New Blog

I have started a new blog today, called Front Page, where I shall be posting a face a day from the news of the day. I need to improve my portraits and I feel the way to go is to practise every day. Good drawing is the foundation of any painting and I know that if I do more I shall get better. I have exhausted family and friends and thought the news would provide an endless variety of faces and also add further interest.
My aim is to get brilliant and in demand! It will be very interesting to look back at this a year from now and see the benefits ( or not!).

Torso 21" x 26" Oil

Don't you just love bottoms? A favourite subject, certainly, I enjoyed painting this, and I stopped before I started on the 'fiddling'. Good day. I used a limited palette, Ultramarine, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre and Titanium White. Classic blue, red and yellow, although I wouldn't call these colours primaries.
Thanks for your visit and your comments which I appreciate very much.
Happy painting!

If you would like to purchase this painting for 200 GBP please email me.

Profile 12" x 12" Charcoal

A fellow artist who attends HAS life drawing, this is Jill, concentrating!

If you would like to purchase this painting for 40 GBP please email me.

Stephanie

This is as good as it's going to get. On to the next one!

Stephanie 10" x 10" Oil Work In Progress

Just did some more work on this today. Fiddled!

Gary Pencil 8" x 12"

Doesn't have quite the same appeal as a female, does it! This is my mate Gary who emigrated to USA, done from a photo, obviously. I used a Derwent Graphitint pencil, and found it difficult. You can't push it around like charcoal. I slapped some water on it, in frustration, and was happier!

I went to the studio with the intention of sorting out exactly what I was going to submit to the forthcoming exhibition. Although it is not until Easter, a form has to be sent beforehand, advising of your list of paintings, so a catalogue can be printed. This has to arrive by the 18th March.
I quite often put in some titles and then paint the pictures!

Blot Or Not? 18" x 12" Oil

I have long wanted to paint this subject, in protest, even though I don't do landscapes. Although I can appreciate their worth, I find wind turbines huge, ugly and so intrusive in the landscape. So, do you agree? Blot or not?

This is the view from my bedroom window, spoiled by the wind turbines, but the shape to the right of them, on the horizon, is Ely Cathedral. I am amazed that I can see it because it is twenty miles away, but it is testament to how flat and empty is the landscape of the Fens. I can't see it everyday, but every morning I look, and if I can, then I know it will be a GOOD day!

If you would like to purchase this painting for 100 GBP please email me.

Stephanie 10" x 10" Oil Work In Progress

I liked this image so much I had to paint it! But while slogging away with the paint, it ocurred to me that it might be better done in pastel. Well, we shall see how it goes.
It is my intention to submit it to Lea Valley Art Society Annual show. Although I'm not a member anymore, (it was the first art society I joined), I always submit to the show, which is held every Easter weekend, at a wonderful venue, Haileybury College, Hertfordshire.

Memo + Recline

I have fiddled again with the 'door' and this is the last time I shall post this, promise, except......

It looks OK in the frame but I think I prefer it like this! As your opinion, my blogging friends, is very important please be kind enough to vote for your preference at the end of this post, and whichever gets the most votes, Uncropped or Cropped, will then be submitted to the exhibition. Thank you.
Thanks to those who took the time, and thought, to vote, the overwhelming preference was for the CROPPED version. I think Roy has time to make a new frame!


I also had some fun today. From a sketch I did of one of the models at HAS, years ago.

If you would like to purchase 'Recline' (20" x 16" Oil) for 100 GBP please email me.

Untitled + More Sketches

I wiped the colour off the 'door' three times and I am still not convinced! All suggestions gratefully received. If I could photograph it straight, it would help too!

'Bridesmaids'

Did a couple more sketches, this time with carbon pencil, because it is blacker than charcoal.

Stephanie Studies Charcoal

I couldn't put the charcoal down!

This is my niece Stephanie, from old photos. She lives in Canada, so I haven't seen her recently. The family are hoping to visit this summer, which I am looking forward to. I miss my brother so it will be a real treat.

If you would like to purchase these drawings for 70GBP please email me.