BRIGHT YELLOW SCRATCHES

People Are Dying, The Babies Are Crying

2012-01-10T22:01:00.001+01:00

I don't care what Ty says. I love this album.

Love Me When I Least Deserve It

2012-01-10T21:58:00.000+01:00

Winter sun.

A great book written by a map, stat and walking fanatic like myself.

Coming on strong in 2012.

An unfair portrait.

Busy busy busy.

Doing What He Does Best

2011-12-22T15:52:00.001+01:00

Mark Gonzales

*BEWARE: INSTAGRAM POST

2011-12-20T17:44:00.001+01:00

I must admit I've fallen for Instagram lately. I'm sure the honeymoon period will end soon enough but for now I'm enjoying being in the thick of it. Anything that helps me spend less time on Facebook has to be a good thing, right? 'Proper' photographers dismiss it, but you still need to have a half decent eye to produce half decent results.

Another Late Night

2011-12-20T17:41:00.000+01:00

This is pretty old now but I rediscovered it recently. Full of top notch tracks.

Top 5

2011-12-20T12:23:00.000+01:00

It's slow (but still) progress

2011-12-08T17:40:00.001+01:00

Just got back from my third session this year with Chad. 8 hours so far......

Roger

2011-11-26T00:49:00.001+01:00

Whole New Worlds

2011-11-13T18:22:00.001+01:00

Is it really a coincidence that a high proportion of skateboarders turn out to be creatives? Being exposed to graphics, music, video, photography for all those years certainly takes it toll.

Check Your Emails Once A Day

2011-11-13T18:19:00.001+01:00

I finally got my own copy of this fantastic little book by John Maeda. I read it some time ago and it's contents have stayed with me ever since.

Things Round Here Move Pretty Fast

2011-11-13T18:18:00.001+01:00

The Century

2011-11-13T18:01:00.001+01:00

Yesterday Beynon, Ty and myself rode a century. It was easier and harder than I was expecting. As you can see from the route we took, it had a few climbing sections, which of course is inevitable in South Wales. You are never far from hills or mountains. The weather was perfect, and at times pretty warm, with only a hint of wind.

I do a couple of 50 mile rides weekly, and have done several 65 mile routes, but stepping the distance past the 100 mile mark felt very different. For me the hard part was between 45 - 65 miles, with the last 30 feeling comfortable. Riding with other people was a novelty as I more often than not ride alone. I think we all need practice riding in a group, as together we could be a much more efficient and faster unit. I'm already looking forward to more of these rides over the coming months.

Abandon all hope of reward. Don't expect applause.

2011-09-20T22:29:00.002+01:00

Screenprinting is great fun. time consuming, but fun. I'm planning on producing a limited run of these for sale. The print is approximately 420mm x 420mm on 800mm x 800mm stock.

Collecting Collections

2011-09-18T22:43:00.000+01:00

I have always been obsessed with maps. Maps and statistics. If I could only take one book to a desert island with me it would be an atlas. No shit.

At the end of last year I stumbled upon an app called Endomondo. This free little bit of software uses GPS on your smartphone to track your bike rides. Over the past year it has developed to also offer the user all sorts of amazing bits of information about almost a dozen different things.

I love getting home from a ride and sitting at my computer and nerding out on the various stats I've collected. It's become obsessive, and no there is talk of soon spending hundreds on a GPS cycle computer (with heart rate monitors and cadence monitors too).

Sometimes though I'll go riding for riding's sake. No measuring. No destination. No nothing.

Borrowed

2011-09-17T21:42:00.000+01:00

This little lot should keep me going for a few hundred miles or so.

Double Espresso

2011-09-04T14:41:00.001+01:00

Today I had my first ever coffee stop. Normally when I ride, it's as if I'm trying to inflict as much damage and pain to my legs and lungs as possible and never stop. Plus the majority of the time I ride alone so I don't feel a stop is necessary. After reading a couple of cycling autobiographies lately which talk often of cafe stops I thought I'd do the same.

Visit my work blog if you have the time:

2011-08-22T22:55:00.001+01:00

http://marcevansdesign.co.uk/

And I Thought He Only Saved One Life

2011-08-22T22:49:00.000+01:00

Train yard at sunset.

