A summer of possibilities begins
A picture of sunflowers in a filed under a blue sky - summer
Well it’s here at last, and I for one can’t wait to live it to the full; and before anyone asks yes I do know the weather is crap, but I’m not on about that sort of summer. No I’m on about a summer of artwork, glamping and trips in ‘Monty’, after a bloody long winter of hard work. You see working part-time at Uni and the TA has meant that I’ve hardly seen daylight all winter, working hard just for this moment. Now I have almost 5 months off, time in which to live to the max! – let the fun begin!!
Posted by Brent Meheux - 17/05/12 - Tags - summer
The transition, from soldier to…
An old soldier and his memories...
I recently updated my Facebook page, don’t often do this, but it seemed a good way to get it off my chest…
“I hate the fact I’m not with them, I hate that age has finally caught up with me, I read their stories and live my life through them, even now I can taste the dust, hear the crack of the rounds, feel the sweat on my neck. Most who read this have no idea what I’m on about, most will think a pint in hand on a Friday night is sweet, some will puff out their chests thinking they are gods gift, but not the men I have marched with, for they are RIFLEMEN, and for us the bugle has a different call. Yes I’m old, yes my time is done, but nothing, nor no man can take from me my memories, till the day I die RIFLEMAN I’ll be…”
You see it’s come to the time in every mans life, the day you realise that age has finally caught up with you, in my case the day I decided to hand in my kit and leave the TA. Fantastic memories and fantastic muckers, but now it’s over, time to move on…
Posted by Brent Meheux - 17/05/12 - Tags - TA, soldier
A lack of socks and the curious link to ‘Haircut 100’
No Socks, in this year and to be honest quite a few years before...
In I troop, last couple of days to go at uni, all smiles and bonhomie. “Did we have a little trouble finding the sock drawer this morning?” giggles Liz. Looking down at my yes blatantly bare ankles, then out the window at the unseasonably howling May weather I had to concede that she did indeed have a point. “Well I suppose I should ultimately blame ‘Haircut 100’…” comes my reply, as I head out the door, leaving a set of confused looks in my wake, and in a way I suppose I was right, after all in fashion as in many things what goes around comes around – a lack of socks, Haircut 100 and other odd observations
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/05/12 - Tags - Haircut 100, no socks
Horst Friedrichs, his new book on London’s cycle tribes
Horst Friedrichs new book on Londons cycle scene
Just putting the lounge back together at the weekend after a start on the decorating and I came across a copy of the ‘Evening Standard’ from a week or two ago, so why did I bring that home I wonder, oh yes Horst Friedrichs new book of course! He’s quite well known for his dark and beautiful images of the classic motor bike scene in the UK, in particular the re-emergence of the whole ‘café racer’ scene. Well his latest book is about the emergence of the diverse cycle scene in London, the spread in the ‘Standard’ a taster of what looks to be a good book, so I thought I’d try and find out more, because yes I love bikes, but also I love the way how fashion is defining these new ‘tribes’ – the photographer Horst Friedrichs new book on London’s cycle tribes
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/05/12 - Tags - Horst friedrichs, cycle fashion
Inspired Camping website
The Inspired Camping website, a quick review by Brent Meheux
Now here’s one for all the glamping fans out there, the great website and blog called ‘Inspired Camping’. I came across this blog the other day and thought “hey now that’s one to share”. Not only a great blog for ‘Glamping’ in general, but also a really good site for the entire cool camper van mob – enjoy!
Click here to visit the Inspired Camping website & Blog
Posted by Brent Meheux - 07/05/12 - Tags - inspired camping, glamping
‘Chivers’, the cat who popped in for a nose around and decided to stay
'Chivers' - the little ginger sod that he is!
