A blog by a Christian teen for Christian teens covering intellectual categories & topics, such as the arts, the Bible, and living richly in Christ. Live richly! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:47:00 -0500 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:47:00 -0500      Today I thought I would share with you a few artists that I admire.      These artists are people whos art contains elements that I would like to emulate in my own work. Some of them I have loved since childhood, and others I have discovered only recently.  If you like them, visit their links and tell them as much. I'm sure they will appreciate it. At any rate, here they are.      ______________________________________________________________________________      Justin Gerard      Justin Gerard is the founder of Portland Studios, Inc., an illustration, design, and animation firm in Greenville, South Carolina. He uses watercolor, and a lot of Photoshop. And he has been occaisionally known to paint with tea. Yes, tea. He has recently published a children's adaptation of Beowulf, which he illustrated.      I greatly appreciate his use of color, and his soft, expressive lighting, which give his compositions depth and emotion. I have had the privelege of emailing him in the past, and he responded with some very encouraging thoughts on getting a start in the illustration field. See some of his art at portlandstudios.com, and click on "work" or www.quickhidehere.blogspot.com.        Cory Godbey      Cory Godbey is also an illustrator at Portland. His art is whimsical, amusing and delightful. But it can also have darker, more solemn themes. His recent wordless picture book, Ticket, is filled with spattering watercolors, flying windmills, walking clock towers, Grecian palaces, exotic birds, and a little girl with a magic tophat.     His painting, hasty pencil sketches, and whimsical figures are what I like best about his work. He also has a great sense of humor, and it shines through in a lot of pieces. But I think most of all I can relate to his style. He drew comic strips when he was a kid, and so did I. His sketches are kind of like mine, in some ways. Visit his blog at www.lightnightrains.blogspot.com or portlandstudios.com.        James Gurney      James Gurney is the author/illustrator of the Dinotopia book series. I first read Dinotopia: The World Beneath when I was, I don't know, seven, maybe. His work is still a big inspiration to me now. He paints with oils, and the level of realism that he is able to attain has always stunned me. He has written four Dinotopia books. They're about a scientist and his son who are washed ashore an island inhabited by dinosaurs and humans, and their lost civilization.      Since it's set in the 1850's, and involves a fantastic lost civilization, I guess it's always sort of had a pull on my imagination, even though I don't always appreciate his style of fantasy work (it's sort of like at times the dinosaur concept, and the rest of the concept don't mix). But I would say that his work has been a great source of inspiration to me, and if I could get 1/4 as good as he is at painting and writing, I would be doing okay. Go to Dinotopia.com for more.        Hergé      Hergé was a Belgian artist who got started in the 1930's, I believe. His claim to fame are the wonderful Tintin books. In his lifetime, he completed 24 Tintin albums. Tintin is a newspaper reporter who rarely reports anything, but instead, fights crime, solves mysteries, and has adventures. Hergé's clean, technical and precice line drawings are amazing. And it's interesting to see his how hisearlier books contain simpler, less complex scenes, but when you get to his later books, the scenes become more complex, with huge splash panels, shading, and multi-layered landscapes (especially Destination Moon).     My first Tintin book I owned when I was little was King Ottokar's Sceptre. I read and reread it, and tried to write my own book based on Tintin. I wrote it on notebook paper with a ball point pen, and got about one page drawn. I think the biggest influence for me in Hergé's work is his tight stories, and his bold graphic-novel/comic book style artwork. http://tintin.francetv.fr/uk/        Ryan Church      Ryan Church is an artist I only recently discovered, but has gained my respect as a phenomonally talented artist. He is a concept artist who has done work on movies such as Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, and Transformers. He uses a lot of digital mediums, such as Painter X and Photoshop, but his art is full of beautiful light and shadow, stunning composition, and image movement. I believe he studied for a degree in industrial design, which probably accounts for how he can draw a perfect Jedi Starfighter. He also has this knack for coming up with cultural distinguishments in his fantasy work. In other words, he can design a building or spaceship with design characteristics that set it apart from any other sci-fi/fantasy world.      I like his digital graphics, and ability to create concepts that are visually compelling, and compositionally grand. And he can draw robots like nobody's business. That's got to be a plus! He has a really helpful Q&A on his website for people (like me) who want to learn a little more about what it takes  to get started in the digital/concept art field. Go to ryanchurch.com.        