A hidden gem: The Earl Hotel in Doncaster.

Getting Serious

2011-07-24T17:08:00.000+01:00

Pop, chocolate and lollies.

Stepping up my game.

2011-07-20T10:10:00.000+01:00

Le Metier by Michael Barry is another terrific book on cycling. Breaking down a year in the life of a competitive cyclist, the quality of Barry's writing remains high throughout. And, yes Sion, you can borrow this too.

Work & Play

2011-07-18T14:47:00.002+01:00

Not Just A Fan In July

2011-07-17T10:04:00.000+01:00

David Millar's book 'Racing Through The Dark' is one of the best cycling books I've read. It's pretty compelling stuff and he is a rare breed within todays modern peloton: honest and intelligent.

I was attracted to Phil Southerland's book, 'Not Deal Yet' as he is the founder of Team Type 1, a diabetic orientated Pro cycling team. Being a type 1 diabetic myself as well as a road cyclist, I hoped it would offer some interesting and useful insights on the disease from a cycling perspective. I wouldn't describe it as a bad read but it was very flat in parts and I'd often find myself struggling to get to the end of a chapter. I did gain some useful training tips on how to keep my blood sugar levels tightly controlled before, during and after riding, and reinforced the importance of keeping on top of my diabetes in general.

I Tend To Agree

2011-07-07T20:18:00.000+01:00

Out With The Black

2011-07-07T20:14:00.002+01:00

The Only Good Thing About It

2011-07-07T20:03:00.001+01:00

Every year I curse the BBC's coverage of 'Glasto'. Tightly edited, looped sets run from Friday afternoon to Sunday night, so it turns into one big repetitive blur for most people. This year the only decent band they decided to broadcast was Warpaint.

Beginnings And Ends

2011-07-04T21:01:00.002+01:00

Gettin' Nostalgic For '07

2011-07-04T20:50:00.001+01:00

A very cold visit to the Velodrome. Winter 2007?

I Thought They Were From Manchester?

2011-06-22T21:42:00.003+01:00

One Track Mind

2011-06-07T19:19:00.000+01:00

The Rule Of Thirds

2011-06-07T19:11:00.002+01:00

It's Nothing To Do With Lost

2011-05-18T14:01:00.000+01:00

2011-04-26T17:17:00.000+01:00

I'm not the most read Burkowski guy out there. I mean, there is plenty of his published material which I've yet to get round to, but I've covered the classics. I finished Post Office today and loved it. I leaps between funny and heartbreaking and back again. A hundred times. Having worked my fair share of monotonous, bureaucratic, boring jobs it certainly cuts close to the bone for me. However, I've never hit a woman, gone on a two week drinking binge or spent three months at the race track.

None Out Of Three Ain't Bad

2011-04-26T17:08:00.002+01:00

Heavily Involved

2011-04-16T22:54:00.000+01:00

(Photo: Spinks)

Four weeks from now. You can quote me on that.

Ishod's Section

2011-04-16T22:48:00.001+01:00

Obsessive

2011-04-16T22:43:00.000+01:00

I'm listening to this one album almost exclusively.

Sunny Responsibility

2011-04-16T22:41:00.000+01:00

Maggie

2011-04-16T22:34:00.000+01:00

Just The Beginning

2011-04-16T22:24:00.000+01:00

Chad of Chad Koeplinger fame started my backpiece the other night. We didn't get started until 11.30 but luckily he is as fast as they say. Two hours later my back was lined. It's the head of a mahakala. The necklace and a snake and lots of lines for the hair are to be added next then goes the finer lines, shading and colour.

Twig

2011-03-16T19:27:00.000+01:00

Don't read this before going riding. It's a good but harsh look at the suffering that is the Tour.

2011-03-16T19:21:00.000+01:00

My intention was to ride from Swansea to Pontardulais then Ammanford and back round to Pontardawe and down the Swansea Valley. In hindsight the route was a good 40miler but I got lost on the mountain and had a very hard time on some of the ascents that day. Things got interesting in Ammanford. The map wouldn't work on my phone and I was unsure of the right road to take so I stopped at a petrol station to ask for directions. The old man laughed at me when I said I wanted to know the way 'over the top' to the Swansea Valley. I think he deliberately sent me up the steepest roads. It hurt. I NEVER stop during a ride but in this instance I had time to whip out my phone and take a few snaps! I planned on taking some photos of the steepest sections but didn't get a chance. Once at the top it levelled out and proved to be a terrific stretch of road to ride along. You can see the route and stats (my lowest ever average speed!) here, as well as some other rides/routes I've done.

