there are very, very, many who, like myself, love the simple act of using a nib, brush, sponge or other applicator, to produce raw, visceral as well as subtle and very fine illustrations with that most wonderful of substances: Ink!

Ins6 by Peter-The-Knotter
PART TWO: A CLOSE LOOK AT APPLIED INK: “BOB'S TALE: A DEVIANT IN CHINA" HERE

PART ONE: NOTES

*1 Also known as "The Book of the Dead", this scene depicts weighing the heart of the deceased against Ma'at's feather of truth. This action decides whether the person goes to the kingdom of Osiris (Heaven-ish), If it's not equal in weight to the feather, the heart is fed to Ammit: the so-called "swallower of the dead"...


PART ONE: LINKS: Section Links

A:

:bulletpink:Papyrus: (Our English word "paper", is derived from the word "papyrus", an Egyptian word that originally meant "that which belongs to the house"  ie: the bureaucracy of ancient Egypt).
Read more: www.touregypt.net/featurestori…
At Earlham: good, text-rich history and other info, few pics....legacy.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam…

:bulletpink:Book of Kells: Trinity College Site where the copy of the Book resides: www.tcd.ie/Library/bookofkells…

:bulletpink:Lindisfarne Gospels: Official Site: www.lindisfarne.org.uk/gospels…

:bulletpink:Albrecht Durer:
"The complete works" dot-org site with bio and extensive collection of works: www.albrecht-durer.org/  
Paris Webmuseum: Durer: Bio and Works...good overview if you're in a rush...

:bulletpink:Video of Iron Gall traditional ink: youtu.be/zV0l3KbnYAo

:bulletpink:Video of Contemporary Ink making: youtu.be/Fypi6dAJB8E  btw: opens slowly, but worth it...

:bulletpink:Video of making a quill pen:  (good, no-nonsense vid....) youtu.be/-EIgYQZZIes?list=PLi6…

B:

:bulletpink:Gutenburg (Bible):
Gutenburg Project: just because... There is a wealth of information probably including something or other on the subject of ink, manufacturing thereof etc. but!, I have not searched... www.gutenberg.org/
Book dramatisation of Gutenburgs "Apprentice" by Alix Christie on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Gutenbergs-Ap…
Definitive website: www.gutenberg-bible.com/
British Museum online page for viewing texts: molcat1.bl.uk/treasures/gutenb…

:bulletpink:Limbourg Bros:
Metropolitan Museum: (Hellbrun entry)www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-o…

:bulletpink:Political Tracts etc:
I couldn't find "an open to all" resource for pamphlets and leaflets etc...sorry!, so instead here is an image search result with a positive profusion of images that relate to my comments in this article.... enjoy! www.google.co.uk/search?=old+p…

C:
:bulletpink:Ukiyo-e Woodblock printmaking: (on DA) scroll down to printmaking, videos included of the procss as well as profuse illustrations and background material... fav.me/d6pk0j1

:bulletpink:History of Newspapers with excellent pics and text...yaay! Wiki works: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_…

:bulletpink:Birmingham Pen Museum:
A mine of information on the evolution of pens....www.penroom.co.uk/
The Pen Museum's video page: vimeo.com/channels/penmuseum/5… with several video's including a dramatised interview with an 18th century nib maker called Lizzy...who makes some truly cringing puns... (eg: about the boss being: "his nibs" ), but with such fun it's a pure joy.... and incredibly informative...

Victorian Illustration (mostly...early 20th C also)
:bulletpink:Rackham: one of the foremost Ink illustrators of the 19th century having illustrated very many childrens stories and fables.... here:
www.bpib.com/illustrat/rackham… is a good basic intro to the man and his work with photo's and illustrations.

