Here’s a mixed media thing I made a while back. So… that happened.
General Maximus Decimus Meridius: “Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?”
– Russell Crowe – Gladiator
About this image: (where to start?) map drawn in colored pencil – stained & tinted with acrylic; charcoal portrait – gel medium transfer onto painted paper – mounted on wooden frame; hand-built polymer clay mosaic tiles – painted with acrylic; all mounted in 12″x12″ stained wood panel
Refrigerator Magnate 
A masterpiece, those gemstone works well just in the period era!!! Cheers Nonoy Manga
Thanks so much, N.M! That mosaic was where the idea for this whole thing started (I think)!
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wow, that’s a great work. I like the atmosphere and color. 🙂
Thank you very much, sir! I had fun experimenting with a few things on this one!
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So inventive, Robert. 🙂
Thank you very much, S.E!
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Empire? Where is Darth Vader?
Chillaxing at The Mos Eisley Cantina?
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Spilled Ink’s Mother.
I’ve been around since before the Iron Age, so that seems fair.
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Dude. You are so brilliant. I know that’s what I always say, but I mean it!! Your mix of mediums is nifty and so unique. Stay well!
You are always far too kind to me, El! I thank you very much for that! More than anything… the… um… ‘unique’ mix of stuff around here is just my excuse to play around with stuff.
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Last year, I went to a museum exhibit about the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. There were amazing artifacts from Pompeii and your art looks just like one of those frescoes that might have been in the homes of the wealthy!
That sounds fascinating, Ms. C! And the mess I make out of my poor apartment while working on stuff like this almost rivals a volcano, too!
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I agree with Jackie–it really does look like something you might find in the Pompeii ruins! Please tell me you didn’t make the tiles too, that would make you Superman.
Hahaha… I don’t know about that, Madame… let’s just say it made me… super cRaZy. Still, I thank you for that! Very much! For a while after I made all those silly tiles I was seeing little polymer squares every time I closed my eyes. I’m just happy that finally went away. I was getting a bit worried.
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Yes, yes, I am entertained! And in awe of your many talents!
As I am of your great kindness, Ms. K!
Thank you so very much!
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I can’t help but think of the Pontius Pilate scene in “The Life of Brian”
Pilate: “Why do they twitter so Centuwian? What’s so funny about Bwian”
Roman Centurian: “I think it’s a joke name sir, like Singius Songus or Bigus Dickus”
Pilate: “What’s so funny about Bigus Dickus??? I have a fwiend in Wome by that name”
Hahaha… I’m not sure I’ve seen ‘The Life of Brian’… no, I am sure I haven’t because I definitely would have remembered that! I think I might just have to check it out, Tony!
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Definitely a top Monty Python movie not to be missed
I’ll definitely have to check it out, then!
Sounds more heavy hitting than a mere flesh wound!
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You artwork is always so unique and of excellent quality, Sig! I would love to see this on my wall! 🙂 xo
Thank you so very much, Deb! I had been wanting to try experiment with a mosaic for a while, so this seemed like a good excuse to give it a try!
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The border/tile work is impressive. Nice depth and texture overall. Good job!
Thanks very much, Patti!
I hadn’t made a mosaic of any sort before (although I’d wanted to try it for a while) so the whole thing was a bit of an experiment. A messy, messy experiment. A fun one, too, though.
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I always really like your multi-media pieces.
You actually made those tiles??
Why thank you, sir! Very much!
Yes… I built these out of a polymer clay that you can ‘fire’ in an oven. And then I decided to paint a bunch of them, too… so I’m actually a bit embarrassed by how much time I sunk into those silly things!
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You are very dedicated to your art!
I’m trying, Binky…
I really hope that if I keep working at it I might start to get somewhere.
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A whole bunch of talent within a square frame. Seriously SIG – the frame cannot contain the amount of talent you have. Love the mixed media.
As it couldn’t contain your kindness, Ms. D! I thank you very much for that!
Mixed media is always a good excuse to try out all kinds of different things… which I always enjoy (even if it does tend to get a bit out of control at times)!
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Awesome as always 🙂
Why, thank you R.N.P!
I appreciate that very much!
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SIG, beautiful work. Am I to understand actually made all the individual tiles. Wow. You are so dedicated. Such intricate work. It’s a honor, Sir, Mr. Guy, Sir
Thank you, B.F! Yeah… and the sad part is stuff like this always takes me at least twice as long as it should… so you can about imagine (I was seeing tiles when I closed my eyes)!
That’ssss very kind of you, B.F… thankssss for that!
*in my best Sean Connery*
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What a masterpiece work again Bob , I really like it buddy 🙂
Many thanks, my friend!
You are always so incredibly kind!