‘Chivers’, or as I like to refer to him, the ‘ginger git’ turned up in our kitchen years ago, unannounced and uninvited. There we were having the first brew of the day when in trots this skinny little ginger kitten, bold as brass he makes straight for our own cats food bowls and before we had a chance to stop him was head down munching away, and now he’s become a fixture, this loveable rogue of a cat who decided to honor us with his presence for the last 10 years - ‘Chivers’, the cat who popped in for a nose around and decided to stay
Posted by Brent Meheux - 07/05/12 - Tags - chivers, ginger cat, ginger git
Portfolio of Gianmarco Magnani
Gianmarco Magnani – visit his site to see his entire portfolio, and even buy online.
It’s about time I brought more of the work I love to you, work that still proves that there is room in todays ‘digital’ world for real talent, talent with a pen or brush. Yes Gianmarco Magnani finishes his work on the Mac, but trust me it’s heart lies in the world of pen and ink – click here to see a couple of pieces that I love, and a link to his fantastic site, full to the brim with inspiration.
Posted by Brent Meheux - 07/05/12 - Tags - pen and ink, technical illustration
Mrs. Bojangles, the mouse who allowed me to share her home in Afghanistan
Mrs Bojangles, the mouse who let me live with her in Afghanistan
For the last week we’ve had to share the lounge with a field mouse, and of course it’s all down to ‘Chivers’ as usual. He’s a bloody useless hunter, but once in a while he’ll catch something. The problem is he never kills what ever he catches, just dumps it in the house and seems to take great pleasure in watching us fly around trying to catch it. He’s like a feline ‘gun dog’, all soft bite and no brains. Well this particular mouse has proved rather elusive and as I type this still refuses to come out from under the sofa, which has taken me back to my days in Afghanistan when I was lucky enough to share a room with another mouse, ‘Mrs. Bojangles’.
Posted by Brent Meheux - 05/05/12 - Tags - Beef Stew, beef stew recipe
Leather Journals or to some leather notebooks, a lost skill?
Leather notebooks, I just can't do without them
There I was sat there waiting for the ever late students to arrive, jotting a note or 2 in my journal, “what’s that?” emits from one of the said late students, leaning over my shoulder for a better peek, “eh jotting down a couple of things before I forget…” reply I, “Cool, but why not just use your phone, then you wouldn’t have to carry that bloody great book around with you all the time?” – shaking my head I realised that this too was yet another one of those moments when there really is no talking to the young – leather journals and notebooks, they really are a lost art, don’t you think?
Posted by Brent Meheux - 18/04/12 - Tags - Leather journal, leather notebook, leather note book
Nan’s Beef Stew, the stuff empires were built on!
Nan's Beef Stew recipe, here served with French beans and collie!
Growing up in Southampton with Nan and Gag has left me with a 1000 great memories, Nan’s Beef Stew being just one of them. Keen to pass it on to my family I stood there in the kitchen years ago willing myself to remember the recipe…OK then admitted defeat and gave Nan a call, and this time I made sure I wrote it down! Good job I did, years later I got a call from Mark at University, ”So how did Nan make her stew? I’ve got the beef, but can’t remember the rest…” Well for my family and everyone else out there keen to know here’s the recipe to Nan’s Beef Stew.
Posted by Brent Meheux - 16/04/12 - Tags - Beef Stew, beef stew recipe
A day out in Bristol with the family and my Fujifilm x100
The new Ferris wheel in Bristol, amazing colours from the Fuji x100 in the late evening light
Popped up to see Mark in Bristol, a great day and night out in this vibrant city, wondering around the lanes and checking out the street art, Fujifilm x100 in hand. Still getting to know this great little camera, but as always I’m amazed by it’s vibrant colours and the cracking low light capabilities – click here to see the rest of the days shoot
Posted by Brent Meheux - 8/04/12 - Tags - Fujifilm x100, Bristol street art
Glamping it up at Ashurst Campsite in the New Forest
Glamping in the New Forest
Well managed to get away for the first ‘glamping’ trip of this year, a quick 2 day mid-week break to Ashurst Campsite in the New Forest, and far more importantly managed to get away before the kids were off! We had a play with the new awning and the windbreaks, a success all round really – click here to read my review of Ashurst Campsite in the New Forest
Posted by Brent Meheux - 5/04/12 - Tags - Glamming, ashurst campsite, new forest
A hat can speak volumes, especially a ‘Newsboy cap’, or is that ‘Newsboy’ hat?
