Eyes On - Iceland's Volcanoes

 Hi all,

           This is slightly different than my usual post, in that it is not a review or comment, just something that had caught my imagination. The subject is the volcano that had been erupting for 64 days on Iceland, near the fishing harbour hamlet of Grindavic. 

There has been an eruption on the Congo too. Sadly, 14 people have passed away, I'm afraid.

Mount Nyiragongo: DR Congo residents flee as volcano erupts

BBC Report - 23rd May 2021.

I'm glad to say that the Iceland volcano is much tamer than Mount Nyiragongo, although it has been rather frisky at times.

I have done some watercolour sketches of it in action, I hope you like them.

(The sketch of Volcano Cone no.1 was shown in my earlier post  "Thoughts On - Ups and Downs" - 11th May 2021).

Volcano Cone 02 - (C) Ivor Cogdell  7 May 2021.  Index Number 0633.

Volcano Cone 03 - (C) Ivor Cogdell  7 May 2021.  Index Number 0634.

Iceland Volcano From Nearby Hill Top - (C) Ivor Cogdell  9 May 2021. A4 size.  Index Number 0639.

There are live links to the action and the quiet phases, newly posted is a drone video looking down into the crater itself and the hole the lava spurts out of,  Youtube 23rd May 2021. I did not get the link correct, unfortunately.

The lava has diverted past one of the walls put up and is now flowing down into a new valley closer to the sea. The sea road has telecom stuff that connects communities together and they do not want it destroyed.

Updated 1st November 2021 - The volcanic eruption lasted for 183 days. It did not reach the sea, unlike the latest eruption in La Palma. I have not done any artwork of the La Palma volcano yet.

Update 3rd December 2021 - The La Palma eruption is continuing, this is day 73, two streams of lava have reached the sea and are in the process of creating more land, in the process destroying lives and property.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

P.S. for more information and views of the eruptions, check out Youtube, including drone flyovers.

Thoughts On - Ups and Downs

 Hi All,

             I'm sorry that the content on here has been a bit non existent lately. I hope the "Shout Outs" I mentioned in the blog from last time kept you going ok. My GM has been having Covid problems with his other half, so the RPG has stalled (I do have some more content for it though). I have been getting out a bit more, some socially distancing biking (Castle Bromwich Hall>Digby and Dog Pubs, Water Orton > Hare and Hounds Pub,  Minworth, >Fazely Canal > Tyburn Pub) and walking to the local parks, which is very good, but it eats into my PC time. 

           Speaking of  my PC time, I am now doing a home study course on Information Technology - that's Networking and stuff. (Part way through the second week of my course, I pranged my computer for a week (I was havingBoot Password problems and could not  get in) and was having to follow the class lessons through my Mobile, it was not ideal. I am still looking for a job.

         I have been doing a few watercolour sketches of the Icelandic Volcano and some other stuff when I have been out and about, as you can see below.
              Castle  Bromwich Hall grounds, just time for a picnic before the sun sets.

Fazeley Canal, Western sunset from Wiggins Hill Bridge.

Castle Bromwich tree

Bluebells on the lower Common Triangle. First time seeing them there.

Bluebells

A close up of the Iceland Volcano Cone No. 5 in action, 7 May 2021. Copyright ?

That is one frisky volcano. You can see live feeds on Youtube at the moment, *May 2021.

The view from Wiggins Hill Bridge, Minworth. (C) Copyright 2021. Ivor Cogdell.

 Another very nice picnic stopover spot. There is a pub the other side of the bridge too - A bonus, but I was driving, as it were. 

 I have had the second of my two Covid jabs, so that is very good to get out of the way. I was late to the local Doctor's surgery by 30 minutes. I called them to tell them of my error and they fitted me in, which was very good of them. 

More on Jab-itis, which I mentioned in the last post, according to BBC radio 4 last night, a new poll stated that around 20% of youngsters (I'm not sure from where), do not want any of the Covid jabs available. The mind absolutely boggles. Very sadly, people are dying all over the world through this wretched virus and these young people are refusing the best chance they have of survival. Barmy.

 "Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad."— Leo Tolstoy

There you have it that's about four months or so of not doing a lot, encapsulated in a few pictures and watercolour sketches. The sun is out today and I feel a quick bike ride is in the offing. Stay safe all, but get out when you can.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

Mucking about (Updated).

