I AM A DOPPELGANGER DAB HAND -- I CONJURE UP GRAPHITE GHOSTS

 

 

Portraitist.  Such a lofty connotation!  A portraitist is an artist who utilizes a variety of numbered pencils and paint brushes to ensure exact likenesses of their customers.  The time spent producing such portraits takes anywhere from ninety minutes to a couple of weeks.  A portraitist is a studio artist.  As for me, I prefer pencils over paints and I’ve not the patience to be a portraitist.

Caricaturist.  Plotting to the far left on that same continuum as the portraitist is the caricaturist. Utilizing mainly magic markers and sharpies, caricaturists exaggerate their customers’ worst facial features to absurdity yet still within recognizable proportions.  The time spent producing such creations takes only a few minutes.  As for me, I prefer pencils over markers and I must confess that drawing a face to mock that of the customer’s seems most condescending.  For this reason I could never be a caricaturist.

Though I strive for an exact likeness, I’m not a portraitist. And though I commit to quickly draw someone in minutes, I’m not a caricaturist.  Being somewhere betwixt a portraitist and a caricaturist, I’ve come to conclude I am a DOPPELGANGER DAB HAND!

Some factoids about my portrait busking:

An instinctive reaction guides my pencil and just so you know … MY PENCIL NEVER LIES!

My portrait busking is a mercenary mission.  Time is money.  Drawing four people an hour is much more lucrative than taking an hour to draw one person!  Factoid: The longer I take to draw someone the more a photographic likeness is expected.  Details are important but rendering detail is not to record every detail like a camera!

I always start with a light big round sketch so the head always fits.  In my earlier experiences I’ve been known to have the odd headful of hair chopped because I’d run out of vertical space at the top of my sketch.

I draw what I see, not what I think I see.  I see not pretty; I see not ugly.  I see not chubby; I see not skully.  I see just faces with arresting features.  If I see eyes that stand out, I spotlight them.  If I see a schnoz I draw a schnoz.  If I see a satchmo I draw a satchmo.

Chins are important, yet I rarely define them.  Usually I smudge in some subtle neck lines suggesting where the chin ends.  And speaking of smudges, I smudge all the shadows with my trigger finger, especially ‘round the cheeks, on the nose, and that forehead space above the eyebrows and beneath the hairline.

Even though I sketch only the busts of my consumers, more specifically, the head and neck and part of the shoulders, I do seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time in detailing the garb of these graphite ghosts.  I’m not sure why but doing so has become a signature chunk of my trade.  

Frames.  If I had a cache of frames stored ‘neath or near my drawing station I would certainly make quite a bit more money.  For example, whenever I draw for my friends, it is always for free, and always includes a frame.  Weekly, I make a trip to the nearest dollar store and not surprisingly, always find a couple of 8” x 10” with mat, 11” x 14” without mat.  I never buy the common black or solid dark brown; I buy only the silver and woodgrains.  Such a frame sells for $4.00.  If I were to include a frame with each portrait, I’d price the sketch at $15.00, charge $10.00 for the frame (over a one hundred percent markup), for a total of $25.00 per portait.  

However, as a busker I like to travel light and I like to travel with speed.  Carting around a cache of picture frames would be too clunky to tow and difficult, too, to store in a sidewalk space.  (For the obvious practical purposes, I need to keep my buskspots as compact as possible.)

Yes.  I am a DOPPELGANGER DAB HAND!

With a ten-minute timeline people actually pay me to draw their doppelganger selves!   I sketch these graphite ghosts for my consumers to hang upon their walls and to haunt them ‘til the rest of their days! 

 

Marching in my CHAUCERIAN PARADE this week are some of the staff, GINO, AVERY, MEGAN, and AMY, along with their graphite ghosts all pictured above, from the ITALIAN STAR DELI, home of the BEST SANDWICHES (and one of my favourite buskspots) in REGINA SK.

 

 

 

THANKS FOR THE MEMORY: SEARCHING FOR ROB MARKEL

I am currently writing the CANADIAN HYPNOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION MASTER CLINICAL EXAMINATION (see my website: www.neilchildhypnotherapy.com) and a few of the questions are related to the human states of consciousness and unconsciousness. From reading certain writings and having discussions with other hypnotherapists, most professionals in the industry seem to have very strong views on these states and even include them in their marketing spiels.  However, as for my own thoughts, I believe that whatever I know but am NOT thinking about is lies in my unconsciousness.  And thus, whatever and only what I am at PRESENT thinking about, is my consciousness.  So whenever I have clients coming to me for help in their Memory Recall, together we (client and self) are actually bringing to mind something from my clients’ unconsciousness to their consciousness, to uncover events that have been hidden somewhere in parts of the brain, the hippocampus for the event, the amygdala for the emotion related to the event.

