New Year, New Subjects, New Workshops

Long time no see!!!

I have actually been painting lots, trying to step out of the comfort zone and venturing into buildings and sea scapes.... I have so many of my own photos which I am told it is best to use and thought it was time I started having a go at them.... so anything to show for my efforts? Well not much at the moment, am in the process of working things out and have also been practising the paintings I will be using for the next few workshops.

I've been to my first workshop of the New Year today, to a lovely group called "Paint Pots." We did a Winter scene and I have to say it went down well with one member saying he would never have attempted the scene we did and yet breaking it down bit by bit made it all quite possible!!! As I am finding in most of the groups I visit, no-one there painted in the way I do.... that is mixing the paint on the paper not in the palette, and I am delighted to say even the members who normally liked to paint lots of detail loosened up and could "see the light!!!"

I was absolutely thrilled with how their paintings turned out and did photograph them, however I will not show them here until I have delivered all the workshops on that subject......I don't want other groups to see or be influenced by them, plus I want an element of surprise with the subject matter for the other groups.

What I can show however are the commissions I did before xmas as all have been delivered and thankfully well received!!!

This is Sam, a commission for the owners of the dog from their daughter..... his mouth was all turned up at the side and when I asked her did she want me to draw him like that she said yes it looked like he was smiling!!!

This I was very pleased with - I can't remember the last pencil portrait I did..... I think it was about 17 years ago so was a bit out of practice to say the least. I "discovered" charcoal and my leaning towards it about 10 years ago and have used it for every portrait since but felt that this dog was too smooth and certainly with my style would not have worked in charcoal.  So, layers and layers of building up, blending, more layers, more blending, this is how it turned out and mounted and framed I have to say it looked fab and I was delighted with it (and so were the owners... phew!!!)..... I will be doing more graphite from now on!!! They do take longer than charcoal (wasn't sure I had the patience for it) but for certain animals and "looks" I think it  works better and I am pleased I gave it a go!!

The final one I did was an interesting one, 3 Yorkshire terriers and a parrot!! The parrot was an African Grey with a red tail and the client wanted that added. The dogs were so cute and even though were all the same breed and I think a couple were related, all looked so different. I took the portrait to the gym and while we were there a lady who worked at the vets had a look at it and recognised all the dogs... small world!!!! The portrait was an xmas present for her husband and was destined for Gp's surgery... haven't seen her since so hope he liked!!

So there you have my commissions for xmas plus the horse one I posted earlier, nice to get back to painting and another workshop tomorrow... new group but am excited to meet them all, have been recommended by one of the groups I have visited  few times now... Westhoughton Art Group so hope I live up to expectations!!!