Just mucking about

Hi all,
         I have been watching model painting videos over the last few days, apart from doing some artwork and mucking about in the garden, strimming hedge borders one side and hacking through brambles bindweed and ivy on the other. It is looking better, but I pranged my big toe in the process and could not get to the computer, as I needed to keep the foot elevated. Oh woe was me. I made the best use of time by doing a couple of watercolour pictures in the back garden, which I will post here in due course.

Preliminary Sketch "Tree in next door's garden".

"Over the fence 2" - Copyright (C) Ivor Colin Cogdell 2020.

I'm glad to say that it's on the mend now. The Big Supermarkets are quoting a five day wait for deliveries, so I hobbled down the hill to the local corner shop today, only to find out they were shut. I had mixed a day up in my mind and it was Sunday, not Monday, as I thought. Good job I still had tinned stuff in hand.

My lone can of grey primer seems to have gone astray, so I am stuck with continuing with models I have already coated. I may try giving some existing models a wash, a technique I have not tried as yet, so fingers crossed for that. I will report back on the results.

I have also done a few moon shots.

Mel, The Terrain Tutor and myself at Barrage last year.

I also found this of Mel, who hosts the Vlog "The Terrain Tutor". A great guy, as I'm sure quite a few of you know from watching some of his episodes on youtube. or at theterraintutor.co.uk

Taking a stroll in Sutton Park, Birmingham, UK.

This is one of myself, getting some fresh air in a local park

Hi to all of my club mates and net readers out there. Stay in and stay safe.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

What I have been up to

Hey folks,
               Apologies for the lack of content lately. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been going on refreshing walks, trying to resurrect my art website (then finding out that the website I went with does not have a lot of free storage to play with, drat). I have been indexing my artworks, over 540 pieces, that is now finished. I have completed one painting for a work colleague who was leaving and I have another one on the go at the moment. Going out metal detecting, with high hopes (but finding not a lot), at least I got some exercise and some (theoretically) "fresh" air.
               I have actually been gaming as well, but the role-playing game sort, playing Chuthulu (horror). Our gamers are currently playing Chuthulu set in ancient Britain A.D. 70. My character met a grizzly death at the hands of a deranged zombified druid, just after I went completely loopy due to seeing an "Old One", newly summoned by the head druid. My ghost is now appearing to members of the party, upsetting them no end.
              I have some Mordheim games still to write up, one is in the process of being updated, but I may have to do them out of order, once I get the chance. I have started to paint up some 6 mm Dwarfs, as well, for future skirmishes.
              I have just posted some Roman goodies on the site for you history buffs, so that has topped up the content a bit.

"Easedale Crags" (C) Copyright 2019 Ivor Cogdell. In a private collection.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

35th Birmingham Jazz Festival

Hey folks,
                Its been a bit quiet on here lately. I have been going for more walks to get a bit fitter. I have also been attending the local Birmingham Jazz Festival, the 35th Festival so far. I have also been doing some sketches of some of the bands that I have seen.

The Chris Bowden Trio

Chickenbone John at The Bull's Head.

More to come.


Ivor Cogdell

Artwork - Criccieth Castle and "The Archway"

Hi all,
          Here is another war based theme, Criccieth Castle, in north Wales.

"Criccieth Castle" by Ivor Cogdell (C) Copyright 2007.

Plus a little bonus.

"The Archway" by Ivor Cogdell (C) Copyright 2007.

Two for the price of one,

Regards,

Ivor Cogdell

Artwork - Fang

Hi all,
          Here is one of my Fantasy efforts. Fang.

"Fang " By Ivor Cogdell (C) Copyright 2005.

A little fun watercolour piece from June 2005.

Regards,

Ivor Cogdell

Artwork - Nebulosity

Hi all,
          Here's another one of my art projects, "Nebulosity".

"Nebulosity "  12" x 16 " on paper- By Ivor Cogdell (C) 2004.

Hopefully it will not be too long before astronauts of all nations are back on the moon to stay.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

Artwork - Eagle Nebula 1

Hi all,
          Here is the second of my artworks.

"Eagle Nebula 1" - 9" x 6" Watercolour by Ivor Cogdell (c) 2004.

A special thanks to NASA and Hubble Space Telescope for all the enjoyment they have given us over the years.

Enjoy,

Ivor Cogdell

Artwork - The Warrior.

Hi folks,

             I thought I would put some of my fantasy artwork on here to look at.

Warrior by Ivor Cogdell (C) 2008.

This was a watercolour piece completed 19 May 2008.

Ivor Cogdell