P. J. Lynch    P. J. Lynch is a watercolorist who lives in Dublin, Ireland. He has illustrated The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, and When Jessie Came Across the Sea, a book about an immigrant girl. This one is my favorite, although Jonathan Toomey is excellent as well. His watercolors look more like photographs, and are luminous. I would love to be able to paint like this guy. His blog is at http://pjlynchgallery.blogspot.com/.    Hope you are inspired. I am.     ---misterbingley   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/573766/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/573766/      What happened on the 4th.      His codename was Alpha-Bravo-Delta, and he was destined to become an unsung hero.      Alpha was packed tightly into a pasteboard tube at a factory in China. He really wanted to hang around for a few more weeks so he could go to the Beijing Olympics, but when Headquarters gives orders, they are not to be ignored.      So, in he went, along with some other stuff like gunpowder, some wads of paper, etc. And of course, his trusty Parachute. He rode for weeks on the choppy Pacific ocean in a cargo ship, then for weeks on bumpy interstate highways in a semi-trailer until finally he stopped, and he waited there in the dark tube, hoping beyond hope that he could get out as soon as possible so he could make it to his buddies' 4th of July celebration.      Little did he know, that he was headed for the most explosive of ALL 4th of July celebrations, and that he was to be part of the entertainment. Feeling that the tube was moving, he sensed that it was almost time to fulfill his destiny (whatever that was, he wasn't sure). He began to wonder if he was really cut out to be a paratrooper. Could he live up to his noble title of Alpha-Bravo-Delta, Defender of Justice, Friend of the Helpless? Or would he disgrace his fireworks manufacturer (Headquarters) and disappoint everyone watching by not working correctly?      But, he had little time to worry, for at that moment with an incredible explosion, he rocketed into the sky, and there, for one minute, he knew what he was made for. His parachute opened perfectly, he sailed through the air with the wind in his face, and all that was within him screamed: "I AM A PARACHUTE MAN!!" And then with a jolt, he was tangled in a powerline, and, well, I leave it to you dear reader, to decide the ultimate fate of our brave hero, Alpha.      But whatever you decide, remember that behind every ear-pounding explosion, every rocket's red glare, behind every starburst of sparks, there are little Parachute men who give their all for your happiness. Happy Landing, Alpha.      ---misterbingley                                               http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/559336/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:42:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/559336/      Yesterday I went to our local municipal airport to see a Douglas DC3.      First designed and built in the 1930's, this plane is truly a work of art, with its gentle, but modern lines, and its patriotic paint job.      We got to see it take off and land, but we didn't ride it (seats cost $150-- I think I'll pass.) When the engines cranked, billowing clouds of exhaust came sputtering out, but the engines weren't very loud, and we were standing right next to it (behind a chainlink fence).      Here I am dwarfed by the art-deco American Airlines logo on the side. I'm not sure why I'm not smiling. I was really tired yesterday (I got up at 5:30 and went to bed at 11:30 on Friday). Plus my shoulder was hurting. But I was having a good time. Honest!      The day was fantastically cool & blustery with grey cloudy skies and gusts of wind that tousled your hair. Seeing that big old plane take off made you really think about the miracle of flight. Back in the old days of flight, it was sort of this risky, adrenaline-laced, "are we going to make it?" kind of thing. Everything is aluminum and wood. It's just cool.      Nowadays think of flying, and you come up with pictures of security checkpoints, taking off your shoes, and gargantuan jetliners that make flying look like it never took any thought at all.      Back then the skies were a frontier. And 'aviator' was the equivalent of 'hero'.      Huzzah for the DC3! (Even though it's not rocket powered!)      ---misterbingley http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/554114/ Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/554114/      Copyright (C)2008 Will Kelly. =========================================================================       Actually, this one has little to do with rockets, but it does explode. I drew it a few weeks ago on a whim. And no, I didn't draw it from real life. Just to put your mind at ease, I've never seen a time bomb before.      ---misterbingley  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/553550/ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/553550/ July the 4th is coming up soon. Bearing that in mind, I drew this little doodle the other day.      To challenge my creativity, and to honor our Patriotic Holiday, I will be posting rocket-inspired pictures here until the Fourth. I know, I know... It's crazy. But how am I going to become a great artist if I can't draw rockets? You draw some too, and then we can compare notes. The drawing above was done with... pencil of course. Hope you like it. =================================================================================      I went to the grocery store today and bought like 12 liters of soft drinks ahead of time for the picnic we're having at my house on the Fourth. It took me forever to decide what to get, because all I really like is Coca-Cola. And Sprite. Oh, and Dr. Pepper. Okay, so I got all three. It was really alot to carry so I threw them in a shopping cart and checked out, even though it felt strange to be carting around just soft drinks. Oh well.      