I've spent today setting up my effective new PC after a hard drive crash. I'm now on WindowsXP (nice of the old computer not to come with a Vista CD despite the fact I paid for the thing - such is life for O.E.M. software). Now I'm lacking some drivers but nothing important! It's taken about 20 hours to format the drive, install WindowsXP, update it (long hours!), install 80% of the software I used to have and get back to something like normal.
Yesterday I waited in all day for the drive to be delivered. It came this morning instead, but it meant that I had yesterday to work while not using the computer. I always tend to draw from the screen now so it was a reminder of the old days (2005)! Due to the lack of a digital mockup, it was doubly difficult to get the scale and placement of objects right. I found myself shifting the edges of the paper around like I used to. However, the freedom of a less rigid plan produced some interesting results.
I've now got about five compositions partly drawn. The Annunciation is just about finished. I made a detailed computer model for the fish which was worth it. The whole picture is very complex but now I think that complexity is a sign of higher art. Part of my new philosophy is that simple things arrange into complex forms, so the more complex something is the more advanced it is in evolutionary terms. Many of the other pictures involve Phoenixes, and some are on the scanned page I included a few entries back.
Now I'm waffling, a definite sign of too much work alone with a computer. Until next time, adeiu!
