New paintings and regular art updates.
Today’s prompt was Rooves (roofs). I looked out of all my windows and this view from the back of our house came closest to the remit. The sun was low and shining in as I drew this so I had to scoot across the bed so that I didn’t get completely dazzled. Most of the view is taken up with shrubs and trees. A few roofs in the distance, in silhouette. I managed to see more as the sun started to set, but it had to be done quickly. For our #bandofsketchers group.
Late last night I decided to colour in a drawing with nail varnish. I did a picture of ‘the cat sat on the mat’, then I coloured in the background with marker pens.
I had difficulty taking a photo I wanted to include the sheen of the varnish but could only get it with the page tipped up. When you look at it straight on the image is a lot flatter. It’s just a design based on the old cat sat on the mat idea. I can imagine it being used as a children’s book illustration.
I drew some curves and spirals then started adding doodles, including a couple of birds and a face. I started using a fine line black ink pen, but it was running out so I turned instead to a black calligraphy pen. When I’d finished I decided to add colour. That helped accentuate some of the shapes. I could do more but decided to leave it. I called it phoenix because a bird seemed to ge appearing from the background.
Since we are in the Autumn and Halloween is coming up I thought I would draw something spooky in ArtRage oils. I don’t use the application very often, but it has some nice features including a metallic sheen if you turn the tool for metallic oil up. The writing the cracked paint and the lines on the clock were drawn in the Sketch app. I do like mixing things up a bit. I know it’s finger painting, but I like the imprecise way it looks, sketchy and a bit rough.
I was really looking forward to going back to our Orme Art Group, which is meeting for the first time in months. I was only going for the afternoon, but I was going to start doing something new. Then government decided to impose Tier two restrictions in our area. Most of the group will still be in Tier One but not me. Oh well, I have to admit I was a bit nervous of seeing people inside for the first time in months (and yet I’m happy to go shopping). Its strange how this pandemic can affect your confidence.
Maybe one day things can get back to normal, I can see my friends again. I can paint with them, spark new ideas, have fun. Do workshops learning new techniques.
Fingers crossed
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Just done this black and white sketch of my friend. Using a not very good black fine line unipoint pen (almost run out). Reminds me how much I love doing portraits. Getting the eyes right is my main intention. I struggled to draw her hair.
My ‘music’ sketch. We have a stack of music playing equipment over in the corner, CD player, cassette player, speaker and loads of old videos etc. All a bit out of date now. Sadly we mainly listen to the radio so it’s all gathered dust recently.
For the #bandofsketchers series of sketches I’m doing to respond to prompts that are posted every other day. If you come to Facebook and look for band of sketchers you could join in.
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A couple of small paintings I did about three years ago, acrylics on canvas, sorry the colours are off. I liked trying to get the perspective on the window, and the splash of the fountain and the ripples in the water.
A fellow blogger mentioned Pareidolia today because he noticed he could see a face in a piece of lichen. Of course I then had to look back over my recent photos to see if I could find anything that looked like a face?
I’m one of those people that see faces in everything. I had to get rid of my shower curtain as I could see five or six bubble faces in it which was quite disturbing! I wondered if the designer had done it deliberately!
When I was a child I would often lie on the grass and looked up at cloud faces and animals, elephants chasing camels across the sky….
I might write a poem about that….
I’ve recently been commissioned to do a large family portrait for a friend of a friend, but I’m concerned about what they want to pay for it? They also sent me a great many photos in different conditions with lots of different groups of people on them. The problem is I can’t make a coherent image or composition using them.
I replied ‘That’s twelve portraits for £50?, it would have to be a small painting or a watercolour. Please can you choose the best photos that I can work from. I will do it but it will take a while. Possibly a couple of hours per portrait which works out at a cost of £4 per portrait or £2 per hour. I would normally charge £50 (normally £60) for one portrait, but I understand you might not be able to afford any more and I don’t want to ask too much. I want to do a good job for you and as you have already got a couple of my paintings I will consider only asking for a small amount for the painting. But please can you choose the twelve images you prefer as then I won’t get it wrong. “
I want to paint for people, but I don’t think they realise the work that goes into things. I would Never overcharge, but on the other hand I’d like to be paid at least the minimum wage for it!
How would you respond? Should I have questioned the request or refused it?
Note * I’m now just doing a very small painting, but I do wish people understood how hard it is to paint something like this, it’s not a snap!
Mallaband-Brown