Monthly Archives: April 2021

The strange engaging beauty of horribleness…

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary words are: Peshitto, strummel, barmattan, convicinity, barbette, and napery. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie’s online session first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. The professor will … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, art, arts, brain, colours, composition, cool, creation, design, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., information, observations, painting, photography, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, style, thinking, words | Tagged abstract art, bank account details, barbette, barmattan, blind fastener, composition, convicinity, daubs, decay, found art, in the bath, message, napery, oxidisation, painting, Peshitto, pop rivets, Profdessor Mouldie, rust, serendipity, sign, spray paint, strummel, students, the eye, vandalism, voltage, volts | 1 Comment

Some snatches of overheard and misheard café conversation…

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s instruction is – to first flick open the shiny brass catches marked A, B, and D with your thumbs and raise the metal lid slightly; slip a sliver of stiffish paper inside and waggle it … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, art, arts, brain, cafe, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, mind, observations, overheard, people, poetry, puzzle, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged brass catches, Cafe Conversation, cattle-ride, chords and melodies, click here, conversation, dangling fibres, foetid smell, instructions, misheard, Misheard Snatches, overheard remarks, plastic buttons, reassuring, rigging, shimmy and wobble, stiffish, surrealism, surrealist poetry, thermionic valves | 2 Comments

I suppose it’s a row of Dux then, Dave?…

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s architectural term is Saddle Bar: In ‘casement glazing’, one of the small iron bars to which the lead panels are tied. I feel that I should say something about this, but it is far too … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, animals, architecture, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, history, humour, information, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, seeing, smiling, style, surrealism, words | Tagged ancient Rome, architectural terms, bird-shapes, black and white, casement glazing, ducks?, dux, eyes, French curves, German Expressionists, humour, in a row?, Japanese Kizuki paper, Kizuki 4 Monme paper, lino cut print, metal stencils, puns, quickly done, Saddle Bar, scrappy look, sketch, woodcuts | 6 Comments

Workmen watching England and Scotland go by…

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s quotation is from Flann O’Brien’s very strange 1930s novel The Third Policeman:The Sergeant’s face clouded and he spat thoughtfully three yards ahead of him on the road.‘I will tell you a secret,’ he said very confidentially … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, art, arts, books, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drama, drawing, dreaming, food, history, humour, information, jobs, physics, reading, science, seeing, style, surrealism, thinking, writing | Tagged black and white, drawing, England, Flann O'Brien, for boys, globe, graphic design, illustration, kid's book, Lion Annual 1956, novel, Skylab, space, space shuttle, space station, surrealism, the future, The Third Policeman, workmen in space, Yuri Gagarin | Leave a comment

Ugg and Lugg in the morning…

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s lovely word is lemniscate. (click here) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Hoy!…’ ‘Eh?’ ‘Wake up Ugg! Wake up!…’ ‘Wha…?’ ‘Come on! It’s no good you squirming there in the back of the cave!’ ‘What’s up Lugg?’ ‘You know what’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, brain, conversation, cool, creation, drama, dreaming, existentialism, history, humour, information, irony, learning, magic, observations, people, physics, puzzle, religion, science, seeing, serendipity, thinking, words | Tagged asunder, cave people, flint axe, heliocentric, Holy-Man Gugg, lemniscate, mammoth disembowelling, mamoths, Mighty Glowing Disc-Bird-God, nipped in the bud, Nugg and Smugg, observations, science, smiting, the sun god, thinking, Ugg and Lugg | 4 Comments

What fun it is – making your own tools!…

Posted on April 25, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s very silly sounding word is farthingale. Click here. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, indeed! What fun! I hope today’s post isn’t going to be a bit too technical and dull for you, dear reader – there’ll be no … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, animals, arts, brain, creation, design, fine art prints, food, Grumpiness, humour, information, instruction, jobs, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, linocut tools, phones, photography, physics, prints, puzzle, thinking, words | Tagged aluminium, an old stay, centre point, compasses, cute pets, cutting ciurves, cutting curves, farthingale, history, Home made tools, home-made, lino cutting tools, lino printing, metalwork, pivot, pole clamp, scalpel blade, silly sounding word, skinny stripes, slider, steaming dinners, steel bar, what fun!, woodwork | 2 Comments

What about a short word, in capital letters, using those old stencils?…

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected moths are: the Barberry Carpet, the Fox Moth, the Pale Eggar, the Lichen Button, the Map-winged Swift and the Satellite. If you had just finished writing your hot sexy novel, which of the … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, archeology, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drawing, dreaming, Dulltown, fine art prints, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, photography, prints, puzzle, seeing, sex, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged Adelaide, birds?, decisions, dux, French curves, Galveston, initialled and dated, jotter, Kizuki 4 Monme paper, letter stencils, lino cut printing, lino design, metal stencils, names of moths, prints, Rangoon, reversed, the Barberry Carpet, the Fox Moth, the Lichen Button, the Map-winged Swift, the Pale Eggar, thinking | 3 Comments

