24 Hour Art Challenge - part 3.

[Stanley Edwards]

Squatter prevention gone awry.

Tourist conditioning and disease factory.

This was an anti gun sticker, but the gun got lost in digital translation.

Club and bar above the Rio Darro.

Here as a cheapo digi shot. Recorded proper in film also. Nice innit? I like.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Oooh. Was a little to drunk last night.

Big edit!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Just another church entrance innit:

Walk on by.

No. Don't just walk on by. Take a closer look.

This annoys me much. Flying visit to Granada - snap of a digi at arms length. You saw nada people. Nada. Take a better look. Actually look to see.

Door knocker:

How?
Why?
Who?
Nice?

And, the hinges and, the carvings and, the columns.

Why don't people actually look?



Something very poetic and poignant about cranes hanging tools for a safe weekend. Dunno:

I like building sites and sleeping diggers also:

Typical Albycin calle view:

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Well bored tonight after a stunningly good week and weekend.

Nightime sketching in The Alhambra tomorrow. I hope. Will take camera.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Off to The Alhambra this evening with a good client. Will take film and digital cameras so, will post some results here this evening. Then I have free access for a whole month to paint and sketch. Specifically commissioned to do sketches of General Life gardens and Patio del los liones (sp?) - (patio of lions).

I'll also be trying to find the four colour stained glass window - earliest known example of the use of red, green, blue and yellow as 'primary' colours.

I'll also be trying to sus where the underground tunnels are and how to get access to them.

I've been very busy on ebay New clothes and new very posh boots have been arriving by post everyday along with lots of old cameras. Days of starving/desperate artist look have long gone. Hope I haven't spoiled my image.

Mr Successful now! Off to Jerez for an overnight on Thursday. Five star accommodation. Then back to Granada and back to grunge for the festival at the weekend.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Night time Alhambra pics coming tomorrow. Way to tired tonight.

Even as an officially paid up, signed in visitor security followed me around. No tripod allowed. No leaning on walls or, columns. Pestered me no end. Guess they know me to well or, summat Ah, well. They're going to have to get used to me being there legally for the next month.

But, then again, I guess officially paid up and signed in photo explorers to more cool places get hassle also!

Determined to find those tunnels for future reference. Apparently, a trip from the Alhambra all the way to the coast is still accessible

But, it would all be just tunnel. Boring!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

TBH I found this a bit disappointing compared to last summers forays. Just a little to ' museum with poor lighting'.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

All 3MP non-branded point and shoot.

Not impressed at all myself. Far nicer to go by yourself with a sketch book at 3AM on a summer morning.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Stanley

They might be able to ban a tripod, but they surely cannot object to a length of string. Each end is tied in a loop. One end goes around the camera in such a way as not to interfere with the controls and the other end is on the ground and you put your foot in it. Pull the camera up to tension the string and it helps to steady it. It's not as good as a tripod of course but should help you to use slower shutter speeds if needed.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

String is helpful. But, I think I can get away with an adapted artists easel

The light last night was pretty crap. No moon. A big, bright full moon would make a big difference. Shooting on film would make a huge difference also of course.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Yay! Got another wedding job booked

Would be very nice if I could do 10 or, so weddings a year and travel doing art and photography the rest of the time. It's looking possible.

Also have a new commission. Sketching The Alhambra water pools by moon light Sketches will be hung alongside work by real/famous artists in a chalet in the French Alps that was once home to Victor Hugo and some guy who made jewellery for Picasso

I'm definitely getting there.

 

[boskysquelch]

My ex took a skool trip to the Alhambra...apparently the kids spent their entire time in there running around taking pictures of each other flashing their tits as if some mockery of Islamic history was appropriate..."Well it's fookin mooozlim innit miss?"...

 

[Stanley Edwards]

My ex took a skool trip to the Alhambra...apparently the kids spent their entire time in there running around taking pictures of each other flashing their tits as if some mockery of Islamic history was appropriate..."Well it's fookin mooozlim innit miss?"...

Typically English unfortunatley.


Change of plan for the weekend. I don't need to do Jerez tomorrow so, I have new options.

Do the whole weekend at Dragon festival or, enjoy Granada without all the fucking hippies, squatters and freeloaders (cos they'll all be at Dragon) or, go to Jerez and Cadiz anyway.