I'm looking forward to the picnic. Maybe it'll be even more fun than last year. With more Rocket Power I hope!      ---misterbingley http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/553106/ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/553106/ Well, it has been an uncommonly busy month, and in case you haven't noticed, I haven't posted in a while. So, I give you a meager sampling of what has been going on in my neck of the forest. I have sent off an application to an art camp (which will be held this summer), and I received my confirmation packet the other day. I'm excited. Do I sound excited? Okay, Okay. I'm EXCITED!!! That better? Good. I purchased my new, glossy white, MacBook in April, and trust me, all the ads, all the hype -- they aren't kidding. Macs are great, and the PC is a thing of the past in my humble opinion. I'm still trying waiting on getting my graphics pipeline set up, (e.g. Photoshop and PainterX), but I'm still learning the Mac OS, which takes a while. I have too many ideas, I think, and that makes me not want to start on any of them. Let me explain. I want to write a steampunk novel trilogy, so I have sort of started on it. But I have trouble making myself sit down and write. I really need to practice drawing, and start learning to paint, but I just don't... well... do it! I need to prioritize BAD. I'll let you know in fifty years if anything gets started on the trilogy thing. In the meantime, Stay tuned! I am reading a lot though. I finished reading C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity the other day, and it is fabulous. You really need to read it, because he explains everything about the "basics" of the Christian faith in a plain, conversational, and at times very British, way. I need to get back to my book list, but until then, keep reading. It is good for your brain. Oh, I'm also reading an abridged version of some of Shakespeare's plays, and I finished The Wednesday Letters the other week too. Whew, you didn't know I did so much did you? I have also been reading the book of First and Second Kings in my daily devotions. I absolutely love the stories about Elijah. He is extremely devout, and he can care less about idols. I really want to do a graphic novel someday, illustrating some of the Old Testament battles and heroes. No Manga though. Just real, colorful, Photoshop-ed drawings. And then, to top it all off, I got my braces taken off yesterday!! {Dub in huge orchestral fanfare} No I'm not posting a picture. But it is really great to be free from those metallic fangs. Sorry for not posting in a while. Do me a favor. Read first Kings. Then Second Kings. Then illustrate them. Or I can. When I get time. Give Jesus the preeminence. ---misterbingley http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/545758/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:40:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/545758/   ___________________________________________ Buttermilk-Apricot Scones (which hopefully look appetizing). ___________________________________________ My grandparents are staying with us for a few days, so this morning I made scones.      I consider cooking an art, and I think it is a great way to encourage creativity. Recently, I found this recipe in a Cooking Light cookbook, and this was only the second time I had made it. The first time, I put in 1/4 teaspoon of sugar instead of 1/4 cup, and the result was edible, but not very tasty. Please, please, please don't repeat my mistake. It's just not cool. Or creative.     Scones actually originated in Scotland I think, and so naturally they eat them a lot there, as well as in England. If you sort of cherish your Scots-Irish heritage (like I do), then I'm sure you'll appreciate them. Or you can pretend you're having a dignified English breakfast with Mr. Darcy after a good night's sleep at the esteemed Pemberly Estate. At any rate, these will make your breakfast, or light evening dessert, a little more imaginative.   _________________________________________________________________________________      Buttermilk-Apricot Scones 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda  1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots   1 egg, lightly beaten 1/4 cup non-fat or low-fat buttermilk 1/4 cup apricot nectar  Cooking Spray  1 egg white, lightly beaten  1 tablespoon sugar ______________________________________________ 1. Preheat oven to 400° . 2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. 3. Add apricots; toss well. Combine egg, buttermilk, and nectar; add to dry  ingredients, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky). 