Viaducts - Pick a colour.

I had a meeting this morning with the client for Big Window Theatre...and presented my designs for their publicity material for a production planned for 2014...publicity material is need for funding applications and contacting possible venues during the early part of next year. Thankfully they liked what I'd produced and that now means I can move onto the next stage of the process, that is to make a neat mock up of the composition which if the client is happy with, I'll move onto the final piece.

 

Today I spent a short time putting together a colourised sketch of the new composition 'viaducts'...I might yet produce alternative versions with the sunlight coming from different directions. but I quite like the red brick colour of the viaduct in full sunlight. I next need to pay attention to what I'm going to fill the bottom half of the picture with. i then need to take some reference photos of myself with sunlight falling on me from the left of the frame.

Viaducts - Midnight inspiration.

Here are  a series of sketches, the earliest above and the latest at the bottom. I went to bed last night looking forward to a good night's sleep. Sadly this is rarely the case. But no sooner had I turned off the light and relaxed, I started imagining a scene where I was standing on a railway platform wondering which train to catch...but there were viaducts and platforms carrying trains in all manner of directions, and I confused just stood there trying to decide which of the innumerable destinations I would travel to.

 

So on went the light, and I reached for my sketch pad and pencils...The above sketch came first...then the sketch below followed almost immediately, but in a larger format. Once I'd got this on the paper, I turned out the light and headed for dream land!

 

The next sketch below I roughed out this morning..almost Escher -like, I imagined impossible viaducts crossing paths...this composition is at an early stage and I'm going to have to put a lot of work in on the perspectives and geometric forms of the arches....

Below I've redrawn some details including the position of the lower viaduct. I intend to add a figure of myself into the picture eventually on the right hand side of the composition. This will be a full scale full colour dot picture...I now have all my pens working and the new inks installed in them!

 

All in all, a busy day. I'm very happy with the way these ideas are developing. I have also had to work on a commission for a children's theatre company and I've now got my Face book page up and running, selling my first ever on line item this evening! Phew!

Seasky 2 - Minipix mounted

Here's the second, and the last minipic that I'm going to use my colour pencils on for a while. If I'm to continue with the pencils, I need to scale up a little and add more to the composition.  I also intend to use the new inks I received the other day to complete my selection of pens for use in dotting.

 

Yesterday I bought one of the Logan Team System Mat (Mount) cutters and some mount boards...this afternoon I set about cutting my first mounts, the results of which you can see below. I mounted the six original colour pencil drawings that I've created this week. the images are also scanned ready to print. I can now mount the prints when a customer orders one.

 

tomorrow my aim is to set up my Face book Fan Page and begin advertising the work that I have for sale. For readers of this blog who do not use face book, be assured I shall make work available to order here as well!

 

Seasky 1

When I finished this little piece today, it looked lovely. but once I'd scanned it, the contrast seemed to take over and all the subtlety has gone. Never mind....anyway...it's just another practise, but I shall do at least one more, i love skies.I seem to have gained a little more energy for my work this week. I'm planning to start advertising my work on Face book and sell using Pay Pal Invoices, I also hope to make ordering available via this site too! Some of my good friends on Face book who use this option have given advice and encouragement which is great. So over the weekend, i hope to get that sorted.

Of course one other problem is getting prints and originals mounted properly. So today I invested in a mount cutter. Just a fairly basic one, but one that will do the job. So now I'll be able to mount my work then get it mailed out in next to no time at all!

Misty Train 4.

The final Misty train in this series. I've really enjoyed getting to know my coloured pencils...working with them 9 at least as far as I've discovered here) is a subtle and careful process building up gentle layers of shade. I like the effect which is quite pointillist in it's texture if you look closely. In fact, Seurat himself produced a great quantity of crayon sketches on rough textured paper.

My inks arrived today ironically just after I'd finished this piece. However, I've started a new sketch with my crayons and will finish it tomorrow. I'm wondering if there is some way i can balance to need to spend lengthy time on my dot pictures whilst also being able to create quick pictures like the one above which I can sell....

Anyway, time for me to be off now...I should also have some good news tomorrow regarding a return to exhibiting, and the availability of my artwork originals and prints on line ( at last!)...

I'm taking commissions!

This is a bit of a step into the dark really.I've never advertised myself as willing to do pets, or houses. But financially i need to do it! I have to be realistic, so this is the result. i have no idea where it will take me or what will be required of me. but I'm willing to have a go. I'm going to provide prints of my previous pieces if and will mount them myself! In the meantime, I've asked about availability of exhibition space for next near...I'll get back into the exhibition circuit which I've been absent from for two years.

I know many of my readers are based overseas...I'll try to meet your needs if I can. So it's up to you...

Misty Train 3.

Here's a third piece on the Misty Train theme. This time I've taken much more care over the way I've used the pencils.Again it's only postcard size so was relatively quick to finish...in fact it actually took as long as the last two minipix together.

I've decided to complete one more in this series for now.but if there is interest, I'll make more. I shall also prepare mounted prints which will be for sale. My new inks should arrive by the weekend, so I shall be returning to dotting.But these pencil sketches are rather satisfying, I think I might be persuaded  to make more.

Misty Train Minipix.

