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donald

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Orange/3rd DD & Thanks

Journal Entry: Tue Mar 17, 2009, 2:55 AM

WOW!, my third DD and the second one in this series

Thanks to all for your support and comments.
Even though I do read them all,it is not always possible for me to respond to everyone individually.

These photos are still paying off dividends, both in and out of DA. What a ride it's been.
Please also support the news article on this series if you haven't done so already.
[link]

At some stage I hope to publish a book of my art, writings and photography. This series would definitely make a feature.

Thank you DA

ORANGE
From DA

ORANGE
From my Gallery

Red poll[link]
Blue poll [link]
Meltdown[link]

Great Links
the places we live [link]
breathing earth [link]

.

My DDs

Please stay tuned for the next journal entry, which will most likely feature something completely different...

COPYRIGHT NOTICE ©
Respectfully DO NOT use anything from my gallery for blogs, websites, myspace, face book, banners, designs, posters, cd's, books etc WITHOUT my written approval. My work is NOT stock
If you see my work being used, please e-mail me - bagend@iafrica.com
Please respect copyrights.

12 Comments

Reflections - part 3 Beyond Horizons

Journal Entry: Fri Mar 14, 2008, 5:00 AM

For best results

Continuation of the Reflections journal

Part 1 "Poverty & Paradise" [link]
Part 2 "The Face of Africa" [link]

Even though of these pictures are nearly 2 decades old, I feel they still hold their appeal. For one, they serve as a recording of a particular time in Africa's history - but in many ways, nothing much has changed.
While the rest of the world surges forward at an alarming rate - though I'm not sure if you can call it progress * - in many parts of Africa, people are still desperate for their next meal.

(*for a mind blowing visual impact of modern day trends, please follow the link
...and these are just the stats for the US, never mind the rest of the world.

[link]
"11,000 jet trails, the number of commercial flights in the US every eight hours.
426,000 cell phones, the number of cell phones retired in the US every day
106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds.")

Why do so many of these questions remain unanswered ?
Inside us, do we not have the answers ?

As a continent, Africa I would say is the most exploited in the world - a dumping ground for political weapons to fuel ongoing factions & enlarge fat cat wallets. A haven for drug trafficing, blood diamonds & many other kinds of exploitation.

All of this aside, one has to consider some of Africa's own roots. Tribal factions have been part of her history for centuries. The legacy of genocide, dictatorships & general hatred towards ones fellow man still alarms and saddens me. This coupled with corrupt governments - which seems to be in fashion all over the world these days, does not make it any easier for those of us who do believe in love & dignity.

Before any concept of unity can be achieved, we have to consider our roots.
Once that is understood, are we as a people willing to change ?

During the early 1990's I worked for a non profit organisation which was involved in humanitarian aid in Africa. It was here that I was given the wonderful opportunity not only to travel across this mysterious continents borders, but also to learn the art of photography which was primarily used, at the time, to assist in fund raising for this work.
I wish to share a few of the pictures I took along the way, with the hope that they hold some of the essence & heartbeat of this 'Dark Continent'.

As I do not possess all the film to these pictures, I have scanned a few from the original prints, removed dust & scratches and enhanced the tonal values. At a closer glance you will notice some noise (before pixels came the grain of the film) or of the pictures might seem a little faded. I have enhanced them as best I can, but have in no way altered the images themselves.

Mamma Afrika

Cradle of Life
Master of Tyranny
Epitome of Suffering
Exploited Playground of the West
Dark Horse of Potential
Extremity of Wonder
Hope of Tomorrow

• My Specials •

For my latest selection of favourites & some of DA's finest, please see my latest News Post.

[link]

Why not add it to your favourite news by clicking on the +

Please stay tuned for the next journal entry, which will most likely feature something completely different...

Clubs

Proud Supporter of:

My print donation

2 Comments

Born to be Wild

Journal Entry: Fri Nov 9, 2007, 4:42 AM

For best results please view this journal with FireFox

This is an upgrade of an earlier post with some new developments

Many of my wildlife images have been resubmitted. You now see them much clearer & larger. I have enhanced the images to be as close to the originals as possible. Please enjoy
(sorry about the soft watermark - I guess you can't be too careful)

For an easy reference to my gallery, please now see my Shout Board
[link]

Born to be Wild

This journal entry focuses on my wildlife art. First off, I need to establish that I am not just a wildlife artist, but have interests in many different aspects of 'ART'. (Please refer to my other journals)

Wildlife has been one of my passions for many years.
As such, I have recorded this subject in various mediums; oil, acrylic & watercolour being the most prominent. Many appreciators of wildlife art tend to find disappointment in the available market. Either the proportions are incorrect, the colours don't reflect the African setting, the compositions are unbelievable and so on. Over a long established career in this field I have come to the following conclusion:
Either wildlife should be recorded in abstract composition - which has its own set of interpretation, or when the subject is the main focus of the piece it should be recorded with accuracy and precision. Of course ones personal style defines you as an artist aswell.

