Bury Knowle Library

This is an ink drawing I recently finished. I thought with the recent painting of the museum out of the way it'll be nice to draw another building, or at least finish one I started a while ago.

 

This was started a few summers ago when Angela had Ellie for the morning and I had some time to myself, so went and drew the Local library. I spent maybe an hour or so sketching it out in my sketch book purely as a practice piece, but looking at it again last summer I felt I wanted to take it further so traced it onto watercolour paper with the notion of painting it when I had the time. Instead while, inking it, I liked the effect the paper had on the ink lines so decided to leave it uncoloured. I left it unfinished due to other things going on and completely forgot about it until Angela said she'd like to hang it up at her office, so I dug it out and finished it, now it's mounted and framed ready for her to take to work.

 

 

Portrait: Ellie Contemplating

 

 

Although she's often a happy child I see her very often just watching the things happening around her. In nursery, foundation and year one, the teachers have all commented on her tendency to hang back and thoughtfully observe before carrying out her tasks.

 

 

 

This portrait of Ellie is produced in oil paint. It's taken around 32 hours of work and I based it one main reference photo and used two extra photos to help with the face.

Oxford Art comp entry

The painting is finally finished with all the obscure little details added. On screen it probably doesn't look too different from what I last posted but I still think it made a difference. Now I just need to let it dry, then varnish, photograph and frame it and it'll be ready for submission. Working time about 50 hours of drawing and painting time, discounting prep work.

 

 

While I'm immersed in oil paints I thought I'll paint my first portrait in years. This is a work in progress of Ellie in a contemplative mood. This is about 25 hours of painting time so far, I reckon another full day should finish it.

Have to hurry though, school holiday's about to start and I expect my time for working will spiral downwards. 

The ref has called an end to the bout

This is a based on the article I read in the times yesterday.

 

 

Commandant Barnaby Joyce

 

This is based on the May news story of Australia's agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce gunning for Jonny Depp's doggies. I think Depp, filming the ...( lost count) ...th Pirates of the Caribbean, smuggled his dogs into Australia to keep him company and Joyce blew a gasket over the legalities of it.

Russell Brand Vs Katie Hopkins

 

This is an idea from my wife a week or so after the elections. I just couldn't find the time to draw it then. Although a couple of months late, I thought it'll be fun to do as they seem to be such polarising personalities.

 

I think Russell Brand said he'll stick a fire work up his back side and light it if Tories won a majority and Katie Hopkins said she'll leave the country if Labour won.

 

Oils part 4

 

It's about 44 hours in and it's nearly there. I figure another 5 or so hours, just need to pick out some extra details.

After, I'll need to get it photographed properly.  

Learn kickboxing

 

Finished with slight amendments form the line drawings. These could fit in an A4 frame although it may seem a be a bit cramped. The actual paper size is 36cm H x 27W. Some of the paper around the caricatures  are cropped to fit my scanner.

 

These are about 2 and a half hours of work each.

 

 

 

 

Oils part 3

 

This is about 32 hours of work and most of the more intricate details have been filled in now. Maybe I can maybe loosen up now. First though I need to revisit the site again. and take a another look at the right lower corner. Every time I visit it's obscured by several cars, so I'll have to make a more concerted study and make some educated guesses to get a better represntation.

 

 

One of the real issues I found with painting this is the perspective and how it works. With a camera you take a photo and you get a fixed point whereas, originally drawing this from life, the point of perspective moves when my eyes move across to look at a different part of the building.

Learn Kickboxing

The caricatures have been inked and are ready for watercolour. This is a group of kickboxing instructors based in the midlands (apart from the last image).
It's been difficult trying to balance the time painting the museum and getting on with the caricatures and with another art competition looming I'd better get a move on.