I love dramatic shadows and reflections, so the still-life arrangement is like a theatre - in a Lidl box to control the diffused light, with an IKEA lamp clipped to the side. Still life is not really natural anyway, so some extra drama is just fine. I have a 5mm board covered in paper placed against the back to create a narrow vertical shadow and alter the heights of the horizon. This board is really narrow, but look at the difference it makes! There are many ways of planning a composition - … [Read more...]
The first Blackthorn blossom
The blackthorn tree is the first tree to bear blossoms and so to celebrate the Spring I decided to paint it. I picked some at the side of the road and two days later the blossoms were manky. So I picked some more yesterday and painted it today. I put it onto Instagram. Now Instagram is a lovely sort of photo album-sharing social medium. You join (free) and can upload photos for others to see. You can tag them if you are looking at themes and follow people if you like their themes. I am … [Read more...]
Snowdrops – how I love the Spring
Having lived most of my l;ife in South Africa, my birthday month was the hottest month of the year with with bougainvillea filled garden, patio birthday parties, swimming in the sea etc. Now that I live here, it is more of a slow progression of seasons. We move through the colour spectrum - white (snow and snowdrops) yellow (daffs & crocusses) Blues, (bluebells, crocusses, violets) and then we burst into colour in summer. But at first, it's a gentle change. There is not really much of a … [Read more...]
Daily Drawing – this time last year
This time last year, I had set myself the project of doing a daily drawing for 6 weeks. (This year it is daily painting for three months - scroll down to see today's!) I was in Singapore visiting my son and his family and I did some of my drawing at the swimming pool at the condo. After I had taken the photos of Nomi (4) below, she insisted on taking one of me (on my ipad of course) So, here I am (above) in the lap of luxury, able to do my daily drawings aka urban sketching. Nomi is painting … [Read more...]
Daily Painting – White Bowls#1
This is one of a series of daily paintings in oils and I hope you enjoy this project. You can purchase it here and own an original oil painting or give a special gift at an affordable price. and a nugget: This is an added extra to the daily painting – a technique, background information or a story. See my little illuminated set-up! These little flexible reading lights are from IKEA and you can clip them on and position them. Iluminating the subject increases the tonal contrasts and of … [Read more...]