Behind the Scenes

If anyone is interested in how I work in such a crowded space
as my bedroom, here is a look "behind the scenes".

The Sewing Area

Here is my sewing machine.

I sit on the edge of my bed
and draw the "sewing table"
close enough to be able
to work on it.

The sewing table
is one that I made a few years ago,
originally for a tv and
with a shelf underneath
for a dvd player.










You can see in this shelf I keep my "portable writing surface". I made this too, a few years ago.
It was originally to be kept at the top of a box with all my art equipment in it. But, it has become
indispensable as a portable writing surface for anything from letters, creative writing, to my art work.
I can quickly whip out this board, sit on the edge of my bed, and do whatever work on it I need to,
as I don't have room for a desk.

It is just a piece of plywood,
332.5mm x 452.5mm x 6mm,
which I varnished.

The Ironing Area

When I'm sewing something,
it is very handy for me to have
an area close handy
where I can press parts of the garment.

(Although, I have to use an ironing
board in the laundry for side seams.)

So, I put the board on my bed.

                                                                       

Then I lay over it,
a single bed sheet
that has been folded over
a few times,
smoothing it flat with my hands.    
                                                                                 

I have the iron handy
close by, on the floor,
alongside the bed.

Then I'm able to press
the parts of the garment
that I need to as I sew.












Of course, I'm always moving things around to make room, but I do it slowly so that nothing gets broken.


(c) Katherine Stuart 2013

A Business in a Bedroom

This one is for all those who have started their businesses in their bedroom !

I have just spent a week solid cleaning and re-organising my bedroom,
which also houses my business.

This is the scene from
my bedroom door.

This is what's under
the bed !

Now I have to spend
the next few weeks
sorting through
all the paperwork.
*sigh*






(c) Katherine Stuart 2013

"Fist Full of Films" Awards Nights and "Fiddler's Green"

"Fist Full of Films" Awards Nights

Entrance to the Deckchair Cinema, Darwin

On Friday and Saturday, 1st Nov and 2nd Nov, I went to the "Fist Full of Films" Awards Nights, at the Deckchair Cinema in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

It was an excellent experience. It was done professionally. And the local film talent was showcased well, with many local film people attending.

The Deckchair Cinema is situated next to the Bay, down from the Darwin CBD, and is open to the sky. Sometimes it rains, but they have procedures to deal with that ! It closes over the wet season,

The screen and seating arrangement

though.

As you can see, it is quite sizeable. There are ordinary chairs, but the main seating is composed of rows of deckchair like seats,

The view from my seat

as you can see in this photo.

The screen at an interval

This was during a break from the screening of some of the short films that didn't make the finals, but were worthy of a mention.

The films, eventhough from amateur film-makers, were all professionally done. And there were excellent examples of local aboriginal stories and music clip, to stories of local characters, animations from school students, and inventive story ideas. Even a feature film about an Indian
student attending Charles Darwin University (here
in Darwin).                                                                              

    

Cruise liner passing out to sea in the background

"Fiddler's Green"

(c) Katherine Stuart 2013

The award recipients all received a gold coloured statuette of a galah. A galah is a pink and grey coloured bird that is common here. Seeing as the awards are called "The Galah Awards". And the statuette galah stands tall like an Oscar.


This might be a bit hard to see, but it's actually a cruise liner passing out of Darwin harbour out to sea, behind the people standing up. This was taken from my seat, and you can see the reflection of the lights from the ship on the water.






Fiddler's Green is the restaurant that I had lunch at on the Saturday.

It is an Irish bar, in the Waterfront Precinct near the Darwin CBD.

This is the fiddler,











and this is the shingle over the doorway.

It reads,
 
       "cead mile failte"

For those who don't know Irish,
it means,

       "a hundred thousand
          welcomes"

( I'm only learning, if you saw
   what I put up before :p )

Art - Painting vs Background

The Scene
When painting a scene, the question should be asked -

      Is it to be an illustration of the scene ?  ,  or
      Is it to be a backdrop to some sort of action ?

For an illustration / painting -
      The aim is to produce a picture which is a snapshot of a moment in time,
      containing everything that you can see in the "frame" that surrounds it.
      This can become a painting to hang on a wall,
      or an illustration for a book, etc.

For a backdrop / background -
      The aim is to produce a setting in which action can take place.
      This can be artwork used as background for animation,
      or sets for stage productions, etc.

The Approach
These two areas, require 2 slightly different approaches.

For the illustration / painting -
      Everything that you see within your chosen "frame", is painted.
      The picture is static, there is no motion.

For the backdrop / background -
      Only paint those things which will not be involved in any action.
      (At this point, I'm not seperating background, middle ground or foreground)

      Leave out the things that will be involved in movement.
      These are incorporated later,
      either as animated figures, or actors in a play, etc.

Examples

This is a photo that I took of a ship,
moored off Mindil Beach, Darwin
(Northern Territory, Australia).
It may be one of the ex-pearl luggers
used for tourist sunset cruises around
the Bay.

This artwork is intended
to be a painting.
This is copied from the photo,
showing all the items
that are in the photo.

This artwork is intended
to be a background.
This is copied from the photo,
only showing the items
in the background,
leaving out the ship,
which I intend to animate
at a later date.







(c) Katherine Stuart 2013

Art - Phases of the Moon

I am in the habit of
watching the moon rise,
from my bedroom window.
(This photo was taken
at a friend's place.)

This got me thinking about
the Phases of the Moon.

As we all know,
the cycle of phases is
   28 days.

                                                     So, I constructed
                                                     a "sequence" of
                                                     28 squares,
                                                     one for each day,
                                                     to show these phases.
                 
                                                     The idea was to
                                                     look out my bedroom
                                                     window and
                                                     observe the moon
                                                     as it rose in the east,
                                                     and what phase (shape) it was,
                                                     then record that shape
                                                     in the corresponding square.

                                                     For practical reasons,
                                                     sometimes I made
                                                     the observation at night
                                                     and sometimes during the day.
                                                   
                                                     These are the results
                                                     for the period of
                                                     24 July 2013 - 22 August 2013

                                                     (Remember-
                                                      that I am in the
                                                      Southern Hemisphere,
                                                      so this may not be the same
                                                      as in the North)

                                                   
                                                                                     
                                               

                                                      So, in effect
                                                      what I've done
                                                      is produce my
                                                      first "animation sequence".

                                                      As far as I understand,
                                                      film is usually set at -

                                                      24 frames per second (fps),
                                                      (or 25 fps NTSC)

                                                      Though, of course,
                                                      other speeds can be used.

                                                      From this sequence
                                                      of the moon,
                                                      I am getting the sense
                                                      that the optimum
                                                      (or average)
                                                      speed for film
                                                      should be -

                                                      28 fps


                                                      Also, on sequences -
                                                      A sequence is a
                                                      cycle of motion or action.

                                                      When that sequence is
                                                      repeated continuously
                                                      over and over,                                                                                                 it becomes mechanical.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                     

                                                     Continuous cycles of                                                                                    motion / action
                                                     form the basis of                                                                                          the principle of                                                                                              Mechanics.                                             

                                                   
                                                   
                                                   
                                                   
                                             
































(c) Katherine Stuart 2013

Trouble with Orcs

I'm back!

I was having   trouble with Orcs.

You know what I mean.

A Few Weeks Break

To Everyone who is interested,

I'm taking a break for a few weeks from my blog
to do some personal business.

While I'm away,
I will still be working on
making the casual dresses from the sarongs,
and, the next art entry.
But, these will take some time.

See you in a while :)