27/08: YUKKY WEATHER

Del Boy (Birthday portrait) has been approved with no changes required so I'm about to pack it ready for despatch later today .... Hope the 'victim' is amused!

Whilst on hols next week our home/greenhouse will be looked after but I'd hoped to do some weeding today and mow the lawns to tidy it up before we go  ... but it started raining last night and everything is soggy - what happened to Summer?

We always have our patio doors open in the evening and were amazed to see this visitor in the lounge last night ... obviously he'd had enough of the rain as well.   He was a big un .... Must confess I put him over the fence but I believe snails have a homing device so 'he'll be back'

26/08: DEL BOY UPDATE. Coloured Pencil on Pastelmat

This is where I'd got to at the time of my earlier post at lunchtime today ....

and with more work this afternoon on his coat and the cutlery 

It really is getting close to completion now so I've emailed my client to find out whether there are areas she wants changed and also to settle on mount size.    I intended to offer this with my 'mid sized' mount which fits a frame size 14" x 18" and would look like this - the emphasis being on his face

But I've also shown it in a larger mount which centralises the drawing.  This will fit a frame size 16" x 20".   Now I've posted this I can see that the mount would need to move to the left more ... but this is simply to illustrate the options.

So awaiting feedback :o)

26/08: BUSY BUSY .....

I've done quite a bit more to the Del Boy picture today and hope to get back to it later this afternoon/evening .. will post updates then.    I've outlined the grey horse and done a bit more tweaking on one of the wedding present portraits.  I still have another double portrait to start on but am waiting to see whether my client can find some more references to help with detail.

Its been incredibly windy here today and anything not anchored down in the garden has been crashing over ..... can you guess which way the wind is blowing?   The little sunflowers next to the patio weren't planted there, they are courtesy of seeds dropped by birds and squirrels from the nearby feeder!   My approach to gardening is .... if its happy to grow there - it can stay!!  apart from the weeds of course.

I went out to rescue all the toppled plants/ornaments and realised I need to do something with all our ripe tomatoes before we go away at the weekend.    We have 12 vigorous plants in the greenhouse but several unplanned tomato plant forests in the garden borders (I emptied a couple of our compost bins into the soil this Spring and the seeds came from the compost).   Again, as they were happy to flourish where they landed, I left them alone and they are doing very well.

I've just harvested several kilos of tomatoes and I'm making a huge batch of soup which I can freeze ... its bubbling away merrily on the hob.   Can't beat home-made soup using fresh from the garden ingredients can you?

Off to get a haircut this afternoon but will post again later.

24/08: BIRTHDAY BOY (AKA DEL BOY) MORE PROGRESS

I managed to get quite a lot more done to this portrait this afternoon - here I've been adding colour/texture to the rather 'moth-eaten' looking sheepskin coat (it looks different colours in every photo so I've made it a mottley mixture of all of them)!  I wanted to get the bright red jumper coloured in to show how much stronger all the other colours need to be to pull it together

Then I started to strengthen some of the skintones and this is how I left it this evening.  Its getting a bit gloomy to take photos - we've had very strange weather today - blustery showers lasting maybe 10 minutes then warm but windy weather ... we've lost lots of damsons and apples off the trees in our garden so it feels more like Autumn than Summer 

24/08: FRAMING WOES !

I collected the framed tiger picture yesterday afternoon - with its black background it has been very hard to get a photo without lots of reflections from the glass - our house is very light with windows everywhere - so lots of light bouncing off this which has dulled the colours a bit.

All galleries seem to have different rules about framing pictures.   The Stamford Arts Centre require pictures to have mirror plates attached for hanging purposes (you can see them on this frame).  We were about to package all three pictures this morning so I could check the dimensions/weight and arrange courier collection when disaster struck.

David attached mirror plates to the framed Meerkat picture, and the wood grain of the frame split .... you should have heard the language (!**!*!*!!!)   the only other mount/frame I had at home which would fit this picture has non-reflective glass.  Although Stamford Arts Centre haven't specifically said they don't accept non-reflective glazed pictures, most other galleries have this rule so I didn't want to risk rejection at the final hour.

