Ozzy Osbourne

After my caricature of Sharon the other week I thought Ozzy needed a turn. Black and white of course, what else for the prince of darkness. I think I need to work on my animals!!!!!!!!!!!!

Penelope Cruz

Today's picture of Penelope Cruz is more of a full body pose than a portrait. I liked the pose but as the facial detail was quite small it didn't lend itself to a full portrait. She's still recognisable though. One of the smallest pictures I've done in a while so the flaws are more visible. There's a case for work large and reduce, reduce, reduce!

Reece Witherspoon- round 2!

Well, today I've had another go at Reece and I thought it was much better. So I scanned it and uploaded it then I thought, it's still not right, eew that right eye is way off!

So I fiddled some more and here she is. It's OK but I still think there's a lot of room for improvement but I think I need to start again rather than tweak anymore.

How not to draw Reece Witherspoon!

Well, today was a strange day. A mixture of good and bad. I wasted far too much time browsing through books...

Then there was the life drawing class, (moved to Thursday for this week only). A single pose for nearly 2 hours which came out well. Not sure whether to post it - possibly a little too revealing for this post

Feeling flushed with success I thought I should tackle a portrait. So, who to draw, Reece Witherspoon was my choice. This was the result of half an hours work - a quick sketch successful in that it's a convincing person. However, not a good likeness of Reece. I've decided to quit for the night and try again tomorrow!

OK now, time for the reveal, brace yourself for a bad likeness and feel free to laugh at this attempt, I do!

You can start laughing...

NOW!

Roses

After the bad news on Saturday I bought some flowers to cheer myself up, roses to be precise. They are such a lovely colour I've been itching to do something with them, and here is the result. A sort of semi abstract drawing using the specific colours. I wasn't too happy with it at first but as the day has progressed it's grown on me.

The children are at home so portraits have been a little thin on the ground, feeling more abstract inspired!

Pencil Portrait

I've been getting to grips with the Inktense and watercolour pencils this week, after a few pointers from someone in the life drawing class. Quite pleased with the result.

This is a portrait of my niece, the likeness is quite accurate and I think I might have cracked the old watercolour pencils.

I spent most of the day at Crick boat show so not much drawing done. Lots of photographs taken though - some interesting animal pics which might be used for paintings at a later date. I'll probably do some quick sketches tonight, need to practice.

I'm feeling more positive after yesterday's downer, must look up the Royal Academy rejects exhibition, see if that's a goer!!

Summer exhibition reject

The letter from the Royal Academy arrived today! Ho hum - not as gutted as I thought I'd be - really thought I stood a chance but did wonder whether the religious theme was too much. Sometimes you have to go with what feels right and this felt right. So my first acrylic painting - lots of errors, I think if I'd had the time I would have repainted it. Really feeling anti art establishment - mutter, mutter, mutter. Still can't believe Tracey Emin is now an RA!!! Blah! Blah! Blah!

So here is "The Reason"

Quick explanation - don't mean to be patronising but if you're not a Christian it might need explaining. The shattered cross represents sin and human suffering. The central figure represents Christ as the link between heaven and earth in a transient state and the only way through to heaven. All we have to do is take his hand. The background could be anywhere but I like beaches! There are no people in the background as I didn't want to detract from the central figure, but they are there. Some pieces of the cross are blank - these are for sins unknown or personal - the choice is yours!

So, nothing weak and wishy washy! There's always next year. Need to find some more competitions...

Pink

A relatively quick sketch today. Having downloaded the Pink image for the last caricature I thought I'd try her. She looks like the picture I have, but whether the picture looks like her I've no idea. There's one error which isn't too obvious, so I won't say where it is - that way I cover any flaw you may find... ha ha haaaaaah!

Painting today - learning how to handle acrylic mediums - lots of fun, creating textures but especially getting to use an icing bag. I need to improve my piping skills. Fortunately I quite like the wonky squiggles I've produced.

The Queen does Pink!

A little late but here she is at last. I couldn't get the idea of HRH singing the Pink song, but she would alter they lyrics slightly, wouldn't she? Before you think it, yes, it is a young version of the Queen. It was accurate to the picture I found... but I don't know how old that was. I'm sticking to the argument that caricatures always make you look younger and I even added lines to make her seem older.

I found an interesting picture of Pink with the burning paper frame- I just gave her an open top car - far more stylish.

Today I finally finished a scrapbook page I've been working on for about a month - no motivation.

I also completed an abstract. Then there was the life drawing class. Conversation was far more civilised this week. About the state of Art education in British Universities - specifically the poor standards of drawing exhibited by the students. My last drawing was even in colour!

Now, time for bed as Zebadee would say.

This is not a caricature!

A novel idea, do I mean caricaturing in the style of Rene Magritte - like this?

OK so not quite true but I couldn't resist the association when I wrote the title! I also love Magritte's work and any excuse to add him to the blog is a bonus!

So this picture of mine below is called Compass.

It seems to be one of the most popular on the market research study I'm conducting. I might have to include another survey when I've narrowed down the choices.

Today I've managed to do quite a bit of drawing and painting today but the caricature isn't dry enough to remove the masking fluid so I'm leaving it until tomorrow. It's the Queen again, but I'll not give away the concept until tomorrow... wait and see!

The artistic leanings of a Springer Spaniel

I didn't get my caricature finished. Spent too long tweaking the website following some feedback comments.

The dog has been gradually eating his way through my art supplies. Friday he pierced a tube of red acrylic paint, yesterday he chewed a putty rubber to little tiny pieces and today he's chewed the top of one of my fine liner pens. Maybe he wants to try his hand (or rather paw) at painting and drawing.

So I thought I'd draw on previous career experience and look for pointers from my child development work.