Acrylic:

When I first started to do large format paintings (about 80cm by 1meter - metric) these were predominantly done in acrylic. I don't really know why I used this medium because it just takes forever on a canvas this size. Perhaps I like punishing myself ?

Because acrylics dry very quickly, it is possible however to gain fine detail, specifically in the hair of certain animals (there is no blending of colours) My approach was similar to that of photoshop - working one layer of colour over the next. I found these pieces somewhat exhausting. Approximate time frame 3-4 weeks.

Watercolour:

They say that the medium of watercolour is one of the hardest to master. I guess this is true in the speedy rendering that is required. The colours also tend to run sporadically so you kind of have to go with the flow. If you make a mistake, 9 times out of 10 you cannot fix it - unlike in other mediums.

Chalk Pastel:

Pastels can also be tricky, more so I find than watercolour. I guess this is because things can tend to get somewhat messy - you have to be so careful not to smudge your page (unless intentional) I prefer chalk pastels to oil pastels. Again I guess I enjoy the punishment. Even once complete the work is not entirely safe until sealed with a fixative (I like to use a good hairspray - I find it works better) The great thing about pastel is that you can choose your background colour paper to enhance the mood of the piece. The darker the background the more dramatic the contrasts.

Oil:

Oils are currently my favourite medium. I love the way you can blend and manipulate colours. I can't believe that I discovered oils so late in life (my early 30's to be exact) For some reason I was always afraid of it, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense when I am one of those artists that is eager to experiment in different mediums. I don't really have a specific approach to my work other than I just to do what makes sense to me. I'm sure many an art teacher would shoot me down if they saw my methods

, but I will say this - I feel that a painting does not speak to the viewer if it has no soul - it merely becomes a pretty picture. I have taken great care over the years to also impart emotion into these works. In so doing, one could say that I have imparted some of myself into each piece. In fact specific pieces reflect a particular time in my life.

Mixed Media:

Other applications over the years have included work on leather and stone. The first piece represented here was initially done on leather. The rest of the process included the photo and then of course creating a mood in photoshop. The second is a work done on slate stone, which is reminiscent of early such works done in caves by bushmen.

I have focussed this edition of specials on the same theme - Wildlife in traditional & other media. (some of them are Anthro-Art, but I thought I would include them in this selection anyway) Please enjoy

Please stay tuned for the next journal entry, which will most likely feature something completely different...

Clubs

Proud Supporter of:

My print donation

10 Comments

Staying Tooned

Journal Entry: Thu Sep 6, 2007, 5:19 AM

For best results please view this journal with FireFox

This journal as you can see focuses on various types of cartoon illustration.
Before we go any further I just need to establish one fact - I am an Artist first & foremost who happens to do some cartooning - NOT the other way around. So if you want to compare my cartoon/illustrations next to some on DA who do nothing else I will admit that I fall short. However, saying this I have some level of pride with what I've achieved in this genre - of course there is much still to learn.

My earliest influences were the likes of 'Donald Duck' (for obvious reasons) & the legendary 'Asterix & Obelix' - stylish, educational, historical + humorous. When I was still at school & part of literature homework was to read a book - I would read Asterix & Obelix, the book review consisted of what I could find in the sleeve.

Here are a few highlights of some of my toons over the years:

Now I invite you to view these gems that I have found over the months on DA. I do not profess to be an Art Critique - my selection is based solely on my personal understanding of brilliance. I have also used quite a wide net here - I do not wish to debate whether some of the selection should rather be under a different heading of vector art or digital art or illustration. I would encourage you rather just to enjoy the great selection on display. Hope you enjoy.

Please stay tuned for the next journal entry, which will most likely feature something completely different...

21 Comments

Not Concrete & my Specials

Journal Entry: Mon Jul 16, 2007, 4:24 AM

For best results please view this journal with FireFox

I have dedicated this journal to my abstract art.

I was struggling to come up with a descent title. On looking up a definition for 'abstract' in the dictionary I found this - 'not concrete'. Well how's that for an 'abstract' definition ? So I've adopted it.

The definition also goes on with 'not ideal/theoretical'
I know there will be some of you that do not appreciate abstract art for various reasons. I ask you to bear with me. There are many different aspects to my art & this journal has become a perfect soundboard for them. (there are also those that watch my journal that are not on DA)

My favourite definition for 'abstract' is 'withdrawn in thought'. That is exactly how I understand it. If you gaze on an abstract piece & your mind does not begin to wonder, then it has not achieved its purpose. You could also not be looking hard enough. The more you get lost in a piece, the greater the work of art.

Of course you might be of the opinion that abstract art is absolute bollocks. I'm afraid I do not intend spending my time trying to convince you. At the end of the day, we are all entitled to freedom of opinion. Of course, as in any category, you will find the KAK (a slang word in this country I would say is a more affectionate use of the word - shit)

Without any further ado I proudly present some abstract pieces from my gallery

I was delighted to receive a DD recently for Crystal.
Many thanks zeruch [link] (check out his awesome gallery)

Now you might be asking yourself what is the relevance of posting something that I did when I was 17. To which I would say - age is irrelevant.
What is important to me is that my gallery consist not only of my current work, but also those pieces which represent, at times very pivotal times in my life & my expression.