:bulletpink:Aubrey Beardsley: famous for his ink drawings of Oscar Wilde and the illustrated version of Lysistrata where, in a nutshell...ahem... the women withheld their favours to prevent the males inclination to war upon each other....  
Aubrey at the Tate Gallery: (bio and pics) www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/au…
Aubrey "The Savoy" The art of Beardsley, simple but excellent resource of ink drawings: www.wormfood.com/savoy/index.h…

:bulletpink:Journal (on DA) on the golden age of Illustration:  where many artists inked their designs before colouring them, if they did in fact do so....
fav.me/d6pjzdn

:bulletpink:Inking for cartoonists: Tools, Paper etc: www.sidewalkbubblegum.com/comi…
Tim Vigil Drawing and Inking Tutorial: slow but informative, youtu.be/MSAbHlOOwZc

:bulletpink:Works on this subject at the British Museum: www.britishmuseumshoponline.or…

:bulletpink:General info on "Writing" from impressed clay to inks.... www.britishmuseum.org/explore/…

:bulletpink:Tomb Painting examples:  www.britishmuseum.org/research…


PART ONE: LINKS: General Links

:bulletpink:INK SUPPLIERS::bulletpink:
Windsor & Newton:  www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/i…
Blick: www.dickblick.com/products/dr-…
Daniel Smith: www.danielsmith.com/ItemList--…
Utrecht: www.utrechtart.com/Permanent-C…
Noodler’s: noodlersink.com/noodlers-ink-c…

:bulletpink:CALLIGRAPHY SUPPLIES::bulletpink:
Scribblers: www.scribblers.co.uk/
Blots Pen & Ink Supplies: www.blotspens.co.uk/
Cass Art: www.cassart.co.uk/drawing/call…

:bulletpink:PURCHASING INK ART::bulletpink:
Ink Pen & Ink on Etsy: www.etsy.com/uk/browse/art/dra… in general:
Islamic Calligraphy:  www.paul-holberton.net/ink-and…
Naturally enough, one may also use DA's Online Shop for accessing prints of our own talent in Ink: See also Part 2, 5 ..and the Appendix: Gallery...

:bulletpink:GENERAL ARTICLES :bulletpink: (on art that include good Ink references.)
Victorian Art: www.victorianweb.org/art/illus…
The Beauty of Engraving: thebeautyofengraving.com/past-…
Drawing in Ink from Europe: (at the MET) www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_d…
History of Sumi-e (Japanese Brush & Ink Drawing):  www.drue.net/sumi-e-history.ht…
Ink and Brush Painting in China: www.artspeakchina.org/mediawik…
Paper, Ink, and Rock 'n Roll... moonaliceposters.com/2014/03/t…


:bulletpink:
Traditionalists welcome your contributions for each Traditional Media Month.
If you have an idea for article, interview, feature or anything traditional art related,
do not hesitate to drop a note to the group! (click on group logo below)
:bulletpink:


:icontraditionalists:
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  Athena 1 by Peter-The-Knotter

1: INTRODUCTION



I really expected DeviantART to have had this covered!  - Maybe I just haven't seen it / missed it if someone has, DA is a biggish site..., (please send me the url if this is the case? thanx!) , but it merits a techgnotic / depthRADIUS  level, general post to all members on DA....For those who are unaware of Athena's seminal role in popularising "Art" of all calibres, I have decided to get off my poor pre-op ass and write a journal to celebrate/remember Athena's contribution to student's walls in every academic institution, bedsit and flop house in many an urban sprawl..., (particularly art colleges like St Martin's, Camberwell, "The Slade", The Royal College, Plymouth, Falmouth and the many other institutions that have nurtured the budding artist's soul in the UK when starting out on one of the most difficult professions to succeed in, as well as the walls of many an art-lover, like myself, who could not afford "the real McCoy" but could, at last, decorate their walls with something other than wall-paper and 3 flying ducks! (see: "Duck Soup" below...)

