Song 6 - August

Wow, we're on a roll. And Summer is here. Or, it was. Um, where's it gone? Probably under something... Hmm, I'm sure I had it here somewhere................... Let me know if you find it!

The song for this month is 'Becoming the Bull' by Atreyu. Gotta love it!

GO-GO-GO.

Everything Has It's Point – Reeko

Right then. Early posting? Better nip this one in the bud!

Well I'm early too! So there! One whole day! And I got home late from freelancing last night so there too.

My tiredness generally leads to bit of melancholy, hence the riff that is to come. Read on, dear friends!

Pencils. They break. They have a point and they break. Generally when I'd rather they didn't. I use a mechanical one. Well, it's slightly mechanical. Kind of like the way a bow and arrow is mechanical in that they have one action and one moving part. Simplicitity to be used everyday. And you could kill someone with it.

It belonged to my Grandfather who was a toolmaker & draftsman on the London buses. They designed tools that would go inside parts of buses that weren't designed to be opened and fixed. Sort of like NASA, but with men smoking woodbines and going down the pub for two pints at lunch. This is all through the post war years to the Eighties. In the post war years things were tight due to the war. After that, things were tight because it was London transport.

My Grandfather's pencil is made of metal and is essentially a clamp for lead. It's a proper tool, all solid and heavy. The leads are thick graphite pencil leads. I had to learn to use it as it's a bit tricky to get a good line out of. Now, I love it.

I was given a box of his art supplies when he passed away, everything held together in organised bundles with brittle elastic bands that snapped when you moved them. Yellow plastic French curves with little pieces of aging sellotape on them. To be honest, it took me ages to go through them. When I finally did, I found the pencil. My trusty tool and my link to a quiet witty man.

Didn't really mean to write about that and I've just looked back up at my image! Not really all that suitable! I'll just point out for the record that the robot is not supposed to be my Grandfather, all right?! If anything, it's me.

So, what new title have you got for me Mr Jones?

Everything Has it's Point – Jones

So how about this then? Posting early, in a feeble sucking up attempt to appease the IST warlords who fastidiously monitor the punctuality of posts to this fine blog, and PUNISH those who are late to join the fun. They happen to be very wordy warlords as well, hence my ostentatious use of the word 'fastidiously' (and 'ostentatious') - another attempt to avoid punishment and further shame.

Anyway, this isn't a dictionary, so on with business. Everything has it's point. Not necessarily true. Consider seagulls, chavs and men's nipples. No, I must argue that not everything has a point. 

However, many things do have a point but unfortunately that point often becomes lost in the swirling winds of life, and so those things tend to become overlooked and in time, their use seems to fade into non-existence. 

One such thing is the focus of my post/illustration/RANT this month, and that is the use of indicators on cars - particularly fast, expensive and sporty cars, driven by men in expensive suits who are considerably richer than us minions and so it is apparently their RIGHT to own the road and not feel the need to tell other drivers or pedestrians what the HECK they are going to do next! [breathe]

For example, as a pedestrian waiting to cross a side road, I like to look to my right (and my left, of course) and see if a car is coming and if it is, is it likely to turn into the road I'm crossing? You know how I know whether (a) the car is going to turn, and as such I should wait until it has passed before crossing; or (b) the car is carrying straight on, meaning I am free to cross and not risk my neck (not to mention my elbows, my spleen and my skull) in doing so? 

INDI-BLOODY-CATORS! 

Every car has them! They're usually activated using a little lever/stalk on the left of your steering wheel (on the right on some models I believe) - up for right, down for left. Just flick it with your finger - it doesn't take much - and astonishingly, other road users will suddenly be aware of your intentions and will not be placed in a situation of peril due to your laziness!

THAT, people, is the point of indicators.

Here's a picture of an indicator/cornerlight.

I thank you.

When The Night Feels My Song - Owen

Ahem. Time for an apology.

It has become apparent that my commitment to the Illustrated Song Titles cause has been somewhat lacking in recent months. I have allowed other elements of my life (lazing on a beach in Turkey for example) to distract me from the task in hand, and for this I'd like to offer my full and sincere apologies. I'd like to think that this has been a mere blip, and that I will have the opportunity to put right the wrongs from the past. 

With this in mind, I have decided to submit a rough sketch I did as preparation for my June entry (When The Night Feels My Song) and didn't have (or make) time to vectorize.

Please accept my apologies. I hope we never encounter this sort of ugly situation again in the future.

Song Five

Right then, since Jones was super busy and then on a beach for a week last month, looks like he might or might not post.

All together now, Loo-oo-oo-ooser!

So, song five;

*Ahem*

"Everything Has It's Point" by Rival Schools from one of my favourite all time records, "United By Fate".

When The Night Feels My Song – Reeko

Bang! Smack! Pow! Have some Mexican Robots and some lov-erly brushes Mr Jones!

This was all painted in black ink, the type was supposed to be redone in a typeface but I love the sketchy way it came out even though I just sketched it straight in. Although I have to hold my hands up and say I retouched it quite a bit to make it legible.