Of course the English language does evolve, but…

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: crumpled, goustrous, spoffish, debentured, bold-beating, trothful, and spotty. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well, I hope this doesn’t turn out to be an irritating and pompous rant, dear reader. I suppose it is quite a … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, advertising, arts, brain, conversation, cool, Grumpiness, history, humour, instruction, irony, learning, observations, overheard, people, puzzle, radio, style, swearing, thinking, TV, words | Tagged A overview, BBC, bold-beating, capital A, CAPITAL LETTERS!, carefully selected adjectives, college, crumpled, debentured, goustrous, interviewees, journalists, pronunciation, rules of English, school, shouting, spoffish, spotty, teaching, The English Language, the indefinate article 'A', trothful | 5 Comments

Moist bills and muddy throats…

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s quotation is from Flann O’Brien’s very strange 1930s novel The Third Policeman: ‘When a man lets things go so far that he is half or more than half a bicycle, you will not see so … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, animals, archeology, books, brain, design, food, history, humour, information, instruction, learning, puzzle, reading, science, serendipity, style, surrealism, words, writing | Tagged 1934, a strong staff, asphaltum, bicycles, Britain in the 1930s, Brunswick Black, Flann O'Brien, globe emblem, grammar, mayest, medicines, middle class, milk lemonade, refigerant beverage, tamarinds, the 1930s, The Daily Express Enquire Within, The Third Policeman, woodcocks and snipes | 4 Comments

Festive Mayonnaise…

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s walrus is the one sitting smoking a cigar at the wheel of his Range Rover, parked half on the pavement, with the engine running. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here in the UK when someone sends you a letter … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, animals, art, arts, brain, cool, creation, Dulltown, existentialism, food, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, mind, poetry, puzzle, reading, serendipity, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged belly of a pig, Christmas card, cigar, dreary, encouragement, Father Christmas, jazz trumpet, Marcel Proust, melting ice, nail clippings, Post Office, President Trump, Range Rover, Room 11, rotting wood, smell of onions, Surrealist Van, sweat, the engine running, The Hull Surrealist League, The National Gallery, The surrealist van, toddlers, Tony Mayonnaise, turnip, walrus, youtube | Leave a comment

Just a few short items…

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s interesting moths are: the Mullein, the Twenty-plume Moth, the Red Carpet, the Mother Shipton and the Ground Lackey. Which of these would you choose for the name of your online death-metal band? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, arts, brain, composition, conversation, cool, creation, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, fashion, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, irony, music, observations, overheard, people, poetry, puzzle, radio, Royalty, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, swearing, thinking, Uncategorized, words, writing | Tagged avant-garde, BBC Radio 3, Berio, calm acres, captain beefheart and his magic band, carmakers, Hawaiian guitars, misheard, moth names, music, name change, overheard, Prince Philip, reflective music, Screaming Jay Hawkins, spam, Stckhausen, strangeness, the Ground Lackey, the Mother Shipton, the Mullein, the Red Carpet, the Twenty-plume Moth, volatile | 1 Comment

Lino Print with intriguing vertical forms…

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s unusual word is unusual, in that it has three ‘u’s in it. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here is that lino print I mentioned a couple of days ago, the one where I forgot to take an introductory photo … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, art, arts, brain, composition, conversation, cool, creation, design, drama, dreaming, existentialism, fine art prints, humour, information, lino cut printing, lino printing, mind, photography, prints, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged A4 size paper, black and white, dear reader, ellipses, empty streets, eyes staring, in the night, Japanese paper, Kizuki 4 Monme paper, lino cut print, oil-based inks, right ho!, scary eyes, stripes, the sound of words, three Us, unusual, upended | 2 Comments

It wasn’t meant to be a ‘puzzle photograph’, but…

Posted on April 18, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s lost plectrum is the one eventually found on the floor in front of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, when I took the picture I had no idea that it would turn out … Continue reading →

Posted in art, arts, brain, colours, composition, creation, Dulltown, existentialism, information, irony, learning, magic, observations, painting, photography, physics, puzzle, science, seeing, serendipity, thinking, weather | Tagged abstract?, boring picture, composition, dreary, February weather, flyover, lost plectrums, Louvre, Mona Lisa, odd composition, on the floor, optical illusion, puzzle picture, reflections, timber, tracks, wood grain | 1 Comment

Some snatches of misheard classical singing on the radio…

Posted on April 17, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: groovy, aburst, zoic, tosticated, strongyloid, sempiternal, and crumbly.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I’m not keen on having the TV on whilst working – the radio or recorded music is much better. Being a visual artist, I … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, drama, existentialism, Grumpiness, humour, information, misheard, music, observations, poetry, radio, serendipity, sex, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, TV, Uncategorized, words | Tagged aburst, barley-pea, BBC, BBC Radio 3, carefully selected adjectives, Chell, classical singing, conga, crumbly, distractions, groovy, ham bees, mardy, Misheard Snatches, Myanmar, radio, sempiternal, shootings, strongyloid, the great work, tosticated, TV, Vole!, Wally, Whaaa, workshop radio, Zoic | Leave a comment

