Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881. By Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Well, it’s been a while…
Welcome to the first Boating Party interview of 2013.
The Boating Party is a series of interviews with writers, artists, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, sculptors, illustrators, designers and the like.
In times of economic hardship, the Arts are usually the first things to be axed. But, in my view, the Arts are the most important aspect of our civilisation. Without the arts, we wouldn’t have language or the written word. Without the arts, we have no culture. Without culture, we have no society. Without society, we have no civilisation. And without civilisation, we have anarchy. Which, in itself, is paradoxical, because so many artists view themselves as rebels to society.
To me, artists aren’t rebels, they are pioneers.
And perhaps, most importantly; without the Arts, where’s the creativity that will solve the world’s problems? Including economic and scientific ones?
First up, in this luckiest of lucky years, is Graphic Artist, Eoin Coveney…
Eoin Coveney
What’s your greatest personal or career achievement?
Working with, and being mentored by, the late Will Eisner.
What’s been your greatest sacrifice?
I really can’t think of one. Maybe I sacrificed some of my social life working in a solitary environment?
To whom do you owe a debt of gratitude?
I owe Steve McManus of 2000AD for giving me a meeting many years ago even though it was against their policy.
Who and what inspire you?
European masters of the graphic novel such as Moebius and Cam Kennedy.
Music and cinema also.
What was the last thing that inspired you?
Drawing a 6- page comic strip written by Gordon Rennie. It was a politics / zombie satire which was a joy to work on.
What makes you unhappy?
Lack of enthusiasm.
What makes you happy?
Trust.
What are you reading?
Nothing right now. My last was “A short history of nearly everything” by Bill Bryson.
Who, or what, are you listening to?
Lots of dark ambient right now.
What’s your favourite film?
Impossible to narrow it down. “The Host” is pretty close to perfect.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
I’d probably be too worried about getting stuck there so I would stay here given the choice.
What frightens you?
Laziness.
What do you do to relax?
Noodling around on my microKorg.
What do you do when you’re angry?
Scream into a pillow.
What can’t you live without?
I would say music.
What’s your motto?
Keep on learning and improving.
What’s your Utopia?
Probably West Cork in August.
If you only had one year to live what would you do?
Six months frenzied work, three months of traveling and another three months of relaxing with friends and loved ones.
Up who’s arse would you like to stick a rocket, and why?
Probably Damien Hirst because he doesn’t feel the need to manufacture and craft his own art.
Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with?
Howard Marks.
What are you working on at the moment?
“American Caesar”, a graphic novel written by Neil Kleid.
What is your ambition?
To work hard on cool projects with brilliant people.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I’d like to turn down the dial on human greed a good few notches.
Which six people would you invite to your boating party?
Fiancée, parents, 3 close friends… no celebrities!
What would be on the menu?
Greek food.
What question would you liked me to have asked?
“What’s it all about?”
Thank you, Eoin.
Artist’s statement:
I have been illustrating professionally for 14 years. For the first ten of those years, I worked mostly on the pre-production phase for many of Dublin’s top advertising agencies. Producing storyboards & visuals for hundreds of campaigns.
In 2005 I joined the Illustrators Guild of Ireland, and since then have broadened my range of styles and disciplines. These days, my work is split pretty evenly between illustration for ad campaigns, book covers and interiors, press and magazine work as well as pre-production work. Private commissions also undertaken.
Filed under Advertising, Animation, Art, Cartoons, Contemporary Arts, Creativity, Ideas, Illustration, Inspiration, The Boating Party
True, it may not be as ambitious and world-changing as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s. But it’s a dream nonetheless.
To be honest, I wasn’t going to post about it until I felt I was in more of a position to realise this dream. But short of winning the Euro Millions Lottery, it aint going to happen without some serious philanthropic backer.
So, what is my dream?
Well, it’s to build a School of Arts for under-privileged kids.
Kids from low socioeconomic backgrounds in large inner-city estates. Kids who might not ordinarily get the opportunity to explore the more creative aspects of their nature.
What good would that do society? We’re in a depression, don’t you know!