2 News boy hats taken in New York
Funny old things hats, you spend half a lifetime avoiding them, then end up buying 5 in as many months, and finally out of nowhere you see the perfect hat that puts all the others in the shade, the Newsboy cap, or what some call a ‘Newsboy hat’. Odd that because you were actually looking for a ‘Trilby’? – click here to see my own take of hats and the great ‘Newsboy cap
Posted by Brent Meheux - 27/03/12 - Tags - Newsboy cap, Newsboy, News boy hat, News boy cap
Woodie trailers, not what I expected, but still cool…
Woodie traliers, micro caravans in metal and wood, cool!
There he is looking for wooden trailer designs for ‘Monty’ and he discovers a whole new niche, ‘woodie trailers’, and for trailers read tiny vintage caravans. Now as you know I love my ‘Glamping’, so I found these great, even got some ideas on colour schemes and decorating for the old bell tent, cool – click here to see the woodie trailers I found
Posted by Brent Meheux - 27/03/12 - Tags - Woodie trailers, woodie caravans, vintage wooden caravans
Carrot & coriander soup, and my idea of ‘Italian cheese on toast’
Carrot and coriander soup, and my idea of ‘Italian cheese on toast’
After a long and enjoyable weekend in Bristol with Mark and Sam we arrived home with neither the will nor the taste for cooking up a big meal, “soup and cheese on toast, smashing” says Barbara, only to me this always means something different, I mean my carrot and coriander soup recipe is so easy, and as for my Italian cheese on toast, wow! – click here to see the recipe
Posted by Brent Meheux - 15/04/12 - Tags - Carrot and coriander soup recipe, Italian cheese on toast
Funny where a doodle will lead you…hearts?
A love heart illustration, the rough doodle on the left and the finished artwork on the right, done in Photoshop by Brent Meheux
On the train bored as per usual and out of my eye I catch a girl writing in a card, on the card was an interesting pattern, string intertwined, cool, started doodling. And the next day at Uni a little bored again so started to work on it in Photoshop, quite pleased with the result, only not really sure why a ‘heart' illustration…click here to see it full size
Posted by Brent Meheux - 27/03/12 - Tags - love heart illustration, love heart, doodle
What is Glamping – cool camping that’s what!
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What is Glamping – cool camping that’s what!
The first day of the year in shirtsleeves, Ray Ban’s on and the mind full of Glamping thoughts. Last years experiment was a fantastic success, 1x bell tent, 1x wood burner and the result, 1x happy wife. Weekends cool camping away all over the South West and a week in France for under £300; so what’s the plan this year? A few changes here and there, and a positive upping of the stakes no less, read on my old china for the answer to what is glamping
Posted by Brent Meheux - 18/03/12 - Tags - Stove portable, stove tent, tent stove, bell tent stove
Stove portable? Oh you mean a tent stove, cool
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Stove portable, Oh you mean a tent stove, cool!
Anyone who knows my wife will be sure to tell you that they are amazed how I ever got her into ‘glamping’, well the secret was a simple case of a ‘warm welcome’. From day one I was determined to get a wood-burning tent stove, well after tons of research I’ve found the perfect bell tent stove, it also worked out to be the cheapest, bargain! – click here to read my review of tent stove that’s also portable
Posted by Brent Meheux - 18/03/12 - Tags - Stove portable, stove tent, tent stove, bell tent stove
Ray Ban Wayfarer, well it only took 25 years!
