At least......

Busy sketching and painting at the moment......watch this space!

Moorland River

Still using Atelier Interactive Acrylics, but this time taking the painting into a different style.  This view comes from various photographs I have of Exmoor, plus from our drives across the moor....for me it sums up Exmoor.

measuring 12" x 9"

I must say that the more I use these Interactive paints the more I like them.  

Work in progress

Just thought I would add this post, of my latest Work in Progress.  It shows Bideford Bridge in North Devon.


There are buildings but because of the distance I won't detail them - after all you wouldn't see window frames or curtains at that distance!....so basically, the buildings are little spots of paint...how easy is that!

Using Atelier Interactive Acrylics it measures 16" x 11"

As I say, it is a work in progress, think I'll leave this to dry so far
and take another look at it in a couple of days time with 'fresh eyes'

Guest on Dion Dior & More....

Wow!....An Interview

I have today been the Guest Artist on Dion Dior & More's Blog

THANK YOU SO MUCH DION  -  I'm what you might call Chuffed To Bits (that's very pleased in case you were wondering)!.....says I dancing a jig.

*************************

At last the Sketchbook is complete

Hooray...I've finally finished my Sketchbook Project 2012 !   It has taken some time, but they do say perseverance pays off in the end, so here are my final pages

Croyde Bay

Putsborough Beach

and finally

All I need to do now is check it through, tidy up any bits and pieces I feel need it and
at last SEND IT OFF!

Radically different

I wasn't sure whether to put this painting on my blog, but I guess sometimes it is good to show something completely different....and this IS completely different.  I painted it yesterday ready for an Exhibition with North Devon Arts at the Broomhill Art Hotel early next year (we can submit 2 pieces - I'm still contemplating what the second one will be).   I did a smaller version of this back in the Summer for the Square Picture Show and as it was enjoyable to do, I thought I would give it a go but bigger!   (Sorry about the shine from the camera flash)

Titled:  On the Edge

Measuring approx. 27" x 18"     -  OIL

here's a close up of the impasto effect

I wonder, do any of you paint something totally different from your usual work just for a particular Exhibition?

Painting with Oils

We have just returned from a trip to Bristol and Bath and it included a One day Workshop PAINTING...yay.  Plus we got to stay in a lovely Hotel (which incidentally had a Big Fat Gypsy Wedding there at the same time)...they, of course, liked William the lurcher and who wouldn't, but they probably were very polite in not commenting that we had William in our room with us (I don't think gypsy dogs are allowed indoors - but I could be wrong there).  Anyway, back to our trip.....and as always I sketched part of our room to start me off (somehow I don't feel I have arrived unless I get my sketchbook out)

I started by drawing the chair and then measured everything from that


and this one is of the building opposite

We drove over to Bath one day for a sightseeing tour - obviously having lived near Bristol some years ago we knew our way around, but it was nice on this occasion to go over to Bath and do the tourist thing...plus I took some photos (some of which appear on William's blog).

with a Christmas Market going on

The following day I got to do an Oil Painting Workshop.  This was with 

Sharon Ball - Painting With Oils

in the Bob Ross, Bill Alexander technique.  I have taken a days workshop with Sharon before, and painted the classic mountain scene....a very clever method of showing you the techniques you can use for your own paintings.  On this occasion I put in a particular request to be shown how to paint a rose (turns out I had chosen the A level subject...trust me!) and also an underwater scene of a dolphin.  Sharon very kindly accommodated my request....so here's the rose

okay, I could have done with longer on this one, but I did learn the theory and with a very clever grid system which Sharon uses, I got the principles involved - I'll be working on a new version soon.  I was glad to get the opportunity to do the underwater scene too

 I can't wait to get started on a bigger version with more dolphins

Workshops are a great way to learn and test your own abilities, and find they stop me getting too 'comfy' and 'set in my ways' - something that can happen all too easily......so I really do say

Many thanks Sharon for all your help

I really enjoyed my day