Cats

Ella

Sam

I have another commission to paint some sister cats called Sam and Ella (boom, boom). Sam with her short fur is the easiest cat to understand visually. Ella has long fur which does not even reflect her body is tricky.

Lucy's Door

Lucy's Door

A pencil and water colour sketch in my drawing book.

Postcards from Home

Mother's Day flowers

Post Cards from Home

An Oxford god
Ashmolean Museum

Postcards from Home

Two Morris Dancers

Post Cards from Home

Morning Tea

Post Cards from Home

Market Cross, Eynsham

The start of a new Morris dancer series of paintings

I am on the last few canvases for the "Out" series and hope to start blogging them in the new year. I am waiting for paint to dry so I can glaze.

The new series of paintings working title is "The Morris Angel and the Seven Deadly Sins" which is way too long a title so must come up with a snappier one. All suggestions gratefully accepted. The sins will be played by 'Armaleggan Morris' who with their decorated faces will allow scope for depicting the sins and the angel will be  from the 'Eynsham Morris'.


I am using shadow in this drawing to depict the idea of wings. The trouble was that it started of as a thumbnail on a page with another drawing and developed to the point that there was no more room.

'Dave; The Eynsham Morris Dancer'-drawing

A drawing of Dave from one of my photographs. The great thing about photographs for portrait work is that you can take time to explore a face in intimacy and detail. Getting this close with the model would freak them out. When I draw from life next time I will have a better understanding of his face. All I need now is a bit of warm summer as the pose is outside in my garden.

Click on the image to enlarge and see the detail of the pencil work.

A decorative Lorna!

Pencil Self-portrait

Picked up the pencil and drew this in my drawing book this morning. I could relax and not hold my head in a pose drawing from a photograph. Everything was set where it was easy for me to see. Drawing other people is never this much problem!

Miss T has asked; "If you 'cheat' who will you be cheating?" The 'cheat' was not drawing from life as the original commission stipulated. Photography is an intervention between my direct response to my image/self. So now I must search harder to produce a picture with integrity. I am curious now at how far I can push this image and still have a likeness of your truly.

Ashmolean Museum

A rainy and dark Sunday which is to dark to paint in the studio and after the fun of Eynsham Carnival yesterday I feel a little flat. So I spent the afternoon in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford re-acquainting myself with their Pre-Raphaelite collection which has finally been rehung and drawing roman statues.

Old Harry's Game

'Armaleggan', "Apocalyptic Border Morris" came to Eynsham last week. Miss T tells the story. So this is the initial sketch for a new Morris painting.

Rock and Roll Morris comeback!

Rock and Roll Morris

Map drawing for the watercolour.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Well ... for once the photo looks better then the original! I have been glazing the darkness back and adding some mid-tone glazes. I am very unsure about this painting but experience has shown that I should keep going. I may end up where I did not originally planned but it is usually a worth while journey.
Again I have been glazing the figures in the dark areas of the crowds. I do not plan to add any significant colour to the watching people.
I've decided to put M into more shade so this small sketch is trying to work out the shadows.
I've been glazing transparent colours on the figures and painting with more meaty opaque paint on the tree
I, once again, am having to wait for paint to dry. So ... a small thumbnail for the new painting. I shall call it 'Rock and Roll Morris'. I based this on the May Day dancing last week-end.

Dryad

I enjoy mythology stories and legends. Along Pinkhill lane are many mighty oaks, so once again, there are gods in Eynsham in the form of a Dryad, a nymph of the oak tree. SueC is modeling along with her daughter who insisted on joining the fun.

Drawing book stuff

Lucy's door using crayon and paint
This is the closest to a shopping centre in our village ... outside the Co-Op. I used watercolour pencils and paint.
Outside the butchers ... the white building in the Co-Op drawing. Once again Watercolour pencils but using my Aquash pen.
Sheep using the Aquash pens filled with dye based ink.
Aquash pen and fingers.

They will go in next week. Pinkhill lane

graphite, pastel on oatmeal paper
27.8 x 38.0 cms

They will go in next week.

Pencil sketch based on this photo.

Summer left in a blaze of light, Swinford Toll Bridge.

Swinford Toll Bridge
pencil and pastel on gray paper
26.8 x 36.0 cms