Problems in every field of human endeavour are virtually always solved by creative thinking. Even the great Albert Einstein said so himself. Creativity allows us to look at problems from different angles and apply new thinking to solve problems.
Moreover, I don’t see it as a school that produces an unprecedented amount of artists. But an unprecedented amount of creative thinkers – whichever vocation they choose to pursue later in life. Whether it be mathematics, science, business, computers, product design, or economics.
And yes, a few more more artists too. And what’s wrong with that? Art is seen as a dirty word in this country. If I tell people I write poetry, they shift uneasily in their seats. If I said I write poetry in Ireland the response would be a polite smile and a nod toward the back of the queue.
Do you think the first rocket flight to the moon was dreamed up by a scientist?
Sure, scientists and engineers made it a reality. But it is creative people who come up with the ideas and the original solutions of how they can be achieved.
What will the kids do?
The school will develop and encourage creative thinking and self-expression.
It will foster, nurture and encourage exploration of the arts in all its many and varied forms including: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, poetry, literature, screenplays, theatre, drama, dance, music, design, digital arts, film, photography, humanities, languages, and the classics.
Where is this school?
I quite fancy the idea of transforming a derelict Victorian mill. There’s something quite ironic about that. Though it certainly wouldn’t be a prerequisite. (Salts Mill in Bradford is a good example.)
Initially, an inner-city campus close to urban populations that have a high level of low socioeconomic families. Basically, anywhere across the Manchester – Huddersfield – Halifax – Leeds belt. It’s also sufficiently ‘central’ enough to accommodate children from further afield.
It would also be good to have a rural retreat – somewhere like the Lake District, Peak District or the Yorkshire Dales, where children can attend week-long courses/classes which double up as a holiday.
I would also like to open an international sister school in India or Sri Lanka where people from distinctly different cultures can share ideas. These schools could also participate in exchange programmes. (Then subsequently, even further afield: China, South America, South Asia.)
What about science subjects?
This school wouldn’t be a replacement for existing schools and their curricula – more of an extension to them.
Would it exclude people from non low socioeconomic backgrounds?
Not at all. But opportunities for middle-class families in other schools are much more accessible, regardless of ability.
Intake for low income kids would be based as much on desire and enthusiasm to participate rather than ability. There would be a limited number of places for more affluent children. Sort of like Eton – in reverse.
What kind of courses will it run?
Day-long workshops for visiting schools.
After-school classes.
Week-long courses. (Which would include accommodation for traveling students.)
Weekend classes.
Full-time sixth form courses. (A-levels.)
Masters and PhD courses.
What ages are we talking about?
Key Stage 3, up to, and including, sixth form.
Undergraduate, Masters and PhD courses.
What else does the school have?
Apart from studios and classrooms?
There’d be accommodation for students who are visiting from further afield.
Cafe / restaurant.
Gallery to promote and sell students’ work.
Gallery featuring independent contemporary and traditional art.
Masterclasses from guest lecturers.
State of the art library. (Both on and off-line.)
Book shop.
Art-house cinema.
Who will pay for it?
Well, that’s the biggest question of all.
A like-minded philanthropist would be nice.
Arts Council grant.
Lottery funding.
A percentage of Masters and PhD students’ tuition fees could go towards funding.
Sales from restaurant and galleries.
Fundraising / donations.
An Ideal World School of Arts.
Salts Mill, Bradford.
David Hockney at Salts Mill.
Salts Mill interior.
Studio space?
Any constructive criticism and advice about how to get something like this funded and off the ground would be greatly appreciated.
Filed under Advertising, Animation, Architecture, Art, Books, Brand, Cartoons, Ceramics, Children, Children's books, Children's stories, Classical music, Comedy, community, Contemporary Arts, Creativity, Dance, Design, Digital, Disability, Economy, Education, Film, Haiku, Ideas, Illustration, Innovation, Inspiration, Inventions, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Photography, Poetry, Radio, Screenplays, Sculpture, Short stories, Writing
This is the first in a series of children’s stories about the adventures of Princess Stinky Trumps and her little sister, Princess Bogie Face.