Duck Soup by Peter-The-Knotter

A: AFFORDABLE ART


Athena supplied  affordable art in the high street for both students and those denied an education, who could now place their muse's / hero's inspirational work on their walls, be it a classic like Rembrandt or a current cultural icon like "Kojak", (Telly Savalas), whose relative merits and politics could be argued over coffee, or perhaps "Spag Bol" popularised by cooking author Elisabeth David who brought Italian cuisine to English tables.  The pro's and cons of a Braque, Tintoretto, Monet, the Beatles Album covers...
Athena 4 by Peter-The-Knotter

or a particularly pulchritudinous tennis players posterior majoris... ahem...  This latter gave rise to quite a furour in the art world and the press at the time, about wether certain designs were art or..something else... another example of this was L'Enfant. 
Athena 6 by Peter-The-Knotter


Athena 5 by Peter-The-Knotter

 Athena also didn't shirk from selling prints of popular TV icons like Starsky and Hutch, Farrah Fawcett and many others.  Popular music idols were also available and one of these notably "came back" in a certain "Love Actually" to whit: The Bay City Rollers... trust me! at the time London was confused with Scotland there was so much tartan about... not to mention "Punk Rockers" who sported safety-pinned mini skirts with a strong tartan design..usually red.
  Athena 3 by Peter-The-Knotter


The shops were often manned or womanned by students of art, be they actual "Students" or by those, like myself, who were a species not unlike Thomas Hardy's "Jude The Obscure" who hovered on the fringes of academia, without the werewithal to gain entrance, but who, nonetheless, were respositaries of much knowledge and analysis, and perfectly suited to work in an "Art" shop - or, Like Jude, occasionally settle disputes for the inexperienced. 

The team (below) at the Exeter shop are no exception to this, and were a cornucopia of helpfulness and information... so much so that, having met the owner, Simon, last week and had a lovely chat on the whole subject, one of his team arranged for me to have the requisite frames set aside for my "Earthwalk", (see below) , and they were used to generate the very last receipt ever issued to a customer... which, as an inveterate romantic I shall treasure!  (Do Not! look for it on Ebay: "It ain't gonna happen!"

  Athena 2 by Peter-The-Knotter


B: BEAUTIFUL EARTHWALK



Poetically, the duration of the Athena shops (at their height there were about 60 in the UK.), lasted almost exactly 50 years: Athena's first shop was opened by Ole Christensen in Hampstead in July 1964, (my old stamping ground at the time...) and by an incredibly serendipitous co-incidence, I find myself living in the town that housed the very last shop to remain open until today, the 19th September, 2014. Call me a romantic if you will, but again, coincidentally, I have been re-decorating my flat to provide a harmonius workshop for my work, especially as I will be leaving hospital, (alive, I sincerely hope!...lol.... too soon?...),  soon after an operation to re-open my trachea to be able to breathe more effectively, and thus work at my more normal rate! yaay!;  I thus decided it was about time to re-think my environment: My apartment's corridor therefore, I decided, is going to be called "The Eartwalk"- a sort of voyage around the planet without leaving my flat with: (btw: The walls are to be deep, dark green, the ceiling: midnight blue with constellations, the floor a sort of highly evolved bio-degradeable astro turf...),  about 26 or so framed prints of various parts of our lovely planet, that I've travelled to - or would like to! (waterfalls, birds, fauna, flora, panoramas and aerial views etc),; the point being that because I needed lots of frames, I went to my local Athena and discovered it was closing down and, (very luckily for me), was having a sale!  So, this poor student of art, (auto-didact), was able to easily afford all the frames required!

C: CLOSING DAY



I had so much on today, (19th September),  2 articles to write for the DA Art History Project with deadlines 3 days hence!; New boiler being fitted by two guys with manly grunts and muttered imprecations about the fit of a hex screw for the widget that did something unpronounceable but essential to my plumbing!; a fashion and photography thing for a new African Clothes and Furniture shop; more painting of walls etc for my re-decorations in my apartment; my first shower for two weeks instead of a "sink-wash" substitute plus being able to do the washing up without boiling 3-4 kettles of water!; (takes breath!), in short, I could ill afford the time to visit a poster shop that was closing down like so many other high street businesses in this financial climate...


