Latest paintings

I've not been very active recently - I keep saying that don't I - but this is mainly due to a virus that has affected me during the last five weeks, leaving my with a debilitating cough plus, to cap it all, I strained my back when clearing autumn leaves at the weekend. I was starting to paint more regularly but this has come to a halt. Apart from that I've run out of inspiration for blog posts although I'll probably do a feature on Turner watercolours, another brand to appear on the scene recently.

Another Amerindian - 16" x 12" Centenaire. 300gsm (140lb) not

This is from my extensive collection of black and white/sepia photographs, mainly by Edward Curtis. I should qualify that by saying most have been downloaded from the web, although I also have a book of Curtis's photographs.

Most of these photos are very dark and strongly contrasted and I'm trying to break away from this, using slightly more imaginative colours. This particular individual appears to have a damaged eye, the one on the left of the painting. The colours were mainly combinations of Ultrarine Blue and Burnt Umber for the darks  with added Turquoise (Lukas PB16). Cadmium Red Light.in various combinations and afterwards I used Vallejo Acrylic white for highlights. I'm not claiming it's good but I've done worse.

Fox in Autumn 16" x 12" Waterford High White 300gsm (140lb) not

This was painted at an AVA session two weeks ago. The fox is the main feature with the rest just window dressing. The bright colours are to indicate it is autumn with various reds, yellows and golds predominant. Just an exercise.

Experimental - 16" x 12" Waterford High White 300gsm (140lb) not

I wasn't sure about showing this one as viewers may think I've lost it! It came about as the subject at last week's AVA session `Experimental'. 

We had to pick a few scraps of paper torn from magazines, stick them to the paper using glue (provided) and us your imagination to compose a painting. Not having too much imagination this proved difficult.I stuck three random bits of paper on and then splashed various complimentary colours on letting them run and intermix. What to do next? One of the pieces of paper had a small photo of a young woman so I focussed on her eyes and added my own version of eyes, experimenting with various colours and ways of painting them. Did this work? Pretty weird but it was fun (in the end).

Latest Amerindian

This is my latest attempt at an Amerindian circa 1900. I don't know his name or the tribe. 

Unknown - 16" x 12" Centenaire 140lb (300gsm) not

I made an initial pencil drawing using one of my most recent acquisitions a Pentel 07 Graphgear 1000 Draughting pencil. I'm not sure that this is any better than the cheaper Pentels I normally use, possibly more durable. Recent portraits have been done without the time consuming measuring and careful working out or spacing of features. I don't want to become too mechanical in my approach and not be fixated on copying the photo exactly. I don't think the above is too bad in that respect but the facing eye looks a little threatening and perhaps should have been toned down a little. I think the result is fair if not quite up to the standard of my better ones. I'm also trying to stick to Charles Reid's mantra of `small areas of detail, large areas of generality and have been (again) looking at my reports of the Stow workshop and his approach to the portrait he painted.

Colours used for the features and skin were Cadmium Red Light, Raw Sienna and Cerulean. To darken the eye shadows Ultramarine Blue was added. The hair is a mixture of Ultramarine, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber. The colours of the shirt include Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith PO49), Raw Sienna, Cobalt Violet etc.

Brushes used were mainly the Isabey retractable size 6 and Rosemary Kolinsky retractable sable size 6 plus Escoda retractable Kolinsky sables sizes 8 and 10. The reason for the retractables is that this was done at my art group Thursday session.

Latest Paintings - Three Different Subjects.

I mentioned in the Jaguar piece that I'd also drawn a Snow Leopard but then made a mess of the painting, so scrapped it at an early stage. My usual reaction to disaster is to go straight back in so the following day I started again.

The drawing - my usual mechanical 07 2B pencil

Stage 1 completed I painted the rest the following day.

Snow Leopard - 16" x 12" Waterford High White 140lb (300g) not

I was moderately pleased after finishing this, although I think the Jaguar painting is superior. I keep looking at it and think it is missing something. I suspect I know what it is and to do with the background. I used several colours and my usual brushes.

My next painting is another Amerindian, in this case a Chippewa warrior circa 1869. His Indian name is a lengthy and complicated one but apparently a loose translation is `Evening Sun'. What attracted me to it oddly enough was the large fur cap he wore and even shaggier fur coat. Amidst all this his face is quite small. Normally I concentrate on the face and fill most of the paper with it.

16" x 12" Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140lb (300gsm) not

While I'm again quite pleased with this painting one error is that I've made the feather too large relative to the remainder. You can see this quite clearly in the guide photograph.  I used Translucent Brown (Schminke Pbr41) with a little Raw Sienna as the skin colour darkened with either Cerulean or Cobalt Blue. Three brushes were involved, the Rosemary Kolinsky travel brushes sizes 6 and 10, and the Isabey travel brush size 6. The Isabey, while long is much smaller in diameter than the Rosemary 6. It is good for the detail, especially the eyes. About 2 hours max. 

16" x 12" Great Art Centenaire 140lb (300gsm) not

This was my submission for the AVA subject `Interiors' last Thursday. It is on the back of a discarded painting as is the Amerindian. Once again I forgot my camera so cannot cover my fellow artists work. Colours are mostly blues plus Ultramarine Violet, Quinacridone Coral, Perylene Maroon, Raw Sienna and touches of a few others. It is simple and modest  but I quite like it as the subject is one I wouldn't paint by choice.   

Another Indian.

Actually I've done this fellow before, an Apsorake Indian called Bull Goes Hunting. I know little about him nor could I find out anything.

16" x 12" Waterford 140lb (300gsm) Not

I  messed this painting up by overworking the hair and  almost binned it. That's where it will probably end up in any case but I was originally pleased with the face, so decided to try a `rescue'. This involved washing out much of the colour in the hair. I then let it dry and put in a few darks framing the face. It still isn't as I would have really liked it but enough is enough!.

The main difference in this painting was the use of the Schminke Translucent Brown (PBr41) to try and get a more authentic skin colour, something my friend Hap regularly pulls me up about. This was mixed with Cadmium Red Light and Yellow Ochre, plus Cerulean, in various proportions. There are probably small touches of other colours but I've forgotten which. Some Acrylic white was added at the end for highlights.

My usual brushes all Isabey except the Da Vinci Artissimo 44 No2.

Red Whip

This is my latest attempt at an Amerindian based on old black and white photographs from Edward Curtis. I have adopted a different approach, specifically with regard to colour.

The Atsina, otherwise known as Gros Ventres or less flattering as `Snakes', were a branch of the algonquin-speaking tribes located in North Central Montana. At the turn of the 19th century numbers were reduced to a few hundred but have since increased substantially. Wikpedia has comprehensive information.

Atsina Brave Red Whip 1908. www.firstpeople.us/

Red Whip 16" x 12" Centenaire 140lb (300gm) not

Interpretation of the photograph was again difficult. Is his hair grey or what? It certainly looks peculiar. I decided not to get into a tangle over this and went for an impression rather than a very realistic approach. 

Colours used for the face were Cadmium Red Pale, Yellow Ochre, Cerulean. and Ultramarine Violet (Rowney PV15) for the shaded areas. There are touches of Cerulean and Raw Sienna in the hair with Perylene Maroon (Graham PR179) for the red top piece. Raw Sienna and Perylene Maroon for the shirt. Some Cadmium Orange (Maimeri PO20) and Viridian (Rowney PG18)  in the background. I tried to match complements, also alternating warm and cool..There are small amounts of white gouache in places.

Brushes used were the Da Vinci Artissimo 44 Size 2 Kolinsky and Isabey 6228's, 4, 6 and 8.