Sooooooo, a quick trip to Tony, my lovely framer who doesn't keep a huge amount of framing material/mountboard in stock but has promised to get  me out of trouble if I leave choices up to him.  I'll pick the finished article up tomorrow morning.     So I've no idea what he will select but I'm sure he'll do a great job!    

That kind of upset my plans for today ... but back at the drawing board this afternoon.    I've had good feedback from my client regarding progress on the wedding present portraits I'm working on.  But we've agreed that I won't show WIP pictures here till after the presentation.

I will do some more on the Del Boy commission and hopefully also outline a horse which I will be working on properly after my holiday.  

Happy days :-)

23/08: SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT!

I've been given the go ahead to show WIP pictures of this portrait which is intended as a 50th birthday present.

I'm working from 3 reference photos and the idea is to show the 'birthday boy' in the guise of David Jason's much loved character 'Del Boy' - complete with flat cap, sheepskin coat and canteen of cutlery (oh and not forgetting the medallion/chain with Letter)

I'm working in coloured pencil on light grey Clairefontaine Pastelmat and this is where I finished at the weekend. This is being fitted in between other ongoing commissions so progress may be a little sporadic

For info, these are the 3 reference pics I'm working from:

I'm really having fun with this one, its nice to work on something a little out of the ordinary now and again!

22/08: YEAAHHHH!! FINALLY, SOMETHING I CAN POST

I'm indebted to Peter for his hilarious post today  http://peter-williams-art.blogspot.com/2010/08/sundaybloody-sunday.html

and he gave me the perfect excuse to post my graphite picture of the 'original Grumpy Old Man' which I drew 4 years ago ... it hangs on the wall of my studio, next to the drawing of hubby (David) - interchangeable in terms of  grumpy old g*ts!!

I've been given permission to show WIP pictures of another 'birthday' commission I have on the go ... I'll post tomorrow.   This is being fitted in between the wedding and wedding anniversaries commissions which I don't think I can show till later in the year.

21/08: Exciting Times!

Earlier this year I agreed with Hubby (David) that I would cut down on commission work with its inevitable stresses/deadlines etc and simply draw/paint 'for fun' or exhibition/competition work - allowing us to be much more flexible to simply enjoy retired life and take advantage of any decent English Summer weather.

My stepson then had a horrific motorcycle accident in April and has been hospitalised since, so all plans went by the board and I ended up accepting more commissions and doing less exhibition stuff than planned.  However, it all seems to have come together now.   I'm just about ready to close my commission order book for Christmas, and I have several pictures on exhibition from now till the end of November..    Total fluke really and I won't pretend this was planned!

Next week I will be chasing up all 'potential' clients who have expressed an interest in having portraits done as Christmas presents.   If they all turn out to be positive I'm oversubscribed and will be burning the midnight oil with all holidays cancelled!   Realistically however I expect to have a comfortable 'run up' to Christmas this year with a little slack in the system to allow for mishaps or perhaps that 'last minute' request with a reference photo sooooo good I just can't say NO :o)

I'm waffling slightly as I haven't got any current work I can show - still working on wedding/birthday portraits (human).   but I thought I'd take this opportunity to show the non-commissioned pictures which will be exhibited at galleries during the next couple of months:

Three coloured pencil pics were juried into the 9th UK Coloured Pencil Society Annual Open Exhibition and will be on exhibit at Stamford Arts Centre, Lincs PE9 2DL  13 September to 1 October 2010

I'm not good at photographing framed/glazed pictures as I usually end up getting my own reflection in the photo, but here goes:

Meerkat - I photographed this little chap at Port Lympne earlier this Summer.   I have lots of more 'traditional' poses but really liked this unusual angle/close up shot.