but! I made it a priority because of the staff and the historic passage of something that in the past was as taken-for-granted as "Boots" or "M&S" in most sizeable UK High Streets. As the number of customers dwindled, and closing-time approached, Jaquie, the Team Leader / Manageress, started to sniffle as her eyes welled up... I so understood her sentiments... I said to her, to which Dave uttered some words of support..., I shall do the emotions later, right now, I jut want to share this historic moment with you guys, and wish you all well! for the future.  We cracked a few jokes, took some pics and then parted company... most had jobs to go to, so that was cool, but, nonetheless, everyone's heart was heavy.., all wanting, like most of us have experienced at least once: not wanting this particularly amazing party to ever end...                 ...sniff!
  Tit4 by Peter-The-Knotter


  The Other Opiate, (or at least "eye-candy") of The Masses

Why "Athena"?... because: Athena is the Greek goddess of reason, intelligent activity (wisdom), arts and literature.
Athena 7 by Peter-The-Knotter

The story of Athena is somewhat of an odyssey for me as I have: discovered many artists via their posters, have decorated various caravanserai's where I have lived a while with their works from Corot to Monet, Rembrandt to Dali and Escher to Van Gogh...etc  In my current appartment I have several old Athena prints, notably Mucha, a graphic designer of the first water, whose "4 Seasons", like Waterhouse's "Lady of Shalott" has almost always been somewhere on a wall where I've lived.  Now I find myself having lived near, and bought from, the first shop, and  living near, and having been the last customer of the very last shop bearing the name... but enough of my wistfullness, on with the brief history of this seminal entity of the art world:
 The First Shop... and buyouts...

As previously mentioned, Athena's first shop was opened in Hampstead, (very close to my birthday), in July 1964, and was soon, after a remarkably fast expansion and success, bought out and further expanded to approx 60 outlets.  Although the management's idea was to concentrate on "fine art prints", as we all now know, several prints caused controversy in the art world as they were of, in some people's minds, of a "vulgar turn of mind"...notable amongst these were the famous "Tennis Player" (see also Note 1, below), A Hobbit, Tutankhamun, Robert Doisneau's "The Kiss" and the "Man and Child" (L'Enfant: see note 2 below), often seen as an icon for the idea of the "New Man" of the 8o's + 90's, ...amongst others, see illustrations below.
 Sold Again!

An annual event were it's calendars which were often controversial like the tennis player and the girl in the red and white socks as well as current popular pop and TV icons like Telly Savalas (as the imacculately dressed, lolipop sucking police detective "Kojak" ) and Starsky and Hutch (not forgetting "huggy bear"). The athena chain of stores was sold again in 1977.

 As the Century Ends...


Athena was principally a 2oth Century phenomenon; so, with the advent of the "Net", the capacity for previous poster buyers to print out their own pictures and frame them, the fortunes of Athena waned.  Other reasons were that entrepreneurs quickly took advantage of the internet, online banking, and of course, online payment methods, like "PayPal" to sell to people in the comfort of their own homes and have their purchases mailed to them. This trend, like online groceries, gave consumers more time to pursue other interests.  Another factor that appeared was that social networking, ( see:  fav.me/d4si0si ), the consummate 21st century weapon of mass distraction replacing the 2oth century's weapon of mass distraction: Television, (fav.me/d56yk1d),  began to take up more and more of people's time including "meeting up" via avatars on 3D games sites, chat rooms, video calls etc.. often diverting people from actual face-to-face conversations and encounters...

 And the Century Begins...

The new century heralds a radical change in how students of art view illustrations, works of "Art" and other visual media as the media themselves undergo metamorphosis after metamorphosis with the advent of ever more sophisticated and realistic laser holograms, 3d printed sculptures, 3d movies, pop-up happenings and installations as well as non-paper-based storage of images that can be summoned at the whim of the viewer with ever larger and more compact storage devices...  Will the exchange of art and debate on art now only tale place in cyberspace?... most Universities and schools etc distribute notes, assignments, lectures etc via e-mail or bulletin boards etc and virtual classrooms are commonplace,

 And the Future Beckons...

Is this not only the demise of Athena, but that of posters and perhaps wall art?...  I think not!...  In the same way that it is a whole different matter to read a bound book made of paper to using a digital text reader, The viewing of a piece of art in real-life is so far removed from the digital experience as to be as alike as real elephant and a wrought iron  butterfly...  However, with the continually decreasing price of digital devices, will this luxury of seeing the "Real Thing" become the province of only the super rich?....

