I strongly encourage you to go and have a look (especially the @qi.com chaps who might get some mileage out of that first image upthread^^^). Thank you, @aresluna.org for preserving these wonders (and thus rendering me helplessly giggly on a Sunday afternoon).
A photo of Bob on the back cover of his book. He looks a bit like Daniel Mays crossed with Hugh Bonneville. The blurb says: Bob Neill, artist of the typewriter, was born in the Kent village of Aylesford and practises as a professional Hypnotherapist in the County Town of Maidstone. He first started typing pictures on his typewriter in 1960, having read about a woman in Spain who was producing this form of typewriter art. His first effort was a portrait of a magazine cover-girl which was published in the 'Star' evening newspaper. He then continued with his newly-discovered hobby, producing pictures and portraits which have been exhibited widely and published in various magazines and journals. A selection of his work appears in this book together with the secrets of Typewriter Art and a computer programme to enable some of the pictures to be produced on a home computer (such as the Commodore PET) using the BASIC computer language. So many people have asked him how to start this new-found hobby that he come up with the idea of writing patterns for his pictures so that more people could enjoy the hobby of Typewriter Art. He has perfected the method over the years, making it so easy that even children of eight have produced excellent pictures unaided. BOB NEILL'S BOOK OF TYPEWk.iER ART gives you the chance, whatever your age or artistic ability, to create for yourself fascinating pictures on the typewriter by following the simple instructions and patterns within these pages. What Bob Neill has worked out with pains¬ taking care over the yearr can be yours to enjoy as you begin the absorbing and fascinating hobby of Typewriter Art. PRICE NET £5 ISBN 0 946017 01 What cost £5.00 in 1982 would cost £18.06 in February 2026. Lads, our Bob is *premium*.
"...have appeared in various magazines and journals: a pattern of ADAM ANT in 'JACKIE'; the cover picture of this book, PRINCE CHARLES, in 'WOMAN'S REALM'; THE POPE in the 'CATHOLIC HERALD' while 'SHE' magazine is to publish the PERSIAN CAT (head) sometime in 1982/83."
The first volume has got Telly Savalas, a Persian Cat (full body, head only), THE ROSE, THE NUDE, THE ARAB, THE POPE and a Mystery Picture. And the KING on the front. *salutes*
Bob Neill (1982) "Bob Neill’s book of typewriter art". Goudhurst, Weavers Press. Accessed at archive.org/details/bob-...
These wonders are from the marvellous Bob Neill (1984) "Bob Neill’s second book of typewriter art". Goudhurst, Weavers Press. Accessed at: archive.org/details/BobN...
The contents page from Bob Neill (1984) Bob Neill’s second book of typewriter art. Goudhurst, Weavers Press. CONTENTS Foreword 1 Introduction 2 1 Ethel (Sandi Toksvig) from No. 73 (ITV) 4 2 Chimpanzee 14 3 H.R.H. Prince William, one year old 22 4 TV personality, Selina Scott 30 5 Benny (Paul Henry) from Crossroads (ITV) 40 6 Baby Rabbit 50 7 Blue Peter dog, Goldie (BBC TV) 62 8 Miss Elly (Barbara Bel Geddes) from Dallas 72 9 J.R. (Larry Hagman) from Dallas 80 10 Barry Manilow 88 1 1 Lady in Shadow 98 12 Young Boy 108 13 Californian Quail (head) 118 14 The Tabby Cat 130 15 The King Crane 140 16 Man on Elephant 150 17 Horse (with halter) 160 18 Bobby Vee 170 19 Persian Cat (head, facing right) 178 20 Adam Ant 186 Computer Pictures 196
There's a very singular choice of subjects here.
Sandi Toksvig,
Selina Scott,
Benny from Crossroads,
Adam Ant,
GOLDIE THE BLUE PETER DOG...
An ascii art image of a very young Sandi Toksvig made using a typewriter. The facing page is headed Ethel from 'No. 73' and has row by row instructions for recreating the image on a typewriter, which look a little bit like a knitting pattern. No, I don't really know either, sorry.
"Bob Neill has been typing his amazing pictures for upwards of twenty years. As a result, he has developed a method to make it possible for anyone to create typewriter art of the same quality by following his simple instructions."
You, too, can make a typewriter drawing of Sandi Toksvig circa 1984!
This is a wonderful piece of writing. Thank you.
Doing your freelance accounts.
Just saying thank you for your amazing suite of tools. Just being able to play with the interfaces has really helped me get my head around colour theory. Do you know about artistpigments.org ? Can't work out if they're using your stuff, but they have interesting namespace data...
