Etsy shop

I've updated my Etsy shop over the last few days with some new work

Oils and also Watercolours

I say new work, some of the watercolours have been on Etsy before, but looking at them again I decided to add to them, giving them a revamp...it was fun doing that and a challenge.

If you click the picture below, it will take you to my Etsy shop,  just in case you would like to see the varied art I've been painting...

Eventually I complete the work-in-progress.....

....one I posted about 2 weeks ago!   Well, there have been other paintings in between, I haven't been idol.

here's the blogpost      ←click link  

work-in-progress....

I almost left it like this, I could have titled it something like:

'Rainy Day Through the Window'  

or something similar.   

But putting it back on the easel I knew there was some refining to do.  Strangely enough I didn't want to lose that fuzziness, but knew it was too 'out of focus' as it stood.

So I worked on it, off and on for a couple of hours and decided to stop where it was.  I've photographed it about 5 times, but believe me when I say, it looks better in person than in a photograph...trust me I'm an artist!

Title: INTANGIBLE DREAMS

8" x 8" (20x20cm)

A little time out

At least a little breather in amongst all the paintings I’ve been doing lately.  Woke with a niggling headache, so chose my exercise today was to take the bike out.

Two-fold success, no actually three-fold infact....

1.  I got exercise on my bike

2.  I used the opportunity to take some reference photos for future paintings

3.   My headache lifted

Here are some of the photos

I also did some short clip videos which I've put together as a

Compilation of 3 so click here to view 

Callum Wylie Foundation

To put you in the know, before I add links.  We've a lovely friend in a local town whom I've known for many years. Although we haven't been in touch of recent years, you know how it is - busy lives - but last year we received an invitation to a fundraising event at her home.  Fundraising for a Foundation in the name of her late grandson.  This did come as a shock,  nobody should be faced with that kind of loss.  Of course, we accepted the invite and met a number of people connected with the family and their Foundation.   The event was a success raising funds, which was great to know.

It was some time later that I took a closer look at their facebook page : Callum Wylie Foundation

I guess, being an artist and seeing the wonderful photos on facebook of Callum enjoying the sports he loved, I felt compelled to do a painting.  Really, I only intended to do one.  If it turned out okay, I would offer it to Callum's parents for them to either keep or to sell towards the Foundation.    In the end, I painted 4, various sizes and scenes.   At that time, I contacted Callum's parents to let them know, but didn't add photos of the paintings since I wanted the paint to dry and would look objectively at the artworks later.   As it happens, they have dried well and I am very happy with how they look. Obviously, now I could show Callum's parents the paintings, albeit online, and they are very pleased with them, mentioning the art on their facebook and the Foundation's Instagram accounts.  How nice of them to do that, even though they will have to wait for the paintings until after this Lockdown Virus issue!   I'll add links and relevant text/photos etc for you to browse ....

from their facebook page, showing the original reference photos...

Facebook : Callum Wylie Foundation

Instagram: Callum Wylie Foundation

🖌 🖌 🖌 🖌 🖌

Sketching with Oil paint

Not always an obvious choice, sketching with Oil paint.  I find it useful, not only for reference use at some future point, but it also loosens up my work - small exercise in the midst of other artwork, particularly large pieces.  This oil sketch is 6x4 inch, a very useful little gem.

The subject is the Lake, part of the River Yeo on the Arlington Court estate, with a glimpse of a bridge pier, one of two that would have formed a suspension bridge over the river. The bridge never came to fruition, but the matching piers stand as a reminder of what could have been.  Sketching from a photo isn't ideal, but these days and in our current climate, it's the best alternative....

I did video this on Timelapse - hopefully the link will open for you....

 - click HERE -

In progress...

This is only at the WORK-IN-PROGRESS stage, but thought I would add it anyway... I'll wait for it to dry and then add more detail, contrasts and hopefully at that point 
bring it together...

Think I got into seascapes don't you...

Having painted "Magic Carpet" (see my previous blogpost)

it got me into doing another Seascape

This painting was from one of my reference photographs.  We'd taken a walk along the coastal path locally, and at the end of the day as the sun was setting, I took a photo.  Not realising it would be inspiration for a future painting, just a photo of the moment.  So glad I stopped and bothered to take in this view - which has become a 10" x 8" Oil painting on canvas panel

Title:  ONE OF THESE DAYS

Magic Carpet

After some tweaking, leaving, tweaking again and

finally deciding this is it,  COMPLETED PAINTING

I have painted this scene before in Gouache, last year in fact, after a trip down to Lizard Point in Cornwall.  The light was so perfect and having looked through my photo references, decided it was an Oil painting this time, which I've given an unusual title (*footnote will explain why I chose the name for this piece)

Photos are a great memory of places visited, but somehow a painting puts me right back there.

Title:  MAGIC CARPET

size 8" x 8" (20 x 20cm)

*footnote: 

 click here ⬅️

In the making......

On the easel - this Oil painting has all the main elements in with strongest tones and lightest tones.

Now I'm going to wait and come back to it later, 

then I'll be able to see where I need to:

1.  Change something

2. Add more detail to an area

3. Put in Highlights against darker tones

4. Walk away again then come back and look with fresh eyes

 ~ Painting is all a process ~

Timelapse painting

Update...I was going to add a longer video here of the time-lapse,
but there's an issue with Vimeo, so until they sort themselves out,
here are my screenshots of the painting process...

the completed painting

Oil on panel

Title:  ACROSS THE LILY-POND

size: 8" x 10" (20 x 25cm)

Painting process glimpse

I've been working on a small project on behalf of the local National Trust at Arlington Court,

which basically involves me doing a Time-lapse painting of a view there. 

Here's a snapshot of part of the painting process

I need to wait for confirmation from them regarding the time-length of the painting video

and then I'll be able to add it all here .

Wildly different...

....must be the 'lockdown' that's made me deviate from my usual style

Oil on canvas 

Title:  WILD AND FREE

Size: 16" x 16"  (40 x 40cm)

When all is over with the virus and the lockdown...

.....I expect there will be a surge of people heading for the countryside and seaside

Oil on art panel - 8" x 8" (20 x 20cm)