Rough Pup - Graphite Drawing of a Rough Collie Pup

'Rough Pup' Graphite on Arches Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper

Approximately 14 x 10 inches

Very belated wishes that you all have a great 2015.

The drawing above is the first one completed this year and is of 'Xena' the youngest member of my rough collie family. I chose to draw her in a very uncharacteristic pose, mainly because I thought I might never see her sitting still again :) The image below is much more characteristic of Xena although after all the rain she is slightly more muddy looking.

I do intend to draw her again when time permits and this time it will be a Xena in action pose.

I haven't made any plans for 2015 mainly because I don't tend to revist the list once February arrives. Instead I'm keeping a weekly to do list which includes regular updates of my blog and website and some painting/drawing time.  

I am planning to overhaul my website in the very near future as I think it needs completely re- designing to make it more suitable for the latest technology.

Grouse Study in Mixed Media

Red Grouse Study

Mixed Media on Paper, 14 x 18 inches

Original Available, email me if interested.

I am lucky to have several areas of moorland close to home that sustain breeding populations of red grouse so that over the course of several years I have taken hundreds of reference photographs in all seasons.

I couldn't make my mind up if I wanted to do a painting or drawing so decided to go for the best of both worlds and combine the two. The main image is acrylic fading into graphite and the two small ones are graphite.

Detail from the above study.

My original idea included either one or two flying grouse but sadly I was always too slow with my camera and captured mostly tips of wings, trailing legs or no grouse at all, so a flying grouse will have to wait for another time.

As I have so many good photographs to work from I will be doing another drawing in the future, perhaps a less serious image like one taken from my reference photograph below.

Catch Up - Again

Glenspey Heavenly Star - 'Roxie'

23/09/2006 - 31/10/2014

We had to say goodbye to Roxie or as she was known to the family 'little foxley' last week. It was totally unexpected and we are still in shock.

On a happier note Xena is now eight months old and although she is the naughtiest puppy we've ever owned she is a complete delight to live with.   

                                                                                    

I've not completed many pictures over the summer but I did add to my series of big cats drawn in graphite, the latest one is an amur tiger.

   'Best Foot Forward'

Graphite on Paper, approximately 17.5 x 11inches

Original available from the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, London

More to follow:-

Catch Up

'Trial Run'

Graphite on Fabriano Artistico

It's been a long time since I updated my blog, in fact I struggled to log in having forgotten my password.
My family suffered a tragedy early in March which put art on hold for a few weeks.

Since my last post I've attended three exhibitions, all of which were reasonably successful. The Yorkshire Game Fair held at Newby Hall near Ripon was the muddiest show I've ever attended, the mud was knee deep and tractors were needed to move vehicles on and off the field. It was an experience I'd prefer not to repeat.
Last week I attended Patchings Art Festival, I always enjoy the social aspects of this show although sales were slow over the weekend.

We welcomed a new addition to the family a few weeks ago, meet Xena who is quite possibly the naughtiest puppy I've ever owned. Her hobbies include stripping wallpaper from the hallway, removing plants from the garden and carrying live bees about. We still don't know how she managed to carry a very large bee all the way across the garden without getting stung. However I can report that the bee flew away uninjured.

I've just submitted an article to Leisure Painter on drawing a peacock feather, it should be published in the August magazine out at the beginning of July.

I've started a series of graphite drawings of working dogs, The first one is 'Trial Run' drawn from one of my own reference photographs.

I do now intend to post much more regularly in the future.

Amur Leopard in Graphite

'Striding Out'

Graphite on Mellotex, 17.5 x 11.75 inches

I'm alive and well but have been really busy with real life happenings.

I have a new pencil practice article in this months Leisure Painter magazine (May 2014) on drawing weathered wood in coloured pencil.

'Weathered Stump' the subject of my latest pencil practice article

The next article will be in the July issue and will be techniques for drawing water.

I've marked plenty of assignments for the London Art College diploma course on drawing and painting pet portraits.

I'm in the middle of painting two large commissions of a lovely old Airedale called Joe. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe and his owners at Wetherby service station on a bitterly cold winter day so that I could take my own photographs and meet Joe in person.

Show season is fast approaching, my first show of the year will be the Harrogate Spring Flower Show which takes place at the end of this month.

