Most Recent Paintings

Here are my latest over the last week or two. I have scrapped a number! All 16" x 12"unless otherwise stated.

Hares seem a very popular subject at the moment, both paintings and figurines. There are some very interesting paintings around , mostly by female artists, which inspired me to try my own.  I'm no sexist!

This is another, in this case,  inspired by the American artist Bev Jozwiak who does lots of Jackdaw paintings, and very good they are, in-fact sensationally good.

"Big Boy"

 

"Where are my wives"

I've actually discarded this one.

Latest Big cat.

Another Bird 12" x 9"

Goldfinch

"Redstart"

"Mountain Man'

My Latest Paintings

Here are the most recent.

Amerindian Warrior 16" x 12"

On the top is the first version and bottom the 'modified' one.  I did more work on the eyes, the features, especially with regard to colour. I added Translucent Brown from Schmincke (PBr41) to get nearer to the actual face colour of the so-called 'red man'. I have been criticised in the past about my skin colours and while I accept this I don't want to get over-realistic - others can do this a lot better than me, Stan Miller for example and Harley Brown, although Brown's fabulous work is in pastel. I'd rather be 'unfinished' than otherwise. Charles Reids Indians are just great but emulating him is so difficult  and is it wise to do so in a copyist manner?

Musk-ox approx. 14 x 12"

I have now diverged slightly from my late mentor Charles Reid. He very much worked on the 'first try for a finish' principle. As a lesser mortal I've found I need to look at the painting several days afterwards and when I do can  discern that it may need some additional work, taking care not to overwork as I prefer paintings that are 'unfinished". In the one above I've done nothing so far but the blue looks not quite right so may try to soften this.  I know many like paintings' that are super-realistic and every inch of the paper covered with paint. That  isn't me so I'll continue to plough my lonely path. Just joking folks I know my limitations but I enjoy it so what!

More of My Paintings

These are this weeks batch. The portrait is an experimental approach(!)

"The Sadness of the Amerindian" 16" x 12" Lunar Black (PBk11) & Lunar Earth (PBk11)

I am very interested, although I've done nothing about it yet, in the new product Liquid Charcoal and particularly Stephie Butlers paintings using it with one or two watercolours. Some say you can get the same result by crushing charcoal and mixing it with various fluids - gum  arabic was suggested, and the local art shop said linseed oil. I'll have to experiment. I do like paintings done with charcoal the only real downside it is very messy. 

Sometime ago I bought the Lunar colours made by Daniel Smith which are very granular. I haven't done anything much with them but thought that - maybe - the Lunar Black might, just might, give a similar effect. This paint has gone hard in the tube and this is happening to some of my paints that I've had for a longish time. Previously I've tended to throw them away, but prices are now so extortionate that cutting open the tube and using the hard paint as though it were a pan seems the way to go. I did this with the Lunar Black and it works. I don't however use my newer expensive sable brushes except for the 'small areas of detail', but older ones that have been replaced. The actual painting , it seems in my eyes, to be better than it appears above. Still painting is all about opinion with one mans meat another mans poison.

"Breakfast (1) Approx 16" x 12"

I feel the flowers are overworked on this one.



Breakfast (2) Approx. 16" x 12"

The two paintings above were done as the subject this week at my Art Group was Birds, Butterflies and Insects.

My Latest Paintings

I still keep plugging away, furiously in some weeks. Is this my last chance saloon? Hope not. After 20 years I feel I've made some progress but not nearly enough. Great hobby though and have many painting friends here and around the World.

'Big Bull' 16" x 12"



'Kingfisher' 16" x 12"
This is the finished painting




'Medicine Bottle' 16" x 12"
Santee Sioux leader awaiting execution after the 1862 uprising

'Red Rooster" 16' x 12"

Big Rooster 16" x 12"

'African Wild Dogs' 16" x 12"

'A Horse" 16" x 12"

These latter two were completed today, although I may 'tweak' them a bit. Not so much colour as the ones above but  the colours of these animals were generally more sombre.

My Latest Paintings

Here is what I've been painting, mostly drawing the subject at home and then painting them at my AVA Thursday group. All are 16" x 12" and painted on the reverse of my many failed paintings. It can be done providing the paper is good quality. Mostly these are on Waterford. A couple I'm not sure.

Proud Dad and chicks

Mother and Son

Water Buffalo

Red Grouse

Unfinished - Kingfisher I'll publish the finished article when completed.

My Latest Paintings

Here are some of my latest paintings. One or two others I did have been binned. This is my work warts and all!

Red Squirrel 16" x 12" 'Where's that Nut?"

