Dragons!

I am really pleased to say that I am going to be exhibiting work at the Winchester Discovery Centre from the 26th February. I have two walls to fill - one is going to be fine art based and the other will be leaning towards children's book illustration - I have got most of the work done - but just need to complete two more paintings. 

Strange how ideas come isn't it? I have been mixing ideas around in my head for days - it's almost subconscious - what I'm hoping for is a scene to miraculously pop into my head - I think it's never going to happen and then, out of nowhere it just appears and somehow a lot the things that I've been considering appear in the picture in my head. Anyway, just thought I'd share that as it never fails to take me by surprise!

So today, the picture that emerged was that of a dragon and very little boy. The boy is holding a wooden sword and is just in the process of realising that the enormous dragon that is looming over him just might be friendly. 

I've been reading a lot of "How to Train your Dragon" recently to my 8 year old son - so I'm guessing the idea may have stemmed from the books. Fantastic read, by the way and lots of opportunity to do silly character voices  whilst reading ....or is that just me?

So I'm going to show this work in stages as it happens.

Here's todays start on the picture....

will post more tomorrow.

Stage number 1

Stage number 2
Little boy and dog get some colour. 
The boys jumper went really wrong to start with - lots of green stripes and the perspective was all wrong - argghh!!Panic mode nearly set in - why did I find painting really easy yesterday and today it seems very laboured - anyone else suffer from this? Anyway, with a bit of over painting with gouache I think it looks a lot better than it did!

Stage number 3

I have stopped painting for a few days due to a very painful back and shoulder. I hate it when I cant paint - don't you? -there's something missing - painting or drawing is definitely something I need to do to make me happy. 

Anyway, tonight I was feeling a bit better so I painted for half an hour. I managed to add more colour to the little boy and the dragon. Not finished yet but it's emerging.

The Final Stage

I thought I'd show you the final painting. I really enjoyed painting this and can feel another dragon picture coming along soon. Hope you like it!! 

xxx

Watercolour Heaven

It was my birthday this month and I was lucky enough to get a beautiful set of new watercolour brushes. Series Seven, Windsor and Newton. Thank you to my wonderful sister in law for such a good present. 

They are so wonderful to use and hold so much paint but even the largest brush has such a fine tip that it can produce the smallest hairlike lines. So recently, because of my new brushes, I have been in watercolour heaven.

I have been painting animals, and thought you might like to see.
A couple of these are now available as prints in my Etsy Shop and I should be putting more up soon. 

Digital 

I have recently found that I am wanting to produce more digital art. It surprises me really as I have always been such a traditionalist but I am having lots of fun with it and long may it last. 

Here's my most recent piece.

"Runner"

Illustration Friday

This weeks word is "Water"

I have just started to do some digital work and here is a piece that I did in Photoshop. 

Illustration Friday - Mirror

It was my youngest sons 8th birthday this weekend. Looking through his wardrobe I realised he was in need of something smart to wear to his party - he lives in tracksuit bottoms, but I thought - just this once it would be nice to see him in something smarter.  Into town I went, to search for something that  I would like - and he would tolerate!:)

I found, what I thought was, a lovely shirt and pair of trousers. 
At home, later that morning he tried them on.

I braced myself for the usual " Oh but Muuum, it's not comfy, can't I wear my tracksuit?"
But no.....he looked himself up and down  said "Oooh, these are nice" and ran to the mirror in my bedroom to have a look. 

I have never seen him express much interest in clothes (apart from tracksuits , of course) - so it was quite a surprise when  he literally started jumping  up and down and dancing about  in front of the mirror - shouting "Yay! I look cool!" 

Well, that's what gave me the idea for this proud little boy looking into the mirror at his new party clothes. Funny how inspiration sometimes just comes at the right moment.




Mirror - The New Party Clothes

Illustration Friday 

Book

I gave myself a challenge  - Illustration Friday in 15 minutes. 

I imagined a little child - with all his life in front of him and placed him in a room full of the books he might read in his lifetime. 

Here he sits,  in the corner of that room. 

I wonder what sorts of books they are? 

What will he be when he's older?

What influence will these books have on the shaping on his life?

All those things entered my head whilst I was drawing - I guess I like to see the story unfolding. Do you do this when you paint or draw? 

I find that timing myself occasionally makes a really good exercise. It helps me to sort out what really needs to be on the page. 

I had the remains of a black coffee sitting on the table so I used that for the brown wash - my sketch book smells lovely!

To - do - list 


Yes  I have been making a to-do-list. Not one of my usual ones - Ironing, pay school trip money, cat food, haircut, etc. but one to help with my art career. So I thought I'd share it:

On going to - do - list

Daily
Find 3 new addresses for promo (2 publishers 1 gallery)
Draw in my sketch book
Updates on Facebook as needed

Weekly
Contact at least two publishers (illustration ) and 1 gallery (fine art)
Add new work to Etsy
Update my  Website – if needed
Illustration Friday
One illustration (portfolio quality)
Look at freelance job listing sites

Monthly
Press Release
Blog entry
Update portfolio

and now all I've got to do is stick to it....