ACTUALLY...the Jonas Brothers Band disbanded a while ago....NOW there is talk of a "reunion". NOT that I ever listened to them! JUST guilty of watching too much TV. Their band DID make them ALL quite wealthy...if that is any measure of success in this world?
BUT, compared to what the youth listen to these days, the Jonas Brothers could probably be categorized as "classical".
ME...I still listen to the rock, blues, jazz that I have been partial to for decades!
If "blues" are your fancy, CPTV has been showing a recent performance at the White House, including a cast of All Stars such as B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Warren Haynes, Keb Mo, Derek Trucks and many others. It was EXCELLENT IMHO.
That was a wonderful concert at the White House, and great to hear Mick Jagger, and others, sing softly in a small room.
When I was in my twenties, more than half a century back, I had some treasured memories, talking of small venues. I used to be the cheap white trash warm up gig for some memorable greats. I opened for a week for John Lee Hooker in 1961, and on the first night we had ten in the audience at the Inquisition Club. He used an old amp of about 1 watt power. The crowd had him turn it off and play acoustical, as they found it way too loud and crass...them were the days. He was happy to do so, and sounded great.
I also opened for Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee several times, Rev Gary Davis, Jesse Fuller, Cannonball Adderly, Montgomery Bros, and Johnny Cash would come by from his gig round the corner and hang out with us. They were all uniformly good-natured and very easy to hang with.
Talk about getting far afield on a topic... I thought we were discussing poorly designed scrolls. Nobody mentioned anything about how the various leaf elements on the water water scroll don't all flow in the proper direction. So, I guess I just did mention it.
Trivia: "As long as I'm making my music aint gonna do no body no harm" who sang these words and what is the title? sorry but I'm just having fun here...I love you guys
Alright, alright............I hate to see a grown man sulk
You are quite right now that I look at it again. But I guess that is the difference between commercial art and engraving art. Things are done in a completely different way. I was a signwriter for over 30 years and even that was a sub section of the graphic/commercial art industry. One of the changes I noticed toward the end of that was that more and more designers were creating the design and we were just producing it to the size required. Unfortunately this lead to most things looking like they were magazine advertisements instead of signs...................a shame really because we started to gradually lose a highly skilled form of commercial art. There is an international movement called Letterheads that is trying to keep it alive thank goodness.
Sorry to continue the DRIFT off topic Doc I too have seen scrolls in many different places that were more artistic interpretations than those that would look good adorning items such as guns, knives and jewelry.
Rod - John Lee Hooker was the inspiration for MANY of the musicians we grew up with...a legend.
I LOVE youtube, as it is possible to see just about anything you desire, including most of
the great performers from the past in EVERY genre. Recently, a friend on facebook put up
a link to Sammy Davis Jr. from is "hoofing" days. That led me to view a performance of his
on drums...AMAZING talent!
Ray - Stevie Ray Vaughan is my favorite guitarist. Saw him live twice, once in a small venue
called the Paramount in Springfield, MA, and another time opening for Robert Plant. I was
heartbroken when he was killed!
Doc, I'm here to the rescue. I'll bring us back on topic, at least momentarily. There are in my opinion designs that are left wanting. I took a few art classes along the way and a few (and sometimes many) in each class were really not very good. A diploma and a job are not a guarantee that what they turn out is quality. I've seen gun engraving in books that is left wanting. Very valid points have been made that styles and trends differ between disciplines and that is very true. Nevertheless, I sometimes just have to shake my head in wonder.
Now off topic, sorry doc. I was told Davy Jones played the "artful dodger" in Oliver. Sam, go ahead and place that last comment in the who cares category but I happen to like musical theater.
One thing I will say in defense of the people who did those poor designs are that they are just human and they made an attempt at a discipline that was beyond their understanding, most likely to keep their bills paid. I've seen the same happen to engravers, I know guys who do game scenes really well, yet they will try a girly scene at the request of a customer and fail. Why? because portraying people is a specialty skill that takes much study, just like doing ornamental design. So yes bad work is hard to look at no matter what the subject matter, but be thankful that the bad work we all have in our pasts are not pasted up on a huge ship for the world to see.
Oh and if you want some mellow music to get you into drawing nice flowing scrolls try some Mudvayne, their classically styled song Dig will really sooth you and get that creativeness flowing......give them a listen, but don't hurt yourself
Brian, you little weasel! I thought you were serious, so I Googled Mudvayne and listened to "Dig". I doubt it will work with "nice flowing scrolls", but maybe stippling backgrounds.
I wouldn't put money on all commercial artists lacking skill, knowledge or appreciation for scroll work. I would be more inclined to believe the restrictions of client or bosses cause such strangulation of art.
Bob, I hear what you are saying, but do maintain my position. In a nut shell I make my living as a commercial artist, I know all about the impact clients, budgets, deadlines, etc. can have on the final product, learning how to deal with all that and deliver quality work, is all part of being a skilled professional, as with everything results vary.
Mark, you made my day. Thanks for being a sport and admitting to checking out the song. Now what is really funny, your post just made about 15 more people do the same, just so they know what we are talking about. and this post just added 15 onto that. At this rate "Dig" is liable to top the charts this week.
Well, I'm not a commercial artist so I'll take your word on that. I am curious though, do you refuse to render work that is beneath your standards as an artist? And if so at what cost?
I do turn down certain jobs for a variety of reasons, budget, deadline, canvas, subject matter, just to name a few. It is less common these days, most all my customers are repeats, so they know the process. When I was struggling to become known is when I turned down the most work, being I was building a reputation and had to control what kind work would come my way in the future. The cost is some lean years and stress, but that passes and then you get to enjoy the reputation you worked to build.
I would say form observation most people do not have your forethought, forbearance or tenacity and obviously talent, your's appear to have served you well. It is well you can enjoy the fruits of their employment now and into the future.