I’ve added myself in the bottom right hand side of the painting. I’m there as a ghostly shadow in the photo, so why not? Trying to get an idea of cracked paint on the frame. 
Can you see my phone?
New paintings and regular art updates.
I’ve added myself in the bottom right hand side of the painting. I’m there as a ghostly shadow in the photo, so why not? Trying to get an idea of cracked paint on the frame. 
Can you see my phone?
Sometimes it’s hard to see whether something looks right in a painting. Then I try turning it upside down. It really does give you a different perspective. In the case of the painting I’m doing it also allows me to get closer to the top of the picture as I’ve got it propped up on a chair.
Eyesight is another problem. If I’m staring at my phone looking at the image it’s hard for my eyes to accommodate (called presbyopia) where the lenses in your eyes get stiffer as you get older, so they don’t focus as well.
I’m now starting to paint the cracks in the window frame paint. I may come back to the clouds (thanks Martha, a bit of finger painting helped).
I’ve rotated the photo back to the vertical on my camera so I can look at it without moving the canvas. Eventually I will turn it back the right way so I can paint the bottom half. It’s going to take a while…..
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I do love this bag, I’ve had it for a whole now and the straps are starting to fray, but I have to say I love it. Whoever designed it, thank you, you have given me a great deal of pleasure.
Design is important in this world. That’s why art is worth studying. Maybe that’s why arts courses should not be cut.
More work in progress photos. I’m struggling to get the clouds right. I need to try and get the detail and shading correct. Also when it’s finished the paintwork on the frames will be all crackled and flakey.

Looking closer, the greys are dark but not too dark, I may also bring a tiny bit of brown in and thin it down for the wood in the windows. Mostly it’s blending and shading to get a realistic effect.

This was me in 2007. I might be helping to paint a mural again soon, but I also need to paint a picture of what Spode means to me. I’m not sure what to paint as I never worked in the factory and only know it as it is, I was blogging about that a couple of days ago. Well today I went out and got a largish canvas about two feet by two and a half feet. I’m thinking of finding some old cracked paint or dusty glass, maybe a reflection. I will go and take photos tomorrow. I want to add some metallic glints to whatever I do. I need to make plans…..

This was our garden about ten years ago. The trees are a lot bigger now and there is a lot more shade. There is a buddlea that is touching the side of the house about the quarters of the way up. The picture is an acrylic on canvas. It’s a bit blurry I’m afraid. I took the photo at my sisters house and was rushing when I took it.
I painted it in situ, sitting on a garden chair and holding the canvas so I had to paint speedily. It’s about 12 x 8 inches, so not very big.
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Two sketches. One yesterday at Astle Park traction engine rally, I drew this at the end of the day when all the vehicles has left the show ring except for this miniature traction engine. I could have just taken a photo but as it stayed still for quite a while I drew instead.
The second picture was drawn outside but then we went into the restaurant as we were being bothered by wasps. I took a photo of the drawing while we were inside. I didn’t realise it was so dark in there with a blue tone to the lighting. I adjusted it with a photo editor. It shows how long it took to get served, the place was really busy. The food was very nice though.
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I was playing with the masks you can use on Facebook and found one that turned you into a tiger. Then I decided to see how my face would look with one side mirrored. It looked interesting.
Today I was out at a traction engine rally. I had to take a photo of the big cat that was part of its decoration. I think he’s a lion.
But the image reminded me of something. Especially around the eyes…. I feel like saying Snap!

I’m in a bit of a quandary. I’d been asked to join a team to design a piece of art for an art project. I didn’t decide to submit my own application because I haven’t had the experience of putting in a proposal. I came up with an idea, but it hasn’t been accepted. What has happened is that someone else has come up with the ideas and I think I might be asked to paint them. I want the project to succeed and this is a community project so I need to be more understanding and co-operative even though my ideas are not being listened to.
I’m undecided as to whether to go ahead. The submission is tomorrow and I’ve just been asked to come up with a whole section of artwork, not my design. I’m having ideas suggested to me that don’t fit the brief. Ah well, I need to chill and try and come up with something.
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I like this, the way everything seemed to line up. The wind spinner, lilies and the chair, and I like the colour combinations. The copper colours with the greens and browns. The cloud cover seemed to enhance the shadows as the sun crept out from between them. The calla lily infront of the budda.