Miss T is made over

Painted most of her face out and refined the proportions. Still have a way to go before I am happy with the result. Sorry about the bad photo but the light is bad and I used my camera. When the sun comes out I will get Keith to take some better photos. I most take some time to learn how to use his camera so I can take my own.

Stella Vine

Went to see the Stella Vine exhibition at Modern Art Oxford
having only ever seen reproductions was prepared to scoff. I was surprised to find that some of the stuff was very powerful but most of it was the sort of thing I painted when I was 16 years old. She may improve as her career develops but for the moment I am the better painter!

Miss T continues

I think in the last fortnight I have been aware of how little experience I have of working in oils ... stuff of thirty years ago not that useful now. Mixing colour both on the palette and on the canvas has needed a lot of trial and error. A whole new language on mark making has opened up before me.My son has taken some close up photos with his fabulous camera so that the detail of mark making can be seen.

Work in process

This is an unfinished image made using Photoshop which has stalled. So, as I am not ready to show the progress on Miss T's portrait, I am asking for a crit on this image.

Thick paint

Paint is being trowed on with palette knife with strong directional shapes. The idea is to give substance to the flesh before painting adjustments with more subtle marks and colours. I have painted with watercolour paints for to long and I am reveling in sensuality. Oh yes ... I am also a little scared as I have not painted in this way before!

My son has taken this photo showing me and the size of the canvas. I can hide behind it.

Under-painting

I have been using water soluble crayons for the under painting. When I start painting over it using water mixable oil paint it will become fixed.