the Clog art+music+pop culture

Dandy Livingstone: The Original Rude Boy

DJ Super Buffet — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Probably one of the first Rude Boys, or at least one of the first to sing about the Rude Boy, Dandy Livingstone is a Jamaican ska and reggae musician that was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1943. He was born as Robert Livingstone Thompson and he made his way to the United Kingdom when he was 15 years old. He unwittingly released his first record when he discovered that someone in the building where he and a friend had recorded some tracks peddled the songs to the Planetone Label without his knowledge.

Meanwhile, in London, the Carnival Records label was shopping for Jamaican vocal duo. Dandy stepped in and got the job by making double tracks of his voice to satisfy the requirement for a pair of Jamaican voices. He continued to release music using this studio technique under the name Sugar & Dandy. When live performances required the addition of a real second vocalist, Roy Smith and Tito "Sugar" Simone were called upon to fill in with Dandy.

Ska Beat Records signed Dandy Livingstone in 1967 and he made a debut album in 1968 called Rocksteady With Dandy. Of course, Rudy A Message To You scored big with listeners in the United Kingdom when it became a Top 50 hit. As his career progressed, Dandy began to make his mark as a very fine music producer. An association with trombonist Rico Rodriguez, who later played with The Specials, saw Dandy's Rudy A Message To You covered by The Specials in 1979.

Dandy found a real music home when he signed with the famous Jamaican record label, Trojan Records, in 1968. Dandy was given his own production function at the studio and he operated under the Down Town Records label during his relationship with Trojan Records. Dandy stayed in Jamaica until 1973 when he returned to the United Kingdom to continue his career as a musician and producer.

The 2-Tone ska revival in the late 1970s saw a well deserved interest in his music develop. Dandy's best known work is his smash hit Suzanne Beware Of The Devil in 1972. The entire album, currently released under the Trojan Label, is a wonderful summation of his career and his masterful skills as a musician and producer. Dandy Livingstone was a big part of early Jamaican reggae music and Jamaican ska music – there is much to appreciated from this work especially the sophisticated groove that Dandy lays down on each and every track. Very highly recommended!

Basic Animation Techniques

The Artist — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Basic graphic animation is produced by a technique called stop-frame cinematography. The camera records, frame by frame, a sequence or succession of drawings or paintings that differ only fractionally from one another. The illusion of progressive movement is created by projecting the series of frames through a camera at the normal rate for sound film (24 frames a second). The same method is used in puppet or object animation; the position of the figures or objects is changed very slightly prior to each exposure. In graphic animation, the drawings may vary from the simplest outlines, as in such traditional animated films as Felix the Cat, to elaborately modeled and colored paintings, such as those produced in Walt Disney's studios during the 1930s.

The first animated cartoons were produced before 1910 by pioneers such as Emile Cohl of France and Winsor McCay of the United States, whose Sinking of the Lusitania (1918) has been called the first animated feature film. In these early productions, a simple drawing of a mobile figure was photographed against an equally simple background, and a new drawing was required for each exposure. Relief from the labor of drawing hundreds of pictures for each minute of action came only when the figures could be made momentarily static. The evolution of cel (for celluloid) animation after 1913 enabled animators to use a single, more elaborate background for each shot or scene in the action. The mobile figures in the foreground were inked in black silhouette on transparent celluloid sheets and then superimposed in series on the background.

With the introduction of color filming early in the 1930s, animators began to use opaque paints in place of black ink. Greater efficiency was achieved when artists began to specialize in particular figures or other mobile elements of cartoons. Such teams of animators collectively created drawings for feature-length films, for example, Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fantasia (1940). Most animated films are recorded by an automated rostrum camera. The many improvements made in this camera since the 1950s have contributed to the increased technical capabilities of the medium. The adjustable camera is suspended above the horizontal table on which the combination of cels, one upon the other, have been superimposed on the background and locked or pegged into position. The cels are then successively photographed to produce a precision image offering a faultless illusion of movement. Such cinematic effects as tracking, panning, and zooming may also be achieved.

