Still messing about...need to get on with real deal!

 I'm really enjoying working with the aerosols and the cool effects they create, I'm finding them really hard to control and so the results are very haphazard and unpredictable, It's a bit scary that lack of control and just working with whatever the outcome is. It's also really hard not to overdo it as the spray paint is so much faster/instant than my usual meticulous painting method. The work above is yet another practise piece. I used oil paint on the flowers in a very thin layer and did it pretty roughly and quickly. Hopefully I will have time to do the real things a bit more carefully however, again it is a fine line between looking loose or just rough and also an even finer line between looking well painted and detailed or just overworked! I put these photos on my instagram and my sister saw them, commenting that she liked the hearts and stars.....these I only did whilst messing around on this practise piece, but if she likes them then I may well add some into the final pieces. By the way, the spray paint colours are 'Frozen Raspberry' and 'Shock pink', I'm a sucker for paint colour names....I think twice about buying a paint if I don't like it's 'name'! I saw a paint the other day called 'cup of tea'=love! I digress!

Background before flowers etc, acrylics and aerosol

Finished DNA.....maybe?

"DNA" Oil on paper

After drinking a glass of vino quite quickly last night, I threw caution to the wind and slapped the paint on, I am much happier with this now, it's much closer to my original vision. I feel that I have learnt so much from this painting by seeing it through and I am excited about starting a new piece using what I have learnt. I may even contemplate entering it for the Coventry open....I hate rejection though!

Guess what....Another work in progress!

DNA (WIP)

This is the latest painting that I have been working on. As usual I'm not happy with it. I can't seem to get my colour pallette right. The painting started quite muted but I felt it looked unfinished and a bit insipid. So I tried layering more colour on and using some injections of brighter colours but now I really don't like it! Arrrrh! Painting is very frustrating sometimes! I'm going to try toning down some of the colours, particularly the blue! OK, in an attempt to try something new, i.e., being positive....what am I happy with? I quite like how the hair is developing. Composition is nice, skin tone OK! Further inspiration is definitely needed! At least this work is nearer to being finished than most of my work lately!

Pirate (WIP)

Pirate (WIP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel as though my work is starting to progress in the right direction and it is definitely becoming less of a struggle. My main problem is just finding enough time to spend on it. I discovered instagram a while ago and was finally able to download the app today without breaking my phone. I took this photo using the instagram camera and it looked quite nice on my phone but now that I see it larger on the computer, it is a bit blurry and the colours aren't as rich as they looked on my phone. I'll have to keep on experimenting. I've still got some bits to work on with this piece, mainly the eye patch and the bubbles, but I am really bad at going back to things once I've worked on them for a day, I find I'm itching to start a new piece instead! There are a couple of exhibitions that I am hoping to submit work to soon so I suppose this is something that I'm going to have to tackle.

Lovin Graphite

Always Remember, Pencil study

Since becoming a mum of two i've had to really consider how much time I have to spend on my artwork. Graphite has become my new best friend again. Simple to use, cheap, quick and effective. Then when they are both in bed I can play around with adding colour to a few.

Always remember (adding colour)

To-To's Dream, development

To-To's Dream (WIP)

I've worked on the face a bit in the last few days and also started to develop the background. Something that I have noticed is that by photographing my work and viewing it on screen, it is easier to make decisions about where to go next with it. The background definitely needs more work and so does the hairline and sides of the face.

To-To's Dream

To-To's Dream

A new WIP. Based again on Esme. This photo shows work in it's very early stages, the first wash has been applied, I worked loosely with this, using acrylic like watercolour. I also thought carefully about the colour palette I wanted to use. This piece explores ideas of children's imaginations. I wonder what Esme will think of all my paintings of her when she's older?

The Haunting

The Haunting

Experimenting with a more loose style. I am quite pleased with this study and particularly pleased that it only took a few hours to create. The left eye is a bit dodgy but I feel, for a quick experiment it's not bad. This was created by painting the face directly onto the background without any under drawing/tracing to follow so if I were to do a finished outcome I would need to find a way of mapping the main elements of the piece out. Esme (my personal art critic) said it looked spooky. It does a bit. I seem to be drawn to quite melancholic faces. I'm not too sure about the colours either but still, I'm trying not to over analysis my art or be too critical, just produce, explore, learn and move on. This way, hopefully I won't become disheartened and hopefully my work will continue to develop. Also did you notice, I've tried to think of a title. It's so hard, well I find it hard, and I think titles are really important. Hopefully my titles will improve too!

No time to practise practice.....

A work in progress, supposedly, however, these days, most of my wip's stay as wip's! Felt inspired to paint at 10pm last night, and did so until 11.30....not good when you then get woken at 5.30 by 6mth old! Lately I'm enjoying getting a glowy iridescent sheen to my portraits and figures...I really do need to see some of these pieces through till the end though! Having started to work using oil on paper again, means I can be less precious over my work and let it naturally evolve. I asked Esme if she thought it looked like her and she replied, "No....I don't have a purple face". Good art critique from a 3 year old if you ask me! On reflection, I think she has a point, and I need to slightly cool down some of the colours used. Lots needs doing to it...hairline and hair in particular. Maybe I'll get the urge to do more tonight, or maybe I'll just have a beer, watch some Saturday night trash t.v. and fall asleep on the sofa....sounds like bliss!

Sleepy Esme Artwork

This is a new artwork that I just finished tonight. It is based on a photo I took of my daughter whilst she was fast asleep on the sofa with her favorite toy. She looked so cute I just had to take the photo but I wanted to make the painting more fairy-tale. I like this style/technique when using oil paints so would like to try out some more work in a similar vein soon.

 Sleepy Esme August 2011

Close-up