(gently points at Heated Rivalry) You’re welcome!
Ethan Marcotte @beep > GO NORTH Detalls 3 Nov Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep NORTH is lousy with bears. Are you sure about 3 Nov Detalls Ethan Marcotte @beep @wilto > GO NORTH Detalls 3 Nov Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto #NOu @beep The BEARS are incredulous. One drops his salmon, 3 additional bears to the EAST and WEST._ Ethan Marcotte @beep @wilto > TAKE FANCY BEAR Details 3 Nov Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto ebeep Ine FANCYBEAR responds with a blustering "I say." The INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE BEARS' tea party is runeo. Inechsaso sALMoN. Ethan Marcotte @beep @wilto > INVENTORY Detailsi 3 Nov Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep * COMPASS (1) * SPIRAL-CUT HAM (3) * SPICE GIRLS CASETTE (1) * Despondent FANCYbEAR, twirling his LUXURIOUS MUSTACHE. (1) Detalls "NOV than Marcotte gbeer @wilto > THROW HAM AT RAGE BEARS Details I 3 Nov Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep BEARS are sated by the succulent HAMS save one. YOUNG FANCYBEAR slaps you with a glove, lanone saslaColl OrT Onl OFFAROIDAU： SNOV Detalls Ethan Marcotte @beep #NOVI Details Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep You have acquired REGINALD. The SMALL rAnorocArs name is recinate. Iurns out ine BEARS look increasingly uneasy. They flee WEST._ Detalls Ethan Marcotte @been 3 Nov SNOV Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep There are TREES and HASTILY DISCARDED SALMON all around. You are carrying a bag of EXQUISITELY-DRESSED BEARS. You can go EAST, WEST._ ethan marcoute goeed Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto @beep You reach the OCEAN, home to ALL MANNER OF SCARY-ASS STUFF; MOLLUSKS or WHATEVER. There is ALL MANNER OF SCARY-ASS STUFF to the EAST._ ctnan Marcorte woeed Mat "Wilto" Marquis @wilto 3 Nov @beep You wisely go NORTH. Have you seen those FISH WITH THE GLOWING HANGY-THING ON THEIR HEAD? Screw the OCEAN. Nervous bears to the WEST._ Details Ethan Marcotte @beep @wilto > GO NORTH Deralls *NOV Mat "Wilto" Marquis owilto 3 Nov @beep You are in CANADA. There is HEALTH CARE to the Weand FAs here is sANiA to the Norin. ne FANCYBEARS put on FAN…
(Zero horses, OK - but how many parrots?)
Today I'm soft launching Mythril, a design practice investigating technology and power.
Our first project, Investigative Aesthetics, is a non-exhaustive genealogy tracing the lineage of art as investigation from the 1860s to present day.
^^ or was it @megp.bsky.social ?
Wondering which of my friends put together a playlist called '2007: a year in music', featuring Vampire Weekend, Petra Haden, Jonathan Richmond and June Tabor, among others. Was it @yoz.bsky.social ?
Best Sandwich is at Grain and Hearth, btw.
Palantir is mirror-universe GDS.
I just accidentally shuffled from 'Has anybody seen my dog?' from Sesame Street Fever www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtO_... (the 1978 disco album with Robin Gibb and the cast of Sesame Street) to 'Dog in the Piano (dirty edit)' by Indian Ropeman. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaQm... WHAT. A. MIX.
I was very disappointed, when being sworn in as an executor, that the solicitor had neither a copy of Winnie-the-Pooh nor The House at Pooh Corner to hand.
Looks like it's back now - my search for exactly the right vintage donkey is much easier! Thanks for your help @textfiles.com @flickrfdn.bsky.social
Yep - I assume because of the large text extracts in the description giving a lot of false positives? It would be good to know if it's going to be preserved anywhere else, it's a unique resource.
Hi @textfiles.com - would love to know what's going on with that flickr account. Know it's not the first time it's been turned off. (And already asked @ukglo.bsky.social if she knows anything!)
Hey @archive.org - is your book illustration scans account permanently gone from Flickr? (makes the sad face of an artist in the middle of a project using the images)
It looks like the Internet Archive Book Images have all been removed from public view on Flickr. So sad - it was an extraordinary resource of free imagery. www.flickr.com/photos/inter...
...on Bluesky in theory. Hiya! You're too kind, thank you.
Peter Greenaway's FROZEN
Also, how do those folk get up from those incredibly low armchairs?
I tried all the support info with no joy, too. LMK if yours is working?
(Are you still using it? It's been failing for a couple of weeks for me, looks like the database is gone)
Bagpuum