Anyway, I did a quick-but-not-so-scientific self-experiment this morning on this very topic of memory recall. Here’s how it went: I decided to think back thirty years and recall some of the teachers I interned with in the English Department at Balfour Collegiate in Regina SK.  First to mind came the face of a thirty-something blond-haired male who was six feet tall, wore black horn-rimmed glasses, dressed in semi-casual fashion, and was an awesome teacher of English literature.  I interned with this master teacher for approximately one month.  But I could not remember his name.

And so that is where my brain was at for about an hour.  Trying to remember his name.  Hmmm … finally after a half-hour I remembered that his first name was Bob … or Robert … until finally, Rob!  But the fog still enveloped his surname.  I thought and I thought and I thought until finally … Markel!  Yes!  Rob Markel! Not-so-strangely, I thought of Rob Markel only by thinking and thinking and thinking of his image, or rather mostly his visage, for like I said, about an hour.  And not-so-strangely, I did not seek a hypnotherapist for my memory recall.  Hmmm … Wait a minute!  Yes, I did!  I sought myself!

I’ve studied Psychology for 30 years and actually taught university Psychology classes for 22 years, and remarkably yet regretfully, I know very little about consciousness and unconsciousness and memory and storage compartments in the brain.  I know only that I have an excellent record with clients and their Memory Recall in my private hypnotherapy practice. Memory Recall is certainly one of my therapy strengths.  Actually, it could be my greatest therapy strength!

Meanwhile back at the CANADIAN HYPNOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION MASTER CLINICAL EXAMINATION …

I’m guessing that I have recovered Rob Markel from my unconsciousness.  Now that I’m writing about Rob Markel, he is completely in my consciousness.  And this is proof that Rob Markel has been somewhere in my brain the whole while since I met him.  All I had to do was think and think and think about him and his name eventually surfaced.  (Remembering a person’s name can oftentimes be very hard-thinking work and can be very frustrating and sometimes can be very socially debilitating … especially when you are introducing someone in the flesh and you’ve forgotten the name in that very moment!  We’ve all been there.)

Keeping with this memory oneversation of mine, I had issued a self-mand, a command given to oneself, as coined by psychologist, B.F. Skinner, to include my CHAUCERIAN PARADE in this blog entry.  Marching in my Chaucerian Parade are the people, pooches, and photos from events and ideas this past week. 

My coiffure, Rachel, posted a picture of her little guy, Sullivan, on Instagram. Always seeking opportunities to practice my drawing skills during this corona-virus diapause from vis-à-vis portrait sketching on the street …

 

Judging by the photos presented by my followers on Instagram …

DOGS AND CATS ARE PEOPLE TOO!

This pooch belongs to my long-time (15 years in fact) Muay Thai friend, Jared.  Jared and I have shared four gyms to date, three Muay Thai and one a regular weight-training place.  Jared is a professional MMA fighter; whereas, I’m still training to never be one …

Matt is the maitre d’ of the martial arts gym, Ascendant.  Matt, a highly skilled Muay Thai pugilist, is the corona-virus screener for anyone entering the premises.  This is Matt’s dog … 

Sean, one of the top-ranked MMA fighters in Canada, is the owner and operator of Ascendant, the best and most complete martial arts gym in Regina SK CANADA.  This is his dad’s dog …

Professing always to be brutto tempo busker, I've decided to change my cold-weather busking strategy.

 

If I’m to be a brutto tempo busker, it will not be with a guitar or sketchpad.  There is no cold comfort in frailing a banjo with frozen fingers on a street corner in freezing temperatures, or drawing someone’s cold blue face with an ice-cold hand in the frosty air of wintertime.   Blowing my didgeridoo while wearing mittens shall be the perfect solution to becoming a brutto tempo busker.  My favourite busking partner, Baron, and I have double-didged it several times over the years! 

My friend, Cathy, is an excellent photographer, having her pictures locally and nationally published.  As much as I, Cathy has great love for Wascana Park, the second largest urban park in North America, situated smack in the middle of our home city, Regina SK CANADA.

 

 

WASCANA GEESE

 

                                                        WASCANA CHICKADEE

 

                                                               WASCANA TOTEM

And to close this blog with a tacky metaphor but tasteful photo … Cathy’s WASCANA SUNSET

 

                                                                

 

 

IN 2021, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED …

 

On the world stage 2020 was a Yin Yang year.  The deadly virus stalking the planet was a BIG Yin; Joe Biden toppling Trump was a BIGLY Yang.  However, being neither a medico nor politico writer – I like to blog only about busking as it relates to me, me, me, as anyone who is reading this will see, see, see.

2020, too, was a Yin Yang year on my personal stage.  The deadly virus that cancelled my busking season was a BIG Yin; my blog (this blog!) being Google-rated as NUMBER ONE atop the Top 10 Busking Blogs and Websites to Follow in 2020 was a BIG-time Yang.  (*See the Google image atop.)

Every New Year people tend to hope and trend to resolve that this will be the best year ever, or at worst, be a year better than the year before.  For the most part, such self-fulfilling prophecies usually ring true.  And can there ever be a better way to ring in 2021 than with a couple of fortune cookie readings!

