Monthly Archive for October, 2008

In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.

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on October 31, 2008
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Kat Johnston - yup... its officially true. I've cracked. Ok, not really, but by the look of that little face... I don't think I'd want to get on Pinky here's crazy...er side. Never trust a person that smiles too much - taint natural to be too happy.

I’m doing another advance write-up for today, even though I haven’t yet done the picture to go in here. It just seems easier when I know that, again, I am going to be working fairly solidly throughout the day on last-minute polishing of assignment work before I hand in my very last assignment ever (one would hope).

Tomorrow (as in the day after this is posted, not at the time it is actually written), I am heading off to Sydney for a few days to attend a housewarming, get away from things, spend some time with friends and all that jazz. In short: uni over, time to relax. At least for a little while.

Now, to be honest, I’m not even sure that the people that I am staying with have a scanner. I’m not so sure how my commitment to an image a day is going to go while I am down there. However, I know that there has to be at least one digital camera around, and if all else fails, I can still write a post and put up a nice big IOU. Hell, I might even fall back on doing something with a mouse in Paint if it means that there is something up to continue this project exactly as it is meant to continue.

I’ve become rather attached to it. I haven’t missed a day in quite a while, and I don’t really plan to miss a day just because I am out of town, either. There might be some sporadic posting times, depending on when I happen to be online, but hopefully I can still stick with the commitment of a creative product a day. We’ve all seen some of the doozies I’ve thrown up before when I’ve been strapped for time or resources - it kinda just goes to show to me that it doesn’t matter. It is the continued resolve, not the actual images themselves that make this particularly worth-while to me. Yes, the pictures are important. They’re vitally important. They’re what this is all about. But if it takes a few shabby ones up with the rest to stay in the habit of doing what I love, then so be it. See you in Sydney!

Spooky: This was written before it was posted. Hello me from the past…

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on October 30, 2008
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Kat Johnston: Here we have an illustration of the standard 'marketing assignment of doom', seen in its natural habitat... isolated from absolutely anything to do with actual reality.

And this is the picture I put together quickly this morning to have something to throw up to go with the post below. Phew! Ok… back to work… again.

I’m writing another post to be published fairly early today: I am still working away rather studiously on my final assignments to have them all perfect and squeaky clean and fresh to be handed in. I can’t get too excited and relax quite yet. I still have to make sure that these are done and dusted and perfectly perfect just to make sure that I pass with flying colours and never have to see university again… at least for this degree.

Actually, I am writing this post so early, its kinda still the day before it is published… ohhh, spooky. I haven’t drawn or captured the picture to go with yet (says me in the past, while this is still yet unpublished). I will add that in the morning, when I need another break from the last mad dash towards the finishing line. Just two more days. Two more days, and academic freedom is mine. I hope. Heaven forbid something goes wrong, because I think I would scream bloody murder and tear something down if that were to happen.

Now… onto what I was actually going to talk about today. Does anyone else find it incredibly and brilliantly amusing that the anchovy snacks my hubby bought while we were at the Asian market the other day is produced by a brand called ‘Miaow Miaow’ with a little grinning cat as their logo?I love it. Its wonderful. It gives me wonderful platform to mock my husband, further implying that he is eating glorified cat-food.

Ok, that is the end of my crazy, rambling late-night ravings. I may edit this a touch more in the morning, before I post it, but the likelihood is that I won’t. Time for me to enjoy some sweet strawberry chocolate candy thingies, and do some more tippity typing while I’m up for it. More later!

An IOU, musing on subliminal messaging in assignments and a word on backing up your work.

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on October 29, 2008
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Kat Johnston: IOU one actual drawing. Yes, one that doesn't come with dandelions or flies or faces or kitty cats, just because I am too lazy to do anything really actually creative.

A little hand-written note for you today! I need to get posting out of the way early, so that I can get back to polishing off my second-last assignment of the semester: a marketing plan. I’m sending myself incremental updates as I go, just in case something, heaven forbid, happens between today and tomorrow, when it is due in.