3: ATHENA: USEFUL LINKS

WIKI:
www.athenaposters.com/history-…
THE INDEPENDENT
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/… 
THE DAILY MAIL
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/art… 
VIVARTI-ATHENA ONLINE:
www.vivarti.co.uk/ 
VIVARTI SHOP (Plymouth):
www.visitplymouth.co.uk/shoppi… 

4: LINKS RELATED TO ARTISTS AND/OR
ILLUSTRATIONS CITED IN THIS ARTICLE



CEZANNE: COMPLETE WORKS AND BRIEF BUT GOOD BIO: www.paul-cezanne.org/
CEZANNE AT PARIS WEBMUSEUM: LINKS TO BIO / WORK / ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE WORKS ETC: www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/…
CEZANNE'S STUDIO: www.atelier-cezanne.com/anglai… 

BACON WEBSITE: www.ubu.com/film/bacon.html
BRINGING HOME THE BACON: A TATE MUSEUM DOCUMENTARY BY DAMIEN HURST (5 MINS): www.tate.org.uk/context-commen… 

BRAQUE: LINKS: www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/…
BRAQUE AT MOMA: www.moma.org/collection/artist… 

BURNE-JONES:  (SEE ALSO: PRE-RAPHAELITES: RESOURCE SITE, BELOW)
LINKS: www.dmoz.org/Arts/Art_History/…
Sir Edward Burne-Jones in Cumbria: www.visitcumbria.com/edward-bu…
DURER: BBC DOCUMENTARY: youtu.be/0i3d63k-ZLg 

EMIN WEBSITE: www.emininternational.com/ 

M C ESCHER  WEBSITE: www.mcescher.com/
ESCHER: PDF ARTICLE ON THE MATH OF ESCHER:  www.ams.org/notices/200304/fea…
Escher for Real: SOME FUN AND INTRIGUING REALISATIONS OF ESCHER'S WORK: www.cs.technion.ac.il/~gershon… 

DAVID HOCKNEY WEBSITE: www.hockneypictures.com/ 

MONET WEBSITE: www.monetpainting.net/
MONET AT GIVERNEY: giverny.org/monet/welcome.htm
MONET TALKS: (TEXT) www.intermonet.com/biograph/au… 

MUCHA WIKI: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse…
ALFONS MUCHA: CONCISE ILLUSTRATED BIO: www.artexpertswebsite.com/page…
MUCHA MUSEUM IN PRAGUE: www.muchafoundation.org/ 

PICASSO: MUSEUMS:
PARIS: www.museepicassoparis.fr/
BARCELONA: www.museupicasso.bcn.cat/
MALAGA: museopicassomalaga.org/
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART: www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Col… 

PRE-RAPHAELITES: RESOURCE SITE: www.preraphaelites.org/ 

REMBRANDT: BBC BRIEF BIO AND SLIDESHOW OF WORKS:
www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintin…
REMBRANDT DOCUMENTARY: www.canal-educatif.fr/en/video… 

RENOIR: BIO: LIFE / TECHNIQUES / EXHIBITIONS ETC. www.artble.com/artists/pierre-…
RENOIR: GALLERY OF WORK: www.pubhist.com/person/281/pie… 

RODIN: MUSEUMS:
PARIS: www.musee-rodin.fr/fr/le-musee…
ATELIER AT MEUDON: www.musee-rodin.fr/fr/le-musee…
RODIN AT THE V&A: www.vam.ac.uk/page/a/auguste-r… 

TURNER: THE TURNER SOCIETY: www.turnersociety.org.uk/index…
TURNER: The TATE (London, UK) has a dedicated section but the website is under maintainence currently....
TURNER at the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintin… 

WATERHOUSE: COMPLETE WORKS: www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.net/
WATERHOUSE: BIO: www.jwwaterhouse.net/biography… 

VAN GOGH MUSEUM: www.vangoghmuseum.nl/
VAN GOGH GALLERY: www.vggallery.com/

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