Times Must

2011-03-16T18:49:00.000+01:00

I've started watching this, and I must say it's pretty refreshing.

It's Official

2011-03-13T20:30:00.002+01:00

The World Is Flat

2011-03-11T22:05:00.000+01:00

Our Eyes Are Placed At The Front

2011-03-11T21:48:00.000+01:00

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

2011-03-09T23:00:00.000+01:00

World Famous, So The Signage Says

2011-03-09T22:10:00.002+01:00

Preparation

2011-03-09T22:09:00.000+01:00

There Is Nothing Left To Say

2011-03-09T22:03:00.000+01:00

On My Body

2011-03-03T23:35:00.000+01:00

Good Legs Today

2011-03-03T23:32:00.002+01:00

It Hurts My Head

2011-03-03T23:30:00.000+01:00

Not Such A Bad Place

2011-03-03T23:25:00.000+01:00

Swoop here for more of my work.

Everything Means Nothing To Me

2011-03-03T23:21:00.002+01:00

Brothers

2011-03-03T23:20:00.000+01:00

We went to an Art Show!

Workshop dot dot dot

2011-02-26T17:11:00.002+01:00

Kernow

2011-02-13T22:58:00.000+01:00

For The T.F

2011-02-04T12:40:00.000+01:00

8.5 B.A Gonz graphic.

Is It Or Is It Not?

2011-02-01T19:51:00.000+01:00

The Rule Of Thirds

2011-01-18T23:04:00.000+01:00

I Won't Pretend I Understand The Game

2011-01-18T23:03:00.000+01:00

Some photos from Tattoo Freeze on the weekend.

The Night Before

2011-01-18T23:00:00.000+01:00

I got some more printing blocks to go with the ones I had from Amy, some block printing ink and dug out a roller. We experimented with them the other day. They say that nothing good come easy and this certainly applies to printing using these wooden blocks.

Screen prints hanging up to dry. As usual, leaving it until the last minute.

So Shoot Me

2011-01-04T22:24:00.000+01:00

Hairspray and A Lack Of Gloves

2011-01-04T22:19:00.001+01:00

I put my track drops back on this week. I forgot how much fun it is riding with them.

There Will Be Death, Surprises And Enlightenment

2011-01-02T01:10:00.000+01:00

Me and the my Old Lady can't wait for season 4.

See You In The Corner

2010-12-31T01:14:00.000+01:00

Back And Back

2010-12-31T01:07:00.000+01:00

Thanks Prolly for turning me on to another batch of records this year. Last years Doom list has to be my favorite though.

For Ourselves

2010-12-31T00:47:00.000+01:00

It was wet and cold but one hell of a fucking enjoyable ride.

A few days ago a small group of us ventured out into the mountains. We climbed and climbed and climbed some more. I, being 6'6 and 15 stone, know by now that I'm not a naturally strong climber, and our ride confirmed this. I've done dozens of rides of 50+ miles and this was one of the hardest yet.

Infact, descending a four mile, unfamiliar wet mountain road on a brakeless track bike with a stupidly spinny gear was another (pretty terrifying) highlight. As was the cramp that I experienced in my left quad muscle. At one point, still 15miles from home, I got out of my saddle to climb up a short steep rise, straightened my left leg, only to find it would not bend again. I was almost thrown off my bike and only the weight of my body, pushing down on it, forced it to bend again. For the rest of the way home I had to jam my thumb into the muscle.

But, as I said, one hell of an enjoyable ride.

Photos: Sion & Jono.

Milking It

2010-12-30T22:40:00.001+01:00

Amy got me a press and a load of old wooden printing blocks off a drunk man on Christmas Eve. I've been leaning towards typography in my work over the past six months and I'm fascinated by the old techniques such are letter presses etc. I can't wait to get more blocks and start experimenting.

Hot seller.