Or, stay here and do more art experimentation.

Not sure yet but, it will be nice to have a full weekend of free time to do whatever.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I am currently sketching in mostly black and florescent yellow on high quality 300 gms water colour paper.

It is strange. Some peoples attitude to art. They watch me sketching. Like what I'm doing and then suddenly switch off when I get my 'yellow racer' fibre tip pen out. It's not a proper art pen therefore, he can't be doing proper art

I like it. It's fun to use on water colour paper. The florescent glow gradually fades out. It's quite trippy.


Someone's birthday today who needs to be remembered so, I'll be doing something they liked to do this evening. They liked to paint But, rarely did. Probably off to listen to some music.

Tomorrow I'm off to Dragon. Maybe. Can't decide

I'll photograph a florescent sketch and put it up here tomorrow. I know that much for sure.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Crap photo! Detail of a sketch I did last night. Alhambra Palaces viewed from Paseo de los Tristes at sunset (Passage of the sad. So named because it was once the route to an old cemetery). Everyone seems pretty happy there these days.

Sketched on watercolour paper with red OHP pen, black rollerball and florescent yellow marker.

Going to photograph this and a few others properly and stick them up on my website to sell for fucking loads

 

[Firky]

My ex took a skool trip to the Alhambra...apparently the kids spent their entire time in there running around taking pictures of each other flashing their tits as if some mockery of Islamic history was appropriate..."Well it's fookin mooozlim innit miss?"...

 

[Stanley Edwards]

No Dragon Festival for me. It's fricking freezin by night. Can see myself dropping into a hypothermic coma after a bit of K. I'm to old for all that

Staying in and watching football with a couple of mates and a bevy and a joint instead


Things I miss about the UK number 001.

Police identification numbers. They're well handy. Far more important than civilians carrying compulsory ID.


Spent the evening sketching in Triunfo Gardens. Same place I was hanging out in almost one year ago. Then went up to one of my favourite view points to watch the sunset and the city wake.

Had three conversations in Spanish. I'm still very clumsy and uneloquent. People tell me I need a Spanish girlfriend - it's the quickest way to learn apparently. So, I've drawn up a short list to go for

 

[Stanley Edwards]

That was a nice way to spend a Sunday evening alone.

Couple of hours sketching followed by a slap up in one of my favoutire cafeterias - Olympia 21 (pasteleria and cafeteria to be precise) on Gran Via. Simple, unpretentious, great staff and good food for the money. €9 bought a ham and blue cheese bocadillio with french fies. A russian salad. And, a glass of Rioja. I like that place. It's reliably alright. Very popular with the locals also.


Will take photos next time.

Tomorrow I'm going to take my recently bought and home serviced, all original Olympus Trip 35 out for a test run. Looking at it in it's original packaging makes me realise that the Olympus Trip in it's day was the Nokia of it's time. Sold in all the same ways. A pocket communication tool that says something about you.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Brrrrrr! Cold here at night ATM. Hot by day (28 new fangled degrees) and touching freezing by night.

Have been spending big time at the sell everything Chinese shops. I found perfect little penlights with daylight(ish) balanced LED's for €2 each and a pack of window art gel sticky things. Now I have a red, green and a blue torch to go painting with on my new/old retro Yashica tomorrow night. This is going to be so much fucking fun

Hopefully my new/old Zeiss Ikon will arrive by the weekend for a proper tryout of painting with light pens.

I also found an LED head lamp/pot holing torch thing for €8. Cool for painting cityscapes by night

Why is it thus;

Daylight LED torches are blindingly light to look into in daylight compared to tungsten, yet tungsten shine farther at night seemingly

Dunno myself. Don't care ATM. Just look forward to a few nights of pen light sketching into vintage cameras on Kodak VC160

Fun!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Here's the plan for tonights experiment.

1. Get drunk.

2. Paint with light.

Using 100% mechanical Yashica J range finder on a very sturdy tripod. Camera shutter will be left open for around an hour at longest and 1 minute at shortest (doing 24 sketches in total) whilst I sketch into the lens using the little LED torches and red, green and blue window art gels. Shooting on cheapo FujiColour 100 initially and spending out on VC160 to go in the Zeiss Ikon at the weekend if this experiment proves promising.

Drinking and tapasing whilst I go about it.

