‘I drunkenly hugged him and said I love you, Martin Parr!’ Grayson Perry, Don McCullin and more on Britain’s national photographer

Martin Parr, extraordinary photographer of the ordinary, dies at 73

Here is the link the-citizens.com/2025/02/serg...

One Battle After Another. Watched it last night. Still don't know what I feel about it.

So what next? I have some ideas for my next project. One is a Russian journalist photographing a knocked out Tiger tank. The other involves US soldiers at rest in Vietnam. I'm also considering doing something related to the Korean war, as my dad was there. Can't make my mind up. #histscalemodels

I think I'm done with him, mainly because I don't know what else he needs. Apart from setting him down on a nice plinth. #histscalemodels

Going through the slow laborious task of trying to make a lump of resin look human. #histscalemodels

Dang 🎯

There was a lot more to AA Milne than Pooh bear.

I'm up a stepladder splashing paint around the room and I'm reminded of the wise words of a former colleague, who confidently declared "the man who invented fucking ought to be decorated. The man who invented decorating, however, should be thoroughly fucked". Alan, wherever you are, you were right.

A new one for me, a friend brought me some beer back from Brussels. Never knew Chouffe did an IPA.

Out of my comfort zone here. For the first time I'm tackling a 1/10 scale bust. This thing is huge. Going to be fun dojng the face-no room for errors there. #histscalemodels

A few pics of some older builds that never went into the #histscalemodels group.

Think I'm done. A despatch rider taking a few minutes of peace by a stream, while a French pussy cat looks on, hopeful of getting something to eat. #histscalemodels

Getting a bit closer to how want it to look, waiting for the river water to harden off so I can add some water plants. #histscalemodels

Think I have the beginnings of a diorama idea for my despatch rider and his motorcycle. He'll be taking a rest and a tea break on the bank of a stream. There may be a friendly dog or cat involved too. #histscalemodels

The Girl has just discovered a recipe for a - wait for it - full English breakfast tarte tatin. So tempted to try out this magnificent creation one morning this week.

Last load of basil from our greenhouse. We might be making pesto tonight.

Never built anything by Copper State Models before, beautifully sculpted, and needed absolutely no cleaning up or sanding, assembly very easy and accurate. Not cheap kits, but I'm very impressed. #histscalemodels

Think this is done. Now time for a good clear-up in the bloke room. #histscalemodels

A bit more progress on the rainy day in 1918. #histscalemodels

Forty-odd years of the politics of greed, self-interest and the cult of the individual. Anyone who openly admires, or quotes Hayek is unfit to be let anywhere near a public post.

Wake up Britain. In the US, the Ellisons have put “anti-woke” Bari Weiss in charge of CBS News. The goal is to turn it into a mouthpiece for Trump. No wonder Trump is backing Larry’s AI plans. In the UK, the Ellisons own Channel 5. And ITN’s contract for 5 News ends in 2028. The shit is coming.

Been reading @russincheshire.bsky.social Tories - End of An Error. Brilliantly funny, but I had to stop, it made me so angry at times. The damage done to our country by a bunch of Hayek-addicted idealogues, aided and abetted by some absolute fucking idiots. Sorry Russ, I'll get through it eventually

More muddy water, more barbed wire. #histscalemodels

Love this. Humour with a historical sentiment.

Driving down the M5 this afternoon I saw a sign saying "Check your distance". Thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that I can be a bit aloof sometimes.

Been experimenting with AK two part resin water. Looks good, but didn't seal the base well enough and the stuff started seeping out the bottom. Grrr. Better make sure the main shell hole is properly sealed before I fill it otherwise there's going to be an unholy mess. #histscalemodels

I have the beginnings of a shell hole, courtesy of VMS Smart Mud, dried dirt from my garden followed by lots of various shades of washes. Currently waiting for some acrylic resin water to be delivered, along with some barbed wire. #histscalemodels

What kind of pair of idiots would go to an open air theatre performance on the wettest evening in August? It was good, if a tad moist.

This is sort of what I have in mind, though it may evolve differently. #histscalemodels

Finally finished the tracks, and test fit. Really, that's about it. Now I have to make a mucky shell hole for it. Then I can really start flinging the mud around. #histscalemodels

Spent the morning chipping, streaking and smoke damage. Next will be mud. And I still haven't started painting the running gear yet. Or assembled the tracks. #histscalemodels

The Lirone is definitely a new instrument to me. Love the sound though. www.instagram.com/reel/DMym_Sz...

What a deep joy it is to shadow and highlight 87,000 individual rivets. I have to get up close with my glasses off. I look like my granddaughter eating her dinner. #histscalemodels

Well, the lid is on (though it took some wrangling) so no-one will ever see the enormous glaring error I made. I hope... #histscalemodels.

Remember that viral story last week about Angela Rayner bulldozing allotments? Which even the allotment society somewhat debunked? I looked into one of the sites and it’s wilder still: they are *increasing* the number of allotments, not cutting them. capx.co/angela-rayne...

Our little peach tree is dojng rather well.

A bit more progress in the A7v this morning. Once this paint is hardened then it masking time for the other camo colours. Dreading that bit. #histscalemodels

It's difficult to understate how big a cunt you'd have to be to order something like this. There are real solutions to these problems, but instead he's going to start locking people up in a for profit system; inflicting suffering and misery and making a profit at the same time. What a nazi bastard.

Not yet posted anything of the current project here. It's been a bit on/off if I'm honest, too much other stuff distracting me. But, here's the WIP, a WW1 German A7v, which will end up submerged in a shell hole. #histscalemodels

Reflecting on the cover of the current RSPB magazine, I don't think I've ever seen a curlew. And this saddens me.

Reform are against the 5,000 jobs in South Wales and energy security that floating offshore wind could support. And apparently now against… electricity, with this nuts letter opposing any cables, batteries, or in fact anything getting built

@axemonkey.bsky.social Hi mate, Ross and I trying to get hold of you, for a social evening next week.

After the news of Sly Stone, now another of my musical influences has moved on. An absolute (if fractured) visionary and genius. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

Truly saddened to see that Sly Stone has left us. If there's one person responsible for my early interest (which turned into a lifelong love) of funk, it's him.

Well, I think this clears up any doubt whether the Beeb is impartial or not...

“Zia Yusuf. What first attracted you into resigning from Reform on important matters of deeply held principles and then realising you don’t actually have any?”