For Those Who Don't Already Know

2010-12-29T19:12:00.004+01:00

As well as posting all of crap below about bikes, tattoos, books and old photographs, I also have a day job. If you have time go and visit my work blog which I keep regularly updated:

http://marcevansdesign.co.uk/

Two (Count 'Em) Two More Spaces Left

2010-12-28T02:00:00.001+01:00

As I'd missed the majority of their dates supporting The Gallows due to illness, I went with my friends 33 all the way to Bridgewater to catch them on their last show. Ben was in the crowd and had his front teeth chipped by a mic-grabbing hardcore kid (who didn't know the words anyway). Afterwards Chris, Ben and myself (all three well over 6foot and with a combined weight in the region of over 50stone) squeezed into a tiny three door car for a scary drive through freezing fog back to Wales.

I found these terrific postcards somewhere in Mid Wales a few years ago. Sorry for the blurry photos (Jeez, I sound like a complaining tattooer).

There is a Welsh Club tucked away in Neasden, North West London which has a particularly unique and interesting hand painted take on the Welsh flag.

Love Is Just round The Corner

2010-12-28T01:42:00.001+01:00

I hear The Cure are playing a headline show at Bestival in 2011. Initially I was very tempted to go and see them, and thought it well worth the £180 ticket price. But, the more I thought about it, I realised they would, more than likely, play mainly the new stuff (and by new I mean everything Robert Smith wrote after 1989). I want to hear stuff off Disintigration, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and the older albums.

Perhaps I'll save my cash and just watch my Mum's VHS recording of The Cure In Orange' again instead, and hope they do a live run-through of Seventeen Seconds sometime soon.

All Time

2010-12-14T16:20:00.003+01:00

Poison Your Own Mind

2010-11-28T21:28:00.001+01:00

Some views from the tower. Best coffee in town.

Always Home

2010-11-28T17:08:00.001+01:00

Hooked

2010-11-27T20:33:00.000+01:00

and

Like You Can't Imagine

2010-11-26T14:12:00.000+01:00

I had my feet tattooed by Lee at Thomas Street Tattoo a few weeks ago. My left foot is a bike wheel with a quote from Greg LeMond, "It doesn't get easier, you just go faster'. As well as being a terrific quote in it's self it also represents the recent success of my Cycling prints, which marks my first commercial triumph and symbolises the start of my 'self employed' career as a designer.

The other foot is not a ships wheel! It's a Dharma wheel. google it.

I'm Too Quick For You

2010-11-09T23:21:00.000+01:00

I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode of The Walking Dead yesterday. I wonder if it will hold my attention for six episodes and into further series.

What Use Is Freedom Without Love?

2010-11-07T20:51:00.001+01:00

Had my chest finished by Simon. It still felt pretty raw in this photo, but its the only one I got.

We Won't Be Going Back

2010-11-07T20:43:00.002+01:00

New Bike New Bike

2010-10-19T14:11:00.003+01:00

Finally, one of my busiest months in years has settled down, so I finally took the plunge and bought myself a road bike. I was worried, after riding nothing but a brakeless track bike for the last three years, that there would be too much to get used to in one bike (brakes and gears, shoes, pedals, geometry etc). Initally, after a couple of shortish runs, I found it fine. The breaks and gears were not an issue, the pedals and shoes ok too. But today I went out a little further and it wrecked my body. I followed one of my favorite routes, a flattish 50miler which I do regularly, and I'd go as far as to say it hurt a lot more than doing it on my track bike. I'm sure it'll be a case of getting used to the position on a new bike, I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the Black Mountains, going out to West Wales, and completing my first century.

These two bikes will live in different parts of the city so I took advantage of having my two bikes together and took some photo's.

Never Enough

2010-09-11T14:58:00.001+01:00

I've admired dagger tattoos, in their many variations, for a while now. A few weeks ago I finally got myself one. I kept it traditional, kinda like the ones above, and added an all seeing eye to it.

Welcome Back Nic

2010-09-10T13:41:00.000+01:00

Not since Raising Arizona or Leaving Las Vegas have I enjoyed a Nicolas Cage movie as much as Bad Lieutenant.

