Sunday, November 29, 2015

Mixed media

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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.

Friday, November 6, 2015

More mixed media

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“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.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Mixed Media

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“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.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Who needs brushes

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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.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Swallows

                                "Swallows" Coloured pencil on paper. 30cmx21cm(A4)

The next in the series "Irish Birds"

Very soon now the young swallows born in Ireland will begin to flock together before they make their way to Africa, an amazing feat of navigation considering they have never been there before. A month or so later after feeding up after the hectic breeding season, the adults will follow.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Yassy

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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.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Cock of the walk.

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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.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Another coloured pencil

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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.

Coloured Pencil

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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,

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Coloured Pencil




Found these two, unfinished, coloured pencil paintings, when I was doing my annual studio clear up. Decided to finish them and think they didn't turn out too bad. I love working with coloured pencil, but have to be in the right frame of mind as they can take so long building up the colour. Anyway , decided to do some more so watch this space.  

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Ardoginna Castle

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“ Pen & Ink on acrylic paper.”
Had a week-end away recently in Ardmore, Co Waterford. Next to the house we stayed in was this amazing ruin of a castle. This is only a small part of it as there are numerous outbuildings and extensions, all unfortunately in a ruined state, …must have been an amazing place when it was complete.
Decided to try out the pen and inks again for this and I think it worked out alright.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Acrylics for beginners

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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

Saturday, April 4, 2015

The first of many (I hope)

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The first 4 of the series “Irish Birds” prints. Overall size with the frame is 12x10 inches and they will be available for sale online soon, on this blog and my website The Art of Phil Davis , until then they can be purchased from my studio, Studio 2, Downstairs in Shanagarry Design Centre , Shanagarry, Co Cork.
Price: €49.95.
I would be grateful, if you like this post, that you would share it with your friends, Thank you.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

More Birds

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Another 3 cards in the “Irish Birds” series, only 300 0dd to go. Watch this space!
Great to see the sun shining in Ireland although it’s still chilly. All of a sudden the buds are sprouting and the birds are looking for nesting material and as I look out my studio window the Sycamores have a tinge of green… roll on summer.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

New Cards- The Birds of Ireland


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Kingfisher.
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Stonechat.
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Yellowhammer.
The first 3 in a series of “Birds of Ireland” cards that I am producing at the moment from photos and sketches I have made over the years of birding. I have been intending to do this for several years but for some reason never got started. Given that the list of Irish birds is probably between 250 and 300 I have a ways to go.
Now comes the commercial: Anybody who would like to purchase cards can get them online, soon, at theartofphildavis.blogspot.ie/p/cards, or call in to my studio Downstairs in Shanagarry Design Centre.
€2.00 each .

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Open Gallery

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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.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Ballycotton Lighthouse from the Cow


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Oil on canvas: 24”x18”
I painted this scene several years ago on a smaller scale and with acrylics. Always wanted to try with oils and palette knife, and this is the result.
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This is the original version, about half the size, which do you prefer?

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Pen & Ink

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Acrylic ink on watercolour paper”
I’m on a roll at the moment, but that seems to happen every new year. Three posts in 3 days is it ?
I love using ink although I’m still relatively new to the medium, I just like playing with it , trying it on different surfaces although so far I think watercolour paper is the favourite. I would be interested in what others use.
My art classes have restarted since yesterday, so I will have less time to paint, I must say I have enjoyed the last two weeks, having the time to paint all day if I wanted to, also was able to clear up the studio a bit and catch up with cleaning brushes. Having said that , I really love running the classes and wouldn’t change things for the world.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

First Painting of 2015(Kind of)

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I started this at the tail end of 2014 and finished it on New Years Day. One of my students allowed me to use a photo she had taken in the woods in Glengarrif, in Co Cork, and I immediately thought it would be great to try as a tryptich with a palette knife. I rearranged the picture a bit as you can see as the large tree was blocking the view of the waterfall.
Glengarrif

Friday, January 2, 2015

Another New Year

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.

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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.