Loved and Lost......

I started a painting some time ago of my finance's sisters, first posted HERE.....

The youngest sister in the painting was sadly lost to the family at a very young age.As a mother myself I couldn't begin to know how that must feel for the family and especially to a mother. This is most certainly one of the reasons reasons I needed to paint this photo so much and wanted to finish this as a present for the older sister in the painting, it was a special birthday for her, her 65th.

 The nose shadow on the elder sister on the previous painting was still giving me trouble. I had washed this back, which is something I almost never do, and hate doing, it just wasn't happening. 

I decided to get out a fresh clean piece of paper and start again......

  

There are parts I still like on the first painting, but overall I was so much happier with this one...  The nose still gave me problems though. It was an old black & white photo with little detail. On this version I deliberately played down the shadow on that area, this way it would be less noticeable, and works better for it I think. 

Here Comes Trouble in oils....cont.

I hadn't realised it was so long since I updated my blog. I've been really busy for the last few months with various projects, but I have been putting work on my FB Art page  completely forgetting to update here as well.

This is one I am continually working on while learning at the same time. We are very fortunate at our Art Club Ilford Art Society, where we have an amazing teacher Mark Charalambou, who has been with the societys for over 25 years. Mark trained at St. Martin's School of Art and is a successful professional painter in his own right. Mark gained his Post Graduate Art teacher's Certificate from the Institute of Education at the University of London. He tailors tuition to each individual Member due to our wide range in abilities.He has taught me so much over the past year, especially painting portraits in oils, which is why this painting continues to change.

    

   I've added more and different colours to her chin and lower face. This was to build on her character. Zahrah is so full of energy and trouble in a cute lovable way, and who doesn't stay clean for longer than 5 mins, far from a sweet little miss perfect  which she would have looked like had I painted lovely smooth skin. I just need to be careful not to over do this though. It was hard getting a decent photo of this so it is showing a little grainy.

     I still need to close the gap between the mouth and nose, i've aged her a bit too much here. The beauty of oils is of course that we can keep changing our work, having said that, it doesn't hold the same joy and unpredictability of painting with watercolours does, not for me anyway.

 

The likeness gets closer with each painting session, along with my own progress on mixing colours. I have found this so different to working in watercolour and a real learning curve, and one wich i’m really enjoying. 

The previous stages, started with a basic outline, then placing in some tones with various skin colours.

Remembering....

My Dream.....

I often have many different paintings on the go at one time, and nowadays in different media as well, as i'm trying out others.....
 

This is a watercolour I started whilst in Holland staying with my friend Joanna. It got put aside as I was concentrating on her teaching me oils and Acrylics.

This is another of babasteve's wonderful reference photos, and I can't thank him enough for his generosity in sharing. I usually start with a drawing and once i'm happy with that erase almost all the lines so I can barely see it.

 Staring of with delicate washes....

A close up of the eyes on the first wash.

 Eventually picking this up again some while after I returned, I almost left it at this stage. The ref photo is of an African boy, and I am loving painting anything Africa at the moment. The problem was, although I liked it as it stood, it didn't say Africa to me, so on I went after letting it sit for a week or so....

This is where it is now and i'm calling it finished. I'm happy with it, but wondering if I was happier at the last stage.....Should I have left it?...I suppose it all comes down to personal taste in the end.

 My Dream

Charcoal study

A quick 15 min charcoal study for a painting i'm working on. After many many years, not since school really, I picked up willow charcoal again. I've found it especially useful in art class doing life work. 

I normally steer clear of this stuff as I get into such mess, but i'm finding how invaluable it can be. A bit like working with ink, with anything other than a pen, you loose a little control, you can't fiddle. I've found this way I experiment more. Working on this gave me other ideas for the bg as well. You really have a freedom with this stuff.

 Special thanks to Babasteve for the use of his photo

 

Elmo & Suki......

I've so much to catch up on here after spending a wonderful two weeks with my dear friend Joanna in Holland. I will post more on that later, but though I ought to post what i've been up to in order, if I can remember. So to start with:

These are two commissioned paintings of cats by a gentleman for his mothers birthday.  The cats belong to his mother and the paintings were to be a surprise for her birthday, which is the reason I have been unable to share them openly on-line until now. But I've just had word that he has given her the paintings, how much she loved them, and how I had captured their personalities.