Both postcard size at 14.07 x 10.50 cm each, I created these sketches using my coloured pencil crayons. It's quite refreshing to finish two pictures in one afternoon as opposed to one in 4 months!!You' be right in assuming the inks I ordered have still not been delivered. I contacted the supplier who assures me they will arrive before Friday. So in the mean time, I'll sketch up a few of these colour drawings which would have been the subjects had I been dotting. they make quite effective pieces on their own and might look good in a frame at some point.

Pencil crayons...thumbnail sketches...plans..

The inks I ordered did not arrive today as I'd hoped. So I've been mooching about...I've scratched a few little sketches you see here using the same colours I use for dotting only in pencil form. detail and neatness are not priorities in this case, just trying out various colours. For my return to colour I'm intending on producing another collection of 'minipix' the main purpose is to create quick, effective pieces whilst honing my skills with colour use. 'minipix' have been popular in the past , I've sold many many prints over the years of my Arboretum 'minipix'..and sold a series of original railway subjects. It seems people are willing to buy them in multiples for framing and hanging together.


The little pencil sketch of a Cello Girl sits rather out of place in the middle...but eventually you'll see me working up to large scale works like my black and white pieces, and before long you'll have full colour Cello Girls all over the place!...

Hit the shops...then hit the on line shops.

I think I might have mentioned yesterday the frustration of finding that I had run out of a certain colour ink, and therefore was unable to proceed with my return to colour work. I therefore planned to make a trip into town today to buy the required ink from an art supply shop...however on reaching the shop, I was disappointed to discover that despite being the biggest stockist of art materials in the city, they did not in fact stock the type of ink i required! No worry, I would go to the next art supplier and try there. however, it was the same result.The third shop had potential but las not open at the weekends! (uh?) a

It's incredible in these very difficult times for high street shops to succeed against the vast offers available on line. It's a real shame, because I still like to visit small shops and find what I need there, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. Once home I hit the Google search and within a few clicks found a web site offering the exact items I wanted at over £1 cheaper than high street prices!...also because I was a new customer to the site, they did not charge me any postage and packing!

The down side of course is that I shall have to await delivery. That should be on Monday!But it's a small price to pay to get the correct items. I could bore you further with my thoughts and choices on the inks I have chosen and my surprise to find shades of blue available that I had not known about before...but I won't...I'll let the results do all the talking. Till then...

Return to colour.

My 'new era'  got off to an unremarkable start today. I set about charging my new pen nibs with ink in anticipation of beginning work on a picture this afternoon..... (eight brand new Isograph nibs sitting in their boxes!) this was frustrating because I have only one pipette which I had to wash out between filling each pen...this took ages, much too'ing and fro'ing to the bathroom sink. Then when it came to filling the blue pen, I discovered that the amount left in the bottle was almost non existent, and what was left was thick and gooey...I can only imagine that over the years I'd used the ink the sediment had been left behind had accumulated only for me to try and load it into one of the pen cartridges. It didn't work. This was not good because it's the most used colour if the palette I use....so my work for the day ground to a halt requiring me to make a trip into town to buy new ink.

Ho hum!

Will try tomorrow!

Sinodd - Finished

Sinodd (2012)

46 x 33.5 cm.

Sinodd - 43

You won't have to put up with this for much longer you'll be happy to know. All being well, I shall finish tomorrow! Work yet to do is to the seating...the boy's legs, and development of the shadows and creases in the standing Vicar...and that will be just about it!

Sinodd - 42

Apologies for delayed posting ... Finally entering the final stages. I will finish this week! Filling in the area at the bottom of the picture and working on the girl are occupying my time. I also have to darken the pew (you can see the progression in the photo below. I also have to pay attention to the robes of the Vicars, the boys legs and any other details that present themselves.

Sketchbook - Peaks

Work on Sinodd continues apace...progress is good...i'll show you very soon. But here are some doodlings...there are so many ideas...so many buzzing around my imagination in anticipation of my return to full colour work....I've developed this chap who seems to be hailing the orb in front of himself...a glowing orb....jolly good...i like this...remember...you saw it here first!

Sinodd - 40

39

39

Sinodd - 38

At all times...whether we like it or not..we carry with us our mortality. In walking across the road..in taking a flight..even (we're told ) every time we sneeze our heart stops. Whether you bring your mortality before the object of your faith, or confront it in your daily activity, it does not alter the very cold reality that we are all going to die.

Sinodd - 37

 One day, I might get around to having my own life models to work from apart from myself, but in the meantime I use my imagination and resource photos.  Thankfully the many years I spent during my youth drawing Marvel Comic Super Heroes has not gone to waste...my ability to draw figures is a result of that time and funnily enough the years I spent training as a nurse.....knowledge of anatomy and physiology is certainly helpful!

Sinodd - 36

Did some work on the boiler and did some work on the girl's face...I'm fairly happy with the way her face turned out..not long to go now till this one is finished!

Sinodd - 35

I think the sky is just about complete now. Next there is a little darkening of the boiler (the two panels you can see in the middle of the picture will be made to match the one behind the girl's head. I will then be able to concentrate on the girl and the final stages of the piece.

Sinodd - 34

Spent over 6 solid hours on the sky today...! I've been looking forward to working on the clouds because they'll create a wonderful effect when they're done. I'll be really pleased when I've finished this piece as I'm keen to move to full colour work....I have masses of ideas queueing up!