Coloured pencils on Fisher 400 paper ... mounted/framed at home to reduce costs :o)

This was coloured pencils on drafting film ... mounted/framed at home

This tiger drawing was destined for the bin but having left it to one side for several weeks, I cropped the picture and decided to give it a second chance.   As a non-standard size, this is being mounted/framed by a specialist framer and I won't collect it till next week ... so here it is as the simple drawing:

Just a reminder that this Ragdoll Cat picture (pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat) will be on display at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, Waterloo, London from 27 August till 17 September.   Again, apologies for the poor photos, I photographed this outside but got the reflection of the fence in my photo.

and this was my very first coloured pencil portrait of a 'human' subject.  It was done nearly 3 years ago but has just been selected by jury for inclusion in the 'Simply the Best' competition and Exhibition at the Art Materials Live show, NEC Birmingham in November.  30 exhibitors have been selected and we'll each receive a £50 HobbyCraft Voucher.  Visitors to the show will vote for the 'People's Choice' from the 30 pictures and that lucky artist will receive a £150 Hobbycraft voucher.

Having done this so long ago, I now see lots of things I want to tweak/change but as the picture has been mounted/framed I've been forbidden by Hubby to touch it!!!

I will also have between 12 and 20 original artworks on display at the 'Made in Whitstable' Exhibition which will be staged at the Horsebridge Gallery, Whitstable in November ... more news about this to follow but arts and crafts from 20 local 'producers' will be on display for a week.   I believe mince pies and mulled wine will be offered at the official Open Evening but will update you when the schedule is finalised.

So, I should have everything mounted and framed by Tuesday and couriers organised to despatch the pictures to their various destinations.

Deadlines are looming for a couple of my commissioned portraits so I'll be knuckling down to some very hard work from tomorrow!

14/08: SOME NEWS AT LAST

I got home from a (really good) visit with Richard in hospital this afternoon to find a letter confirming that I've had three pictures accepted for hanging at the 9th UKCPS Annual Open Exhibition at Stamford  in September.   106 pictures have been accepted from 66 UK coloured pencil artists and 6 Overseas artists.

Now I'm panicking as I have to find the pictures, dust them off (!!) and arrange their framing and despatch.  But it was good news and I'm really 'chuffed' as I will now have achieved 'Signature Status' the criteria for which is having works accepted at 3 UKCPS Open Exhibition within 5 years (I've made it in 4 years)!

I haven't heard yet whether I have been accepted as a full member of Society of Feline Artists .... but if I don't make it this year I'll just try again in 2011 ....

No artwork this weekend - Mother-in-Law is 92 on Monday so I'm hosting the family get-together here tomorrow.  Fingers crossed for good weather as I'd really like for us to be able to sit outside in the garden.

I've nearly finished the current portrait and will be starting on a double human portrait next week (wedding gift for October) so again, I won't be able to show WIP pics.

10/08: WHERE TO START?

I still can't show any artwork for fear of spoiling surprises but I haven't been idle.  I'm currently working on human portraits which can't be shown for a couple of months, but I have just received a reference photo of a beautiful grey horse and I hope to be in a position to make a start on him before we go on holiday at the end of August.  This is a Gift Voucher redemption so isn't a surprise.

We have been out and about visiting art exhibitions in London and locally.   I submitted works to the Society of Feline Artists last week and am awaiting the verdict of the jury as to whether I can be voted a Full Member this year or whether I should reapply next year.   I'm grateful to the committee for considering me as I missed the deadline for applying ... our lives aren't as well organised as they should be following stepson's accident earlier this year and hospital visiting every few days.   (usually 6 - 8 hours round trip).  So fingers crossed!

I visited the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery at Waterloo where my picture of the Ragdoll Cat has been accepted  for inclusion in the fifteenth London Exhibition for The Society of Feline Artists.   For future years I will submit my entries by internet earlier in the year so (if accepted) they can be included on the Gallery website.  I was last in the queue to present work and watched as a very large Pollyana Pickering picture was rejected for lack of space (although she has others in the exhibition) and I felt very sorry for Elizabeth (whom I met at the SOFA venue)who had all four of hers rejected.   The exhibition opens on August 27th and I hope to visit the Gallery on Saturday 28th when in London to visit Richard.   We go on holiday on 29th so unfortunately won't be able to attend the Champagne Private View on 31st (opened by David Grant MBE Patron of the SOFA).