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I remember that line from Gladiator, it is where
he slaughters them all and then throws his sword
into the blood thirsty mob 🙂 Bloody wicked that 🙂
And of course the statement reflects within this
excellent painting of yours, it has some excellent
features and with the many layers, it adds to the
excitement of the whole piece 🙂
I also like the frame effect as it adds depth to your
painting, and thus transforming it, on a pedestal is
a good description I think, mainly because it has
such a fine quality to it 🙂 Well done SIG, yet again
you have pushed the envelope on your artistry
and triumphed 🙂
Androgoth
Certainly one of the more memorable scenes, isn’t it, A.G? I was just thinking (as I posted this) that I really need to watch it again… some very powerful stuff in that film.
Thank you so much, my friend! It’s probably a good thing I’m not much of a fine carpenter or these things would get out of hand in a hurry! At some point I’d like to do some almost Renaissance looking altarpieces / oils… on a huge scale… wall-sized (8 to 10 feet +/-) but it will be a while until I work up to that sort of thing.
Thanks so much, Andro!
You are always so incredibly kind, sir!
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Ooh . . . your Imperium is imperial and imperious! 😀
‘We’ thank you, Nancy!
*in my best ‘royal’ we… which isn’t really the right era I guess… but… um… details, right?*
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Now that I know you can work with polymer clay so well, I want polymer clay in everything you do. I’m thinking tiny pumpkins to start. It’s timely.
Hahaha… I don’t know about that, U.M… I had a difficult time just making tiles. Annabelle makes some pretty amazing polymer clay things, though. Her pumpkins would actually look like… pumpkins. Which would be nice.
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Amazing! It has to look good on the wall 🙂
A nice wall can make just about anything look better… so, maybe. 😉
Thank you very much, Ms. B!
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I want to name my first son Maximus but apparently it is too similar to apple sauce in the country I live in. I may still do it.
On my signal… release… apple sauce!
Seriously, though… Maximus has got to be one of the coolest names. Ever.
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Case in point . . . Festivus Maximus from Seinfeld.
A Festivus for the rest’ve us!
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tee hee
Jeez, there was a lot going on to produce this…and it works!
I thought of you the other day when I downloaded a drawing/painting app for my tablet and was playing around with the stylus, trying to make sense of it all with no instructions. I felt like a real artist! Kinda.
Aw, thanks Peg! I appreciate that very much!
Sounds very cool! I’ve been thinking about a tablet for quite some time. Most of the stuff I do in Photoshop works out okay without one… but I can definitely see the advantages it would have for making selections, etc. (and it would be a big asset for Illustrator).
Happy to hear you are having fun with it, Peg! I bet you’re doing some very cool things – maybe I can even talk you into posting a few pieces?!
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Truly a great one Robert. Maximum take the crowed and you have your freedom.
I thank you for that, J.B!
I just realized (when I was posting this) how long it’s been since I’ve watched that movie… I might need to fix that!
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Awesome. You are really producing some great stuff…of course you always did.
Thank you so much, Mr. L…
you have always been so incredibly kind. I’m trying… every now and then something seems to turn out o.k… maybe some day!
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People have always refered to me as kind, kind of old, kind of dumb, kind of weird, kind of….well, you get the picture. Someone once even said I have kind hair…the kind you find on a goat.
Hahaha well… um… it’s kind of nice to be thought of, anyway, right?!
Seriously though, Bo… you are such a kind fellow… I can’t imagine there are too many folks who don’t hold you in the highest regards!
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Excellent! you are a multi-talented visionary!!!
Hahaha… well… easily distracted, anyway. But thank you very much, Mr. B!
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Very cool.
Thank you!
Very much!
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This looks like a sister painting of the Dandelion Princess 😀
Interesting! I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you mention it… I see that, too!
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Excellent, totally creative as always. Love those hand-made tiles… very very cool.
Thanks so much, Nigel! I’m very happy to hear that – especially since hand-building those tiles drove me absolutely nuts! Or… Nutser.
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Love mixed media pieces. This one is very effective.
I think that our society has become more responsive to mixed media as a reaction to high tech digital production. As the digital/internet world blends and stretches borderlines, we seem less restricted in the physical world in the way we combine creative expression & use materials. Body art and bagel-heads are likely an expression of this trend.
I am waxing the floor philosophical again. Need to get out more. 😀
Thank you very, very much, sir!
I believe there are many folks who do seem to appreciate things like this as digital progresses…
for others it almost seems to work the other way, too. I know people who just ‘Google’ everything and have come to expect that ‘instant’ result… you tell them how long you put into a project and they’ll look at you sideways. Of course there might be other explanations for that, too… because I could stand to get out more as well, you know!
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I’ve never seen the movie Gladiator. Always meant to get to that.
I don’t want to give anything away, but on his signal Russel Crowe releases h**l.
So… you know… bring snacks.
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This one is from way back ancient times! Love it!
Hahaha… I was only starting to get old back then…
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