Saturday, August 17, 2013

Girl on Beach Autochrome 1913

Isn't this lovely? An autochrome from 1913 showing a girl in her bathing outfit looking just so contemporary. I live for images like these.
More by Mervyn Joseph Pius O' Gorman: LINK


(Thanks Kim Deitch facebook and Carlos Lara twitter )

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Tickler # 3 Uke: The "Twitch" headstock

I'm still working away on the paint job of Tickler #3. Here's a glimpse of the progress. See the cat wood fingerboard with the green and black binding (which continues around the headstock)? And the carved bow tie on the cat? I will show you the rest soon. Still not quite done, but getting there....
 

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Painting Progress: Tickler Uke #3 (Crehore)

I sketched out my idea on the body of the uke and blocked in some color. I have a general idea of how this will go, but things can always can change as I paint. I will strive for a harmonious design, yet the main image will be very much like one of my oil paintings. I am using the green inlay, the carved bridge and the shape of the headstock as an integral part of my painted design. This photo shows some of the side wood (gorgeous mahogany), black binding and green/black inlay at bottom.
(See previous posts for earlier steps in progress)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Painting Tickler Uke #3 (Crehore)

I sketched this design out for the body of the new "TWITCH" concert ukulele that Lou
Reimuller built. See my earlier post for the headstock design. More to come.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Progress - Painting Tickler Uke #3 (Crehore)

Painting a custom ukulele is a delicate process- especially a uke that I designed and that took more than a few years to realize. I am slowly working my way down from the headstock to the body.
See the tiny green bow tie that Lou carved? It will be mounted under the cat's chin. It is only one of the sculptural details on this very special concert uke. P.S. This cat is far from finished, this is just a progress photo taken with my ipad.
 


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Tickler Ukulele #3 -Paint Job (Crehore)


I've already shown you glimpses of my custom-built Tickler Ukulele #3 in progress, but here's a peek of the actual headstock being painted.
The bottom photo shows a test strip of a few do-dads painted on a sample piece of maple.
 Lou Reimuller (luthier) did the most beautiful job building this wonderful concert ukulele and it is really getting to the final stages now. Yes, it has been slow going, but this uke is special.
I just hope my paint job will live up to the rest of the amazing and intricate details on this uke.
 

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Gorgeous Sepia Tone Photos of London 1877


Photographer: John Thomson
Recruiting Sergeants At Westminster
[Street Life in London] 1877
Woodburytype
London School of Economics - Digital Library
Photographer: John Thomson
Italian Street Musicians
[Street Life in London] 1877
Woodburytype
London School of Economics - Digital Library
 
Design Observer's John Foster has posted a whole bunch of amazing photographs taken by photographer John Thomson of the street life in London in the late 1800s. Thomson's bio and photos were found via Luminous Lint, a website that specializes in fine photography.
Follow the link below to view more of these spectacular street photos
and read the article at Design Observer: