Framing and Drawing.

 

OK, you guys, which frame? I fell in love with no 1, spent lots of pennies and bought it specially to go with this painting.....but I have a horrid feeling the plain black looks better! Please bear in mind it is a bad photo, frame no 1 is grey and doesn't have the brown tinge really. As it is for the BP Award I want it to be the best it can be! Help!

 

To take my mind off the dilemma, I did this........

 

Tattoo  20" x 30" (?)  Conte, charcoal, acrylic. Work In Progress

 

 

Tattoo   detail

WA - A Different Surface

 

 

The brief at the WA today was to paint on a surface other than canvas or paper. My plan was to paint a girls' head onto glass with oil paint and to 'print' it onto the backing board from the frame and so get a 'shadow'. Huh! Didn't work! Paint not wet enough, board too absorbent , not enough pressure....lots of reasons why and tou all could probably have told me. I had no plan B. So I started to paint onto another board. Wiped that...didn't like. So I ended the afternoon right back in my comfort zone......charcoal!

 

Studio

 Friends  16" x 9"  Oil

I got out into the studio today, the first time for weeks. I have been staying indoors by the fire and had not appreciated just how inhibiting that is. Oh, it was just glorious to be back. So I had a little play. These girls were at the railway station one Saturday and it tickled me to see that they were all wearing the same style of shoes. The next time at the station there was another goup of girls, or maybe the same ones!!, and they all had on white shoes. Which might be my play for tomorrow!

 

Eight  detail

 

 

 

I had to put back the other strap....I'm happy now.



Tiddling!

 

Self Scrutiny  16" x 20" Oil

Happier with the neck.

 

Eight   24" x 30"  Charcoal

Tidied up the face and hat and chucked red oil paint at the dress, which I hastily removed again! Seem to have lost her other strap along the way and the balance is all wrong because of it! On a positive note, I am pleased with both these paintings.

 

WA - Castle / Abbey Ruins

Eight  24" x 30"  Charcoal (so far)

 

You didn't think I had done that, did you? No. I spent a fruitless morning surfing the net for a likely reference, but in the end, decided I was not interested enough in the subject to find something! This though is more like it, but I've yet to decide how to progress. Getting the drawing right would be good!

Black + White Self Portrait 16" X 20" Oil

 

I have been working on this, just the neck needs sorting. I think I prefer this to the one with the brush, but let's have another vote shall we? I don't think this was included before.

 

 

Kids 24" x 16" Mixed

Kids WIP

 

This is to be a gift for a friend who is celebrating her 75th birthday. These are her grandchildren. I paid no attention to planning or composition, just took up a photo and drew it. The young lady at far right is what I was looking for, a likeness in a few lines.....so work to do. I should have planned!

Black +White Self Portrait 16" x 20" Oil

 

 

Just can't get away from myself!

WA - Drawing

 

The brief at the art club today was to draw....no painting......something antique. I'm still on the self portrait kick which I thought wasn't straying too far!

Self Portrait 20" x 16" Oil wip

Self Portrait 20" x 16" Oil WIP (detail)

 

I think this answers your question, Carolann. I have been working on my favorite SP today, just a detail of which I am showing you.

Another One!

WA - Wheels

 

I took my SP with Scarf to carry on with, but I did have a doodle with wheels.

I asked the opinion of my arty buddies re the SPs and the most popular seems to be the scarf one.

EssPeeeeeees!

 1. Self Scrutiny 12" x 16" Oil

 

 2. Self Scrutiny Too  12" x 16"  Oil

 

3. SP 20" x 16" Oil

 

4. SP with Scarf  16" x 20"  Oil WIP

 

I am looking for help making my choice of painting to submit to the BP portrait award, sooo....1,2,3 or 4? I wonder if your favourite will be mine too!

 

There is also a new exhibition this year, 'Self', run alongside and with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. I might just go mad and do both!

Portrait of the Artist 20" x 16" Oil

 

 

I really want to submit a painting to the BP Portrait Award this year, so expect a few more of these between now and February 13th! I want to get right away from their penchant for photo-realism, which must take forever to paint, and submit something fast and furious just to see if it gets anywhere at all. If I paint anything I think is worth spending the £36 submission fee on, I shall. I like this one!

Looking Back

At this time every year I have trouble painting. Whether it's the weather, the dark, or just the lazyitis, I can never get going after the clocks change...right until they change back again!

Here are a few of my favourites from last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Les Mis 16" x 12" Oil

 

I had to paint today, after what seems like weeks of not doing any, so there I sat, brush in hand, paint on palette for about twenty minutes, just wondering what to paint! In the end I put on  the TV and paused on a likely subject.  Apparently the news today is that Les Miserables has got eight Oscar nominations and I think this is the star of the show, Anne Hathaway. Well done.

WA - Weather

 

Rain  20" x 16"  Oil

 

Happy new year, everyone...and happy painting!

Merry Christmas!

 

I wish you all a very merry christmas and hope that peace and goodwill are yours throughout 2013.

 

I would also take this opportunity to thank everyone who has shown interest in my humble bloggings and contributed with comments, different points of view, virtual pats on the back and sales! I am always very appreciative. 

Two 19" x 12" Oil

 

I'm calling this done, although a couple of places need tiddling, but I won't say where in case you've not spotted it! He he!

Two 10" x 12" Oil WIP

 

This is to be a gift for a friend, who is to visit during the holiday. I hope he will forgive the theft of the photo from his facebook page!

 

 

Alfie 15" x 19" Oil

 

Finished, framed and gone.......next!

Alfie WIP

 

This is a commission.....a birthday pressie, I think. Anyway, so far so good....except, as usual, I do wish I had been doing the background along with the dog!

WA - Pass the Object

 

We all took along something Christmas-y to draw. We had a set time and a different medium for each one, and then the object was passed to the person to our left.

 

Graphite and Sharpie.

Different sized drawing pens with left hand (I'm right-handed)

Contour drawing looking at paper.

 Watercolour

Contour drawing NOT looking at paper.

Then Judith showed us the 'magic' painting with watersoluble black ink. If you add more water to a drawing after the ink has dried, the ink separates into it's component colours...blue and yellow!

 

Love this one!

 



Painting.......or not.

Siblings  20" x 16"   Oil

 

I have finished this commission,  just in time for Christmas, and really hope the recipient likes it and think she has a wonderful brother to think of such a lovely gift. Can't believe I started this back in September!

 

So.....I have been painting, a little, but, I confess I have turned my attention elsewhere....back to my first love...sort of. When I was 17 I wanted to be Michelangelo! I wanted to have created 'David' and 'Pieta' but real life took over and I have never, or ever shall, have the wherewithall to realise such ambition. But carve wood I can do, or at least I can try. My efforts are not for public scrutiny as yet...but don't go away!