Danish Epic

2010-09-10T13:30:00.000+01:00

I'm currently reading the novel 'We, the drowned'. It is an incredible tale set in 19th century Denmark. In my next life I want to be a sailor.

Work Shmirk

2010-09-10T12:34:00.000+01:00

If you have time then head over to my other blog to have a peek at my Other Life.

http://hardlyartdesign.blogspot.com

See You On The Hill

2010-09-10T12:29:00.000+01:00

The Tour Of Britain passes through Swansea on Monday. I'm pretty excited about it I gotta tell you. As part of the big finish of the city circuit is this cobbled street. I value my knees too much to try and tackle this on my track bike but can't wait to see the roadies blast up it.

I remember when the Milk Race held a stage finish in Swansea when I was a kid. I got to the barriers on the Kingway just in time to witness a horrific crash during the hectic sprint finish. Couple this with braking half a dozen bones in my hand when riding my friends 'drop handlebar' bike around the same time, and I think it may be easy to work out why my love affair with racing bikes did not take hold until I was well into my thirties.

Simple Music Is The Hardest Music To Play

2010-09-06T21:42:00.000+01:00

At Last, Beaten

2010-09-05T23:32:00.000+01:00

And You Thought It Was A Sperm Whale

2010-09-05T23:26:00.001+01:00

The loudest sound in the world was the eruption of the volcano Krakatau in the late 1800s. Apparently the sound circled the earth a few times.

A Special Day But Nothing Changes

2010-09-05T23:12:00.000+01:00

Review: Profile Airwing Bars

2010-09-05T23:03:00.000+01:00

I've been on a quest to find the perfect bars for my track bike since I started riding. I've tried the lot: Road drops, risers, track drops. And so, the only other bar left was the 'bullbars'.

Normally I'm happy with my Nitto track drops. They do take a little getting used to at the beginning. In fact, only on my third or forth ride did I finally leave them on my bike for longer than an hour. Naturally, they are not intended for road use, and so the only real comfortable position is down on the drops. The curve of the bar makes it difficult to get a nice grip as it pushes your wrists outwards, and climbing is a nightmare, but after a couple of rides your hands, wrists and arms start to settle in. Of course, whats also important about the track bars is that they look great on your bike. (Don't let any fixed gear rider tell you that they don't care about the look of their bike!) Track bars give your bike that nice classic look.

Saying that track bars are not great for longer rides is a bit of an understatement. I've done several runs lately of 50+ miles and I have to tell you that it's not my legs that are hurting the most when I get home, it's my wrists, arms and shoulders. I know there is more to this that my choice of bar, but it would help greatly if I had more hand positions to chose from.

So, the Bullbars it is then.

Again, it has taken me quite a few rides to get into these bars. It took me a while to get used to the look of them on my bike and the way they throw you so far forward on your bike is strange at first, but, like the track bars, after persevering they begin to grow on you. They not only offer you a few more hand positions, which is terrific for long runs, when you are climbing, up out of the saddle, it almost feels like you have another gear as your body is thrown so much further forward.

I've ridden about a 1000 miles on these Airwings, and so far I'm more than happy with them. I've yet to find a good hand position for solid trackstands (I had my worst ever result in a trackstand comp the other week!) and fucking about doing backward circles and various leg over skid combos.

Look Up 'Souvlaki'

2010-09-05T22:47:00.000+01:00

Must Be Something In It

2010-09-05T22:22:00.002+01:00

Style For Miles

2010-09-05T22:15:00.000+01:00

The Gonz always looks good no matter what he is riding. Watching that footage of him trying to kickflip a bike was incredible.

Every Mark Has It's Meaning

2010-09-05T21:56:00.000+01:00

Solid Advice

2010-09-05T20:57:00.000+01:00

"Don't be rude to your artist because you are in pain, its your choice to get the tattoo, the are just doing their job"

7ft Tall

2010-09-05T12:37:00.001+01:00

Looking forward to the Tour Of Britain hitting my home town on Monday.

The Heat Of The Basements Of Hotel X

2010-09-02T18:31:00.004+01:00

Even better the second time.

To Discuss An Opinion With A Fool

2010-09-02T18:13:00.002+01:00

I'd Be Glad

2010-08-29T14:33:00.003+01:00