This piece for instance was the very first commission that I ever did. This was before the days of technology, so to record your work was somewhat difficult. A snap photo had to suffice. For some weird reason I was reluctant in those days to part with any art piece I had created. A high school teacher at the time, who also became a dear friend, encouraged me to let go a little. Annie, I will always remain indebted.
I had also just finished high school and was about to embark on a holiday trip with my mates - only problem was I had no way of paying for it. The money from this piece paid for my trip.

All these years later it has been featured as a DD. Now, that's special.

Some more abstracts from my gallery:

I guess the reason I enjoy abstract as a means of expression, is that it is so different to a lot of my other work. Many of the same restrictions do not apply. I get to feel like a kid with that huge stick of candy.
ps. If you are of the opinion that my abstract work is kak(see definition above) you are also most welcome to express your viewpoint in the comments.

Now I invite you to view a few gems that I have found over the months on DA, some of which seem to go unnoticed. I do not profess to be an Art Critique - my selection is based solely on my personal understanding of brilliance. Hope you enjoy

Photography:

The photography by kelk was a refreshing find. Great concepts, planning, conceptualising, composition, I could go on & on. Why not check out her gallery for yourself. It was hard choosing one for this feature.

Great capture. Now I know most comments will mention the shoes - and yes they are way cool & you all want to know where you can obtain a pair. I would like to draw your attention to the photograph. Great angle & energy - loving it.

Traditional Art:

If you enjoy abstract art, then there's loads of it here. I particularly enjoy this one. A simple splash of water colour, tidied up with a few ink lines all in the right places. Simple yet effective

Some lovely 'cat in the hat' stuff here (or should we say 'cat out of the hat'. A gallery full of vibrant colour & rhythm.

Digital Art:

'Beyond a title' is exactly that - beyond a title. Some crazy stuff, but seeing that I also have a passion for surreal art I really enjoyed this. There are more to choose from, just browse the gallery of 8025glome

CSS Journals:

Not only have I learned much from bazzabent from his journal presentation, but he is also one of the good guys here on DA. Get to know him. Your journal is your soundboard to the community - if you don't know anything about css (like me) then just browse though his journal & comments - there are loads of tips to pick up on. I would also like to thank bazzabent for coming to my aid in a time of need.

Staying on that note I would like to give a special mention to warlight for community effort. Thanks Greg you give meaning to the word "community" - which is after all what this is, or at least should be - an ART COMMUNITY. I'm sure what you were telling me was correct, but there was also a bug in the system at the time.

Editorial:

Global warming is a subject on many peoples lips these days. For a great read please refer to [link]
by

Please feel free to comment if you have some views of your own.
I intend doing a journal entry at a later date focusing on this very issue.

Private Commissions - bagend@iafrica.com

Please stay tuned for the next journal entry, which will most likely feature something completely different...

12 Comments

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Journal History

Mar 17, 2009 Orange/3rd DD & Thanks
Mar 14, 2008 Reflections - part 3 Beyond Horizons
Nov 9, 2007 Born to be Wild
Sep 6, 2007 Staying Tooned
Jul 16, 2007 Not Concrete & my Specials
Feb 12, 2007 Reflections (part two) The Face of Africa
Jan 15, 2007 Reflections (part one) Vilanculos

Can art change the world ?

86%

86 deviants said Yes

8 deviants said No

6 deviants said It makes no difference

1 comment, Previous Polls

Gallery/Journal Index

Born to be Wild

An introduction to my
WILDLIFE ART JOURNAL[link]

REFLECTIONS (My African Photo Journal)

Poverty & Paradise Journal[link]

The Face of Africa Journal[link]

Beyond HorizonsJournal[link]

• there is still 1 more journal entry to follow in this series

Not Concrete

An introduction to my
ABSTRACT ART Journal[link]

Staying Tooned

An introduction to my
CARTOON Journal[link]

Private Commissions
bagend@iafrica.com

"Don't forget the scraps"

Shoutbox

~tanisha-dreamer: Amazing work... Hope that in the future I might be as good as you.
Sat Oct 4, 2008, 2:28 PM
=toonrama: i love your journals and posts.. and your polls...
Mon May 19, 2008, 4:19 AM
~fangdracona: Hey your artwork is amazing Africa rules love the cheetah pictures my favorite animal.
Wed Jan 16, 2008, 5:54 PM
*donaldsart: and to you - all the best for 2007
Thu Dec 14, 2006, 10:41 PM
~linwe-calmcacil: (I was typing and hit enter instead of shift...) what I was going to say was, as its the Silly Season, Merry Christmas
Thu Dec 14, 2006, 6:27 AM
~linwe-calmcacil: as its the s
Thu Dec 14, 2006, 6:26 AM