A Brief History Of Animation

The Artist — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Film animation applies techniques of cinematography to the graphic and plastic arts in order to give the illusion of life and movement to cartoons, drawings, paintings, puppets, and three-dimensional objects. Beginning with crude and simple methods, animation has become a highly sophisticated form of filmmaking, involving the use of automation, computer, and even laser technology to achieve its effects. Some animation techniques overlap with those used to produce special effects in live-action cinematography. In watching such films as 2001--A Space Odyssey (1968) and Star Wars (1977), a person often finds it difficult to tell whether a certain result has been achieved through animation or through special effects.

Since the early, popular shorts involving such animals as Felix the Cat and Mickey Mouse, the international history of animation has been characterized by the almost constant introduction of ever more complex forms. Many advances were made in Europe: Lotte Reiniger employed mobile silhouettes; Oskar Fischinger and Len Lye experimented with abstract designs choreographed to music; and George Pal of Holland created techniques of puppet animation. Since World War II, animation was increasingly used in instructional films and in television and cinema commercials. Advanced forms of graphic design, both in black and white and in color, and new methods of puppet and object animation have been developed. From the 1940s until the early 1980s, Norman McLaren, one of the versatile of all animators, experimented with three-dimensional animation and with other innovations as drawing images directly on film.

Beginning in the 1960s, films showing abstract color designs in motion were programmed by means of computers that calculate intricate movements with amazing precision. Today, computer animation has achieved the ability to create moving images and backgrounds of great complexity. The basic tool, usually called a paintbox, is an electronic surface on which the artist draws figures and backgrounds and selects colors. Other devices manipulate the figures and change the backgrounds. The work is reproduced on a TV monitor and stored on a computer disk. Computerized animation is widely used in television commercials, titles, and in making music videos and provides many of the special effects in the films of directors like George Lucas. Old-style cel animation continues to be the sole technique by which high quality animators, such as Disney Productions, create their characters. Backgrounds, and the movement of objects within a scene, however, are often computer-generated.

Television, with its insatiable need for new material, introduced a type of semi-animation in its cartoon programs for children. Compared with traditional animation, on television the movement of characters is primitive in its rendition, colors are limited, and detail is stripped down to bare essentials. Costs of TV animation are a minute fraction of the cost for quality movie animation. For the cartoon-and-live-character film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), the Walt Disney Company spent $250,000 per minute to make one hour of animation.

Visit The Galleries At EricHatheway.com

The WebMaster — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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The WebMaster

Check out the awesome swag
at the EricHatheway.com Gallery.
Hundreds of pictures for you
to gaze your eyes upon. Yeah...

Collected on our various trips
through the cyberspace every
now and then. And, recently added,
the art & photography of our resident
artist, Eric Hatheway. Peace peoples.

URL to Main Gallery Page
EricHatheway.com Gallery

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Gallery Space		Gallery Perma-Link
Art: Eric Hatheway (141 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
Galerie de Swag (87 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
the Clog Gallery 1 (500 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
the Clog Gallery 2 (291 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
Classic Pin-Ups (37 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
Modern Pin-Ups (27 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
Elvis Gallery (40 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery
Bettie Page Gallery (33 Images)		Take Me To The Gallery

Don't Be A Don't Bee! Be A Do Bee!

Lumbergh — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Remember, play well with others and be cooperative.
And, don't be a don't bee...be a do bee!

A vintage kindergarten classic in a retro distressed finish.
Now Available At The EricHatheway.com Online Store

We have the best vintage t-shirts available! Finest quality!

Kodachrome Scenes Unseen (Part 3)

The Artist — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Kodachrome bit the dust as the favorite film of our memories when it was retired in 2009. It was about that time the artist discovered the tin boxes full of Kodachrome slide transparencies. These images had not seen daylight or been viewed for many years. After scanning all 561 of the sides, he was able to see many images that had been forgotten with time. The look of Kodachrome is warm and inviting. A very special look, especially in the digital era. The artist decided to practice on these images in Aperture 3 to see what can be done with these "color positives" on both good images and bad images. For more information on Kodachrome please read our article, "Rest In Peace: Kodachrome". Thanks for visiting!

Corn Palace
Circa 1957 Mitchell, South Dakota
©MMX Eric Hatheway
All Rights Reserved

Garden Statue
Circa 1957 Location Unknown
©MMX Eric Hatheway
All Rights Reserved

Mountain View
Circa 1958 Location Unknown
©MMX Eric Hatheway
All Rights Reserved

Eric Hatheway Photography Links
Eric Hatheway Fine Art Links

Photo Series: Bowl Of Cherries

The Artist — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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Still life with a bowl of cherries. Simple, obvious and on hand. Coupled with some unique lighting these images almost look as if they were shot under stark moonlight. These images are completely in color – no adjustments were made to make the background look monochromatic. Thanks for visiting and please come back often!