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Black Ray Ban Wayfarer for sall on Amazon
OK, yes I’ve finally succumbed and bought a pair of Ray Ban’s, as a former ‘yuppie puppy’ I suppose it was destined to happen one day, but the funny thing is that wanting them all those years ago made it easy to choose which style, the style that’s grown into a modern day icon, the Ray Ban Wayfarer - read more
Posted by Brent Meheux - 18/3/12 - Tags - ray ban wayfarer, ray ban clubmaster
THE POWER OF THE WORD – GOOD COPYWRITING
Good copywriting, the Wonderbra advert
Even after all these years I’m still amazed that so called professionals doubt the power of good copywriting, amazed that they still feel the image is king, without good copy the image is pointless. Good copywriting can produce feelings and a call to action unlike any image, click here for my take on how people really need to look backwards to see the way forwards.
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - good copywriting
Bell Tents, now for sale on Amazon
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Bell tent, my bell tent, now for sale on Amazon
As those of you following along know I’ve really got the old ‘glamping’ (LINK) bug, and to me the cheapest way to really get into it is with a ‘bell tent’, it was out first buy last year and I can’t think of a better tent for ‘glamping’ in, a ton of room, you can stand up in it and the coolest thing on any camp site – click here to read my review on bell tents for glamping
Posted by Brent Meheux - 15/1/12 - Tags - Bell tent, belltent, bell tent uk, bell tent for sale, bell tent sale
PalmFM PITCH
PalmFM advertising pitch by Cre8media
There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’, and that especially applies to creative teams. When we decided to go for the PalmFM pitch I feel Cre8media had just about the perfect team, this was one of their best ideas, and it was the first time I stood back and let them work it through themselves. Yes it was a shame that PalmFM never got off the ground, but is was an even greater shame that shortly after this a couple of the team moved on - click here to see more
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - PalmFM, Cre8media
TORMENT - SOMETHING REALL ODD...
Torment club website design by Brent Meheux
Torment was a roaming club across London in the very late 90’s, run by a friend of mine, yes I know some, well lets just say, ‘interesting’ people, and there will be more than a few mates out there surprised by me getting involved with the ‘bondage and alternative music scene, but hey it takes all sorts, besides I enjoyed the work, want to see some more?
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - torment club
VIBRAPHONIC PITCH
VIBRAPHONIC pitch by Cre8media
The strength of great creative work is that it stands the test of time, in the same way that the test of a great creative team is how they work together. The pitch for the series of VIBRAPHONIC music festivals was ultimately unsuccessful, but looking back now I still love the work - click here to see more of it
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags -VIBRAPHONICS
VIAGRA IN A CAN, YEAH THAT SHOULD DO THE TRICK!
Viagra in a can adverts for Powerflow, by Cre8media
When you’re lucky you get clients like Mc Caulay’s who give you a completely free reign, and then there are those that don’t, like Powerflow. No you can’t change the colours, or the images, oh and you’ve got to use the ‘Powerflow Girl'. Who’s it got to appeal to, young men into fast hatchbacks, OK, well then lets have a play with the copy, winner! - click here to see more
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - Powerflow exhausts
Mc Caulay’s – CREATIVITY WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS
As anyone working in the creative industry will tell you, you’re only as good as your client will let you be. The world is full of clients who wont take risks, who even though they’ve arrived at your door looking for a creative solution lack the vision to back you up when you deliver just that. And then every so often appears the complete opposite, a client who embraces everything you lay down before them, a client willing to take risks, and Mc Caulay’s were just that sort of client - click here to read more
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - Mc Caulays, creative marketing
CRE8MEDIA
