Questing: 21st to 28th Aug 2019

Wednesday is here again! Here is the quest list from last week:

‘Quests to complete by next Wednesday:

Main Quests

Do some idea generation and media experimentation in sketchbook (refer to watercolour book)

Side Quests

Do some life drawing

Research Ix Chel

Rough out some designs for business cards

Play your darned violin’

I must admit, I got very distracted this week. With the beginning of September looming, I put extra emphasis on YeeHawgust in a last ditch effort to get it finished in time (although that’s still unlikely).

I did have fun experimenting with my watercolours though! I found an exercise called ‘Mixing Chickens’ in a book I picked up in a charity shop a while ago. I practised in my sketchbook to get the gist of the exercise and then moved onto my watercolour paper. However, the colours presented themselves much brighter in my sketchbook than on the proper paper – which was a bit of a let down. The next exercise is to mix greys in a similar way (I know that sounds boring but there’s nothing better than a really good grey).

I did manage to get my violin out. I played through some old pieces (with some difficulty since I’m a lottle rusty) and then moved onto my book of gypsy folk songs, I worked mostly on Ryabinushka. (I couldn't find a violin instrumental version)

While researching Ix Chel, I also delved into the Bacabs – the very concept of them fascinates me and the blog post will go up later this week.

I still need to do some life drawing, idea generation and business card designs. I perhaps need to work on splitting my day up into small chunks of different tasks rather than binging one (I did spend two days on YeeHawgust this week, oops). Other things I’d like to get done this coming week would be to work a little more on the Almost Lawful roughs and generate some ideas regarding the ‘Crap my dad says’ zine.

Along with all of this, I did have a few busy days where I wasn’t able to work on the quests at all: We visited Cilgerran castle and Pentre Ifan, the experiences there will also go up later this week, and I also made time to focus on nothing and play a little No Man’s Sky.

Quest list for next Wednesday:

Main Quest

Idea generation

Almost Lawful

Side Quests

Life drawing

Business cards

Crap my dad says

Look at/photocopy ‘Kings and Queens of Maya’ book

Print out and file Ix Chel and Bacabs

Here's to another productive week!

Mort

Cilgerran 26th Aug 2019

Since my brother will be learning about castles in September, we decided to visit Cilgerran castle this bank holiday. We expected to walk around a quiet ruin, read the information signs, take some photos and be done with the place - but what we experienced was so much more exciting.

Once we'd paid our entrance fee, we ambled into the castle grounds and weren't greeted by the empty green courtyard we were anticipating. We'd stumbled into a two day only medieval re-enactment camp! There were tents, re-enactors and visitors scattered around the place with bows, swords and shields on display. We approached the first tent, unsure of what to expect. Dad pointed out that they had long bows as we neared, and as if he'd just been stung, the man at the tent turned his attention to us and graciously explained that the 'long bow' was actually just a 'bow'. To the medieval people the long bow was a bow, and it was the Victorians who dubbed it a long bow as their 'bows' were much shorter - people of the medieval times called these shorter bows, well, 'short bows'.

Shortly after that discussion, a call rang throughout the camp, informing everyone that a demonstration and talk about armour was about to begin. We all crowded around and watched. It would take the demonstrator around fifteen minutes to put her armour on, if she wasn't talking to all of us as she went - ten minutes at a push. Her armour weighed a whopping twenty-five kilograms, however, her companion's armour meant that he was carrying around an even more impressive forty-six kilograms!

After this, we were all treated to a sword fight! In a coliseum-esque fashion, we all crowded around the arena and watched as the two competitors entered the ring. As the two fought with all their might, the clang of metal was astounding! The battle took place in short bursts, and very quickly, the two skilled fighters were dripping sweat and calling for water.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/bb0054_3bc724c73b774fa4be7024d1189c2677/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Video credit to mum!

Next we explored the rest of the castle, and found another aspect of the camp, the tent of the fighters! We managed to have a close up look of the helmets and weapons, feeling the weight of them in turn. The helmet (pictured on the right of the picture below) weighed seven kilograms, distributing the weight across the shoulders - the inside was not unlike a motorbike helmet - and his opponents helmet (on the left), while looking a lot more hefty and threatening, weighed much less. He disclosed to us that his helmet had been made in Ukraine!

The array of swords were very fun to handle as he explained in which types of battles he like to use each one in, he even had a flail on the table - however these were never used in battle, only possibly in coliseums.

On the way home, we also stopped off at Pentre Ifan, the cairn was very atmospheric and it's always baffled me how people could build something like it - the amount of prior planning and sheer precision is truly awesome.

I feel incredibly lucky to have all of these amazing places a stone's throw away from my home, today has been truly wonderful and I've learnt so much - it's not something that I'm going to forget any time soon.

Until next time,

Mort

Music Monday #1

I've decided to start a weekly 'event' wherein I share music with you all! Music is an important part of my work ethic and I wouldn't be able to stay focused as well as I do without it. In weeks to come I would like to receive suggestions of artists to listen to, and then share my favourite track from that artist on this blog! If you have any suggestions ready to go, DM me on any social media.

As for the first track I'm going to share here, it would be wrong of me to choose anything other than In The Shadows by the Rasmus. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ao2u7F_Qzg