“Laughter is the best medicine.”  “You will soon make an important decision.”  These were the first two of the many fortune cookies stuffed into our Chinese food takeout, the traditional New Year’s Day menu for the Child family.

Laughter is the best medicine.  As a therapist I tend to mockingly follow the creed of Frasier Crane (from the American sitcom, Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammar as the Harvard-trained psychiatrist) who said, “If you can’t laugh at your clients, what fun are they!”  This, of course, is in reference to my private practice in a general, most certainly nary a slam nor slight to any clients in particular.

You will soon make an important decision.  Yikes.  My most important decisions made so far for 2021 have been a couple of Yang walks around Wascana Lake.  (Luckily, I’ve no Yins yet to report, but should the Fates allow, there are still another 364 days to go in 2021!  I've my fingers crossed hoping for the Fates to be exceedingly kind!)

In retrospect, my life represents a syncretic impulse of writing and busking.  Dear reader, my New Year’s resolutions will confirm this life trend of mine to continue: 

In 2021 I want to self-publish two books, one a mnemonic dictionary, and the other an adolescent piece of science fiction.  I’ve had experience with traditional publishing companies, having two books previously published with traditional publishing agencies.  I must admit getting to be a published author was a Yangful of fun, writing and rewriting and more rewriting, but a Yinload of angst having to wait and to wait and to wait some more for the news and reviews.  This time ‘round I want to control the entire writing enterprise, but alas I am thus far more filled with Yin than with Yang. 

I know, compared to traditional publishing, the online self-publishing is easy-peasy.  Even so, I lack the necessary technical confidence to upload and download my book and hit the send button to the publishing platform.  I have the hardware and the software; I do not have the necessary wetware (brain)!  My intellectual self knows this is just a mole-hill problem step over; but my heartache self is convinced this is a very high mountain to climb.

Therefore, be it resolved that I have these two books published online before Springtime.  (My adolescent science-fiction one is complete; my mnemonic dictionary needs just one more rewrite.)

In 2021, I am writing the CANADIAN HYPNOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION MASTER CLINICAL EXAMINATION. At first glance such an endeavour seemed rather too learned and too stodgy.  However, just a couple days into the New Year, I have been writing about current therapy theories, whilst reflecting and also writing on the pragmatic probabilities as I’ve personally experienced from past professional sessions with clients. 

Therefore, be it resolved that I have this examination completed and ready for submission Saturday March 20^th (the first day of spring). 

In 2021 I am scheduled to make a recording.  Staff at the best guitar shop in Regina (B SHARP) have decided to offer free recordings and posted videos for their regular consumers.  Near the back of the guitar shop is where they stack all the big speakers and monitors and other sound equipment.  These music-gear lined walls in the back look to be the very cool and perfect setting for a garage-style recording.  Of all their consumers given this recording opportunity, I am slated to go first!  I’ve decided to sing one of my original songs, strumming my twelve-string and blowing my harp, while being seated on a bar stool.  Cap-a-pie I will have messy hair, a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and hiking boots. This is my oftentimes busker Bobby Dylan alterity.

Of all the guitar guys with whom I regularly share the stage, I stand alone in the fact that I’ve no interest in traditional recordings in the hope of leading to rock star fame.  I am but a busker seeking the planetary experience, not a performer seeking a record deal.

Therefore, be it resolved that I have one of my original songs polished and ready to perform January 17^th.

In 2021, on the street when the weather permits, I want to draw lots of pencil portraits. (I am both a guitar busker and a portrait busker.)  I need to continue to practice, practice, practice to sketch anyone’s portrait within my designed 15-minute time frame.  I decided upon 15 minutes for a trio of reasons:  First, being a busker one has to impress to make money.  Busking is a mercenary adventure, and to quick-draw people’s portraits on-the-spot under 15 minutes does attract potential consumers.  Guitar busking, I rarely draw a crowd; most people simply toss their coin into my guitar-case while walking by.  Drawing portraits, I always draw a crowd.  People tend to gather behind me, while comparing the pencil strokes on my sketchpad to the real person modelling in front of me.  And second, keeping with the mercenary theme, the more people I can draw the more money I make.  For example, charging ten bucks a portrait, at fifteen minutes per person, I can earn $40.00 per hour.  And last, the longer it takes me to draw someone, the more that person expects a photo-like production.  I am a portrait busker – I am not a portrait photographer.

Therefore, be it resolved that I begin to draw at least three people a week, be it for profit or for practice, until my street-busking season begins.

I’ve begun this resolution with IRIS, the first-born to my busking buddy, Devon, and his wife, Elly.

I’m continuing this resolution with VAYDA, the first-born to my long-time buddy, Taylor, and wife, Nicole.

And to close, it is obvious that IRIS is a chip off the old busking block!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

AND THE BEST OF LUCK …

BE IT WHATEVER YOU RESOLVE!