Funny old thing failure really, it can stop you thinking about the good things you achieved, and after all if it weren’t for failure how would we learn? A couple of days ago I was searching through some old DVD’s from my Cre8media days and as I looked at a lot of the work I found myself drifting back 5 years, found myself smiling as I realised that just because it ultimately failed doesn’t mean it wasn’t part of the journey, part of me – Cre8media, a bloody brave attempt
Posted by Brent Meheux - 10/3/12 - Tags - Cre8media, advertising agency exeter, graphic design exeter
BRIGHT AND IMPOSSIBLY LOUD SOCKS, PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL LOOK
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Bright mens socks, perfect for winter 2012, and for sale on Amazon
Odd things socks, the braver you get the brighter they get, and with luck and this new found bravery you end up with a cracking way to stand out from the crowd – socks for the individual
Posted by Brent Meheux - 24/02/12 - Tags - bright mens socks, men’s bright socks, socks
SCARFS, A MUST HAVE MEN'S ACCESSORY THAT'S NOT FOR WINTER
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Men's scarfs, bright, colourful and indervidual
Getting a real thing about scarfs lately, and I’m not the only one as they seem to have become the number one accessory this last 12 months or so, and I for one have jumped on the bandwagon, but as usual I’ll be buggered if I’m going to spend a fortune on them – click here to read my article on men’s scarfs
Posted by Brent Meheux - 19/02/12 - Tags - Scarfs, Scarf, men’s scarf, men’s scarf
I'LL BE DAMMED IF I'M GOING TO PAY THAT FOR A FANCY CAMERA STRAP, I KNOW I'LL MAKE ONE
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A braided camera strap that I made for my Fujifilm X100
On Steve Huff’s website I’d seen a really nice camera strap he’d used on his Leica, and after a hunt around on the web I found the make, ‘ARTISAN & ARTIST’, mind you for nice price as well, over £85. Bugger that I thought, well that was until I spotted a women’s belt in ‘H&M’ for only £3.99, I know I’ll make one – click here to see how I indeed did make one for my Fujifilm X100
Posted by Brent Meheux - 19/02/12 - Tags - Braided camera strap, Fujifilm X100 camera strap
AT 47 I THINK I'M TURNING INTO A FASHIONISTA, THAT CAN'T BE GOOD, OR CAN IT?
Mature men's fashion, 3 looks for this winter, take a tip from the young
It started off with the job, teaching design to fashion students, influencing the way I dressed. Now it’s moved into a whole new ball game, now I find myself hunting out ‘street fashion’ blogs, looking at what others are wearing, others my age that is…and there’s the problem, there really is very little out there – click here to read more on fashion for mature men
Posted by Brent Meheux - 18/02/12 - Tags - Mens fashion, mature male fashion, mature men’s fashion
SAM & BARBARA, A DAY OUT IN EXETER WITH MY FUJIFILM X100
Sam and Barbara in the garden, F2 with my Fujifilm X100, by Brent Meheux
A little impromptu photo trip into Exeter today with Sam, Barbara and my new Fujifilm X100, just love this camera such a great camera in low light and no sound at all - click here to see the full shoot
Posted by Brent Meheux - 12/02/12 - Tags - Fujifilm X100, Gatsby flat cap, Gatsby hat, Jasper Conran
SO WHAT IS 'A MOMENT IN TIME' ANYWAY?
A moment in time, the latest sketches by Brent Meheux
Here is a recent sketch exploring the proportions and notion of a split second in time, yes I know it’s not quite there yet, but I’m getting closer with each sketch. The whole idea is to truly show the illusion of speed in a cut-away sculpture, a car or a boat, in order to show this I’ve been playing with the idea of the momentum of the man made object also tearing away at the land, or sea, as well. Well that’s the idea, click here to read and see more.
Posted by Brent Meheux - 11/2/12 - Tags - Momentum, speed, a moment in time
WHEN DOES A MODEL BECOME A SCULPTURE?
It’s a fair question, yet almost impossible to answer. For years now I’ve been building more and more complicated models, a sort of winter hobby really. We’re not talking about ‘kit’s, no all the models are built from scratch, in depth research leads to hand drawn plans, which lead to ever more complicated cut away models. Now the last few years I’ve been selling the finished article, not for stupid amounts, but never the less I’ve never had any trouble finding buyers. But is it art, you see I want to know when, if ever, a model will become a sculpture, work that out and I may yet make a living from my art – click here to read the article
Posted by Brent Meheux - 11/2/12 - Tags - models, sculptuer, scratch built
