Sometimes, or maybe even often, I produce pieces of work and dismiss them. I don’t mean to, I do not think hard about this at all, it just happens. These pieces surface at times, perhaps when an exhibition is about to begin and I start gathering things together.
My “Stepping Crane” is such a piece, having been exhibited at the Amberley Inn on our “Fish and Ships” PV night and I am pleased to say it is shortly on its’ way to a new home.
Stepping Crane, Original SOLD
A new fish painting …..
Sometimes you choose a background that drives you a bit crazy because of its’ design. This is not a commission and so I only have myself to blame. Here is a close up of my current work in progress about 1/4 of the total A4 size, the area around the pebbles for the whole image took around 5 hours.
My first attempts at using a Chinese Brush in the traditional manner.
The last few days have been so hot here, and these ponies’ tails keep on swishing at those persistent flies. I love their patchwork piebald colours and the orderly way they have stationed themselves with their faces as close to the wall as they can.
A sheep from the Trossach’s which does not actually belong to Penny but does wander around her garden and Cottage Holiday Let as it is open to the farmer’s field.
When it has made it to the bin? Hopefully not.
I have ready many tips on this and this one sums it up in a great way for me.
Artist Bryan Evans states in The Artist that
“…a painting is finished when it’s not as good as it just was, and is unlikely to get any better.”
Easy to say;, but hard to (cockadoodle) do!
All sorts of painting ideas currently on the go. These birds have attitude!
WIP Birds
Sandwich hunter Rook from Dartmoor.
Stumpy the Pied Wagtail, who takes half-board at the Hengrove Park Leisure Centre.
….thanks to Boondockers Farm in Oregon for permission to use their photo. These pigs were imported to the US during the 1900’s for breeding. “British folklore claims the large black spots are bruises caused by the apples falling onto them as they foraged the orchard floors for food.”
Rooks hang around the parking spots on Dartmoor, making cheeky chirpy noises at the visitors in the hope of some sandwich crumbs….
I wonder often how to anchor my art ideas down. There is so much to choose from when it comes to making a picture .But at the start of this year my paint sketches have the anchor that is my own experience in a given day.
I set up a lovely looking bird feeding stand in the summer, only to solemnly and regularly dump the rejected rotting food in the bin for a fresh supply in the hope that at some point the local bird community might regard my garden as an OK place to feast on sunflower heart seeds, niger seeds, suet balls, and peanuts, it has all been there with no takers.
Finally as the weather cooled to winter some birds have found the bird food acceptable. Although it all still seems a bit sporadic.
The Great Tit has been to the feeder in the tree, so here is a quick painting sketch of a Great Tit to complement my success.
This painting was on cartridge paper which is not as satisfying a using watercolour paper. Still it was good to test out the shapes, colour and composition.
Diane Young Artist 