Yesterday we drove to Lydd to see the lovely work of fellow UK Coloured Pencil Society artist (Elizabeth Barton) who is staging a solo art exhibition this week at All Saints Church.  Its always nice to meet the artists we usually only get to 'converse' with via the internet.

Anyway, for a little light relief I thought I'd post a few pics taken in the last week or so ...

These huts line the grassy slopes leading down to the beach at Tankerton - they are very fashionable with the 'weekenders' from London although they have no running water and owners aren't permitted to sleep in them overnight - still they fetch between £20,000 and £30,000 each.
A lot of money for what is essentially a shed large enough to house a table, maybe a couple of sofas and a bbq (!)

The beach at Tankerton is relatively quiet

 but as you walk towards neighbouring Whitstable the beaches become increasingly crowded as this is where the yacht club is based and the 'lads' play with their jetskis and other executive toys.

 Whitstable is still a working harbour but at weekends and school Summer Holiday time it is jampacked with visitors sampling the fresh seafood and shellfish (in particular oysters which the area is renowned for).

I had no idea that elderberrys are so attractive to Starlings .... I photographed these just yards away from the busy beach/harbour at Whitstable and they were totally unfazed by the crowds of people walking past.  There were   dozens of birds enjoying a real feeding frenzy

30/07: JUST A QUICKIE

at the special request of Tommie, I carried on with his portrait and tidied it up a little - the light wasn't too good for photographing it unfortunately

Whilst the pastels were out, I decided to re-work/finish a small pastel I completed a couple of months ago for fun .... again it hasn't photographed particularly well tonight ... but I have a few small pics like this so think I may just take a selection of them, together with the big framed pictures for the SOFA assessment panel in August

I haven't properly sorted through all the photos I took at the dogshow last weekend but had to post this one.  This poodle was going to great lengths to get her Mum's attention.  She didn't like Mum looking at the dogs in the judging ring - and spent ages standing up like this demanding cuddles and blocking Mum's view (bless)

Sadly, one of my double human portraits has fallen through today.  I received the reference photo today and just knew I wouldn't be able to work from it.   I felt terrible explaining to my client that I would have to turn the work down but I just couldn't see enough detail.  The portrait was intended as a surprise present for a 50th birthday end August so hope she can think of an alternative gift in good time.

Anyway,  we're off tonight to join in the festivities at Tankerton slopes/on the beach.   There will be a big bonfire and party atmosphere.  Its within easy walking distance so no problems if we watch some of the fun from the terrace at the local hostelry :o)  This marks the official end of the annual Whitstable Oyster Festival although there will be more minor events going on throughout next week and then our local carnival/regatta starts .... no shortage of things going on here in the Summer months!

  

29/07: LITTLE MORE PROGRESS

We've had a busy day today, met a friend for lunch and then had to take some parcels/portraits to the Post Office.  We also had to buy a new 'watering wand' to fix to the hosepipe as the old one finally gave up on us.  It is more than 8 years old so I guess we shouldn't complain.   I don't mind watering the vegetables and greenhouse plants by watering can but its so much easier to water hanging baskets and plants at the back of the borders  with the hosepipe/wand.

Anyway, just about 30 minutes extra on Tom today so hardly worth posting, but I need to crack on with it and decide whether it stays or goes in the bin.    The light grey pastelmat I ordered on Monday has arrived so I can get back to the human portraits tomorrow.

29/07: ODDS N ENDS !!

I haven't posted much recently, but plenty has been happening behind the scenes.

I guess the best news is that Richard was transferred to the Homerton Neuro-rehab hospital on Monday - about 3 weeks ahead of schedule.   As usual, we were given very little notice and had to do some last minute rushing around/plan changing.  Richard has made steady progress in the last 14 weeks and has good movement in the right arm and leg which we feared might be paralysed.   We are confident that the Homerton team will be able to help Richard with his other problems to enable him to return to a lifestyle very close to the one he enjoyed pre-motorcycle accident!

