Still messing with mixed media, this time just watercolour and acrylic. I was very taken with the reflections in the photo I had and hopefully I have achieved them.I wanted a very hazy, distant look for the background, so I used watercolour with a lot of water, the foreground is acrylic as I wanted stronger colours and I never seem to attain this with watercolour.
“Kenmare” Mixed media”
One of many pictures I took a couple of years ago while staying in Kenmare. I used watercolour for the first wash, then outlined with a black pen. I added pastel on top of the watercolour in places to add more texture, finally I had to use acrylic for the couple crossing the road as these were an afterthought.
“Urban Cowboys”
I started this picture months ago with acrylic,and for a long time it was going nowhere, then I decided to use ink to outline the cowboys and pastel to fill in the foreground, which made it easier to get the effect of rough ground.
I used as reference pictures I found on the internet, the idea being that with so many unfinished housing estates in the country they would become playgrounds for young people and inevitably become more desolate as time went by.
Ballycotton Island .Finger Painted.
I was demonstrating in the Kilkenny Shop in Shanagarry Design Centre. When I looked for my brushes I realised I had left my them in my studio. Not inclined to go get them I decided to try my hand at finger painting, above is the result. I used Winsor and Newton water soluble oil paint which I found very easy to use and spread easily . I enjoyed the experience so much that I intend to do more.
Ballycotton Island Tours boat “Yassy”.
Acrylic on paper.
If you are ever in Ballycotton this is a must do. Take a trip out to Ballycotton Lighthouse ,in company with a local guide. Climb the 50 odd steps up to the lighthouse and if you still have the energy take the stairs to the top and enjoy stunning views of the area.
I seem to be obsessed with coloured pencil at the moment. Here is yet another one that I finished today. I’m reasonably pleased with it, but now I see it on screen I can see places where I need to increase the contrast.
Just heard on the radio that several places in Ireland are enjoying 22 degrees , not where I am in the south unfortunately, it’s a nice day but with a stiff breeze from the sea keeping the temperature down.
An adult Starling feeding it’s young. This time of the year is great , all around there is new life, birds feeding young,flowers blooming, trees all the shades of green you can imagine. Very soon we will have the longest day after which the evenings will get shorter, at first imperceptibly , ushering in another season, but hopefully we will have several weeks of sunshine to keep us going through the autumn and winter.
Found these two, unfinished, when I was clearing up my studio, so decided it was time to finish them. I used a mixture of Prismacolor and Polychromos coloured pencil,
A new class for beginners is starting on Monday, April 27th , 3.00pm until 5.00pm, running for six weeks. Places are limited to 6 and everything is supplied, so all you have to bring is yourself.
Price: €120.00
Finally my studio has been sorted out so that I now have a gallery area and a studio area.Now you don’t have to fight your way round unfinished works, easels and everything that goes with a working studio. Why not call in if you are in the area,. Open all day everyday.
Well its that time again, when we make all those resolutions that we have no intention of keeping, even though at the time we really believe we do.
I’m not making any resolutions unless you count trying to be a better painter, which I do every year and hope that I am succeeding.
One of the paintings I finished before Christmas was a commission of three beautiful young girls which was a present for their daddies 40th birthday.
I decided to use acrylic as there was a bit of a time constraint and I wanted quick drying. I had to work from several different photographs, none of which, bar one, were of the 3 girls together, but altogether I think it worked out alright.