4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 9-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 5. Cut dough into 12 wedges, cutting into but not through the bottom of dough. Brush with egg white over surface of dough, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen scones. ______________________________________________________________________________    I really like these things because they are just sweet enough, but don't make you think you're eating birthday cake. The apricots and the nectar give it a subtle fruit flavor. The buttermilk helps too. Best served with a big cup of your favorite Joe. ---misterbingley   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/520303/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/520303/ Beowulf and Grendel by Justin Gerard of Portland Studios, Inc. ==================================================      My apologies for not posting this review sooner. I had hoped, in Febuary, to read Pride and Predjudice also, however, I could not locate my particular copy (I'm so organized), and the library seemed to be lacking in Austen titles, so I had to pass. This leaves it up to you, the reader, to search your piles of stuff, and dig out P&P, and fearlessly write a review of it, so I will have the privilege of knowing your opinion on Regency Era English literature. ==================================================      When I picked up Beowulf, I could tell that I was in for something. And that something turned out to be an amazing read, full of insight into ancient Nordic legend and the political system of the Swedes and other Germanic tribes. But what is really beautiful about it is the poetic flow of the verses, washing over your mind like the cold Atlantic Ocean on some rocky Swedish coastline. The writer uses so many word-connections like 'wonder-blade' , 'heather-stepper', and 'sea-shawl'. I don't know the Scandinavian language (which is given opposite the English text in this version translated by Seamus Heaney), but I feel pretty sure that it contains authentic literary mannerisms.      The story was poetic, to be sure. But it was nicely balanced with plenty of action. The main plot involves three hideous monsters, powerful swords, and a superhero named Beowulf. Basically, King Hrothgar is tormented by an evil fiend named Grendel. He steals into his castle (mead-hall to be precise), and runs off with the king's best men into the swamps and moors to eat his nightly catch.      Hrothgar is beside himself with frustration and grief, until Beowulf, a reknowned man of great strength and honor shows up to give Grendel what for.      The fight isn't very easy, but Beowulf inflicts the mortal wound with his bare hands.      Peace reigns for a time until Grendel's mother (who's name isn't mentioned) seeks to avenge her son's death. So, after another bloody attack, Beowulf goes after her into the swamps.      Now, this is the one part that I felt a little strange about. The whole story is extremely, and surprisingly believable. After a while, your skepticism about monsters living in that ancient age begins to fade away, and you really wonder if they might have existed and rampaged the desolate lands of long ago. Incidently, Grendel and his mother are cursed decendants of Cain, who have become monsters whom God has forsaken (the story really says this, I'm not making it up!). Any way, one thing I found a little inconsistant about the story is this: Beowulf is touted as a sort of super-human. He is portrayed as very human in the poem, but he possesses extreme strength and endurance. He at one time challenges his friend to a swimming match, in which they both swim the ocean in full armour for a week (a week!) and battle sea monsters the whole time. Whoa.      The same thing happens when he kills Grendel's mother. He swims to the bottom of the swamp, and kills her in a cave. I'm not sure if this evil den is under water or not, but it is still pretty amazing. Of course his sword starts melting because of the 'tarn-hag's' peculiar blood, so he has to again use his bare hands to finish the job.      My review makes the book out to be a sort of reckless, sword-swinging monster party, but really the themes in the book are very uplifting. Although the Scandinavians in this poem are very partial to drinking in the mead-hall, very obssessed with winning fame and gold, and are rather brutal, they show a great sense of courage and nobility, honor and decency about them which I find impressive. One can only assume that this is the way the social life of these people was really like.      Beowulf's dedication to helping a despairing king and his people, his readiness to destroy evil, and his humblness in the sight of God whom he acknowledges as the source of his strength, are all very impressive in my view. And although his attitude is a bit arrogant at times, it is constantly reaffirmed that he is, after all, still human.      The best element of the story is the direct references to God and the  grace, mercy and help he sends to his faithful children. King's wealth and greatness are attributed to God's goodness. There are some rather deep insights into the interaction between God and man in this story, primarily his soveriegnty. To quote Hrothgar:      "Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided him [Beowulf] here to the West-Danes, to defend us from Grendel."      I encourage you to read it, especially if you enjoy stories of battle and bravery. But if you're watching you'll be encouraged, I think, to stand against the evil we face in the present, in whatever form, and to look to God for our strength.      So, grab your sword and helmet, and head to the easy chair for a great read.      Oh, and don't try to swim in the ocean in full armour. You might drown.      ----misterbingley Note: My version of Beowulf is translated by Seamus Heaney (pronounced SHAY-mus) and is published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York.                  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/500618/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:21:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/500618/ This morning my glorious God sent me a snowday. At long last... Snow! Now Spring can come... "We put on... our winter skin... our winter skin... and walk...              