Masai

I had a discussion about portraiture today.  Its not a lucrative genre unless you're in the right geographical place or have the right connections.  Larger centres with bigger populations, more disposable income, spare wall space and a sense of narcissism perhaps all help.

However, I love drawing portraits and always have.  There is something about faces that pulls me in and becomes my comfort zone in many ways.  So whether they make money or not, I will still produce them.

And tonight I made a start on another piece.  I'm obviously a glutton for punishment as this piece is on a Masai woman done on black paper and the necklace is very intricate beading.  I'm using coloured pencil for this - Derwent Coloursofts right now and its on a piece of black mi-tientes paper 19 x 25 which makes it a bit larger than lifesize.

Of course under artificial light getting an image that looks anything like the real thing is nigh onto impossible so this is the best I can do for now.

Sea mysteries

A few weeks ago, on one of my beach explorations I found these devil's purses washed up on the high tide line.  Egg cases like these are found worldwide and come from skates, rays and some sharks and are also known as 'mermaid's purses'.

They vary in size and colour, these being fairly large.  By the time they are washed up, the embryos are usually long gone from their casing into the open sea.   I was given a link to an egg casing identification site and by comparing size, shape and colour have determined that the casings that I have likely come from Undulate Rays.

Rays and skates belong the shark family and are common in waters around the world.

I had the casing in front of me in the car and the only paper to hand was the back of a large brown envelopeso this is the resulting sketch. I'm currently working on various sketches and compositions with these for a larger drawing or painting.

Facepaint - complete

I've added the final layers and the 'icing' to this piece.   What is icing?  Its those lovely little touches that bring a piece to life.  A subtle highlight on a lip or nose.  The change in light as it strikes a curve of the hair; the catchlight in a eye.  All these are the 'icing' for a painting.  They push the piece over into a different place and breathe more life into it.

After the icing there's no going back.  All you should see in front of you is a stop sign.  A rest from view, then a closer inspection in a few days to see if there are any glaring problems.  Touch ups or not then it joins the pieces of history.

Orange on black

Orange on Black

9 x 12  pastel

As a break from the portrait that I'm working on, I did a quick sketch of an orange. I didn't have a reference or live fruit in front of me, so worked from memory.  That's not always a good thing, as memory plays tricks and not always good ones.

Of course as I used black paper for this pastel sketch, its a nightmare to get the colours to ring true.  That and artificial light.  And a scanner would be even worse no doubt with the reflection from the light.

I would like to try some more fruit in pastels.  The medium seems to work well and I like the texture and rich pigments.  Its as close to painting as you can get with a dry medium I think.

Facepaint update II

More layers. 

I'm building the skin tones and starting to lay in the hair.  I think the right eye is pretty much where I want it to be.  Its in deep shadow but still has a hint of catchlight there that I want to remain very subtle.  This girl has freckles too and I want to indicate those as well under the makeup but not make them prominent.

The scarf of course needs more work to develop form.  I don't know if I'm going for detail of the knitted fabric on it, likely not.

Each time I pass by this image I see something new.  The piece is a little unnerving, perhaps that direct baleful look that has that effect.  But having an effect on the viewer is all part of art I think.

Facepaint update

 
I've added more layers to this portrait.  I'm still not sure if its going where I want it to yet.  Parts of it are, parts not yet.  The right eye won't cooperate, but I'm hoping to persuade it to before long.

The paint around the eyes will be more smudged and defined at the same time.  The hair is a wig and bright blue.  That's a challenge and I may have to call in a bit of pastel to help me out on it in places. At least the 300lb paper is robust and allows some flexibility in scrubbing back without damaging the surface.

The whole piece is a little creepy but interesting at the same time.

Face paint

I always return to portraits as a comfort zone even though I wander all over the map in terms of subject matter.  There is something about constructing the human form that is endlessly interesting.

I saw this reference in the April portraiture forum of WetCanvas and knew that I needed to try it. Its a bit sombre, almost eerie if you look at it long enough, but fascinating enough to keep me interested.

I figured it was time for another watercolour portrait.  This is the start of it on 300lb Arches paper.  It measures 12 x 15.  There's a lot of layers to go yet.

The finishing point

You know how sometimes you just don't stop when the voice inside your head tells you to?

Today was one of those days.

Early this morning I started playing around with some pastels on a full size sheet of red mi-tientes.  It was coming together nicely and I was happy with the mix of colours and contrast against the background.

I had a break and a cup of coffee then came back to it and started fiddling around.  You know how the scenario goes.  "Well, I'll just touch up this section here by the stem.  I wonder what it would look like if it was darker on the right?"  Then before you know it, you've changed everything and it looks worse than that haircut your mother gave you in third grade.

But its all part of the game.  Live.  Learn. Screw up.

Takeover plans

I'll call this study complete and consider the final composition for a larger piece.  I bought some large sheets of coloured mi-tientes paper today as stock was low.  Finding alternate coloured papers locally is difficult if not impossible, so if I run out, mi-tientes is my fall back paper until I can reorder online.