I do intend to get back into a regular blogging routine as it helps me to focus on getting things completed.

The Supreme Cat Show - 23rd November 2013

Work in Progress - Jaguar in Graphite Pencil

I know it's been a long, long time since I updated my blog and I'm not promising that I'll write more frequently this year but I do have things to share in 2014.

I'm working on my next techniques in coloured pencil booklet which should be available before the year end. It will be 'How to draw a Brown Hare' in coloured pencil. However it is  basically the same tutorial that appeared in the November issue of Leisure Painter magazine so if you bought the magazine it's probably not worth buying the booklet as you will already have most of the material.

I will have a stand at The Supreme Cat show which is being held tomorrow at the NEC, Birmingham, UK. It will be my last show until next spring so if you're visiting or exhibiting please come and say hello.

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.

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.

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.

Pheasants in graphite

I'm working on a graphite drawing of a male and female pheasant.
It will be about 16 x 12 and I'm using mellotex paper.
I've only included the part that fit in my scanner because my camera doesn't like the lack of light today.

The original reference images courtesy Alan D. Wilson, Naturespicsonline.com, used with Alan's permission.

Hare Continued

I've almost finished the hare. I need to make a few adjustments with the foreground but it's almost done.

Wildlife Artist of the Year x 2 - Call for Entries

I've finally finished my christmas commissions and can get back to the paintings and drawings awaiting completion, one of them being the hare in the above image.

One of my goals for 2012 is to enter more competitions/exhibitions and two of the ones I'm aiming for have closing dates early in the new year.

These are:-

David Shepherd's Wildlife Artist of the year which has a closing date of 20/01/2012, and,

BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year with a closing date of 29/02/2012

'Hot Spot'

My painting Hot Spot was short listed for the David Shepherd award in 2009.

For full details visit Making a Mark the art blog of my artist friend Katherine Tyrrell.
Katherine has written a post covering all the details of the call for entries of both competitions, if you are interested in giving either a try then I recommend you read her post.

Link: Making a Mark - Wildlife Artist of the Year

Raccoon - Part 2

I haven't done a great deal more on the raccoon but I didn't want to wait to post any longer.
I'm busy with a couple of Christmas commissions and working on a large acrylic painting. I also don't seem to have had much to say recently but hopefully things will improve soon. I'll post my acrylic soon which is a little different from my usual work.

Raccoon in Graphite

I started this one a long, long time ago and have picked it up again.
I like to work on graphite in the evenings when there is no natural light so I don't have to worry about the colour changing with the artificial light.
I photographed this raccoon probably three years ago in Stanley Park, Vancouver, it was one of a family group who emerged one by one from the brambles.

Graphite Jaguar - Part 2

I'm busy with commissions and real life issues so I haven't much to show at the moment. I've done a little bit more on the jaguar but it's very slow progress.

The birds are returning to the feeders, I have a small flock of greenfinch that visit throughout the day and two or three goldfinches together with great, blue and coal tits. The coal tits are much more numerous than the others, sometimes I can see five or six moving from feeder to feeder.

Graphite Jaguar

I'm back home but still jet lagged so have spent time this week on a graphite portrait of a jaguar from my own photograph.
I understand that Black on Black had sold before the private view of the SOFA exhibition which was good news.

Three Kittens in Graphite

'Three Little Kittens'

To bid click here.

I had a short break from the tiger to create another cat ACEO. This is graphite on watercolour paper, 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

Amur Leopard finished

'Stolen Moment'

45 x 21 cms

Finally finished my Amur Leopard.

I'm ready for a little colour in my life now.

Amur Leopard - Part 3

Starting to draw the hind legs, hopefully by tomorrow they'll be done.

Amur Leopard - Part 2

Carrying on with my leopard.
I have no idea why I haven't finished the ear except that I haven't felt the time was right. This is definitely 'my' way of working certainly not recommended in the books that suggest working the whole piece as one. But, it works for me.
I've adapted to the much rougher surface and am pleased with the effect. It does have a tendency to shine with the softer leads so I find it helps to put a layer of 2 or 4H down first before adding the softer darker tones. Working back over the top with the hard leads then further softens and dulls the effect.
I'm not intending adding any more background than the small shadow because I want all the focus on the leopard.
He will have back legs eventually.