Nana's portrait has been approved, I've made inroads on the next double human portrait on 'mid-grey' pastelmat paper but am still not 100% sure about the background colours .. so am awaiting a delivery of light grey and hope this really is 'light grey' and not 'mid grey' this time.

I have (confirmed) orders for  9 human portraits - most are group portraits - and enquiries for 4 more (2 x doubles) so as a little light relief I've been toying with a very 'quick and nasty' cat drawing in soft pastel on velour. The subject is Thomas O'Malley a very photogenic cat belonging to a fellow artist - Daisyree (Holland).  I just love Tom's mobile ears - they seem to point in different directions in every ref photo I've seen and he always has a brilliant 'quizzical' expression.   I really don't like using soft pastels/velour but thought this would be a quick way of completing a picture with background.   I intend to apply for Full membership of SOFA (society of feline artists) this year and need to submit several pictures to the jury (some of which I have here and framed) and also a selection of sketches and supporting material including full body pictures (not the head/shoulders portraits I usually do).   I have a few pics here that I will submit but not sure about this one.

This is just about 2 hours work -  I've worked very quickly with the intention of scrappingthe picture if I can't make it come good within a couple of days ... its very different to my usual style so I'm enjoying it whilst still not sure if it will be one for the album ... or one for the bin!  It makes a wonderful change from human portraits but does mean I have to clean the working area down before I switch back to coloured pencil drawings - pastel dust gets just everywhere !!

So, if you're looking in Daisyree, thanks for the wonderful ref photos which I'm basing this on - but with lots of background changes.  I usually like to complete one small area of a picture before moving on so this is totally new to me and I'm making lots up as I progress:

Whitstable is enjoying its annual 'Oyster Festival' just now - approx 2 weeks of celebrations and wonderful things going on all day, every day.   We did go out and about with the camera on Sunday, photographing events at a local dog show on Tankerton Slopes where we bumped into fellow local artist Vic  http://artwithapencil.blogspot.com/

and then we walked along the beach path to Whitstable Harbour.  The path was lined with trade stands from companies producing food and drink from our own County of Kent - so lots of opportunities for sampling the produce.    The weather was beautiful and the beaches/harbour crowded.   I took hundreds of photos but hope to take a good look at them tomorrow and maybe post just a few to give an idea of what goes on in our part of the World.

23/07: SEGWAYS

David & I wanted to organise something slightly different to celebrate my friend's recent birthday and settled on a Segway tour around Leeds Castle in Kent yesterday.

The four of us had great fun - apparently there should have been another couple in our group but the lady took one look at the stationary machine and refused to even try it. Her partner had booked the tour without telling her and she just wasn't 'game'. All the more fun for us!!

We had a practice/training session and then the tour itself was about 40 minutes. We're now thinking about doing a longer Segway tour which will involve even more 'off-road' bumpy terrain and will involve travelling alongside an expanse of water - what an incentive not to fall off!

If anybody hasn't seen a Segway before - the best way I can describe one is to call it a motorised two wheeled scooter. It reaches speeds of 12.5mph (which seems pretty fast when you are on board) and is extremely manouverable and responsive to shifts in bodyweight.

'Look no hands' - getting a little over-confident during the training session!

Taking a breather after a bit of a 'burn up' along the tarmac path.  Leeds Castle is just visible through the trees on the skyline

The weather was very kind to us for the morning.   It was warm enough to enjoy lunch on the covered terrace at a little fish restaurant in a nearby village.   We then went back to Leeds Castle to walk around the grounds and aviary and to see the falconry display which they provided every afternoon.   Unfortunately, it started to rain quite heavily as the display was due to start so the performance was curtailed quite severely.  Managed to get a few photos but nothing spectacular!   We'll definitely go back to have 'another go' though.

Here are a couple of parrot-in-flight photos - the camera lens got rain splashed so didn't help matters

There are some beautiful birds in the Castle Aviary and lots of exotic birds in the grounds (including an albino peacock)  These African cranes were very protective of their 'little one'.  Isn't it amazing that the little brown fluffy thing will grow up to be an exotic African Crane - quite the 'ugly duckling' story

17/07: SCARECROW TRAILS

No artwork posts from me yet .. I'm awaiting feedback re. Nana's portrait and have started on a 'double human' portrait which I won't be able to show for a while.

