This will probably end up being one of two posts made relatively close to each other. I’m breaking them up because one is going to be one of those long-winded sciency ones that I love doing so much and that nobody but me cares about.
It’s been a right long while since I posted any scans of my hand-drawn artwork stuff. Oddly, I’ve been doing the hand-drawn thing a lot more than using SketchUp. There’s just something so…(I hate to use this word)…organic about drawing with a pencil (Actually, I’ve used a Sharpie Pen for months, and I love it.) and paper that using something like SketchUp doesn’t capture. It’s easier for drawings to come together in my head when I have a scratch pad to doodle on. It’s a lot harder to draw complex, curvy lines on a computer than it is on paper, too, which probably lends to some of what I’m feeling. Anyway, below is a link to all the stuff I’ve drawn since last I scanned some in, and you can find the links to the full sets on the individual pages for those pictures.
We’re headed back to Casino Rama this January for another two Terri Clark shows. For those who don’t remember, Casino Rama has what is most likely the most fun and rollicking inventory of lighting gear that I get to play with on a semi-regular basis – and they’ve added since I was there last. Now they’ve got a bunch of MAC 700 washes (Which are leaps and bounds beyond the now-discontinued 600s they had before) and a bunch of MAC 301 LED washes. I’m really going all out trying to mix things up a bit this time…I’ve asked them to move some of the 301s to the floor for some sidelight and floor arial effects, and I’m going to position the PixelLine 1044s alongside a bunch of PARs pointing straight into the audience, but gelled with thick diffusion for what I hope will look like a sort of dreamy glow. As always, the steadfastly dutiful GrandMA fullsize will be there to take my lighting career to new plateaus.
I finally got some major work done on the Very Old Fan that I rescued from the curb several months ago. (Apparently I’ve discovered a new skill…fixing very old fans.) It’s a Hunter Century, and mine looks exactly like this…when put together. Right now it’s sitting on my desk, while the epoxy that’s holding together a small modification sets. The original switch broke during my taking it apart, so I had to find a new rotary switch, and in the interests of historical accuracy I wanted to keep the original plastic switch, which required some minor grinding of the new metal rotary switch that I bought. I stripped the whole body of paint and rust and re-painted it black (as it had been), cleaned up the motor and gave it a nice coat of white lithium grease to keep the friction down. It’s a handsome unit, and I should be able to re-wire everything back up into working order tomorrow. The only thing I can’t make look nice is the blades – there’s pitting and cruft that just won’t scrub off on them, and I’m not really sure how to polish the metal without a buffer, which I don’t have. Luckily, if I ever do want to nicen up the blades, They’re not that hard to remove. Other than the slight cruft on the blades, it’s a very handsome and still functional unit.
Big Daddy Weave tour returns in the spring.
Bring it.
Exit, stage left.
Sparks