I’ve done a couple of preliminary character sketches for both princesses but would be keen to talk to any illustrators out there who’d be interested in collaborating on the project. (As illustration isn’t my strong point.)
I’d also like any criticism / feedback about what people think of the story. I see it aimed at children between the ages of 3 and 8. I say that, because my daughters and 4 and 6 and they like it.
Princess Stinky Trumps
Princess Bogie Face
The Adventures of Princess Stinky Trumps.
© David Milligan-Croft.
Princess Stinky Trumps is just like any other little girl: sheʼs very cute, very cheeky and she does the stinkiest trumps in the entire universe.
Princess Stinky Trumpsʼ favourite food is – you guessed it – beans on toast. She canʼt get enough of the stuff. She has beans on toast for breakfast, beans on toast for lunch and beans on toast for dinner.
And for supper she has a Brussels sprout sandwich with extra boiled cabbage. Itʼs her poor teddy bears I feel sorry for. They donʼt get a wink of sleep with old Stinky Trumps letting off bottom burps all night.
Princess Stinky Trumps has a naughty little sister called Princess Bogie Face who is always getting up to mischief of one kind or another. If she isnʼt wiping snot on Aunt Sweaty Toesʼ dress, sheʼs flicking greenies at Grandma Burpabit while she has a nap in her rocking chair.
Princess Stinky Trumps likes to do all the things other “normal” little girls do. She likes playing with her dolls, she likes riding her bike, she likes gluing and sticking, she likes going to the park, she likes cuddling up to her little sister on cold winter nights then letting off a right stinker before sneaking into her own bed.
But most of all she likes going on a good old adventure…
PRINCESS STINKY TRUMPS AND THE BOGIE PINCHING WITCH.
Princess Stinky Trumps lives in a beautiful pink palace on the top of a high mountain made entirely of chocolate.
She lives with her little sister, Princess Bogie Face. Her mummy, Queen du Shoppe and her daddy, King Henry Putupwithalot. Or, King Daddy, for short.
She likes to stand out on the balcony and look down at the sparkling lake at the foot of the mountain surrounded by a forest of pink and white cherry blossom trees.
On this particular day, she was leaning over the balcony trying to break a piece of chocolate off the mountain when she spotted her little sister, Princess Bogie Face, on the back of a witchʼs broomstick.
“Sheʼs being bogie-napped!” shouted Princess Stinky Trumps.
But there was no one there to hear her cries for help. Queen du Shoppe was at the shopping mall and King Daddy was vacuuming the palace stairs.
So, quick as a flash, she called for her faithful pink unicorn pegasus thing-a-mi-bob and leapt into the saddle.
“Follow that witch, Cornpeg!” she shouted. And off they flew down the side of the mountain.
She called her Cornpeg because she was part UniCORN and part PEGasus which is a horse with wings.
Cornpeg swooped down the sheer cliff face with Princess Stinky Trumps hanging on to her pink mane for dear life.
They skimmed the surface of the lake and headed into the forest.
“Hurry, Cornpeg, weʼre losing them!” she cried as the witch and Princess Bogie Face disappeared into the thick undergrowth.
“I think this calls for a bit of turbo-charge,” she said as she lifted her bottom out of the saddle and let out an enormous trump: Phrrraaaarrrap apa papp prruuuup phtz.
“Follow that trail of snot!” she shouted to Cornpeg. And off they shot at almost the speed of light, swerving this way and that trying to avoid trees and branches and the occasional bee hive.
Suddenly, they happened upon a clearing in the middle of the forest where a quaint little cottage sat all alone.
“Whoa, Cornpeg,” The Princess whispered.
Princess Stinky Trumps sneaked through the long grass up to the side window of the cottage and peeked inside.
There was her little sister in a cage suspended above a giant bubbling cauldron.
The witch had her back to the window and was busy putting frogs, slugs, snails, worms and cheese into the stew.
“Your snot will make the perfect final ingredient for my Stew a la Bogie,” cackled the witch.
“Oh no,” Princess Stinky Trumps sighed. “Sheʼs going to turn my little sister into stew! Itʼll taste disgusting with all that cheese in it.”