A Male Capercaillie - iconic Highland bird 16" x 12"

'Big cat" 16" x 12"

Isn't he cute- 16" x 12"

"Nice Horse" 16" x 12"

These were partly painted at home and finished off at my AVA Summer sessions where we do our own thing rather than a programme. I do the drawings in my tiny converted bedroom studio and then start the painting. This is usually the small areas of detail like the eyes. IF (in my opinion) I get them right I then proceed to complete the painting in stages. After completion I usually wait a day or two and look at it again when I often see things that need a little  more work. I try and avoid over finishing though. Charles Reid used to say 'you don't finish a painting you stop when you reach a point when you don't know what more to do". He also said be a little crude and also don't be precious it's only a painting".

This was our recent Avon Valley Artists exhibition as part of Saltford Festival. A decent standard, although the group is smaller than it used to be, with 85 paintings exhibited.

Latest Paintings

Here are my latest efforts continuing  (mostly) my 'animal' theme.

Red Parrot 16" x 12" Waterford High White
The subject at my art group recently.

Vegetables 16" x 12"
Another art group subject. This was painted on the reverse of a previous painting.

Native American - A3 Daler Artboard

This was an attempt top give it a 'Janine Galizia' type of feel. Only moderately successful. I'm still not sure about this artboard surface. Certainly not up to the quality of Waterford or Stonehenge.

Big Cat - Waterford High White 16" x 12"

From what I'd like to achieve this is better. I'm happy with this one.

Bighorn Sheep - 16" x 12" Stonehenge Aqua

I'm reasonable happy with this one also.

Mother & Cub A3 Moldau 280gsm

I like this one. The Moldau paper from Czechoslovakia was such a pain to obtain that It's unlikely I'll get more when my supply runs out. It has a lovely surface but the paper is uneven and the best bet is to stick it down with masking tape but  it still buckles. It's a case of  my living with this.

Latest Paintings

I keep going with the painting although the session at m AVA group this week was a disaster (for me) . Anyway I finished off the Hare painting after scrapping the effort for this weeks subject 'City Buildings' - just not my thing. I do try to tackle the subjects we are given even though some are very challenging but overall it is a good practice as you are pushed out of your comfort zone and the results are often  better than expected., not this week though!

'Hare' - A3 Khadi Rough

I quite like painting Hares and they do seem to be a popular subject, not just in paintings but also figurines. I've seen several in galleries I've visited.

A6 Khadi Rough

Blue Tit Feeding

I like painting birds. This was a quick 15 minute sketch as I had a little spare time towards the end of the last AVA session.

Latest Paintings

Here are some of my latest efforts. I make the usual proviso I don't post them as good just what I am producing at the moment. My painting has always been on the inconsistent side, partly because I never want to get into a rut and just turn out the same stuff painting after painting.

Hare 16" x 12"

This was an exercise at my art group using a limited pallette. In this instance my choice was  three primaries but not the usual ones. The colours were: Hansa Yellow Medium (Daniel Smith PY97), Permanent Magenta (Maimeri PV19 Rose shade), Turquoise )Lukas PB16). I wouldn't normally do this but it does force you into areas you don't usually go. 

I started this one as I had a short time to spare after finishing the days subject at my art group. This is based on Charles Reid's teachings in his books/videos and workshops. The features are done first. HOWEVER on re-watching his last dvd - Figures in watercolour - I noticed he'd changed his approach ,or at least I thought he had, by doing a wash overall first. I also was looking for inspiration  and  to correct bad habits that seem to develop in my painting. I think the root cause is not painting enough. I read somewhere that to maintain your standard you needed to paint at least three times a week, even more if you wish to improve. Given my advanced age it's also a case of not wanting the rot to set in!

'Dead Horse' Flathead. c 1905 16" x 12"

This is the finished painting. I quite like it even though I'm sure I do things wrongly. I tried not to overwork this one - a perennial problem.

'King of the Jungle - 16" x 12"

I feel, while a reasonable representation I have overworked this one. Lots of colour Translucent Orange (Schmincke PO71). Translucent Brown (Schmincke PBr41), Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith PO49)  plus Cerulean Blue, Burnt Umber , Raw Sienna etc. I also did highlights with some acrylic white,  using a little Pebeo Gum to mask the whiskers. I almost always paint from photos these days and that does incline you towards bad habits. I have learned though not to copy every detail.

'Model' 16" x 12"

This was done on the same session as the above. The left eye facing is not quite right and I may alter it but it was mainly an exercise  in getting the skin tones right which  has  worked reasonably well. I also like the jewellery on the facing left hand side.

Khadi rough A4

A very quick exercise of a treecreeper done on about 20 minutes.

'Big Cat' 16" x 12"

'Ptarmigan in Winter" 16" x 12"

An exercise in simplicity, although not deliberately so.

'Treecreeper' Khadi rough A4

This was done previously to to the  treecreeper one above.

'Jay' 16" x 12"

'Autumn' 16" x 12'

I'm not sure what this bird is.

The papers I am using sat the moment are Waterford High White, Stonehenge Aqua and Khadi rough.