New paintings and regular art updates.
I was showing someone how the layout app on my phone works so I took a photo of their garden then made this picture in the app. The architecture really works as a pattern, and the bright blue sky makes it feel fresh and interesting. Just play. That’s all…
Ukraines South-eastern area is now being bombarded by Russian heavy artillery. This includes thermobaric weapons that when they explode create a vacuum to suck all the oxygen out of the air and then burn it in an intense fire. If the Ukrainians are not burnt or blown up they can be asphixiated by them. They are also using something called Thermite. This is a chemical mixture that is sometimes used to weld steel. It burns at high temperatures and destroys what it hits. The images look like massive rains of fireworks but they are deadly. If you pour water on it the stuff burns even more.
Russia, the Russian army, I mean. Is continuing its cruelty to the civilians of Ukraine. The country of Russia is not under threat. They are not being bombed back to the stone age. Russian troops are now facing war crime trials. One soldier has already been found guilty of killing a 62 year old man by shooting him in the back of the head. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment. But it is their leader President Putin who is leading this evil. He should be bought to justice. We will not forget we cannot forgive!
Today, for the first time in two years I went back to Spode. I have a lot of paintings that I have done over the years. I’ve avoided going because of Covid and it felt so strange being there. Like the time hasn’t passed, and yet there are new people there. If I want to carry on being an artist I need to get my act together again. I called myself an explorative fine artist and I want to be one again.
Sometimes I don’t know if a drawing will work. This one seemed to. Used Artrage oils and Sketch apps. Not much more to say really… I had fun!
Using a digital filter can make a difference to an image. It somehow tidies up the image. It adds a different quality to pen lines. This was done with photodirector/effects/style, choice two. Initial drawing was brown and pale green felt pens.
This swirl of cloud was visible from our back door tonight at 9pm British Summer time. We have had strong winds and hefty showers all day. Some plants have been a bit battered, especially the trees that are now in full leaf. The white line across the bottom is a condensation trail from a plane. I don’t know what the type of cloud is, I think it might be a type of Cumulus? I love the way the setting sun was catching the side of the cloud and a few seconds before proper sun rays were shining upwards from behind the roof of our neighbours house.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was monument. I was going to draw the Duke of Sutherlands monument near Trentham Gardens. But then I came across this stone I painted as a memorial to my cat about fifteen years ago. This bought back memories of a lovely intelligent cat. Must repaint it.
The Magnolias are getting to the end of their flowering periods. The petals are starting to go brown in patches. I have a white Magnolia Stellata, this is a deep pink one we saw on a walk, I’d like to get one of these in our garden. I think they originate in China? They are such majestic flowers.
After I drew the laburnum arch I looked through the photos I took at the weekend and realised I could have drawn this instead. I don’t remember seeing it before, but it is quite striking. One thing about the UK is the greenery. Once spring and summer arrives the greens burst out. Yes we do get drought conditions, but we are very lucky compared with many places.
Adding layers of dots to a sketched pattern I did. Then I mirrored it. Someone on Instagram says I’m getting too psychedelic! I just love playing with patterns. In this case polka-dots! It reminds me of 1960’s Pop Art, but more abstract!
Mallaband-Brown