Our faculty isn’t like others: you don’t just get marked down if its a day late, you fail. There’s no excuses, unless you were somehow involved in an industrial accident, or crashed your car (and are near-dead because of it), or something else major and unstoppable that keeps you from being able to hand it in exactly on time, to the minute. I, for one, am really not up for staging such an affair, since I rather enjoy having all my limbs attached and don’t particularly like bleeding for the cause, so much easier just to have back-ups in a place other than my own personal computer.

I’m so close to graduating, I’m not letting this machine screw it up for me if it decides to take a day-trip to the planet of Not-worky-worky.

Ok… I have to get back to my assignment and get it looking all nice and shiny so that it dazzles my lecturer into a state of near-hypnosis, ensuring that she will recieve the not-so-subtle message of ‘write an A, write an A’ as she reads it. The paper, lightly watermarked with ‘give the damn girl an A’ all over it might hopefully help too. I know they don’t like subliminal messages in advertising, but does it really count if its just in an assignment? Hmm… I guess only time will tell.

Two more days. Then freedom is mine.

Lazy. That is what it is.

Published
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on October 28, 2008
in Lined Paper, Personal, Sketch and dandelions
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Kat Johnston Sketch - little quickie dandelion-inspired ramblings on a piece of lined paper.

This, my dears, is laziness. Pure laziness. This is ‘I don’t feel like drawing anything really today’ at its finest.

I picked up a pen, and this is what we’ve got: dandelion-inspired type flowers, because I still have dandelions on the mind. In fact, I even went and plucked one of my childhood books off of the shelves to read one little story again since I was talking about dandelions on here yesterday. Its one that has stuck with me since I was a little kiddley-wink.

I still have most of my childhood books - you can’t believe how fantastic it was to be able to collect them from my parent’s house a couple of years back and bring them to rest in my own little library, where they should be. I love them to utter bits. But, I’ve digressed… let me tell you a little about the story.

It is called ‘Thirteen O’Clock’, by Enid Blyton and it tells the story of a little boy called Sandy who blows at a marvellous dandelion clock - puff, puff, puff! He counts the hours, as we all should do, and reaches the magical fae hour of thirteen o’clock (no, not military time, a magical little hour that lies between twelve and one - happens only once in a blue moon, you know). With that, his adventure begins - the regular sort of stuff of Enid Blyton fairy tale… you know, witches and pixies and magic brooms and morals which aren’t so subtle when you look at it twice.

I loved those stories as a child: I still do. I go back and actually read the books I read as a kid. Although the language is more simple than what I might read on a day to day basis, my lord, they are still great stories. The incredible visions that can be bought to mind with just a few words, their ability to spark the imagination, to make you remember that despite the fact that you still have to find a way to pay the bills next week there is still wonder in the world… I just love it.

Now, this is not the only reason that I like dandelions… but it is one of them. Ever since first reading that story, I have picked dandelion clocks and puffed, puffed, puffed, counting off the hours, hoping that just that once… I might reach thirteen.

Vivid yellow dandelions… mmm, a dandelion daydream.

Published
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on October 27, 2008
in 'The Hubby', Photos and dandelions
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Vivid yellow dandelions, a pure, pleasurable treat to the senses. A pox upon those who see this precious flower as a weed.

So… the hubby reads the post of yesterday and disappears from the house for a few minutes. I wondered where he had gotten to. He really is a rather nice ogre, after all, all things considered. I peeked my head outside the front door to see what he was doing, only to find him pottering around on the lawn, snipping up the dandelions to make a little bouquet for me. He had to mow the lawn soon anyway, so he thought he might as well save them and give them to me to enjoy for a few days more instead of pulverizing them with the mower. Isn’t that sweet?

