Blog Award!

I am honoured to have been awarded this Premio Meme award by artists Doreen Cross of http://www.dorsart.blogspot.com/ and Karie Ann Cooper of http://www.artbykarie-ann.blogspot.com/.

Doreen(Dors) does stunning graphite works and Karie Anne impresses with detailed animal and wildlife works in coloured pencil on drafting film. Take a peek at their blogs!

A requirement of this award is that I list 7 things about myself so here we go:

1. I love the smell of new books and different paper textures.


2. I love reading! (Mainly crime fiction and sailing biographies)


3. I love the way a drawing begins flat (2D) and comes to life like a sculpture almost (3D)!


4. I love my Nikon SLR camera which I purchased last year. I did a photography course to learn how to use it properly. If the house burned down apart from people and my pet Frisky my camera is what I would grab!!


5. I love sailing-both cruising and racing. I have sailed since I was 15 years old.


6. I like to keep fit by running and swimming.


7. I love outdoor activities, space and freedom. Totally Sagittarian!!

This award now must be passed on to 7 others so here we go; Karie-Ann Cooper and Doreen Cross should be listed here but since they gave the award to me I don't want to start a ping-pong game!!

All of the artists below do beautiful work which inspires me and they have encouraged me in the past!!

1. Grahame N Butler http://www.grahanebutler.blogspot.com/ for his wonderful Graphite works.


2. Laura Hardie http://www.portraitartistsblog.blogspot.com/for her stunning mastery of coloured pencil and graphite. Laura gave me alot of help and encouragement with my first graphite!


3. Debra Jones http://www.dog-a-dayartblog.blogspot.com/ Her watercolour dogs a day are amazing.


4. Melanie Phillips www.portraitartist.com/blogs I love Mels oils.


5. Heather Page http://www.pagesportraits.blogspot.com/ for her wonderful graphite works!


6. Gary Keiming http://www.gkeimingart.blogspot.com/ Gary does stunning landscpes. I love his use of colour and I love his skies.


7. Sally Lancaster http://www.sallylancasterportraitswip.blogspot.com/ for her wonderful works in oil!

I am going back to my easel now to work on Ruby Tuesday!!

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Daffy Finished ?

Stage 2

Stage 1

Here are two further stages of Daffy. I think I have finished but I will look at it again tomorrow to see if I need to change anything to be completely satisfied. I may need to use the electric eraser to bring out more light feathering on the upper back and head!

Daffy Update!

Stage 2

Stage 1

Here are two stages of Daffy completed today. I am applying darkest shading before removing in areas where there are lighter fine feathers. I will travel all around the picture as I feel fit until I am happy with the result. The head and beak are particularly tricky especially as this part of the photograph is slightly out of focus.

Daffy Update

The beginings of Daffy. I have laid this one out using a grid so that it is easier to get all the feathered detail in just the right spot.

Daffy and Peli Can Can

Peli Can Can is a collage of pelicans I photographed whilst on our last holiday at Noosa. It is actually photographs of the same pelican who only stayed for as long as he thought you may feed him. The pastel will be in colour on aubergine colourfix pastel paper. I going to be busy because I also have an oil painting to finish!!

I have decided to use this composition for Daffy and to do him in graphite!

Next Project

I have been struggling to decide what I would like to draw next. I have decided to use this duck.

It still may become a group of pelicans or a bird collage!! I also have to decide whether to use graphite or pastel!

Beemer Finished!

I feel I have finished this portrait of Beemer now. Sometimes it is hard to know when to stop! I have added more dark to darks and brought the highlights out. I think I am ready to begin some thing in colour now. I am having pastel withdrawal symptoms.

Beemer Update

I have added more but I still need to darken the darks and lighten the lights to achieve greater contrast as I work towards finishing the portrait. I love my new electric eraser but I have not used it much yet.

Beemer

Here is another update on Beemer. Not much has been added but I have just now recieved my electric eraser in the mail so I should be able to move on to the lighter fur and highlights. See how we go!!

Beemer in Graphite

Here is the first stage of my drawing of Beemer using graphite pencils.

This is Beemer a very cute Yorkshire Terrier owned and photographed by Penny Marz of Georgia in the USA.

Graphite and Charcoal Cat

Here is the drawing I have been working on today. I still have alot of work to do on the light fur below the chin so I have cropped some of this area off! This is the same cat as the one in my website pet portrait portfolio "Jeremiah".

Charcoal Vs Graphite Drawings

I have been experimenting with a combination charcoal/graphite drawing over the last two days and while it looks ok I the next one I draw will be using Graphite only. This is because I have veiwed other artists work in both mediums and I think I prefer the effects that can be acheived with only graphite. I should be able to post the combie drawing in the next two days.

Charcoal Cat

On the home page of my website you are invited to 'Tell-a pet-loving-friend' about my website to be eligble to win a charcoal portrait of your pet!

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3


Step 2


Step 1


Here are steps 1 to 5 of the drawing.

Charcoal cat!

I have been inspired by other artists to do a charcoal and graphite portrait of a cat. I am really excited by my progress and I am photographing it stage by stage to show you. Here is the reference photo I am working from. I will post the first drawing stages soon.