Bowl of Cherries 1
©2009 Eric Hatheway
All Rights Reserved

Bowl of Cherries 2
©2009 Eric Hatheway
All Rights Reserved

Eric Hatheway Photography Links
Eric Hatheway Fine Art Links

The Martin D-28 Guitar

DJ Super Buffet — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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The Beginnings Of The Martin D-28
The shape of the body of the guitar which would become the venerable Martin D-28 was made with a wider waist than was thought customary at the time and a much deeper body. This guitar design first appeared in 1916 on a range of guitars made by a partnership of the C.F. Martin guitar company of Nazareth, Pennsylvania and the Oliver Ditson Company, a retail and wholesale distributor with outlets in Boston and New York. Very few examples of this guitar style exist today, and should one present itself to collectors, it would fetch a huge price.

The D-28 Enters Hits The Market In Full Production
In 1931, C.F. Martin introduced the D body shape guitars, the D-1 and the D-2. The D stands for Dreadnought which is the name for the largest of British battleships. Extremely limited numbers of the D-1 and D-2 were made and they have become the most collectible of all guitars. When the guitar went into full production, it was entered into the familiar Martin guitar numbering system. The system consisted of a letter of the alphabet to designate body size and shape and was followed by a number to indicate the style of finish and woods used. There were many of the D-Series guitars that were made. Some were less fancy than others using mahogany wood for the body. Some of the D-Series guitars were very ornate with herringbone trim features and exotic woods. The Martin D-28 used a Brazilian rosewood for the body and that is what has found its way into the souls of guitarists from all genres of music.

The King Played A Martin D-28 And Made It Cool
Why did country and rockabilly stars such as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Hank Snow and George Jones pick the Martin D-28? Well, the D-28 put out a big booming rhythm sound full of big fat bass but it would also cover the upper ranges equally as well. This sound was perfect for rockabilly, country music and bluegrass music. And the rest, as they say....is history.

The D-28 Is Still Handmade After All These Years
The D-28 has stayed largely the same shape since 1934. The construction has changed a little over the years with only slight variations on the original design. East Indian rosewood is now used in the construction of the guitar instead of the original Brazilian rosewood. Martin has also reduced the size of the neck and made some alterations to the herringbone trim features. C.F. Martin still calls its guitars "hand made” -- because they are still handmade the way they used to be made. The Martin D-28 Dreadnought is easily the most copied guitar of all-time because it is most desired guitar of all-time.


(1956) Elvis With His Martin D-28		The Special/Limited Edition Elvis D-28		Elvis' Hand-Tooled Leather Cover For His D-28

UPDATED Photo Series: One Gun In The Sun

The Artist — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

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An old naval artillery piece, all alone, in a brilliant early morning sun. Naval artillery or naval rifles refers to warship-mounted guns used in naval warfare for attacking enemy vessels, bombarding targets on shore, or for anti-structural demolition. Conversely, the term may be used as a descriptor about the naval rifles used in land batteries for anti-shipping area denial purposes. Smaller-bore guns are sometimes referred to as deck guns, such as on Coast Guard cutters and destroyers. A powerful gun and and even more powerful image. Thanks for viewing!

Eric Hatheway Fine Art Links
Eric Hatheway Photography Links

Kodachrome Scenes Unseen (Part 2)

The WebMaster — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:01:00 GMT

c>log

Kodachrome bit the dust as the favorite film of our memories when it was retired in 2009. It was about that time the artist discovered the tin boxes full of Kodachrome slide transparencies. These images had not seen daylight or been viewed for many years. After scanning all 561 of the sides, he was able to see many images that had been forgotten with time. The look of Kodachrome is warm and inviting. A very special look, especially in the digital era. The artist decided to practice on these images in Aperture 3 to see what can be done with these "color positives" on both good images and bad images. For more information on Kodachrome please read our article, "Rest In Peace: Kodachrome". Thanks for visiting!

Eric Hatheway Photography Links
Eric Hatheway Fine Art Links