Times Gone By

Two more pictures from my series of scenes of the past (and misc.) on coloured paper (or card, depending where you draw the line on thickness). Reminds me of just going back to younger days, creating big scenes with felt tips and coloured pencils. All just fun stuff really. Feels like pressure's off, working on these for my own little interests.

'Tommy Squirrel', WWI. Appropriately coloured green card, coloured pencils, scanned even darker, which about suits the scene.

And more happy...

Earlier 20th Century in my mind... but could be more recent times. I really seem to like drawing rocks... Yellow card with felt tips and a bit of coloured pencil.

Medieval Monk Squirrel

Been drawing a few full-page scenes at the moment on non-white paper. After a few inspired by some books, I wanted to draw more 'original' medievally scenes. I found a photo I'd taken of some decorative frieze-like imagery in Cardiff Castle of this monk sat at a table with a book, and so I decided to do my own version... but with a squirrel as a monk instead. Marker pens, a few felt tips and enhancement with some coloured pencils. Naturally, scanning killed some of the colouring, and trying to adjust the colours in Photoshop didn't do much better. But close enough; you get the idea.

Oh I do enjoy a traditional drawing with the 'basic' felt tip pens and the like.

Will be doing more in the series whilst this bit of inspiration lasts.

Update With Cat

It has been a little while since the last post, so thought I should update again with something. For nothing in particular, just... it is what it is. This has been sitting in my computer for a while and I don't expect I'll do anything more to it. Original idea was to combine the piece of paper I brushed some paint over with this sketch of the cat in the tree and see what I could do with it. Here's two versions for the heck of it:

Anyway, I've been pretty busy lately with various work which will be noted a bit later on... As well as a trip to the US! First time. When I have more time to spare I really should do some art inspired by my time there.

Exhibition Work 2015

What I displayed at the aforementioned exhibition, as well as what I worked on as an 'artist in residence'. I geared the kind of pictures I showed more to fit the general feel of the exhibition and group.

I took a photo a few years ago whilst at the zoo in Paris of basically the silhouette - because of evening drawing in - of a red panda walking upon crossed logs. I thought it was a fun photo and so with not long until the exhibition I decided maybe that could be the final piece to show, a drawn, digital version of the photo. I lightened the colours more for better clarity. It's not a brilliant piece, but it was a good chance to work some more into a background again and push a bit more 'realism'. Drawn and coloured entirely with the mouse in Photoshop.

Across The Log

3 out of 4 of these sketches have been on this blog before in different circumstances. I decided to select a few sketches and add some simple colour digitally to make a collage of sorts.

Creature Collage

Birds

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My main piece for the exhibition was almost going to be a scene inspired by a photo I took of a mara (again in the Paris zoo). Plopping 'em here, too, because why not. Pen and some wash in sketchbook.

What I sketched while I was vulnerable to the public gaze! Was a rush decision to take a few photos with me to choose to draw from while in the room. I haven't really done a proper focused pencil sketch like this in a while, so I was pleased not to make a big mess of drawing the owl when people would be able to see! I had a few compliments whilst I was drawing it so that was very encouraging for me. It was actually very good for me to be in the room with few distractions, so I really had little more I could do than keep working at it. Not sure if I should leave it as it is as it stands in 'real life' (the scan was kind at bringing out the pencil marks on the thin bit of card), because I know not to work too much into it, but we'll see.

Finally, what I started working on when I tired of the owl sketch. My first go at using the conte colours I bought a little time ago, so more a rough, experimental try. From a photo of one of my lovely cats experiencing her first snow - I'd better not show her this.

Phew, that's it from the exhibition. Thanks for looking.

Bambi In The Forest

Picture I did a few weeks ago entirely on the computer with good ol' mousey. Wanted to put a bit more into a background again, and it looks rather like children's potato printing in part! I was quite pleased how it came out, so perhaps it will encourage more background-focused pieces.

Thanks for looking!

Year Of The Sheep

The idea of animal years is a fun one. (I'm a dragon - hooray!) I felt inspired to draw a picture for the sheep this year. Done in my usual fashion: drawn by hand first, then scanned in and coloured digitally.

Also, the exhibition three of my pictures are in at Nature In Art opened on the 17th for just under two weeks. I've been and had a look around and the selection of work by others in the group is great and pretty varied. I will soon even have a chance to be an 'artist in residence' for it, so that will be interesting. But what to work on while I'm there...

More Traditional Stuff

Having the exhibition looming got me inspired and experimenting a little. Here are a few traditional pieces, mostly pastels, which I knew would ultimately be way too 'rough' for the exhibition, but I at least hoped they might inspire me further. Please note they have been taken at non-straight on angles with my camera, and the colours have changed somewhat on the photograph.

Arctic Fox

Drew on orange card which was actually the cover of an old school book. I thought the colour might look interesting against the white (white watercolour pencil; chalk-like pencil). Unless I kept going over and over it, though, I think the white sinks in too much to the strong orange.

But just experimenting after all!

Hippos Under Water

Found a great photograph in an animal factfile folder of mine of two hippos wading at the bottom of some water. Had to do my own version of it, using charcoal and pastels.

Waterside Rat

Blend of marker colours and white pencil/chalk on card. Inspired by an illustration in a book using simple lines and a hint of colour, this piece became a bit less subtle!

Azalea

Quick pastel piece of my ol' 'TY Attic' soft toy - Azalea the rabbit. On other half of school book cover.

More to post soon...