I need to reorganize the paper storage for my studio.  Right now its all sitting on top of a large shelving unit.  While that's ok for keeping it flat, it makes it more difficult when it comes time to actually find papers, so I end up hauling out everything to find just one piece.  More storage space is the answer and I do have my eye on expansion of my studio or at least expansion of some storage areas in the room adjacent to the studio. 

Where my studio is located is on the ground level floor of the house, well partially ground level.  At least the windows to the studio are at ground level, the walls beneath the windows are subterranean and a direct entry 3 or 4 steps down from ground level.   Beside the studio there is a large areas where laundry is located, then a utility room, a cold room for food storage and a half bathroom.  By taking over the utility room, it gives me a whole new area to isolate storage or to provide classroom space.

I'll just have to slowly take over the space so others don't complain too much...

Pebble study

Newfoundland is full of rocks.  It *is* one big rock sitting in the Atlantic Ocean.  So its not surprising that I have an affinity for rocks, stones and pebbles of all kinds.

Last night I played around with a bucket full of rocks, creating little towers, mini Inukshuks and arranged and rearranged the shapes, sizes, colours and lighting until I found something that pleased me.  

This is about 60% complete of a little study for a larger piece, perhaps in charcoal.  I like to get a feel for the work before I tackle something large.  I want to make sure that it will be exciting enough to inspire me to keep going until completion.

Often the simplest shapes are the most difficult to render in graphite.  Smooth stones with tiny pits and subtle gradation of colour always seem more challenging to draw well.  The lines of granite through the charcoal grey stone on top always fascinate me.  There are a couple of fine lines in the middle stone and the striped layers evident in the stone resting on the table.

I'll do a bit more on this study, then plan for a full size piece.  Maybe tomorrow I'll visit the beach and find some new models...

Another portrait update

This is another small update on the portrait of my mother.

I'm working on the patterning on the sofa cover, trying not to make it too strong and distracting.  As it takes up two thirds of the surface, I still have a ways to go, so I'm doing other little pieces in between to stop the boredom setting in.

I have told you that this is done on Stonehenge, but as I noticed the watermark tonight, I realized that its Somerset.  That would explain why its shedding as I blend or brush it.  The charcoal works well on this but doesn't give as smooth a gradation of values as I would like for portraiture.  But too late to turn back now!

The Arts Map

This site is featured on


Are you on the Arts Map yet?

The Arts Map is a listing of artists and their contact information and the work they produce from across the globe.   If you're travelling and want to check out some new artists or find a workshop, this may be the place to do it. 

You can search the site by name, location and medium to find who is doing what and where.  Google Maps pinpoints the address, making the artist easy to locate. For those uneasy about placing their exact location, you don't have to, but of course the location won't be accurate on the map, just the town that you choose.

There is no charge to sign up and place your dot on the map.  I've created mine here and have the distinction - dubious or not - of being the most easterly in North America at the moment.

The Arts Map is about inclusion, not exclusion. Our goal is to provide a resource which will benefit the entire arts community.

We hope you will create a marker and put yourself, your work, or your organization "on the map."

It is a beta release, meaning that the program is still undergoing some tweaks and upgrades.You can read the FAQs and learn more about the program and decide if you want to join in.  The world of art is all about exposure and networking.  I see the Arts Map as another tool that helps this process.

Surf

 Surf

6 x 9  soft pastels

I invested in a new box of pastels today to augment what sticks and stubs I already had floating around in tubs and trays.  There is an immediacy about pastels that fills the gap between drawing and painting.  The feel of them as they deposit pigment on a rough surface is very satisfying, almost as much as the intensity of colours that can be created with them.

The drawback with creating pieces in pastel is the challenge of shipping them when someone buys one who isn't local.  Its rather more elaborate to ensure the pastel doesn't disappear from the surface or get smeared by the time it reaches its location.  However, so far, so good, with any shipments of pastels that I'd made.  As long as I sandwich it with a gap between and make sure the piece can't move it works well.

This piece is still water, but not another river view of Salmonier.  This is a view of the ocean breaking over the rocks at Flatrock.  The beach, if you could call it that, has a handful of rocks at its edge, breaking off from the flat rocks that give the area its name.  The movement of the water over the rocks is endlessly appealing to me.

This little study was more a trial run of the new pastels than a serious piece.  However, blue is the other attractant to me, so air whipped water turning turquoise always captures my attention.

Ambitious Peep

Ambitious Peep
9 x 12  watercolour

I have distinct likes and dislikes in foods and it usually is a texture issue.  Marshmallow is one of those things that I cannot abide, smelling it, touching or (shudder) eating it.

However, I had seen shelves full of Easter treats for the past month or more and one of them was the culprit - Peeps.  Pure marshmallow covered in bright shells of coloured sugar.  I kept meaning to buy them as they appealed in shape and colour for future paintings.

Then a few days ago Chris Beck had posted about the challenge she had with Jelaine Faunce and Pablo Villicana Lara in her blog, I'm Painting As Fast As I Can.  They each had created a piece around Peeps.  I strongly encourage you to go visit all three artists and images, they are priceless.

So, with images of Peeps in my head, and a box of the (shudder) marshmallow candy in my studio I played around with various Peeps images. The result was the cross between a Peep and a goose egg.