Elmo

  It's always a worry when painting pets or portraits, not only that you capture the likeness, but also the spirit and personality. 

To do this I asked to know a little about them before starting my drawing and paintings. This really does help so much, making painting them much more enjoyable and I believe shows in the end result.

  Elmo is quite old and has unfortunately lost most of his teeth, because of this his tongue is out almost all of the time and he dribbles rather badly. I decided to keep the tongue as it was in the photos, after all that his him, it's how his owner sees him daily.....

Suki

This is Suki, she is the sister of Elmo and is about 14 years old. Just looking at the photos I was given of her gave me the impression she rules like the queen of the house.....

Make a Wish....Video...

Make a Wish

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It is a long time coming and took quite a long time to edit as well. I didn't realise how hard it would be to video myself. Quite nerve racking at times, but at the same time so enjoyable. 

(Special Thanks to babasteve for generously sharing his photos)

I have made this in response to lots of requests from friends wishing to see how I work, especially painting portraits. Special friends that have supported me in my journey, this is for you with my thanks.

Make a Wish Video 

I've tried to share some of how I work in this video. Unfortunately because of the way I work there isn't any time to stop and change the angle of the video camera, or zoom in at various times. I also found once played back that I need to work on better lighting. it was quite a dark day, raining most of the time, which didn't help. It has left the painting a bit washed out, but i've shown photos of it at the end of the video which is nearer to the original. the other thing I found difficult was to talk as well, hence the music. Something else to work on for the next one.

*****

I work in various ways depending on mood and subject, this is one of the ways. Although you obviously need to learn techniques, I do believe a lot of it comes from how you feel. You need to feel what you are painting, which is what adds that something extra to it. 

I know this not a professional masterpiece, but I do hope you enjoy watching this and that it helps even a little on your journey in watercolours.

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I welcome you to join me on my Art Page on Facebook.

Framed Print SOLD on FAA.....

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to the person who purchased a framed print of my pigs from my FINE ART AMERICA page.What a fantastic surprise this was....Seems to be a popular week for the pigs.

Pigs in Clover

(Formally Happy Family)

Framed Print

SOLD

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Pigs in Clover....SOLD

A couple of days ago I went to the Dovecote gallery where I sold the painting "Sunday Morning" to collect my unsold paintings. One of them was missing... We checked the paperwork to find which room it had been hanging, still no sign of it. There were lots of people collecting so a bit of chaos going on. resigned to the fact of thinking someone must have walked away with it, one gentleman suddenly said, "I think this was sold" .What a fantastic surprise.  I don't know who bought this, but I want to say a big thank you to you, it gives an artist such a boost when they sell something.  I had originally titled this Happy Family, but changed it after a suggestion from a friend...

"Pigs in Clover"

SOLD

Special thanks to Jane Minter for the use of her wonderful photo.

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Ken Bromleys Cover Competition ....

I was so thrilled this morning to find I have been short listed for this years

Ken Bromley Cover Competition.

with my painting 

"Face of Africa" 

     This was one of two paintings, one of which sold, that had been selected for the recent SWA Exhibition at the Mall Galleries. I'm still thrilled to have been part of the Exhibition and to have been short listed now for this is fantastic....

***Face of Africa***

Vote Now! 
for your 3 favourite paintings

Ken Bromley Art Supplies Cover Competition

It's amazing how inspiring it is, not only to be in amongst such wonderful art, but just to look through the many different styles and levels of other artists who have entered. It always leaves me want to pick up my brushes or maybe something new and having a go....

"Time to reflect"

  I entered this competition a few years back with "Time to Reflect" and came 3rd. In fact it was the very first time I had entered anything. I have watched how the standard of entries has got higher each year and this year I think they are even higher. Looking at the entries I'm still amazed I even made it this far, I'm certainly finding it very difficult to choose my 3 favourites.

I would urge anyone, no matter what level or where you are on your journey to enter anything and everything.. As I've found out this year, you never know until you try... and you'll be amazed at how inspirational it is to have even entered....