Summer Sketches

Hello All,

So the Kids have gone back to school today marking the end of another summer. It always seems to go so fast. We have had a good one, very busy as usual going here there and everywhere and shipping the kids off to various family members to cover the days we had to work. Despite this we did manage to get a long weekend away just the four of us. A few days camping near Scarborough which was lovely. You can't beat fish and chips by the sea.

Here are a few quick sketches I managed of the girls whilst they were playing on the beach.

Done in pen and watercolour I think they work really well to capture the moments perfectly. Lovely memories to treasure. 

I hope you like them too! Back to the routine of school and work now and my workshops are starting very soon so time to get organised!

Bye for now xxx

Portrait Practice

Hello All!

Today I thought I would share some of the portraits I have been working on. I decided after watching 'the big painting challenge' on the BBC that it was about time I practiced painting 'well known' faces. I have never had a problem painting people I don't know very well, but the more I know the person the harder I find it to capture them. Family members are difficult but the hardest by far is a self portrait.

Well practice makes perfect and so practice is what I'm doing!

I started with my mum. I did a sketch of her first:

That went well and once I have done a sketch I feel more confident that I can translate it into paint.

So here she is. I am really pleased with how she turned out and it is the best painting I have ever managed of her! With this boost in confidence I tried to paint myself:

I enjoyed working in monotone for this one and it looks quite effective over the wash of colour. I look really serious but that is because I was looking in a mirror and concentrating! It didn't turn out too badly but doesn't look entirely like me. 

I am now on to the next one and I have really set myself a challenge by choosing to paint my daughter! Not only a face I know as well as my own but a child's face which in itself is difficult to do. So far I have only done my first sketch but so far so good;

I hope you enjoyed looking at my progress so far. I'll keep you posted on how the latest one turns out!

Bye for now xxxx

You are only as old as you feel

Hello All,

It's funny how I go through different phases with my art work. I swing between abstract and portraits depending on my mood. I am not complaining, far from it. I love the way my art can be so varied and diverse, there is no rule that says I must stick to a certain medium or style. It's one of the things I love most about art, anything goes and the possibilities are endless.

I have been in an abstract mood for a while now but lately have the sudden urge to paint a portrait. I prepped a canvas and it was left sitting there for a week while I tried to decide what exactly I had in mind. I started looking at photos, books and magazines to try and get some inspiration and came across a photo of an elderly lady sitting in a crowd. In every way she is a stereotypical lady with a scarf, handbag and old brown coat but she is wearing deely boppers. She is fantastic and I love that despite appearances she is clearly young at heart. I decided I have to paint her. I started her yesterday after some initial sketches:

  I am really looking forward to seeing how she turns out. I have in my mind her sitting at the front with an abstract background perhaps containing some text but definitely with some texture. I am going to use really vivid happy colours. I want the feeling that you are only as old as you feel to come through.

I will keep you posted on my progress.

Bye for now xxx

A Few Art Journaling Pages

Hello All!,

I'm sorry its been a while, we have just got a new kitten and my time has been taken up with her and with it coming up to Christmas by evenings become busier and busier! I haven't managed to do a great deal except the odd bit of art journaling

This was a page in my small journal with a sketch of my daughter who just turned 5. I always struggle to draw my own children and although this is better attempt than most it is not quite her. I think because I know their faces so well I struggle to capture them, even the slightest line out of place means they aren't quite right.

This one is again in my small journal and is a happy doodly sought of page, I was feeling very content and I think my mood is quite well reflected in the page.

My mind has now turned to Christmas and all the crafty things that I love this time of year. I will hopefully be making some presents and I always like to make some decorations as well as doing some creative stuff with my children. I will get stuck into all this over the next few weeks so look out for some pictures coming soon!

Bye for now! xxx

Art Swap September

Hello All, 

I am sorry I have not posted for a while, we have had some building work at home and everything else kinda got pushed to one side! But i'm back and this time I wanted to share what I made for September's art swap.

We were tasked to create a complete mini journal. I was partnered with a young girl who told me she was really into anime and manga figures. With this is mind this is what I created for her:

It was a challenge to draw in the anime style but I really enjoyed having a go and I had a message from her to say she really likes it. She sent me a lovely journal full of inspirational quotes.

I have also been busy journaling and I started a new painting but more on this later!

Bye for now! xxx

Monthly Challenge

Hello All,

The monthly challenge on journalworkshops.ning.com  for August is 'Windows and doors' I didn't start the page as the challenge but it must have been on my mind cause it just kinda happened.

I initially thought about cutting windows into my page for the challenge but as I worked on the background for this page I was really enjoying the colours which inspired me to add my new stained glass window stamp and then as I was sorting through some old magazines I found the quote and it all just fit! I really like how it turned out :)

Bye for now!

Holiday page

Hello All!

Just got back from a lovely family hol in Angelsey. Lots of beach combing, making sandcastles and paddling, walking and visiting castles and cafes. It was Lovely :) This is the reason I haven't posted for a week but I did manage to take some art stuff with me and get some journaling done. Here is a piece I managed to do in my altered book.

I was inspired by all the beachy colours and the all the flotsam and jetsam washed up. The painting is my daughter and brother in law having a paddle. I am pleased with how it turned out. It has loads of texture to it and for me really expresses the seaside.

Now back to work, loads to do! I also have a new vid that I will be posting up hopefully later today.

Bye for now! xx

Workshop Session 25th July 2015

Hello All,

On Saturday I delivered the last of four workshops at Sharrow Vale School of Art in Sheffield. The theme for this session was 'Horizon' and I demonstrated a scratch technique with oil pastels and black acrylic paint. Here is my sample page.

We painted a layer of gesso then split the page with masking tape and painted a sky in the top half. The bottom half we drew block shapes in oil pastels, using many colours and then painted over the top with black acrylic. Once dry we scratched into the black to reveal the colour underneath.

Here are some photos from the workshop.

The session went really well. I will be arranging some more workshops in the Autumn.

Bye for now xx

Inside Journal

Hello All,

Just a very quick post as I have had a few people asking to see inside the new journal I made and posted up the other day. Here are a few shots

I am really pleased with this one! Can't wait to start filling it!

Bye for now! xx

Experimenting

Hi All,

Last night I decided to put my planning aside and just have some time to myself experimenting with some mark making and having a play with some new stamps and pens that I bought recently. I am really pleased with how it turned out! Sometimes it just feels good to play around with the materials without anything in mind. I find it very theraputic aswell, I can feel myself relaxing as I work.

Earlier this week I received my parcel from Reeah and it's lovely! It was a real pleasure to swap with Reeah and we had a nice time, emailing and chatting about things. She also included a bundle of extra stuff, stickers, postits, pens etc which was a really lovely surprise! I felt like a kid at Christmas.

Now back to planning and commission work! xx