This watercolour is about 9 x 12.  Thanks for the extra inspiration Chris, Jelaine and Pablo!  Happy Easter!

Back road at dusk

I love the time of day when light is fading.  It starts to dull colours in landscapes and intensify colours in the sky as the sun moves down in the sky.

In Newfoundland there are so many gravel roads in varying conditions that are not travelled as much but always turn up interesting views.  This is near the end of a small back road with a view of a tiny community across the water.  The skies are dramatic, almost looking as if they were on fire with the sun and the dark clouds above them back lit.

This piece is 22 x 15 and in pastel.

Gyotaku 'sketches'

 
I've been playing around with some gyotaku and variances using different fish, papers and backgrounds while I build up more substantial pieces.  These are what I consider the 'sketches' for the larger pieces.

While the salmon is taken from a real fish, the flounder is one of some replica fish that I purchased as back ups for when what I want isn't available or for use in specific teaching environments.  The replicas are cast from real fish and have good detail.  Neither of these pieces are complete yet, there is still more work to do in adding the eyes and enhancing the colours.  I was skeptical about the replicas, but the flounder here has good shape and anatomical realism. 

I have a number of Japanese papers that I'm trying as well.  The flounder is printed on cream coloured chiri paper that has lots of flecks of mulberry bark embedded in it, is soft and flexible but still fairly strong and withstands printing and manipulating well.

As I experiment more with a variety of papers, I'll develop more knowledge about them, their characteristics and strengths.  There is such a variety and they are becoming more readily available in art supply stores around the country.

The Japanese Paper Place in Toronto has a huge range of papers and will likely be getting my business.

The Original Paper-Ya on Granville Island in British Columbia has an interesting selection of various papers.

If anyone knows of other good suppliers of japanese papers in Canada, do let me know.

Salmonier II

The little river at Salmonier still appeals to me and makes me want to use more pastels to depict it.

This is a small piece 5.5 x 9 inches on Colourfix paper.  I like the sanded surface for pastel.  It grips the pigment well.  I also have a couple of pieces of St. Armand Sabretooth paper that I should use as well.  I just need the right inspiration for it.  Perhaps another view of the river at Salmonier...

This piece is available for sale on my Available Art page.

Portrait update - mother

I've been slowly working on this portrait of my mother, doing a few minutes here and there and its starting to come together now.  The start of the portrait is here.

Its on a full sheet (22 x 30) of Stonehenge paper.  This is velvety smooth with a good tooth and holds the charcoal well without giving out.

I've finished most of the face but will be refining it more with values and the hair as well.  Now I'm working on the endless sofa cover pattern.  It has a floral design which may be the end of me.  I'm not sure how much detail I'll get into on this, it depends on how it goes and how much I can stand!

For now I'm working left to right developing pattern and values for it. Its unlikely that my mother will ever see the piece, as she doesn't like images of herself in any form.  Left in her hands, she'd likely destroy it.  We all have self images that never seem to match another's vision, but hers is rather extreme.  And at 85 its sure not going to change.

Andalusian dog and cat

Working from life or your own images is usually the best form of reference but sometimes it isn't always possible and you are not in control of colour or values.  But there are ways to push the image into a form that will help you see light and shaded areas more easily and help you create value maps in your painting or drawing.

I was using up the end of paints on my oil palette with these two little pieces from this weekend's WDE at WetCanvas.  The images, provided by Harry Hamill, didn't have the levels of clarity or shadows that I would normally look for in a portrait reference, so I need to do some tweaking before tackling them.

Posterizing enhances areas of minimal shading in bands that are more distinct, allowing the artist to see more easily the value map of an image.  This is so useful when shadows are weak or seemingly non-existent.  That and a little darkening of midtones and the image became clearer in value placement and much easier to tackle.

These pieces are 5 x 7, completed in oils.

Baggy

 

Years ago when I did a lot of animal commissions while in the UK, one of the most common dogs that I painted or drew were Labrador Retrievers or Golden Retrievers.  I even had a golden Lab myself, the wonderful Baggy, who I rescued from an animal shelter.  Baggy was found wandering the streets of Bridgewater, half starved and was a large Lab with a head like a boulder. He was quite old and I was always taking in waifs and strays so he came home with me.  He got his name because his skin was literally hanging on his frame he was so thin when he first arrived.  I soon fattened him up.

He had obviously been trained to carry at some point and would get anxious on walks if he wasn't able to carry a bag or his lead.  I had a little mini dachshund then so I would hand over her lead to Baggy and they'd walk slowly on ahead of me, he hanging on to her lead.  It used to amuse people as she was so tiny and he so large.  He was a great dog.

They are usually gentle dogs with kind natures, good around children and also great dogs to take hunting. Baggy was all of the above, but I don't know his record as a gun dog as I have never hunted.  This was one of his favourite spots, snuggled up with the girls and Daisy, the dachshund, pretending he was a lap dog.

I liked the expression on this dog's face.  He was alert, watching something or someone. And he reminded me of Baggy. So I did a quick watercolour sketch laying in basic lines first then just adding colour as I went.  Its about 9 x 12 on 140lb Arches.