But today we visited my (retired)  horse and both the Mums.  On our journey home we detoured to buy some Kentish cherries.  It has been a good year for cherries and David loves them .... this must be his fourth punnet in as many days I think!!   A local lady had set up a covered stall in a field adjacent to the orchards and sold nothing but local cherries ... accompanied by her gorgeous 7 month old puppy ( a really cute Jack Russell cross) ... I took a few pictures of him to add to my 'to do' list :o)

Whilst driving through the village we followed directions to the local church which was hosting an 'art show' so stopped off to have a look.   There was a good selection on display from artists of all levels and several pictures bore the desired 'red dots' denoting sales!

Tomorrow the village is hosting its annual 'scarecrow trail' and we saw several scarecrows on display.  We've had extremely windy weather for the past few days in Kent so I think many scarecrows will have been kept safely indoors and won't make their appearance till tomorrow to avoid damage.   I didn't have my 'proper' camera with me but we always keep a little one in the car - it takes reasonable pictures but the setting screen is hard to read so its usually 'point and hope for the best' .... good luck to all contestants tomorrow .. hope you find all the scarecrows, work out all the clues and have a brilliant day!

Here's a few of the scarecrows we met today:

These next ones were all in the church itself - the local vicar obviously has a great sense of humour and its wonderful that he allowed these 'characters' to be displayed in the pews/pulpit etc ..... all for the benefit of the village of course and what a great idea!

13/07: 'NANA' WORK IN PROGRESS II

For this portrait I'm working from one main reference from a favourite snapshot which has been 'blown up' and is not quite as clear as the others I was sent in support.  Nana's hair style and colour look slightly different in the references but I've now been told that her hair colour should be brown/grey rather than blonde as it appears in some of the ref pictures and the style (especially the kiss curl) amended slightly.   So here's the updated picture incorporating the revisions which I've just emailed to my client.

I shall be hospital visiting again tomorrow so probably won't do any more work on this portrait until Thursday.

Its very gloomy here today and the photographs kept coming out too blue/grey - although the pastelmat is 'light grey' the grey does have a slight 'fawn/pink' tinge to it in reality.  I adjusted the tones slightly then hubby said the picture appeared too bright on his screen (though it looked fine on mine) so this is a compromise.

  

12/07: BACK AT THE DRAWING BOARD

We got home from our mini break in the early hours of Thursday but spent the next 3 days visiting Richard in Hospital and catching up with the Mums etc.  We took advantage of yesterday's beautiful weather and walked along the beach to Whitstable where we spent a leisurely couple of hours and David got to sample a couple of the beers on offer from the Whitstable Brewery who have a clubhouse on the beach and a 'garden' overlooking the sea.   Perfick!!

Anyway, back to work with a vengeance now ...  I have several portraits lined up and most of them are two legged subjects at the moment!  This is the portrait I'm currently working on.  You may remember I recently showed Work in Progress pictures of a beautiful golden retriever called Bouncer.   This portrait has been commissioned by the same client and I'm using Van Gogh lightfast coloured pencils on Clairefontaine Pastelmat (light grey)

I've stopped here to check a few things with my client.   The hair colour differs slightly in the various reference photos so at this stage I need a bit of guidance on that before continuing onto the black outfit - don't want to risk smudging the black pencil with my drawing (right) hand.

I took a couple of work in progress photos along the way  but in artificial light so the colours are slightly wrong.    This was stage I after approx 3 hours work - simply outlining 'Nana' and  building up skin and hair tone colours

and after another couple of hours the skintones are a little more refined and the colours stronger (though my camera seems to have picked up on the redtones too much here !

Whilst waiting for feedback I'll probably outline the next portrait which is a double 'person' portrait - again it will be coloured pencil on Pastelmat and I'll probably use light grey again as it is a very pleasing off white shade which makes the selection of mount/frame easier I think.