Mail Art Postcard. No. 4861…

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected colours are: Brahms blue, Mendelssohn mauve, Bartók brown, Wagner white, Liszt lilac, Rachmaninoff red, and Prokofiev pink.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Drab weather here. Feeling a bit listless and moribund?Look! This will cheer you up!… You can’t beat … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art, arts, books, brain, colours, cool, drama, dreaming, existentialism, humour, information, people, postcards, puzzle, reading, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged Aliens, Bartók brown, big-eyed, Brahms blue, collage, colour, composer colours, composers, dog, emotion, eyes, flying saucers, ghost stories, human brain, humour, Liszt lilac, loveable, M R James, mail art postcards, Mendelssohn mauve, moribund, Prokofiev Pink, Rachmaninoff red, scary?, surrealism, tentacles, trashy magazines, wet tongue | 1 Comment

Hm… No sketch for the next one, then?…

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected moths are: Haworth’s Minor, the Mint Moth, the Festoon, the Pale Tussock, the White Spotted Pinion, and the Satin Lutestring.Which of these would you least like batting around your bedroom on a hot summer’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, art, arts, brain, composition, creation, design, drawing, fine art prints, Grumpiness, information, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, photography, prints, puzzle, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged abstract art, batting around, brown parcel tape, carefully selected moths, Haworth's Minor, imaginary trumpets, lino printing, mohs, moth names, no photo, no sketch, on copy paper, test prints, the Festoon, the Mint Moth, the Pale Tussock, the Satin Lutestring, the White Spotted Pinion, workshop wall | 2 Comments

Football for Surrealists. No. 12…

Posted on April 14, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s ancient Egyptian deity is the one taking the form of a bull, the god Mnevis. His main cult centre is Heliopolis and his associations are: sacred bull of the sun god, and oracles. Mnevis.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What a … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, advertising, archeology, art, arts, books, brain, celebrities, colours, composition, cool, creation, design, fashion, history, humour, information, learning, photography, puzzle, reading, religion, style, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged 1950, 1950s illustration, Ancient Egyptian gods, Bull god, cheap old books, emotion, Football Parade 1950, graphic artist, Heliopolis, humans, Mnevis, old books, oracles, photography, process white, silly humans, soccer, sports, The right foot, the sun god, Tommy Lawton | Leave a comment

Have you had one yet?…

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected moths are: the Blotched Emerald, Dewicks’ Plusia, the Large Red-belted Clearwing, the Dark Arches, and the Marbled Clover. They all sound so nice, I just can’t decide which one to have printed on … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, arts, brain, conversation, cool, design, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, fashion, Grumpiness, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, people, puzzle, science, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, words | Tagged bleeping sound, British, carefully selected moths, chatting, coffee table, conversation, COVID vaccine, decor, dramatise, Greek-style, headache, inoculation, Jab!, journalists, latin, Marbled Clover, Pfizer, rubber wheels, shivering, silent P, Soviet?, t-shirt design, the Blotched Emerald, the Dark Arches, the Large Red-belted Clearwing, to roll out, union jacks, vaccination, white coat | Leave a comment

Old songs and archaeology, a disjointed ramble…

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s weather: there will be cloud around, cloud around, cloud around – there will be cloud around, cloud around, cloud around.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Today’s post, I can tell you now, before I’ve even started on it, will be rather … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, archeology, art, arts, blues, brain, composition, cool, creation, Dulltown, existentialism, guitars, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, learning, music, observations, poetry, science, seeing, serendipity, style, sweating, thinking, weather, words | Tagged 1970, added colour, captain beefheart and his magic band, cloud around, cobbled together, dancing, Dina Shaw's shoes, dinosaurs, drinking, Environmental issues, finish the thing, global warming, guitar riffs, satisfaction, scrappy, smoking, stream of consciousness, sweating, The Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, The Smithsonian Institute Blues, Whatcha Gonna Do About It? | 4 Comments

So, what is it that those TV ads are trying to tell us?…

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s quotation is from Flann O’Brien’s very strange 1930s novel The Third Policeman: ‘Gilhaney did not look like a bicycle,’ I said. ‘He had no back wheel on him and I did not think he had … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, adjectives, advertising, arts, books, brain, cool, existentialism, fashion, finance, food, humour, information, instruction, irony, learning, mind, misheard, money, observations, poetry, puzzle, reading, science, serendipity, sex, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, TV, words, writing | Tagged 1930s, a cleaner home, A list, bicycles, bleeding gums?, drive-thru, exra free!, Flann O'Brien, handlebars, hybrid, inflamation, KFC, lifestyle, nutritious, speed mops, The Third Policeman, thicker and wetter, TV advertising, very strange, wow-box | Leave a comment