Post Christmas Blue

Well Christmas was a bit rough. I got Girl Flu and have only just got back to normal. Have not 'painted' for what feels like ages so today I started a portrait of my kitty.


This is painted in pastel on Hanhemule Velour paper. I am sure thats not spelt correctly but I am blowed if I am going to go and check.


I have had to move all my stuff to the conservatory as it is so cold. Posting progress pics will stop me from abandoning it.

Parcel arrives

Last time I looked my parcel was detailed as being on a van in Lexington Kentucky.

Had an email to say its been delivered unpacked and is fine.

Followed swiftly by a visit from the guy who commissioned Bloggydoggy who is over the moon with it. Now I just have to collect Blogdog on Wednesday and thats all my Christmas work done.

BloggDoggy

Just picked this guy up from the framers another Christmas Pressy for someone :

Parcel Chasing

I have spent an interesting few days, well interesting if you live in Anna land, following a Fed-Ex parcel.

I sold some China on Ebay which was bought by a very nice lady in Richmond Kentucky. I sent it via Fed-Ex and have been able to watch its progress online.

Monday - picked up by Fedex at about 9:30. loggedd as being received at the Swindon depot that afternoon.

Tuesday when I checked it was in Birmingham WM depot then it appeared listed as being at Stansted airport.

Next logon stated that it had arrived in Newark New Jersey that was Wednesday Morning.

Last night it was in Memphis Tennessee and this morning its in Louisville Kentucky.

Its final destination will be Richmond in Kentucky.

It reminds me so much of the Tom Hanks film!

Blogdog Done

Had to make a couple of alterations to the colour around the eyes but Blogdogs people were very happy. Here he is just before he went to be framed.

Some of My Paintings

As its such a dull damp Sunday I thought I would celebrate by showing you some of my paintings. I used to have work displayed in a gallery until it closed down.

This one is entitled 'Falling Leaves at Harlow Carr' and is based on photos taken at RHS Harlow Carr

This is a little Acrylic taken from photos at Heligan entitled Spring.

Detail from Blogdog

Here are a couple of close ups of Blogdog.

Mouth and nose detail and the eyes. This little dog was particularly pink around the eyes and although the photos dont sho it up almaost wore goggles.

Blogdog Done! - I Hope

I have finally arrived at the point with this chap where I believe he is finished as I am at the point where I find myself twiddling and tweaking.

I have used 3 greens and a mellow yellow to blend in the background.

I now await a visit from the clients to see if they are happy.

Blogdog nearly done

Well here he is nearly finished. I modified the highlights to a different tone of red/chocolate. I combined 3 different shades of Unison pastel to get the various chocolate tones and added  a deep purple to get the darkest areas. I just want to twiddle with an ear now and he should be done. I have been over his coat with a pastel shaper to drag some hairs in.

Someone has just shouted teas ready so I shall post some detail pics later.

Fridays Blogdog

Well I was happy with progress so far but needed more input from his owners and so today Blogdog brought his walkers to visit and had a look to see how he was progressing.

From our visit we have decided that his nose isnt quite as amber as it looks in the photos and the lining of his ears is a bright grey colour. The tuft hair at the top of his ears is also not as brght theat was a trick of the light. I now feel confident that we can progress to completion.

Oh and the pinky colour around his eyes is more pronounced almost like goggles and he has a little on his nose probably where he sticks it in things.

Monday BlogDog

I have done quite a bit more work on Blogdog and forgotten to post progress.
This is how he looks today asfter lots of layers of colour and work starting on the background.

Todays Blogdog

Left Blogdog alone for a
while now working on him again
and laying in different colours
to build up the coat started work on his tongue and nose.

More Blogdog

Worked some more on Blogdog
using lots of different shades of
brown and lilac as a highlight colour.

An Update on Blogdog

I always start with the eyes I have
used a white pastel Pencil here to
place the highlights and then a

very Dark Purple to start of the pupil.

Next I use the same white pencil to put in all the

white highlights and a Black pastel pencil for
the dark lines around the eyes and nostrils.










Next I find the eye colour
and use a combination of
Reddish Brown,
Yellow Ochre and a Brighter Yellow.

Now I start putting the

Darkest Browns in using

my favourite Dark Brown

Unison Pastel BE6.

You would be amazed at

how many of my paintings

have a little BE6 in the dark areas.

And finally for today a
note on board angles.
I always set my board
so that the pastel dust
falls forward away from
the painting.

A Portrait of a Certain Dog - Blogdog

A certain dog  is a rather appealing Chocolate Labrador Cross who is being painted as a Christmas present. I have decided to do a WIP of his painting which I will post online. As its for Christmas you never know who is watching so I will keep him anonymous just in case.

8th Nov 2009

Initial stage this is an outline drawing in pencil which I produce from a blurred photo.

13th Nov 2009

Next tracing the drawing I am going to paint. This is the best method I have found for transferring my drawing onto the Sanded Card I use for Pastels. In this example I am using a Royal Sovereign pastel Card in Raw Sienna. 

 

I prepare the sanded card inspecting the surface for flaws and then draw a rectangle the size of the completed drawing and run masking tape around the edges to obtain a clean line for the completed drawing.

I take my traced drawing and turn it over. I use a charcoal pencil to draw over the back of the pencil lines.

I carefully place my tracing over the prepared card charcoal side down. Place a weight on it to stop it moving and rub the back of a finger nail over every line. As I go I partially lift the tracing paper from the card to check I have not missed a bit. Hey Presto I have my outline.

The tracing will be kept and used to hold over the painting as I work and ensure no lines have suddenly shifted while I have been concentrating on fur.

Excess Sanded card removed when taping up my serlected size will be used to test pastel colours as I work.