Friday, October 1, 2021

Clip Art


I have two laptop computers. One I bought when we lived in the states, back in 2011. I used it for several years here, and then it seemed to be running slow and getting hung up on web sites, so in early 2016 I bought a replacement. This one has been running well ever since, knock on wood, though I suppose by now it must be getting a bit creaky too.

Anyway, we still use my 2011 computer for playing DVDs, and I use it to scan from our scanner, because I've never installed scanning software on my newer one. The other day, after scanning something, I went into the image files to retrieve it and I rediscovered all this ridiculous clip art. (Definition of clip art: "Simple pictures and symbols made available for computer users to add to their documents.")

These pictures came with Microsoft Office 2011. There are dozens and dozens of them.


There are random people, as you can see, doing random things. There are objects -- wastebaskets, lamps, kitchen gadgets, a jar of coins. There's all kinds of food, from bananas to bok choi. There are pigs and cows and sheep. There are ducks and chickens.


I never used any of this clip art for anything, so I figured I may as well get some use out of it and make it into a blog post. (I'm assuming I'm allowed to do that, copyright-wise, since it is, after all, clip art.)


I don't think I have art like this on my newer computer, which doesn't seem to have the same suite of Microsoft software.


Anyway, I am easily amused, and I found all these pictures amusing.






Hopefully, you'll find them amusing too. I wonder where all these people are now?

We're having some dreadful weather at the moment. It's pouring rain and as I write, the dog is safely ensconced and snoring beneath the blankets in bed. No walks this morning!

We turned on the heat last night because it got so chilly in the house. It's supposed to get down to 47º F (8.3º C) tonight.




So, pick your mood. Are you the exuberant Parker Posey lookalike at the top of this post, or the defeated migraine sufferer at the bottom? Or somewhere in between?

41 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

I love the second shot of the guy mid-air. These are so entertaining. Ugh, 47. That’s a COLD winter’s day here. Currently 70, and climbing.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

After ten years these clip art pictures have taken on an interesting quality. I am sure that they were never meant to be viewed as "art" or as an odd, tangential window on another age but that is what has happened.

Debby said...

Our furnace kicked on last night for the first time this season. That's what I heard, anyway, having slept right through this momentous occasion.

Ursula said...

My mood? I am the exuberant in the top photo. I am also (no not migraine stricken, and little has "defeated" me so far) the one in the bottom photo who occasionally asks herself why . . . I won't fill in the rest because I don't wish to give anyone a headache.

U

crafty cat corner said...

I like a bit of clip art now and again in my posts if I haven't got any photo's to illustrate what I mean.
I'm impressed that a 10 year old laptop is still working.
Briony
x

Tasker Dunham said...

I'm like the last one but I aspire to be like any or all of the others.

Anonymous said...

Moment spoilt as I have to translate 47 degrees. I can't be bothered. A bit chilly.

I had forgotten about Clip Art. I think we have a CD full of clip art. I hope we didn't pay for it. Such a blast from the past.

Ten years is old for a laptop. But then thinking, our desktop might be about ten years old and I see no reason to replace it. It works, as I expect your laptops do.

Steve Reed said...

Point taken -- I have edited to include a Celsius temp!

The older laptop SORT OF works. It struggles with web sites.

Bob said...

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a clip art model."

"Fascinating" said no one ever.

Ed said...

I was thinking along the same lines as Bob above.

Ms. Moon said...

Was there no clip art of people who were not preternaturally skinny?

ellen abbott said...

I don't think I have any clip art on my computer but then I've never explored any of the applications that came with it that I have no use for. those photos all look slightly unreal.

Anonymous said...

None of these photos capture my utter disgust about every headline in the news every freakin' day. Where's the person flipping off the world? LOL!

The Bug said...

I love how the baseball player has a bit of dirt on his uniform. However, his shoes look too big. I'm baseball obsessed because my Atlanta Braves have won the National League East for the 4th year in a row - and it's all the sweeter because I thought they were totally cooked in June.

Sharon said...

I think I'll go with the chef with the empty bowl. I just discovered a whole bunch of text message gifs on my phone that I didn't know I had. It's amazing the things these devices can do. Fun post!

Margaret said...

Oh, clip art! I remember it being cartoony and not real people. Brrr on the weather. My heat has come on for the first time this fall. We're at 52 right now.

Sarah said...

These would be good for talking about emotions with children, as they are all so exaggerated! I don't think I am any of them!

Kelly said...

This has been one of those days, so I'm probably the migraine woman at the bottom. At least I got my seasonal flu shot today, so that's a plus! Now it's time for a beer....

Janie Junebug said...

You need the heat on and I'm still running the air conditioning. I guess I'm somewhere in between the bouyant person and the sufferer.

Love,
Janie

jenny_o said...

I do remember clip art but the only kind I really liked was the Screen Beans (cartoon-ish black silhouettes). I think clip art was kind of the forerunner of websites for free photos like Pixabay.

Steve Reed said...

The top one is my fave. Doesn't she look like Parker Posey?!

Steve Reed said...

It's funny that ten years ago seems like such a long time -- but in computer terms it's an eternity.

Steve Reed said...

It's that time of year!

Steve Reed said...

Your mood is mercurial, then!

Steve Reed said...

I occasionally use clip art when I need art for a poster in the library. I don't think I've ever used it on the blog!

Steve Reed said...

Honestly, I'm probably more the last one too.

Steve Reed said...

But don't you wonder who these people are, and where they are now? Are they still modeling? How much did they get paid for this gig?

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, fascinating is a stretch. Mildly interesting, though, maybe.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! Now that you mention it, no.

Steve Reed said...

You find weird stuff when you go digging into random computer folders!

Steve Reed said...

(On your own computer ONLY, obviously. :) )

Steve Reed said...

THAT's some clip art we could ALL get behind!

Steve Reed said...

I didn't notice his shoes until you mentioned it, but yeah, they DO look ill-fitting!

Steve Reed said...

At least the chef is doing something constructive! It is funny what get stored in the nooks and crannies of our devices.

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, all this clip art was photos -- no drawings or cartoons. Disappointing!

Steve Reed said...

They are very over-the-top, aren't they?!

Steve Reed said...

After the beer you'll look more like photo no. 1!

Steve Reed said...

It really has gotten cold here all of a sudden.

Steve Reed said...

Screen Beans? I'm going to have to look that up! Yeah, I guess people don't really need a ready supply of clip art anymore, do they? There's so much of it online.

Moving with Mitchell said...

That’s it! She DOES look like Parker Posey!

Edna B said...

I never found any clip art on my new laptops. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.