So, rather than putting up a drawing today, I present to you a photo of some of the wonderful dandelions that adorned my front yard, scattered amongst the green. Still fresh, vivid in their pure, wonderful yellowness - a weed to some, visual and imaginative bliss to me. Van Gogh had his sunflowers, I have my dandelions. I love ‘em to bits. I can probably tell you why, too, but perhaps that is a story for another day. Thank you for the dandelions, sweetie.

I might go through the photos in a little bit and pick out the best, to put up on flickr. I’ll let you know if I do! Oh, and I’m adding a dandelions category too… its about time, really.

Edit: No James, I really don’t want all your ogre babies. Pfft!

Rest in peace, sweet dandelions…

Published
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on October 26, 2008
in 'The Hubby', Plain Paper, Sketch and dandelions
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Ogres are annoying... especially when they go trampling my dandelions.

Another very quick, very rough little drawing (its Sunday… what can I say?) to make sure that I’ve got today covered in the ‘creative product a day’ vein. This one has a story.

Since last week, I have been craving a particular type of strawberry flavoured chocolate (this one here) which I can only obtain (in bulk) by getting in a car with my lovely husband and driving over to the other side of town. So, this morning, the conversation went something like this:

Him: So, what do you want to do today?

Me: Go to Sunnybank.

Him: Why? What do we have to go way over there for?

Me: Candy.

Him: But there’s a supermarket less than five…

Me: Candy.

Him: But the…

Me: Candy.

Him: Just down the road, supermarket, full of can…

Me: Strawberry chocolate candy. Here’s your keys.

And thus, the rather quick, rather immature battle of the wills was won. Sucker.

Our car is parked out the front of the house, on a little brick drive-way thingie that curves through the front yard. I was admiring the field of dandelions we currently have taking up most of our excuse for a front yard, as I danced blissfully towards our awaiting chariot to take me to the mythical candy.

For those that haven’t been reading for a while, you might not realize that I rather like dandelions. Whether dandelion clocks (which rarely tell the right time), or full bloom in their pretty little yellow glory, these unappreciated flowers are just gorgeous to me.

James knows I like dandelions. He also knows that he is going to have to drive. For over an hour there and back. To get candy.

I jump into the car, blissfully unaware of his evil scheme, my eyes wide and shiny with wonder at the wonderful world around me, all full of potential and greatness and cuddleyness and dandelion fields. I turn to my loving husband, with all his grumbling and his moaning, gently stroking a hand by his knee as I quietly whisper with downcast eyes, ‘Thank you so much, sweetheart, for driving me across town. I really do appreciate it, you know. You’re so wonderful, and sweet, and kind.’

He flicks the ignition and the car growls into life, its sound harsh against the twitter-tweet of the blue birds perching on the tree-branches close by. With that, James turns, a maniacal look glimmering deep in the recesses of his wild, bloodshot eyes as he jerks the car forward to crush my precious dandelions, singing ‘I’m an ogre, I’m an ogre, no dandelions for you!’

‘Why oh why did you crush my dandelions, my love?’ I whimper, as I look towards him with glassy, tear-filled eyes.

‘I’m a ogre. Its my job to crush dandelions.’

With that, we drove away… and I got my strawberry chocolate candy. But at what price? So many pretty dandelions, so ruthlessly murdered under the tires of a rather vengeful ogre’s car. AND I still have to live with the damn ogre, who will live to crush again.

Where oh where is my prince, to save me from the ogre, sweep me off my feet and avenge the deaths of so many innocents? Or at least get me strawberry chocolate candy on demand without having to crush dandelions needlessly in the process?

Disclaimer: events may have been changed just a teensie weensie bit for dramatic effect. Eg, my eyes weren’t so tear-filled, and my fist may have just connected to his arm at that point. Other than that… all true, promise. Especially the blue birds. Blue birds rock.

The 121st post.

Published
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on October 25, 2008
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Randomly happy... that's about it, really.

