Work in Progress A Red Maine Coon - Stage 1

I've decided to do a work in progress in a bit more detail, highlighting some of the stages I go through to create a portrait. This will be a fairly large mixed media work. There will be no background other than a shadow to ground the cat so once I've drawn the outline and main fur clumps on my paper I start to select the colours.
I'm working on Arches hot pressed watercolour paper.

1. Selecting the Colours
I make a fairly quick initial selection of pencil colours I think I can see in the cat and draw a small square of each on the edge of my paper. I remove this edge from the finished portrait but it helps me to see how the colours work on my support.

2. I compare my selected colours with the reference and discard any that don't work.
Tip - For a red cat I discard any pencils that tend to look yellowish as they end up giving the orange/red fur a greenish tint.

3. I select the colours for the eye and  complete it before moving onto the surrounding areas of fur.

4. If you look at the tail you can see I'm putting down a base of watercolour before adding the coloured pencil.

Maine Coon Cat on Colourfix

I've been working on this maine coon cat in between other things which is why it's going so slowly.
It's approximately 16 x 12 inches on colourfix paper.
I've been using an under painting in watercolour and then adding detail in coloured pencil using the same method that I did with the spaniel but I'm finding it a very different experience to working on watercolour paper.
I thought it might be useful to compare my findings using the colourfix against using a hot press watercolour paper.

Pro's

• The coloured paper provides a midtone which means fewer layers are needed to create the fur.
• Little work is needed to create a subtle background.
• White fur shows up against the darker paper.

Con's

• Both the watercolour and the coloured pencil sink into the colourfix requiring constant touching up.
• The rough surface of the paper eats the pencils and destroys brushes, it is advisable to only use old brushes.

I can get fine detail on both surfaces so that isn't an issue.

On balance I think I prefer working on watercolour paper so it will be back to the Arches hot pressed paper for my next work.

National Exhibition of Wildlife Art

'Ruffled Feathers'

The National Exhibition of Wildlife Art opens on Friday and runs to the 29th July at the Gordale Garden Centre, Wirral.
 My painting 'Ruffled Feathers' will be on show together with another 439 2D and 3D works of wildlife art.
You can see a list of all the selected artists here, and there will be an online gallery available to browse from the 13th of July.
If you are interested in wildlife art it is well worth a visit, plus as an added bonus on the 13th, 14th and 15th there are several free wildlife art demonstrations running from 11.00am to 4.00pm.

Link: NEWA

Monty the Spaniel - Finished

'Monty'

I have completed 'Monty' the spaniel and have the first giclee prints available.
The total worldwide print run will be 350 but I'm splitting that into two print sizes.

Large Print
Total Available 99, numbered 2 to100
Image Size approximately 9 x 12 inches
Mounted/Matted in polar white to 16 x 20 inches
Price £40 plus post and packing £4.00

Small Print
Total Available 250, numbered 101 to350
Image Size approximately 7 x 9 inches
Mounted/Matted in off white to 11 x 14 inches
Price £25 plus post and packing £3.00

They will be available from my website from next week but if anyone wants one now or more information please email me gayle.mason@gmail.com
Next week I'm going to give write a post about how I get from the original to the print.

Spaniel Continued

I've continued to work on the spaniel. I know his fur is looking a little bit too neat but I'll rough it up at a later stage.
I intend to paint quite a lot of the bodyas I want to avoid the 'floating head' look.

Spaniel in Mixed Media

I started a painting of a spaniel while demonstrating at the Patchings Art Festival.
First of all I added watercolour using a barely damp brush and then picked out detail in coloured pencil. The size is approximately 16 x 12 inches and it's on hot press watercolour paper.
I found that the addition of the watercolour really speeded things up and also created a really soft fur effect, I'll be using this technique again.

Thanks to all who came to talk to me at Patchings and also those that bought my work. It was lovely to see old friends and make some new ones. It was also nice to come away inspired after seeing work from so many talented artists.

Patchings Art Festival

I've been to Nottingham today to set up my stand for the Patchings art festival which starts tomorrow.
The festival runs from the 14th to the 17th of June and is open between 9.30 and 5.00 Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 9.30 to 4.30 on Sunday.
If you are visiting the festival come and say hello.

Link : Patchings Festival

Tawny Owl in Mixed Media - Final Stage

'Ruffled Feathers'

12 x 16 inches, mixed media on watercolour paper, painted from my own reference photographs.

I'll put my owl to one side for a few days before I make the final adjustments. Now to go and finish the snow leopard and the other owl.

Graphite and Coloured Pencil on Drafting Film (Polydraw)

I've been experimenting with doing a graphite drawing on one side of drafting film and then turning it over and working with coloured pencils on the reverse side.

This is the start of the graphite drawing. I used harder pencils 4H, 2H and just added a little B in the very darkest areas because the softer ones would smudge on the polyester surface.
I drew in the cat's eye and some of the surrounding fur making sure not to smudge the graphite.
Once I'd done a couple of inches of I turned the drafting film over and started working in coloured pencils.

You can see the graphite showing through the area not yet worked in coloured pencil. The graphite acts as a grisaille and has really increased the contrast of the piece.
Because the graphite is on the other side of the drafting film it doesn't smudge and muddy the colours.
One thing I need to keep in mind for next time is that I need to draw the graphite image in reverse so that when I turn the drafting film over I'm working the right way.
The final image is replacing the white backing board with a black one, a mid tone will work better but I can't find one at the moment.

