Tag Archives: continuous line elephant

Fluorescephant continuous line to Irrelephant Elephant in 50 years

I have just had my 80th Birthday and received two cards which both stated “Remember… age is irrelephant!” along with a picture of an Elephant.  Here is one of them below.

Birthday card “80 years young” and “age is irrelephant!” by Pigment Productions Ltd.

This reminded me of my continuous line elephant with colour sequence which was exhibited at the International Amateur Art Exhibition, at Warwick Square Gallery, London, in February 1973 and at the National Society Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, in March 1973.  It is the forerunner of “Elephant Grass” at the top of these posts.  I call it “Fluorescephant”.

“Fluorescephant” continuous line exhibited at the International Amateur Open Exhibition and at the National Society Open Exhibition in 1973.

My flatmate Phil suggested that I call it “Fluorescephant”, which I thought was an excellent suggestion.  This word is still uniquely referenced to me on Google.  When I googled “irrelephant” some dictionaries say that it means “Not related to elephants: irrelevant to the discussion of elephants”.

One image that popped up was actually a single continuous line elephant which appears on a shirt produced by “Spreadshirt”.  I am impressed, even though they say that my opinion is irrelephant.

Single continuous line Elephant “Your opinion is irrelephant” on shirt produced by “Spreadshirt”.

This play on words is a bit like “Answersmash”, a game played on the TV game show “House of Games” presented by Richard Osman.

Being 80 triggers all sorts of daft thoughts.  I have told people that I was wondering about Best Before dates on things.  I have decided to adopt one for myself.  About 10 years ago, at a table tennis venue where the home team had a box of wrapped biscuits for visitors, we joked that most of them were past their “Best before dates”.  But I found one that was fine and it’s date was 29.04.3013.  That will do for me!

Cadbury Flake wrapper Best Before Date of 29.04.3013. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

 

 

 

Another Artist in the Burton Family

Fathers’ Day card, from my daughter Kate, painted by my grandson Lucas.      Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

This action painting, by my grandson Lucas, reminded me of a fast rushing stream.

My daughter Kate is a professional artist and film maker (see my post of 2 February 2016 – “BB” by Kate Burton, Glasgow film maker, at London Short Film Festival),

“BB” by Kate Burton, Glasgow filmmaker, at London Short Film Festival.

Three year old Lucas receives plenty of encouragement to make pictures.

Lucas also squeezes paint tubes directly onto a piece of card to create mixes of paint, before Kate provides another piece of card to squash the paint.  There is a sort of ink blot “butterfly” copy effect.

Lucas squeezes paint directly from the tube.        Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

Here are some results, along with “Grandad” type observations.

Lucas watery landscape.         Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

This result made me think of a sort of Chinese or Japanese landscape painting.  Here is a modern version for comparison.

Autumn Mountains at Dawn, by Zhang Daqian.      En.wahooart.com.

The next picture has the appearance of a flying elephant, and I have done a few continuous line elephants in my time.  

Lucas’s flying elephant.    Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

Lucas’s flying elephant.  Naturally, he has a squash copy flying the other way.  See below Dumbo, the most famous flying elephant.

Dumbo the Elephant, from Tim Burton’s remake of Dumbo Takes Flight.

Another Lucas watery image reminded me of a Monet.

Lucas – garden pond squash painting.    Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

Here is one of Monet’s many paintings of water lilies.

Water Lilies Giverny – by Claude Monet.

One day I may tell you about a picture Kate painted when she was four.