Labradoodle!

Just finished a commissioned knitted dog set, a brown labradoodle called Ozzy.

He has his own coat and bed and everything!

Bye bye Ozzy, you're off to Scotland...

...have fun!

Chickens In Cowboy Boots....

...oh yes, you read that right! Acrylic on board - this one is proving to be fun!

Parrots, Pencils & Placemats...

 I completed this yesterday after a determined effort.  It has been painted using Derwent Inktense pencils and colour blocks.  Considering it was a spur of the moment choice of subject, not really thought out in any great detail, it has turned out well.  There are things I would have done differently if starting again, but I'm happy enough.

 I took part in the WHSmith Sketchoff last night - they give you a photo online and an hour in which to sketch it.  I thought it would be a doddle, seeing as I have drawn and painted tigers so often, but in actual fact it was very hard work.  Not because I couldn't draw it but because there just wasn't enough time!  I chose to use Derwent Coloursoft pencils, mainly because I was curled up on the sofa and too lazy to get paints out - it was a very satisfying exercise though.

I've knitted more fish.  I don't know what to do with them.  I had an idea that they could be used as placemats, but as I have used scraps of different coloured yarn, they don't really go together as a set.  Needs a bit more thought.  Anyone fancy the pattern for free?

All Over The Place...

I've been busy, but work has been a little 'bitty'.  One of the small projects has been another stag's head which is going off to it's new owner today. These are fun to make, but oh so fiddly - at least I know my pattern is faultless, I've used it enough!

Despite feeling quite ill yesterday, I managed to put in some painting time on this macaw, using Inktense pencils.  As this was started in order to have something to demonstrate at the exhibition a couple of weeks ago, I'm not feeling the over-riding enthusiasm of other paintings.  It's all right, but I want to get it finished as I have a far more entertaining commission waiting in the wings....

Fish & Print...

Occasionally I get quite random commissions - I like that, it adds a bit of variety and gets me thinking.  This week it was some knitted fish...

I had a print done of the gannet painting for the lady whose photo I used as reference - it came out very well.  Makes me wonder if I would have a market for selling prints - what do you think? 

Meanwhile, the garden is coming along nicely.  I am being very good and resisting the urge to potter while I have work that needs doing!

Improvisation...

I had to find a subject quick for my painting demonstration at the local art exhibition yesterday.  As I had just finished the gannets painting and have a commission to make sketches for, I was at a bit of a loss for any inspiration.  At the last minute I decided to go with what I know and paint a macaw using Inktense pencils & blocks.  It was quite fun in the end and I felt a bit like a rep for Derwent, telling people how to use Inktense and raving about how much I like them - but it's true, these pigments are one of my favourite mediums.  Now let's see if I can finish it....

A Little Experimentation...

I bought a set of Liquid Pencil a couple of weeks ago, it has 6 hues, two greys, yellow, blue, red and sepia.  I couldn't really think of anything to paint with them off the top of my head so just did a little sparrow sketch.  I don't think the medium lends itself to much detail, this was quite hard to do and not being able to control the colours and brushmarks was getting frustrating.  However, I think for a landscape or something simpler, this is a great new medium.

The Fleet & District Art Society exhibition opens today at the Church on the Heath.  Hoping for a sale or two this year, fingers crossed.