It's cold here on the south coast of England, with winter breathing down our necks. The days are light and pale and the nights close in early. What a great excuse to stay in and spend time on Deviantart!

Let me explain about my new picture 'Light Up The Dark.' It's inspired by a Russian folk tale called 'Vasilissa The Fair' and is a short tale of being brave enough to overcome oppression and find the light to guide you home. I'm currently taking a unit on Fairytale & Folklore on my illustration course, and when I read this tale I knew I had to take it on. Aside from the spiritual allegory, I just couldn't say no to a hut on chicken legs deep in a wild wood, knights of the dawn, day and dusk and skulls that light up when night draws in. And a cannibal witch who flies around in a mortar.

I spent ages previously on an intricate drawing depicting knights, skulls and forests and finished it feeling underwhelmed, despite positive feedback from my peers. Later I took a piece of thin brown paper and started inking in 0.05. It took not even half the time, and I feel the result is more powerful. I guess what I'm saying is that a good idea portrayed simply will never let you down. And there's no point polishing a turd. That's what Big Joe from my course said.

Really glad to be back on here, and look forward to checking out all your stuff and chatting with you again, it's been too long really.

blessed be,

Matty

I really don't...I've paid no mind to this beautiful place over the summer and now I have nearly 1000 deviations in my inbox....I should really see to them, though that won't be easy-going on a humble basic account such as mine...so apologies if you don't hear from me for another 5 months!

Don't wait up,

Matty x

Hello to all...whoever that may be nowadays. I havent updated in ages I know, I havent been on here and havent been drawing which is a sin in itself. I am living at home at the moment, my course finished for the summer and my head a maelstrom of visions, images and ideas that won't make it to paper because the commitment to see them through is lost to Summer, which is fleeting as we speak. And very, very wet here in the UK. I am working every day at the moment, for an exam board where I (and many others) rummage through exam papers and make sure all the marks have been added correctly in time for results day in August. It's very dull, but life without it wouldn't be much better. A sense of purpose is a golden thing to have, and the early mornings are never as bad as they seem. It's amazing, some of the things you find on exam papers besides answers...song lyrics, football dream teams, endless declarations of love, drawings, jokes, and pleas for leniency from the marker. Thankfully art, the reason we're all here, is too vast to be condensed into a 2 hour sitting of questions and answers and bullshit. Maybe art is freedom...maybe not. Either way it's in my blood, even if my canvas is empty.

Stay well,

Matthew

Salutations

Well everything is all very peachy at the moment. The South Coast has been incredibly warm lately and the parks around the city are brimming with life.

I went to see The Ataris in concert in Portsmouth (it's like the rival city to Southampton down here, like Shelbyville to Springfield!) at the weekend, which was unbelievable, not least because of the tiny venue and performance, but because I got to meet Kris Roe afterwards and have a photo taken with him, with a Cheshire-cat sized grin on my face. Fantastic stuff....

Art-wise, I've just uploaded a new piece that will manifest itself within the pages of Black Ink Horror Magazine in late summer, or around then. Seriously folks, I'm fresh out of shit to upload! I work like a dog for my course and don't spend my recreational hours drawing for myself.

Despite this I still get on now and again to read your journals, thoughts, and to comment on art that really catches my eye. So keep it up.

Be well,

~Matthew


I also take photos: [link]

And recieve treatment at The Dark Arts Asylum [link]

Howdy Earthlings, just dropping by to remind you of my existence - something I've been reminding myself of on a regular basis. It's a struggle to find inspiration on the greyest of greydays with a cold, the biggest bitching mouth ulcer I've ever seen, and nothing to do. It could be a lot worse though, and it was yesterday morning when I woke up after drinking absinthe the night before. One shot of that stuff feels like being kicked in the head and stomach simultaneously, never mind four. It's like swallowing fire, really - Expensive fire! I'd do it again though

I turned twenty last Monday, which was nice. It's good to vanquish the 'teen' tag but really, I don't feel any different. I still feel nine years old, look 16, and still terrified of male pattern baldness. Maybe that's the scary bit - when you feel young but your face starts caving in and your thatch ain't what it used to be. My eyes are already getting lazy. Wow...roll on twenty-one!

I have (finally) launched a humble photography account and it can be found right here [link]

keep well,

Matthew