Tawney Owl Continued

I've continued to work on the tawny owl painting slowly down the body. I decided the tail feathers looked hard to work out so I'm leaving those for last.
I'm thinking about adding the stump in graphite as I don't want to take the focus away from the owl. I'll have a play in Photoshop before I decide.
I've decided to do a series of owls as I have some nice reference photographs of both the barn and little owls.

Snow Leopard in Graphite

As well as the graphite pheasants and the watercolour owl I'm working on a large drawing of a Snow Leopard.
The reference is my own photograph that I took several years ago at Marwell Zoo. The design of the cage meant I could stand directly in front of the leopard to capture the whole animal. The lighting is good which you will be able to see better once I get a little more drawing done.

Garden Birds

I haven't really done much more on the owl so I thought I'd post a couple of visitors to my bird feeders.
For the past two days a pair of Bullfinches have been taking seeds from the feeder. The male is much shyer than the female and tends to hide in a bush, dash out and get a seed and fly back in the bush. The female is much less timid and sits on the feeder eating seeds for quite long periods of time. I did manage to get a couple of them together but didn't dare open the patio door so the photograph is taken through glass.

We also have a small flock of Redpolls and Siskins that visit usually two or three times a day, these have become quite tame allowing me to get some nice reference photographs. This is a male siskin with some seeds in his beak making him look a bit odd but showing his lovely bright breeding plumage.

A Very Wet Harrogate Flower Show

The weather at Harrogate Flower Show was dreadful, I think I've developed webbed feet and possibly pneumonia. Despite that I had a really good show and enjoyed exhibiting with Made in Yorkshire for the first time. I found the whole set up very professional and the other exhibitors very friendly and helpful which made the experience much better than it could have been.

I worked on the pheasant although my hands were so cold most of the time not much drawing got done.

Harrogate Flower Show

I'm continuing to work on my pheasant in between printing cards and prints ready for Harrogate Flower Show.
I have to set up my stand tomorrow and the show runs from Thursday the 26th until Sunday the 30th. If you visit the show come and say hello, I'll be in the Made in Yorkshire marquee working on my pheasant.
Keep your fingers crossed that the weather is better than the forecast.

Tawny Owl in Watercolour

I've started painting a tawny owl in watercolour. I intend to include the full body as in my reference photo the bird is wet and has ruffled feathers due to a strong wind which is a little bit different. I was also ruffled at the time as it was a really wet and windy day and I got down to eye level with the owl. I took the photographs of the owl at a local game fair.

Unfortunately I've been quite badly bitten so have one hand completely bandaged and the other hand and arm so badly bruised I can't bend my fingers which means I might be slower than ever on this one. It's a long story involving bitches in season, frustrated male dogs and my hands going too near snapping teeth.

Little Owl in Mixed Media

'Little Owl'

Mixed media on drafting film

As a complete change from the cats I've started working on one of my older paintings that I've ignored for a considerable time.
I'm using coloured pencil and acrylic on drafting film.
I see a little owl most evenings when I take Clinton a walk down the lane, unfortunately it usually sees me first and hides in the middle of the bush it likes to sit next to.
The curlews are also back, I usually see between 2 and 4 walking about searching the ground or flying over the fields. I love the haunting cry of the curlew especially when you get several all crying at once.

Two New Cat Images

'Family Portrait'
Mixed Media on Board, 11.5 x 14 inches

'Playtime'
Mixed media on colourfix paper, 11 x 17 inches

I've managed to complete my first two cat images for 2012. Both are painted using mixed media, Playtime is coloured pencil and acrylic, Family Portrait is coloured pencil and pastel, with a pan pastel background.

Brown Hare - Limited Edition Giclee Print Available

'Run For Fun'
Limited Edition Giclee print
Image Size 9 x 7 inches
Matted/Mounted in white to 11 x 14 inches.

My latest print is now available to purchase. It has been taken from my graphite drawing and I am limiting the edition to 200 prints worldwide.
For this print I have added the title to the white space at the bottom of the image and I will sign and number each print in pencil.

The print will cost £22.00 plus £2.00 post and packing.
If you are interested you can buy direct from my website, gaylemasonfineart.com or email me for further details.

I'm having a 'mad march hare' auction on eBay for the first print listed (it will be numbered 2/200) starting at £1.00. Once this one sells the prints will revert to the normal price of £22.00
Click here to join the auction

Cats, Colourfix Paper and Colourfix Board

'Family Portrait'
Mixed Media on Soft Umber Colourfix Board

I've started the second new cat painting for 2012 and decided to try a new surface.
I'm using a colourfix plein air board in soft umber.
The colourfix boards are archive quality 2mm white board ready primed with Colorfix Fine Tooth Pastel Primer. I decided to give them a try after reading that they are acid free, lightfast and fully permanent.
The boards come in several colours and have a standard workable area of 12 x 16 inches.
There appears to be slightly more tooth than on the colourfix paper this does mean you go through coloured pencils quite quickly but means more layers can be applied. I have found no problem applying acrylic paint both to the board itself and on top of the coloured pencil.

I purchased the boards online from Great Art as I found they offered the best price.
Link : Great Art

I have another new surface to try, Canson Mi-Teintes Board, cat number three coming up.

Mixed Media Cat on Colourfix

I'm working on the first of my cat paintings for 2012.
This is acrylic and coloured pencil on blue colourfix, plenty of work still to be done on the background. There is more above the cat< I've just included the bit that fit on my scanner.

I'm going to be doing at least a couple of shows with Made in Yorkshire this year. The first of these will be Harrogate Spring Flower Show held on Thursday 26th April to Sunday the 29th. I'm hoping to launch a series depicting animals and birds from the UK.