Doubtful that I'll have results to post here before the official end to this thread in just two days time, but will post on a new lightpainting thread at a later date.

Just two days! It's been such a short year.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Fuck it's cold once the sun goes down.

To cold for farting about with torches. Did four torch sketches whilst waiting for someone to turn up who didn't turn up. Learned much just putting the theory into practice without even seeing results.

Lots of folk going up the hill tonight. Can't be Spring Equinox already can it? Anyway, I'm off back out without camera and torches, but with the coat I thought I had buried for winter.

Effin freezin!


Edited from Solstice to Equinox. It is already innit!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Nothing going on party wise that I could see. Perhaps it's to cold or, something.

Useless fuckin' hippies


What are those druid people supposed to do for Spring Equinox?

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Daylight(ish) balanced LED torches - the best invention since 35mm film

This is fun. I've been doing RGB sketches, outline sketches, light graffiti and all kinds of stuff. However, I do look a bit mad waving my arms about in an apparent abstract manner in front of a camera on tripod. Takes a bit of Dutch courage TBH (sorry Dutch people!).

Loving the Yashica J to bits. Really puts the fun factor back into photography.

Last day of thread tomorrow. Remember this?:

Stanley Edwards 22-03-2006 06:10 PM
24 Hour Art Challenge?


Any 24 hours at your own convenience. I'm just trying it tomorrow out of necessity.

Can you make a living as a traditional artist in a modern world? I'm going to try and sketch my way around western Andalucia. Minimal working float. Pad, pencils and my own unique selling skills to go with my drawing skills (also erm... 'unique').

€20/night for accommodation.
€10 travel to next destination.
€2 for food.
€2 for wine.
€1 contingency.

€35/day = selling 3 or, 4 sketches to tourists. This is NOT a mad romantic idea. No it's not. It IS workable.

Or, will I get moved on by the authorities? Mugged by evil hoodies? Rained off by the weather? Arrested for street pedalling?

If I fail I take a job cleaning bogs/sucking cock for a tenner/MacRons.

If I succeed I may contemplate a future career travelling with a sketch pad.

What do you reckon? Success or, fail? Anyone else ever thought about trying this, tried it even? Anyone prepared to join me on a 24 hour art challenge?

I will report back this time tomorrow.

Blimey. Looks like I pulled it off. Just.

Full low down on where I am and where I'm going tomorrow.

 

[e19896]

Spatulate him.

Hay stan if all gose to plan a friend is heading out to sqaut some caves and just chill for a while ill pm with you more info been reading your updates my friend likes a cunt he will fuck up his mind for him.. check your pms there is more..

 

[Stanley Edwards]

...a friend is heading out to squat some caves and just chill for a while...

Most of the English guys who were squatting caves are now squatting down in the city. The caves are not the place to 'just chill' anymore. It is rumoured that new eviction orders will be issued in April. Some bad Gitanos are giving people agro. And, a psycho local keeps beating up anyone in the caves who doesn't speak Spanish.

The cunt you refer to has been back in London for a while. He returns to Granada today, but he will thankfully be keeping well out of my way

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Last day!

Iglesia de Santa Ana. The church I've sketched a hundred times.

Bib Rambla. I used to prop my paintings and pictures up against the railings whilst sketching and painting the floresterias and the rich peoples holiday accommodation. My first real pitch.

The cathedral steps. Strictly no selling here. I managed to get away with it whilst the proper shops were closed. It's a great place to hang out and catch the last of the city sunshine each evening. Usually music and entertainers around.


So, where am I at and where am I going?

I'm in a city I love. I'll do one more post explaining why I like this city so much. And, I'm pretty sorted. Commissions lined up to fill coming months rather than weeks. Healthy bookings and enquiries on the retro wedding photographer front. www.TheLostPhotographer.co.uk generating good interest and potential. My daily job as odd job man securing rent, food and all essentials. And, the book!

My artists bio

Mr Edwards work features internationally in many private collections. UK, USA, Germany, France , Spain, Italy, Korea, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Canada, China, Japan, Taiwan...

I'm an international artist innit!

A fantastic year. Great experience and very enlightening social experiment. I've been surprised by human nature and let down. Despite the lows I've enjoyed the whole ride.

