Sunday 28 October 2012

No pressure!


Frequently I say on my workshops and courses, how important it is sometimes to take the pressure off when you are painting.  Quite often, we are working towards deadlines, be it for galleries, exhibitions or simply the desire to produce a painting good enough to frame for our own walls.  Sometimes, along with this aim to try and produce a masterpiece, can come a feeling of frustration and disillusionment.

Taking a small piece of paper and simply painting for the fun of it, can sometimes result in the freshest and most spontaneous of paintings and it's a great exercise to do in between painting larger pieces.  Often you can have ideas that can then translate into larger works and the process can refresh your palette in so many ways!


Friday 19 October 2012

Black or White


It's been a week full of painting for me, and having worked on some landscapes, I decided to have a complete change of subject matter with these Zebras.  Faced with whites and blacks, the painting could seem pretty straightforward but as ever with my paintings, it's never really quite that straightforward!  I've got lost edges, found edges, merging colours, angles and shadows to contend with.  There's also a few colours in there you may not expect......Artistic Licence is just the most wonderful thing!  Have a great weekend everyone :-)

Sunday 7 October 2012

Red or black

Red or Black

This is a subject that I have covered on a couple of occasions.  I am inspired by the sharp, shiny shoes whilst challenged by the soft, diffused reflections.  Against these two opposites, I'm also considering contrasting colours, light and composition.  It's quite a complex piece! 

Visual stimulation is all around us and for much of the time, I wonder whether I simply take it all for granted.  I guess this is one of the things that I love about painting,  thinking about a subject makes you take the time to look in finer detail.

I wish everyone a happy week to follow 



Tulip Time - National Trust