Its a Saturday, so really, this is just a quick post to get it out of the way and get back to the things that matter: finishing writing documentary proposals, eating lunch (subway in this case) and relaxing for the afternoon.

Just for your interest though (since I am being a good girl and posting), this is the 121st post for this blog! 121 images that I have created and thrown up for your viewing peasure. I entirely forgot to throw something up at the 100 posts mark, and even skipped merrily by 110, and 120… so it is right that it gets a mention now, even if it isn’t one of those fancy well-rounded even numbers that everyone seems so fond of. Here’s to 121: a great number by all accounts.

Oh toes!

Published
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on October 24, 2008
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Kat Johnston Sketch - Oh toes! Did someone steal something from this adorable child? Perhaps their innocence? Dignity?

Another sketch in the same note-pad the picture from yesterday is drawn in too, albeit on another page in said note-pad. I guess everything needs balance - a page full of happy smiley faces, and another with the tear-filled, plaintive mewling of a child whose kitty just got taken away from them… or something like that.

The funnier thing, perhaps, is that both of these drawings were likely sketched on the same evening… not so funny, maybe, when you think that take away the tears and tweak a line or two, and it might look as if he is screaming out in pure joy, as if he’s wide-eyed and scared happily half to death on the Super-Mega-Monster-Roller-Coaster-Of-DOOOM. It actually fascinates me that the expression for one and the other isn’t all that far different, really - a few squiggles separates one from the other on a page, really, when it is simplified down as much as these quick sketches are.

On an entirely different note, light coloured cats + black clothing = need for endless supply of lint brushes. I would give up one or the other, but I happen to love my cats and black never goes out of fashion. Ah well… C’est la vie!

Three wishes were granted, may you be happy.

Published
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on October 23, 2008
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Kat Johnston Sketch - it is just really really nice to be able to stumble across a picture you've drawn... and just smile.

Title of today’s post is a line from a song I like, just to explain that one up front. Ok, and now onto something about the actual sketch!

I must have actually done this little bit of sketching last week, but I stumbled onto it again last night while flicking pages back and forth trying to decide exactly which wonderful page was the one I was going to write on for the night. As if you can’t tell (if you’ve been reading for a while), I have about a trillion books and note-pads and so forth that I write and draw in; there really is no rhyme or reason as to which I might pick up one day over the next, save perhaps for the fact that some are ‘put aside’ for certain purposes.

Well, last night I stumbled onto this little patch of random sketching in this little particular notepad and you know what? It made me smile. I love when I can do that to myself: draw something, come back to it, and just smile. It may just be that it is a fun little selection of faces all beaming and smiley and just as pleased as punch, but it does happen with other images too. The unwise owl is a good example of that. It is just an illustration I could not be more pleased to have drawn. Owls, or even mimes doing spirit fingers: easy way to make me smile. I mean, who can resist spirit fingers?

I’m really not sure where this post is going… perhaps its just trying to shine a light on the fact that I think that it is brilliant that my own little sketches can affect me, even if they never once affect a single other person. I’d love for everyone in the world to crack a grin at one of my sketches, but even if it reaches no-one else, I have me. And if a picture can make me smile… the day’s just that little bit brighter then, now, isn’t it?

Sweet Cherry Pie.

Published
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on October 22, 2008
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Kat Johnston Sketch - Envelopes have to be one of the most fun things to draw on... I don't even know why, but I do so love to draw on a nice used envelope.

I love drawing on envelopes - used envelopes in particular. Last week I forgot to even take my notebook to class with me, so I had only the few envelopes stashed in my bag to take a few notes on. While I was studiously note-taking, I also happened to draw this little witchey. A cute little mite, isn’t she? I have cropped around her a bit, but I haven’t done it in a way to block out a bit of the scribble that sits beside her… I wonder if I should scan in the whole envelope on day.

Another short little post today… I’ve been busy doing other things today, such as creating a clickable cherry. Yes, a clickable cherry. Oh the things that amuse my poor befuddled brain…