Stars?

Posted on January 31, 2019August 22, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Astronomy, Moon, Night, Photo, Planets, Sky, StarsLeave a comment

No, this is a blurry picture of Venus, the Moon and Jupiter. Somewhere nearby was also Mars.

This was the view looking East from our house about 6am this morning.

You can’t see it but the sky was crystal clear and the planets and moon were twinkling behind the tree branches. My camera phone is good in low light levels but it has over exposed this. Add my hand shaking and it is not very clear. However it might make for an interesting painting.

There are various astronomy sites where you can find information about conjunctions of planets. I like the sky at night on the BBC. Also I have spaceweather.com on my mobile so I can see things like comets, auroras and near earth asteroids.

Our little solar system is tiny compared with the Galaxy and then the universe, but its quite an interesting place even so.

Looking

Posted on January 30, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Design, Digital art, Poem, Poetry, Random rhyme, YoudrawLeave a comment

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Cyclops, looking at you,

What does he see?

One stern eye facing you..

Checking you out?

Staring deep.

Into your eyes,

Dazzled by your smile,

Ancient sight

Blinded by your brilliance

Or your insolence.

Yellow bowl.

Posted on January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Colour, Fun, Humour, Painting, Poem, Random rhyme, Tired, Yellow, Yellow bowl2 Comments

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Since I did so many posts about Blue I thought I would write a random poem about yellow. ….

Yellow bowl,

full of custard,

Bananas

Yellow bandana.

Rifle through my brain…

Yellow ochre,

yellow belly,

Lemon yellow.

Polka dot bikini.

Cadmium yellow..

Corn on the cob

Belishia beacon,

Beaches of golden yellow sand,

Yellow wands of willow,

Yellow cotton pillow

case…

Painted yellow face?

Hello yellow jello

no need to bellow…

Yellow….

I was going to include an American politician in this but thought better of it….

Finished at last..

Posted on January 28, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, An exhibition of blue, Art, Artist, Blue, Fine artist, Finished, Jupiter, Jupiter Blue, Painter, Painting with acrylics, Spode, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent2 Comments

Finished Jupiter Blue. This painting of one of the poles of Jupiter is what I have done for an Exhibition based on the colour blue. It looks more blue than the original photo because of this. The picture brush strokes are not as soft as I wanted, in fact it seems to have taken on a Van Gogh feeling. Come and see the result in the flesh at “an Exhibition of Blue” at Spode Site, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, at the artists studios. Starting 6pm on Friday 1st February 2019. There are over 20 artists exhibiting.

Collage

Posted on January 28, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Collage, Design, Drawing, Paper, ScissorsLeave a comment

I did this a couple of years ago. A collage of the view outside the art group meeting hall. I did a small sketch and then drew out the tree on the back of wrapping paper. I built up layers of paper and glued them one on top of the other, starting with the background trees in a pale purple and two individual trees on top of that. I then did the chain link fence out of silver holographic paper. Finally I cut the tree out of a darker patterned Christmas paper. The blue peices of paper on either side are meant to represent curtains.

I think making things like collage is quite creative. My example is very simple but you can go into much more detail. All you need is a pencil, paper and a pair of scissors. Maybe something to do on a wet weekend?

Willow pattern painting

Posted on January 28, 2019 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Blue, Colour, Painting, Spode site, Willow patternLeave a comment

These are a couple of photos of when I painted a willow pattern plate painting. I did it because I had moved into my studio at spode and I had done a series of paintings of pottery.

I looked at various tiny images of the willow pattern pottery by various manufacturers and selected about 3 plates to do the design from. Sitting holding my phone in one hand with the canvas on a table easle is quite difficult, trying to look at photos about 2 inches Square. I made up the outer border mostly from my imagination.

More blue…..

Posted on January 27, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Exhibition of Blue, Painting, So difficult, Work in progressLeave a comment

More work. .. Coming back to finish tomorrow… Hopefully …. I need thinner lines I think…..

Pushing the (blue) envelope

Posted on January 27, 2019 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Atmosphere, Blue, Blue exhibition, Jupiter, Planet, Struggle, Work on progressLeave a comment

I’m trying to get this very complex painting finished for tomorrow. It’s going from OK to not sure. I don’t know if I like the brushstrokes. I’m trying another brush in a minute. I’m staying another hour or so. Will post more if it improves.

Digital patterns

Posted on January 27, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Blog, Blogging, Design, Digital art, Drawing, Humour, Life, Memories, Reflections, WorkLeave a comment

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I’m a sucker for patterns. If I can’t think of any other art to do I will draw a pattern on my phone or tablet then play with it.

I do wonder where my ideas come from. I must be very visual. I never feel comfortable unless I’ve got something to look at. Minimalism is not for me.

I once had to live in a student residence while I was on placement somewhere. I had a room with a bed and a desk and chair. Blank walls. That dingey pale grey /blue /green that public buildings are painted. One kitchen between about 16 rooms and a toilet and shower block.

No home comforts and it was the start of November and I was based there for a months placement. I could only come home at weekends.

I went out and bought a couple of sheets of wrapping paper. A newspaper, a party bag made out of holographic shiny metallic paper. Also a few postcards and a sketch book.

By the end of the day I had 42 (honestly) pictures, photos, patterned paper, the beautiful wrapping paper all stuck up on the walls .. Then I felt much better… Its my visual brain you see…..

Pastel workshop

Posted on January 26, 2019January 26, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, art workshop, beer, Blending, brewing, Design, Drawing, Fun, Humour, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Orme Art group, Pastels14 Comments

I was going to have a quiet day today. But I got up and there was a bit of a disaster in our kitchen. My hubby had decided to brew some beer. But he had added some extra sugar to the brew. Then he has put the bung in upside down. Beer had turned into volcano. Half the brew was all over the kitchen. It had hit the ceiling, there were puddles of ale on the cupboard tops, it was all over the cooker. Basically half the kitchen has been inundated with beer….

After about an hour of cleaning up I decided to go to the pastel workshop with the Orme art group. Basically to escape! The workshop was run by Sandra Orme (no relation).

It’s difficult to describe what we learnt, it was complicated. I’ve added a few photos of the two pictures I did. First you lay down colours in soft pastel on fine toothed pastel paper. Once you have enough pastel on you blend them together, then build up layers using smaller more intricate marks, gradually blending and adding. Sometimes only lightly pressing on the pastel, other times blending more. The direction of the marks can make a difference to how it looks. You can use the edge of your hands, your palms, your fingers or blending tools (like a brush but with the bristles replaced with a rubber tip).

Im pleased with the results. I’m even thinking of getting them framed….

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Art