Airbrush Academy

It’s been a while since I picked up an airbrush – about 20 years – so I thought I’d better start at the beginning again. After doing all the usual internet research I decided the best place to go is The Airbrush Academy in Evesham, Worcestershire.

The owner and instructor is Mick Neill, who not only is a brilliant artist, but a great teacher, too. His studio is flooded with natural light, equipped with good quality airbrushes, and paints. His work is displayed around the walls and certainly is an inspiration.

The first piece

The second piece

Day 1 was for learning the basic strokes and putting them to work. Like all good teachers Mick has no secrets – well not for his art work – he is free with his advice and information. Ask any question and you will get an answer. Sometimes his reply is brutally honest.

The second day was for practising, and producing the main piece. Working from a reference photo we worked on synthetic paper to paint a close-up eye.

So, that was the beginner’s class. I’m back at the end of June for ‘The Next Step’, Module 2. I can’t wait to get stuck in – Visit The Airbrush Academy for full details of the classes, Mick, and what he does. I’m impressed.

 

Latest commission – MV Bluedon

This piece was commissioned as a ship’s log for the MV Bluedon. Not the official log, but one that is suitably decorative for a steampunk captain.

The base is a plain art journal, decorated using DecoArt products, including Media Texture Sand Paste, Modelling Paste, Crackle Paste, and Crackle Glaze, together with Media Fluid Acrylics. Embellishments by Tando and Tim Holtz. Special techniques inspired by Anna Dabrowska and Andy Skinner.

Front cover of the Bluedon ship’s log

Back cover of the Bluedon ship’s log

Front cover detail

 

Design © 2017, Kim P Moody

 

Look! Scratchy pens …

It’s a bit of wordplay on the name of my other blog (Scratchypen’s blog), but I found some old scratchy pen nibs hidden away among my Mum’s odds and ends that I inherited when she died.

I found them in a small box, labelled ‘Special nibs’. Most were dirty and encrusted in dried ink but with a little soapy warm water and effort they are back in to a useable state, ready to continue their creative journey. For those in the know about nibs and pens they are:

• Dryad Handicrafts Leicester – size 1 and 1.5
• C. Brandauer & Co – Baltic Pen No.163 – Birmingham
• MacNiven & Cameron – Waverley – Birmingham
• Osmiroid Rolatip – Broad (fountain pen nib)
• William Mitchell’s “Script” Pen – 3   08/6
• I think the odd blade thing is a scraper for getting rid of mistakes (I’m sure someone will let me know for sure)

They’ll never again be in a condition to do the finest calligraphy, but they will be great for journalling and scroll work in the mixed media stuff that I get up to.
Thanks Mum.

Look what I found!

So much for modern technology. The Mac is great for the on-screen stuff, and printing, and efficiency, and all that. But like anything with character and soul it has to be hand done, with flaws and smudges and wobbly bits. And that’s the difference between a typewriter, and a PC and printer.

Here we have a Maritsa 30, made in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in the 1970s, possibly a copy of a Japanese Silver-Seiko design. Everything seems to be in working order, so soon words of wisdom will be flowing through the keys again. I doubt I shall produce reams of literature on the Maritsa, but it will certainly be great for journalling with the mixed media projects.

For more information the Oz Typewriter blog seems a good place to start.

Now where’s the Tippex and carbon paper … ?