And we watch... the snow... fall..." -Jars of Clay ---misterbingley http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/495244/ Sat, 8 Mar 2008 20:20:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/495244/      Today is Valentine's day.      I'm not sure of the exact origins of the holiday, but it is generally known as an occasion to celebrate love, especially if you have a sweetheart. I am still waiting for God to reveal my sweetheart to me, but in the meantime I am prayerfully trying to use the time wisely for good, and the furthering of His Kingdom.      Where I live, it is a common and disturbing sight to see a couple (i.e. boyfriend/girlfriend) riding in a car together. This isn't wrong. But often I see the girl in the driver's seat, while the young man (if he is worthy of the title) sits reclining in the passenger seat passively smoking a cigarette and staring out the window.      Perhaps the girl is extremely partial to driving, but I gather two more probable explanations to the problem.      The young man doesn't care enough about the young lady to drive her around himself, so he rides while she does the work. He spends his time with a girl who has a car which he can't afford because he prefers not to work, or some similar situation. Please understand that these are merely possible explanations and may not be the case whatsoever, but I feel that I am probably painting an accurate picture.      The girl on the other hand fills the void that the man has created by his lack of respect with the feeling of control she has while she drives her boyfriend around. However, it also reflects her stupidity in associating herself with a young man without character. She, in doing this, commits a great wrong against her self. This can be illustrated with a conversation between two cashiers at Wal-Mart that my mom overheard not too long ago. It was as follows:      {Cashier one talks with her boyfriend who has come to pay her a visit. After they finish, he leaves the store.}       Cashier one to Cashier two: "Did you see him?" {excitedly}       Cashier two: "Yeah! who is he?"       Cashier one: "He's my boyfriend. He's kinda dumb, but he sure is cute!"      It is humorous, but that really was what they said. The cashier was ready to admit that he was awfully dumb, but by her standards being cute was all that mattered.      An article recently ran in the Marketplace section of the January 11th, 2008 edition of  The Wall Street Journal   which claimed that the thirty-year-old bachelor male was destroying society today. The article stated that young men are delaying marriage and responsibility more and more to the point that as the article puts it, that they (bachelors) "...no longer bother posing as sophisticates. Instead, they indulge in scatological jokes and chugging contests." The article blames this in part to the Feminist Movement which discouraged respect for the fairer sex among young males. Also to blame are books, movies, and magazines, such as Playboy, which discourage marriage and maturity, portraying it as an undesirable thing to attain to. Society is not offering anything higher to progress toward, no motivation for higher thinking and maturity, so why not sit at home and allow mind and body to atrophy?      My seventeenth birthday is this Saturday. As I grow older and gradually grow more mature, I am finding more and more challenges and decisions staring me down, such as college, the choice of a career, and eventually, if God wills it, marriage. I look forward to these events and stages of my life with an anticipation and excitement for what God has in store for me. No doubt, some of these events may be challenging and could cause me to give up, or lose heart, but I know that God has an adventurous life ahead for me, and I can't wait to see what will happen next.      I don't look at the future as a problem or a hindrance, but rather as an opportunity to learn and to grow, to become more mature and to gain honor, not merely in the eyes of man, but in the eyes of the One Who created me to be who I am. I see it as an opportunity to grow in the Grace and the knowledge of God, and to explore the wonderful depths of His Love.      Let us, young men, young women, look to the future with joy and anticipation. Let us not keep from ourselves the things that will be truly benificial to our spirits and our walk with the Father. Even if some things are hard, if they are right, if they are honorable, let's pursue them.      Why wait until we're thirty to marry if we feel God calling us to marry sooner? (Being careful to discern God's will from ours, mind you!). Why shrink from work, from thinking, from higher learning, from responsibility, if these things will improve my mind and body, preparing them for the service of the Lord? Think of all the wonderful things that would happen, if we took time to prepare our hearts for the future now, before God calls us to the tasks he has in store for us!      As Christians, we should set the standard for uprightness and integrity in our communities, and let our light shine so others may know that we have something different, and that normal is not good enough.      So, rise up young Man, young Woman!      This world needs you!     ---misterbingley               II Timothy 2:1-4      http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/481270/ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:19:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterbingley/481270/