She leaned her back up against the wall and thought as hard as she could.
“Hmm, what to do, Cornpeg?” The Princess pondered. “I know!”
She climbed onto Cornpegʼs back and pulled herself up onto the roof. Clambering up the tiles, she accidentally knocked one off which slid down and landed on Cornpegʼs nose, much to her irritation.
Once at the top, she sat on top of the chimney and, with an almighty squeeze, she let out the biggest trump she had ever done in her life: Pwwwoooooaaaaarrrrrpppapapppapauuuuuurrrrrrrrbuppabuppaprrasspppperfffeeeeeet!
When Princess Bogie Face heard the trump, she knew at once that it was her big sister who had come to rescue her. So, quick as a flash, she stuck a pinky up her nose and pulled out the longest, slimiest trail of snot you have ever seen in your life. And she flicked it through the bars of the cage onto the floor behind of the witch.
The force of the trump, along with the slippery, snotty floor were enough to blow the witch across the tiles and out of the door.
Cornpeg was waiting outside to give her a little boot up the backside and send her flying down the wishing well never to be seen, or heard of, again.
“Nice one, Cornpeg!” shouted the Princess from the roof.
Princess Stinky Trumps gingerly climbed down from the roof and went inside the cottage to set her baby sister free.
“Well, excuuuuuse you,” Princess Bogie Face said.
They hugged each other tightly, but didnʼt hang around too long as the place was absolutely stinking!
They jumped on Cornpegʼs back and flew back to the pink palace on top of chocolate mountain.
When they got home, King Daddy was on his hands and knees scrubbing the courtyard cobbles.
“Oh, hello, my little darlings,” he said cheerily. “What have you two little scamps been up to?”
They slid down off Cornpegʼs back and began to tell King Daddy their tale. “Well it all started when a wicked witch kidnapped Bogie Face…” Princess Stinky Trumps began.
“Now, now, Martha,” said King Daddy “What have I told you about calling Flora, Princess Bogie Face?”
“Sorrrreee, Daddy,” said Princess Stinky Trumps.
“What’s for dinner, Daddy?” asked Princess Bogie Face. “I’ve got a hankering for some stew.”
“Well, I thought we might have cannellini beans in a rich tomato sauce on a baked ciabatta.”
“You mean beans on toast don’t you, Daddy?” said Princess Stinky Trumps.
“Yes, dear, beans on toast.”
“Yippeee!” the two princesses exclaimed.
THE END.
Look out for Princess Stinky Trumps’ next big adventure where she, and her little sister, battle fire breathing kittens and monkey-munching wizards.
Filed under Books, Cartoons, Children, Children's books, Children's stories, Comedy, Ideas, Illustration, Writing
"Go to the light!"
"Go to the light, go to the light!"
"Must go to the light."
"Helloooooo?"
"Anybody there?"
(sigh)
"I'm hungry."
"Me too."
© DMC
Filed under Cartoons, Comedy, community, Contemporary Arts, Ideas
Feel free to click below and share the love.
A few days ago I wrote a poem called The Antagonistic Protagonist. Since then, I’ve been pondering the idea and thought it might make for a novel cartoon strip.
The idea being that the key protagonist of the story is quite antagonistic. But his (or her) prickly attitude, gets them nowhere.
The strip is broken down into three acts, as in a screenplay.
Feel free to to click on the image below and download it if you like it.
The Antagonistic Protagonist by David Milligan-Croft
Filed under Cartoons, Comedy, Ideas, Illustration, Screenplays, Writing
I put this short film up on my FB page a few days ago. So apologies to anyone who has already seen this. But I wanted to share it with blog friends too.
It warrants getting as much exposure as possible.
This is quite simply beautiful animation.
A love story in the style of Dali.
Made by the daddy of animation.
My only criticism… and I’m sorry I have one, is the soundtrack.
I love the Mexican/Spanish theme. But then it morphs into English and it sounds a bit naff. Like it should be in Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella.
Filed under Animation, Art, Cartoons, Contemporary Arts, Film, Ideas, Inspiration, Music, Screenplays, Writing
David Milligan-Croft
