A couple of new projects started

Two of the projects rattling around in my head are starting to appear on canvas.both these underpaintings are being completed using alkyd oils in order to try and speed up the painting process.the uppermost photo shows a 3ft square-ish canvas on which I'm going to paint a lovely Red deer stag and the lower painting a lioness with lovely shadows and lighting which will pose a nice challenge.i have many other ideas just waiting to make an appearance on paper and canvas including an upcoming commissioned piece,which as those of you who read my blog regularly will know is something I don't undertake very often.

Royal Windsor Horse Show 14th-18th May

                                                              I SPY  oil on canvas

                                     Serval Kitten II graphite and carbon pencil on paper
This week see's the return of the annual Royal Windsor Horse show which runs from 14th-18th May.Every year my publishers Collier and Dobson fine art have a stand in a very prestigious location at the show and this year the two images above will be on display as part of the exhibition of my paintings and drawings as well as the full range of limited edition prints.With fantastic weather forecast for the duration then why not pop along to the show which is a spectacle not to be missed!

'Brief Respite-Red fox' 20" x 26"

Ok,hands up,i admit it,i'm a lousy photographer,but try as I might I cannot get a decent shot of this painting.Once its been properly scanned i'll post a better image,in which,hopefully,the true richness of the oil colours will be apparent!.Ive given this one a title and even signed it although I'm still debating whether or not to add more to the piece,it will have to sit in the studio for a few days whilst I make up my mind.Anyways,with this image ive tried to be a little looser,painterly even,and enjoy the nature of the oils.whilst there is a fair bit of detail here I decided early on not to get too carried away with that side of things and instead concentrate on producing a pleasing image whilst exploring the feel and nature of the paint a little more.i hope you like the end result,i'm cautiously pleased with the painting,although ive been looking at it for so long now that my eyes are just picking up every imperfection and not really seeing it as a whole.i'll have to leave it alone for awhile and re-appraise.i decided to call it 'brief respite' because I feel that anytime a fox appears on downtime then a brief respite is all its ever likely to get.thank goodness its such a resourceful animal that it can survive the persecution it undergoes at every turn.I make no apologies for the fact that I love the fox,they are a superb animal and I'm very fortunate to have them as guests on my property.

Fox painting resumed

My apologies in advance for the poor quality of the photograph,no matter how I try to capture this painting it still glares too much in places.i started this fox painting some weeks ago and whilst I was working on my last tiger painting it was languishing in the studio but its time has come at last! I'm working on the second coat of oils on the fox and using the paint more thickly than my usual manner enjoying the consistency of the oils and attempting to be a bit more painterly in my approach.i'm very much enjoying the slightly looser approach and keeping my fingers crossed that everyone else will enjoy it too and not get hung up on the slightly less detailed image.

Tiger painting complete

As yet untitled tiger painting complete  24" x 24" oil on canvas

Tiger portrait progress

Whilst I'm still heavily distracted with building work on my new studio I have managed to escape for a few hours respite at the easel.I'm now working up the second layer of oils on this tiger portrait,working out colours and playing with shadows and highlights to add a little drama to the piece.the eyes and nose area of the cat are still yet to have the second coat treatment but once completed i'll put aside to dry before adding some detail into the face and using a little glazing here and there to subtly shift tones.

major project underway

existing garage and outbuilding

existing Outbuilding

Outbuilding demolished

Asbestos garage roof removed

Concrete garage panels all removed

 

entire complex demolished

Its been a little while since I last posted and whilst I have been making slow progress on my recent paintings the majority of my time has been taken up with a new and exciting project.I hope you'll indulge me this post as I hope it will still be of interest to many of you.I have long yearned for a larger studio space apart from my house where I could work and teach more easily than at present and finally after many years of frustration my hopes are finally turning into a reality.The photos above document my progress so far in removing two large buildings from my garden to reveal a fantastic concrete slab perfect to use as a foundation for a new studio.Work on this project has not been without its problems,most notably the sheer quantity of cement-bonded asbestos used in the construction of the outbuilding and the garage roof.dismantling this required extreme care and was a slow process and once dismantled the asbestos has to be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner by professionals,which is not cheap!.So far ive filled three skips with timber and concrete from both buildings and will still require one more to finish the job of disposing of the remnants.i have been doing most of the work myself thus far,hence my lack of postings here,however from now on it will be a job for the professionals and the first job having cleared the space and now being able to see more clearly what I'm left with is to get plans drawn up for a bespoke building which will eventually house a studio/gallery and an office for my wifes alterations business.For now its back to the studio for me but I will post any developments as they happen,exciting times!