On Stranger Tides

I went to London today. Got this photo of the ship in a bottle in Trafalgar Square, which was a fitting precursor; for afterwards we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides. I hadn't been too impressed by the last two films in this franchise, and hadn't expected much. I was pleasantly surprised, it was very enjoyable, and it had mermaids! One was played by Astrid Berges Frisbey, who looks very lovely, and makes up for the absence of Keira Knightley in some measure- as does Penelope Crus who looks like she's already found the fountain of youth. All the cast were on good form, including Ian McShane as Blackbeard, who finally shakes off the shadow of Lovejoy! And of course Depp charmingly roguish as Captain Jack Sparrow...


Good film, although not one for historical accuracy sticklers. Amusing to see well known London locations jumping around, the Greenwich Naval Hospital and the Old Bailey combining and finding a new home in front of St Paul's, for instance, or the interior of Hampton Court turning into that of Greenwich. (I also noticed that the navy/privateer ship had a post-1801 union jack at the rear rather than an ensign- the Union Jack actually belongs on the jack staff at the front!) Anyway, it was all good escapist fantasy, and very much up my street. Shouldn't hurt interest in the pirates-related illustration project I've been involved in until recently, which should shortly come online as a facebook-based game. It may also inspire me to paint some more mermaid paintings, or at least off the one I started a while back. Maybe some more sailing ships, too...

After the film we had a potter around Camden Lock, where I patronized the bookshop and bought a book on Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema. I also saw this awesome dog:


Then went to Worlds End.

A nice interlude.

Terse dream descriptions.

I definitely agree with the cartoonist in the latest ImagineFX that peoples descriptions of their dreams should be restricted to five words or less, so: 'Rainy street. Horse. Saturn looming'.

Original Oil Paintings for sale

I have added a section to my website listing oil paintins presently available for sale, along with prices (with or without frames when there is the option). I also include the frames in the photos of the works, to help customers decide. They can be seen here: http://dashinvaine.co.uk/paintings_for_sale.html

Mayflies, Morris Dancing and headless horsemen

I was out at the pub earlier on watching morrisa dancing. How English is that? Actually it was somethign different, and quite entertaining. I nearly got roped in, but I remembered a solemn oath I had sworn, many years ago, to try anything once except incest and morris dancing. There were two troops of morris men doing their thing, one from Whitchurch, the other from Towersey. The Towersey lot had a badge of the headless horseman, which I assumed must be a referemce to Sleepy Hollow, but apparently there is an alternative explanation.

Came away with a present of some rosemary which was nice.

Nothing much else to report. Last week there was a crisis which turned out ok, and this last weekend we had a family visit which went well, and the dog was well behaved. Ladt week I found myself in the midst of a mayfly orgy, by the thames in Bourne End, which was another novelty. An ugly beast is the mayfly. Apparently the live but one day, mate, spawn on the water, and die.

Eowyn and the Nazgul

The latest Art Order/Muddy Colors challenged provided me with a pretext to get the old oil paints out. The scene where the shieldmaiden of Rohan confronts the Witch king of Angmar is one of Tolkien's most evocative, and I had it in mind to paint my take on it at some stage anyway.


Eowyn and the Nazgul Painting by ~dashinvaine on deviantART