Robin

Posted on March 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bird, Birds, Blackbird, Blue tits, Garden, Happy, Meaning, Painting, Robin, Spring, Time8 Comments

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Robin painting from November.

I was reading about Robins on Facebook today where I read this that a friend had posted:

She I looked up ‘what does it mean if a Robin visits?’

Meaning found: If a robin keeps visiting you in indicates good luck. According to myths and legends, Robins appear once a loved one has died, Allegedly, it’s a simple message from heaven; that this loved one is watching over you. Robins also appear spiritually, to remind you to uncover the happiness.
Robins are also associated with the end of an old phase and the entering of a new one. To see Robin means you need to let go of what no longer serves you and find something else to bring you joy and happiness. The Robin bird is encouraging you to be brave again.

I don’t set much store in old wives tales, but this is sweet. In such a difficult world its good to remember the nice things. We have at least one Robin in the garden, bustling around, finding food. He’s very welcome along with blackbirds and blue tits. I must make an effort and try and get some photos….

Fork draw

Posted on March 19, 2020 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on paper, Art, Blogging, Cat, Day to day, Fork, Fork drawing, Messing about, Metallic paint, Painting, Playing, WordPressLeave a comment

Things to do at a loose end… I was asked to try and draw something with a fork for a Facebook group, I don’t know whether anyone else had a go? .. Well it ended up being a sort of forking cat! It was fun, but the acrylic paint didn’t make much of a mark, I tried adding water and then it splodged!

No doubt I will be posting more weird images as the days go on.

Possible painting.

Posted on March 18, 2020March 18, 2020 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Life, Light, Painting, Self isolating, Still life, Subject matter, ThinkingLeave a comment

I need some inspiration for new paintings. Now I have to stay indoors or in my garden because of the orders to self isolate if you have underlying health issues, I can’t get out and look at things, I can’t go and see the sea. I’m trawling through my phone to see if I can find images to paint. This is a strong candidate (taken at the waiting room gallery, which is closed for the time being). This has an old fashioned look of a still life, with strong shadows and modelling with the sunlight.

I will try and find a canvas for it. I’m worried that the shops I get them from might close? I will have to go out tomorrow and panic buy canvases! And that is not sticking to the self isolating rules!

Get on and finish it!

Posted on March 15, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Artists block, Cleaning, Design, Frustrating, Help, Kingfisher, Life, Painting, Spring cleaningLeave a comment

This has been hidden behind envelopes and letters for weeks, artists block holding me tight in its grip. So why is it uncovered? Is there going to be a spurt in activity? No, spring cleaning, removing piles of old letters and finding things to shred or burn…. And I cleaned the cooker, cleaned the bathroom sink, did the washing up, cleaned the fridge, the sink in the kitchen, wiped the walls down and… Still didn’t paint, despite having things to do…. My bum needs a good kicking!

Net curtains

Posted on March 14, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Blogging, Cats, Fun, Humour, Looking in, Neighbours, Net curtains, Painting, StudioLeave a comment

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When you live next to a road, without a front garden, you need something to obscure people views of the inside of your home. I mean, if it was a show home it might be different, but I’m messy when it comes to life. I’ve got lots of art materials and canvases so you can imagine.. I have a studio at Spode, but in winter it’s too cold to use.

Anyway I used to have lovely net curtains, with cat patterns on them, but they got clawed by my new cats, so these are stronger, less easy to damage. The cats still climb on the windowledge and look out, half the time they pull the net curtains along with them, so I’m constantly having to straighten them up…. Like a nosy neighbour twitching their curtains!

Brushes (new)

Posted on March 14, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylics, Art, Brushes, Glazes, Nylon, Oils, Painting, Paints, Tempera, WatercolourLeave a comment

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Just got some new brushes, they usually cost a lot, but these were not expensive. They are value brushes, £3.99 each pack. I bought one lot of smallish round headed brushes and one pack of flat ones. That’s eight brushes (nylon) at about £1 each.

Apart from these I must have about twenty or thirty old brushes. I must go through them, maybe throw a few away. But they are like old friends, I use them till all of the bristles have worn away!

Using different shapes gives you different mark making. Round, pointed ones can describe the shapes of petals or leaves. Flat, chisel shaped ones can be used for painting things like bricks, or to fill in larger areas.

These brushes are ‘golden taklon’ by Royal Langnickel. I like them because they are nylon so the bristles last longer and don’t tend to snap or fall out. Also they have rubber grips so they are non slip and easier to handle. They can be used for acrylics, watercolours, oils, temperas and glazes.

I got these from a craft shop in a local garden centre.

Painting I did a few years ago.

Posted on March 14, 2020 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Auction, Blogging, Dog, Dogs, French bulldog, Fun, Life, Painting, Pet portrait, Watercolour on paperLeave a comment

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I think it says 2005.

There had been a massive Tsunami on Christmas Eve in the Philippines. Our offices decided to do an auction I think for a fundraiser and I offered to do a painting for whoever bid for it.

The winning bid wanted a painting of three dogs. I think they are French bulldogs? They were named after characters from Buffy the vampire slayer, which was a popular TV programme at the time.

It’s funny the little details you remember. But yes, I used to love doing pet portrait. Contact me if you are interested….

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Painting