Most unexpected was the attention from naive young women 'Yes, I know I'm a romantic artist, but I'm skint and I smell. Why do you want to sleep with me?'.

'That guy is so cool'. That's me they're talking about. Being a very honourable and old fashioned sort of 40 year old I didn't sleep with *all* of them.

I've met thousands of people. Literally thousands. This is why I swam rather than sank. It's all about numbers. Always is. The more you meet the higher your chances of success. Simple.

I've made some good friends and only two enemies. That's not bad at all for my own standards.

Some people I know I will never see again such is the transient nature of this city. Some I may see again. Someone I really hope I see again.


Incredibly, my credit is still good at all the out of hours booze outlets. Hostal damage may take time to repair!

All in all a success and all me dosh is still safely locked away in the UK where I can't spend it. Still not sure whether this is a good thing or, a bad thing.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Why I Love Granada.

I'm not going to pretend that racism, bigotry and religious intolerance doesn't exist here. It exists in any city. However, Granada has a good mix and a good attitude on the whole. Could do with more mixing. That may well come with time. What impresses me about Granada is the diversity within such a small city. 250,000 people plus visitors. An evocative blend of Eastern and Western cultures. You only have to walk for 30 minutes and you could think you've visited Five different cities.

The traditional Spanish way of life is still evident alongside the inevitable commercial erosion.

When I first visited here a few years ago Jardins de Triunfo grabbed me more than the old tourist areas. Jardins de Triunfo is a modern, very geometric park about 100 Meters by 100 Meters. It has a very special atmosphere during late afternoon and evening. A fantastic mix of people just being. All ages, all persuasions.

Doesn't look much in these pics. You have to be here to appreciate the place.

There will be people playing music. Guitars, bongos, flute... People juggling, playing football, keepy uppy with a soft ball. People walking dogs, people meeting people... It's just a very sociable public space.

Shit quality snaps from the 3MP point and shoot. Hope I'm not doing the place and injustice.

The young don't moan about the old. The old don't moan about the young. It just oozes unconsidered tolerance. Gay people, poor people, rich people, noisy people, black people (although admittedly very few - room for improvement), all sorts of people and a ton of students. It's the locals place. Few tourists.

The old guys. It would be nice to make it to that age and just hang knowing that you've done your bit! I used to sleep under that tree in the high heat of August. Perfect shade and a water channel to dangle your bare feet into. Not a worry that anyone was going to nick your bag or, anything.

It's very nice in this city. I'm staying for a minimum of Three years. Will make it my base from which to travel. May well end up making Granada my home forever. I agree with Granada and hope it agrees with me.


THE END!
------------------------------------------------

 

[Stanley Edwards]

One final post as a big THANK YOU to P & E from the internet cafe.

Thanks! Seriously thanks. I nearly turned the job down Hadn't considered weddings as an option in a foreign country. It's proving to be a real winner.

More than tar - you've maintained my hope in human nature and, as such I'll pass it on.

Nice one. Only just realised

I'll do more than a good job. They'll be the best

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Thread resurrected. I guess this story goes on and on as life goes on and on.

My favourite character from the streets (and a good friend whilst I was there) mega rock and roll superstar Nigel died last night

I'm not going into past life stories in the public domain. However, in the past 15 months I've seen 6 people - good people die from alcoholism. Clever people, talented people. Characters chasing (or, even living) a dream.

Nigel's - the rock and roll superstars death will go unnoticed by most. He had a following though.

His heart just gave up in the end. RIP Nigel. You were a fucking goodun!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

The last Two nights.

I think this is worth posting. I had a great night last night. Went up the hill to party. Had a good night. Got shit faced. Got attacked by the very violent psycho who now occupies what was Nigel’s cave. Calmed him down quite easily, but he is off on one and ready to kill! Got home. Didn’t sleep.

Today was the 40th of a good mate and the death of Nigel. I’m quite sure most reading here will feel nothing for that. And, why should you?

Since this thread started 6 people I have considered friends have died. Beyond that Marco Mark - the first to reply to my original post has died also.

Dunno. Just thought it was worth pointing out that this/was (for me at least) a very vulnerable lifestyle. I love where I am today, but I took huge risks. At one point I thought my time had come also. Some may think…

Bollocks. Whatever others may think I’m not a total tosser.


Life hey? And, death.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.