Red Fox - Take 2

I have been getting more and more disatisfied with my fox. I'm not sure if it was the ear, the muzzle, the colour, I just don't know what it was I didn't like about him. He looked more like a Corgi than a fox to me.

After spending several more hours on him I did what I should have done when the doubts set in, I started again. I know paintings go through an ugly stage but I'm usually right when I decide it's not the ugly stage, it's the terminal stage. So he was terminated and I started on Arches paper rather than board, same size, same reference. I'm much happier with him, I will add the dark background, probably after I do the eyes. The fur this time looks more like my work and he is already looking more 3D.

By the way you aren't seeing things, I'm still having trouble with his ear, I'm thinking of making hiom a battle scarred fox :)

Rather than doing another post I thought I'd just add the update. You can't really see the colours in the background, but they are there, honestly.

Fox and Kingfisher

I'm starting to build some depth in the coat with layers of acrylic, still a long way to go. I'll add some glazes next.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to capture a pair of Kingfishers with my camera. I've never before been close enough to get usable photographs, yesterday I got around 100. Some are a little blurred but all are usable. Here are a couple.

Red Fox continued

I've had very little time this week but am managing to put in a little time on the Red Fox.
Some of it is looking a little flat bgut that should start to improve with the next layers.

Further Foxy Fun

After struggling with the ear I've now struggled with the muzzle. It looks a simple shape, it is a simple shape, could I draw it, no.

I resorted to blue as have so many half removed white lines, no wonder he looks miserable.

Notice how I'm avoiding the ear.

Fox part 2

I thought I'd better do the background next. I put a layer of Neocolour ll down then started working in coloured pencil. So far I've done the left hand side, you can see the line where I've got to.

Fox on Ampersand Pastelbord

I sometimes take a drawing to work if I think I might have a lunch break. I try to take something that doesn't tear, or bend, or crease in my briefcase. Ampersand pastelbord is ideal, it survives the journey intact, of course getting coffee tipped on it is a whole different thing.

This fox is on the sand colour, it's 11 x 14 and up to now I've just used coloured pencils, that however could change any second I can feel the call of the acrylic.

I didn't get work on it at lunch by the way, I remembered had to pick some frames up from my local art shop.

Another Miniature Cat on Hahnemuhle Paper

To bid on this cat click here.

I've finished another ACEO size cat.

This time I used Hahnemuhle Hot Pressed watercolour paper, I'm not sure if I will use it again or not.

The advantages were:-

It is a white paper, whiter than Arches which I usually usually use

The acrylic went on smoothly

The disadvantages for my technique were:

I found it to be quite textured for a hot press paper, this affected how I drew my fur

If I had a sharp point on my pencil it lifted the fibres in the paper meaning I couldn't achieve a smooth finish

I adapted how I worked, using more acrylic and less pencil which helped. I also used a slightly blunt pencil and blended my layers using a very light touch.

I'm pleased with the final result but it was a lot more work to achieve the finish I wanted

Crowned Crane

I went in search of some young Tawny Owls today, I didn't see them but I did see this beautiful Crowned Crane. I couldn't resist photographing it for future reference, I can't wait to paint that hairstyle.

I also took some nice photographs of Black Tailed Godwits, the males look really showy in their Summer plumage, they're one of my favourite birds.

Little Owl Continued

I've been asked a lot of questions about how I combine acrylic and coloured pencil on drafting film. All will be revealed, but it will have to be later I'm off to catch a train now as I'm not in a driving into city centre mood.

Little Owl on Drafting Film

A different subject and a surface I haven't used for a long time, drafting film. I'm working mainly in coloured pencil with touches of acrylic.
This is just part of the whole image, it will be around 20 x 16 when finished and include the whole of the owl.

Another Watercolour Cat finished

Worked on this one last night and finished him. I'm moving on to a different subject now, will it be a fox or an owl? it really should be the mallard.

All my dogs have decided to shed their coats which means an extremely hairy house and no shows, unless I enter them in the Smooth rather than Rough Collie classes. This is rather disappointing because I enjoy the summer shows. We could still go without the dogs but I always feel wrong without at least one dog.

Another Watercolour Cat

I'm getting ready to do a larger work in watercolour but decided to do another small one first.

Again this is 2.5 x 3.5 inches. I have to say that the more I use the watercolour the less I'm reaching to add something else to the mix.

Tabby Cat in Watercolour - Finished

Click here to bid on this painting.
I've completed the little cat in watercolour. This time I added very little coloured pencil and really enjoyed the painting.

Tabby Cat in Watercolour

This is another small one, a tabby cat in watercolour.

We bought a new desk today which my eldest son assembled, this meant that the computer had to be disconnected and moved. It was touch and go whether the Internet ever worked again when the nest of cables was revealed for the first time in years. He put sticky labels on each cable as he undid it, unfortunately one of his helpers didn't realise the significance and followed behind removing them.

Ginger and White Cat ACEO

Click here to bid.
For the last couple of days I've been working on a ginger and white cat, it is 2.5 x 3.5 inches on pastelmat. I find it easier to concentrate on a small piece when I'm tired so the poor Mallard is still waiting for my pencil, maybe tomorrow.
On my screen it's a little larger than life size.

Wildlife Artist of the Year

I have made very little progress, in fact my art has suffered over the last few days, due in part to the hot weather and in part due to work commitments.

Yesterday we went to the Private View of Wildlife Artist of the Year. The event was in the evening at the Mall Galleries. It was really well attended and the 'red spots' indicating sales were appearing all over.
The Wildlife Artist of the Year award went to Pamela Conder for her mixed media work of Chimpanzees 'Reflections on Ageing'
I thought all the work was of a very high standard but my personal favourite had to be the work of Darryn Eggleton, Achromatic and In Motion. All the short listed paintings can be seen on line.
The exhibition runs until the 06/06 and is well worth a visit if you like wildlife.
For a much more comprehensive version of the evening see Katherine Tyrrell's post over on her blog 'Making a Mark'