Papier Pig, Rubbish Walrus

Did some still life drawings a few weeks back at the art group. Now whilst at university I got into the habit of drawing speedier because of the nature of animation - and in general to loosen up - so I didn't tend to spend ages studying one 'image' any more. So to go back to something like still life and be able to stick in one place for very long I didn't think I could do; especially with a sketchbook, rather than being up with an easel. Anyway, there were a few still life items dotted around the room so I could at least go off to something else if I got bored. I used up a few pages of my sketchbook because I indeed could not bring myself to work too long on any one. Of all those pages, I'm only really fairly pleased with two. It has shown me that other art mediums than pens, markers and pencils probably are better for me if I want to feel I've got somewhere with still life! Also a bigger sketchbook, or up on the easel. Maybe I should start setting up my own still life at home.

Ran out of time to finish this. A green pig originally made from being papier mached around a balloon. A first chance to use my conte with no green to be had, so I had to make do!

So I called this 'Rubbish Walrus' because the sculpture seemed to be made from waste paper and other bits. A large piece, you can see I only concentrated on a small area, loosely. Done with good ol' charcoal.

In other news, I've finally handed in my three pieces for the exhibition. It was really tough trying to decide what to hand in, and I just really hope it will be suitable enough! Will post again very soon with some 'inspired towards exhibition' pictures.

Foxes, Etc.

Less wordy this time. A few little doodles I coloured up in Photoshop:

I have been creating a few arty pieces lately for inspiration for the looming exhibition - still not sure what will be best to show! I'll probably upload them sometime soon.

I also saw the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition the other day. Some more marvellous captures and very difficult to choose a firm favourite!

Lonely Room

What's this? A post so soon after the last? After making my last post the other day I discovered - and was most surprised - how few updates I actually made last year. Well that will certainly change this year, and I am already near half-way to posting more than 2014 already!

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WARNING, my confusing thoughts follow! Honestly had not planned this large bit of text to accompany the painting... Please feel free to scroll to the bottom for the image.


When in the loft at some point last year I took another look at my very first oil painting and snapped a photo of it. From my A-Level years of school, this was a final piece which was responsible for one of my better marks in Art.

Cue my reflections. Myself and Art at school (primarily talking about Senior/secondary here, I should note) did not tend to get along. I found it so very uninspiring to my interests in art and in affect it did not stretch me, or really show what I could do. Animals were always my strength but art lessons did not give such subjects as an option. It was always silly themes to choose from which I had trouble with interpreting to get the best from me. Reading as quite 'open' to interpretation they were nevertheless really not that open. The odd time I'd hit on to something, maybe the teachers seeing something, such as the teapots I drew (theme being 'vessels') being decent enough to work with further. I required help with my ideas to get my final pieces anywhere, generally, otherwise I would have sunk further into uninspired, uninterested art lessons bog. I'm surprised I wasn't totally put off from doing an art foundation after years of rubbish. I do feel quite embarrassed to tell people the sorts of grades I was getting at GCSE and A Levels. Going on an arty route people expect As. Ah, well, but art lessons did not give me much...

Since then I have read and heard how some well-known artists have said about lack of inspiration by art at schools, art schools, university and colleges which makes me feel better and think clearly art at school is missing a few tricks with certain people. Some can conform but some of us do not (maybe I was the only one in my class with such a frustration knowing I had something in me yet art lessons were not letting out my personal art - my art development over the years I thank home drawing for that). Probably every subject at school is missing a few tricks, but that's not a discussion to go into here!

But yes, this piece... nothing amazing to look upon it now, yet worth a show for interest. My 17? year old self was pleased to try out a big (not sure what size, rather big) painting from oil paints for a change (not to mention in general before this I didn't even get on hugely with paint, feeling I was clumsy with it, put off started in Infant school), and I felt it went rather well. Along with my back up work for it I finally mustered a B (and my other project writing on 'Animal Sculpture' also got a decent grade - probably best I'd got in art overall); however this little bit of inspiration was too late to decide my final A Level grade as (much uninspired) AS Level stuff was also put into consideration. Despite my approval of the oil paint effect on painting I still haven't done another serious piece with the medium since! Methinks this should change. The thing is the drying issue. Not to mention room to put canvases!

'Lonely Room' (the school's main hall in this instance), 2006, oil paints on canvas, size unsure of, square, larger than A3. The picture was taken with a camera so the angle is not even and so the painting is not 'even', also some glare from light.

Edit: Forgot to mention for the 'Lonely Rooms' project and in the case of this painting, I was inspired mainly by American artist Edward Hopper.


More to post soon... with less text! :)

Utahraptor

First post of 2015 (needless to say)! Here's a sketch I did a little while ago which I kept thinking 'I'd like to scan and colour that sometime' and finally, actually did so. I didn't look at any references so forgive the anatomy! Utahraptors are my favourite of the raptors. I was always interested in how tall dinosaurs could get as a child (and still am). I gave him some feathers, not forgetting modern information on dinosaurs, but not too much because that's just not how the sketch worked out.

In other news, I had a few illustrationy opportunities at the end of the year which were fun and very useful for me, gaining more knowledge working with time constraints, learning more about printers marks processes, and so on. I will add more info about them on the relevant page of my blog listed above. 

I have also got another exhibition coming up, even with a chance of being an 'artist in residence' for a few hours/ a day, or so. This will be with others' works as part of the art group programme I joined last year. This will be another great opportunity, although at this stage I really do not know what to display! Only a few weeks to decide, so that is something to prioritise!