Early stages of doggy art.

1. Initial play - mouth crayons and screw up the paper - check

2. Stop mouthing crayons and screwing up the paper and start to make meaningful marks on paper - er, no, still eats everything in sight!

Ah well, back to the drawing board...

He is doing some rather nice conceptual art on the living room carpet though. As indicated above his recent pieces are entitled "Rubber Explosion", "Masticated marker" and "Tube Extrude"

One year on

My diary beeped at me yesterday. It's exactly a year since I started blogging. "Who'd a thowt it!" "By 'eck" and all that! Am I betraying my Northern roots hear by any chance? So the big question is, do I think I've made any progress?

mm Yes!

Am I rich and famous? Nah, I think not but I'm a lot wiser. Careful, I'm beginning to get all philosophical...far too early on a Monday for any of that.

I spent yesterday putting together my market research project and doing some abstracts. Hopefully, I will have a caricature to upload later today. If not there is and abstract or 2.

Sharon Osbourne

Today I've been painting and spending some time on quick sketches. I'm very pleased with this one of Sharon Osbourne. Yes, there are some mistakes in the body and background but the head worked really well... first time ...as there was no preliminary pencil work. It was all achieved in 10 minutes, which is a reasonable goal for live caricaturing - did I mention I was doing the Bedford show? Oh, yes, I did! OK, press on.

I've also sorted out my editing frustrations from yesterday...use the old software! So now I'm going to post them and finish my market research sheets. Hopefully get some more painting in later - ooh today's working out well. Mmm, should I have said that? I'll let you know tomorrow.

Just post an abstract below to add some colour. This one's called "Fire" Guess why!

Feeling uninspired today

Spent the day working on getting a market research analysis ready. Spent 2 frustrating hours trying to edit some pictures I'd scanned in. They were large so had to be scanned in parts and reattached. Every time I got nearly there the software crashed.

Felt very uninspired but was looking forward to life drawing class tonight. I ended up missing the first 30 minutes due to Andrew's bus being late. Managed two drawing that I really liked. After only three classes I've learnt a lot. Really finding it helpful and partially making up for lack of art school.

No no no, I must write something interesting. But NOTHING interesting has happened apart from a discussion about body piercing in relation to a potential model for life drawing class. We decided that we would all probably not want to be forced to look at a piercing of that particular size ,in that particular location for any length of time. The male tutor felt the need to sit down at this particular time... and made an executive decision.

I've decided to try and do some more public stuff so I'm planning to book a table at Bedford County show and do some live caricature drawings. Just got to complete the forms, me and paperwork... I must not procrastinate!

Michelle Pfieffer

Another pencil portrait today. I'm about 75% happy with it. It was 100% until I tried to burnish it and ended up smudging the marks around the face. Although I did manage to improve it to this level ,I think it's lost some of it's spark as a result. I'm reluctant to fiddle with it anymore as the paper won't stand too much erasing. Mental note- burnish as you go along in future!!!!

I've been given the details for one of my commissions so I'm going to get started on that today. There's no rush as the deadline is August! It makes a change. The other deadline is June 1st, not quite so relaxed.

Website activated

Well, today has been taken over with website building. The good news is I've finally got a working version up and running on google sites at Cathy Read Art. There may well be some teething problems but I think I've got it virtually there. I'd much rather be drawing but I need to promote myself as well as hone the skills. I've also joined a committee looking into creating an art gallery in Buckingham, very much a feasability study at the moment but from little oaks...

I'm hoping to get a bit of drawing done tonight so I may have something more to post later, if not in the morning.

Model Abstract

A portrait today. I like combining the portraits with the background effect. I decided to leave the shoulders off, it would have lost something if I'd included them. You may recognise the face from an earlier post here. I've been thinking of painting her for a while. I spent a very long time on the hair - it was a bit like painting the Forth Bridge and, sometimes, I felt I was making no progress.

Update on the dog. He had yet another trip to the vets today to have the stitches removed and no longer needs the lampshade. I swear he danced up the steps when he got home! Regarding the fish. Pizza made a full recovery but sadly the replacement fish died. I'm going to wait a while before getting any more - too stressful.

A brush with Cubism

I'm having a good day today, me happy. Despite not getting much drawing done this morning, or afternoon due to hospital appointments and my weekly craft group.

Tonight was the life drawing class and I'm much happier with the results today. At one point the tutor suggested I try a straight line approach to help me loosen up my style. I have to admit I really enjoyed the challenge and I think the results are quite promising. We also did a nice long 1 hour pose which was quite difficult but I think I've cracked it - the finish needs refining but the drawing looks convincing - as always I wanted more time. I particularly liked these two. Both are 5 minute sketches and unfinished but something about the quality of lines is appealing.

To finish off the day as I logged on and checked my email, I've been asked to do a commission for June 1st, (Excuse me a moment - Whoopee!!!!! Second commission this week - did I not mention the one I got on Sunday -whoops.) and now I get to carry on with a portrait, life just doesn't get any better! Well, I was half hoping for a male life model this week, ho hum! Maybe next week.

 

Oh yes, and I've also started a website concentrating on the work I'm happy with. It's still in the creating process at the moment but once it's up and running I'll post the link.

Anyway, off to play...

Eva Longoria

Today I've gone back to basics and thought I'd try working on more distorted faces with the caricatures. I thought I'd try Eva Longoria again and it seems to be working quite well, in pencil. The inking in has proved mighty frustrating though. Firstly my pens ran out, then after I refilled them they kept leaking all over the drawings, after 4 attempts this evening I've finally got one that hasn't bled everywhere!!!! As it's very late I'll scan it for posting tomorrow. So, if you've no pictures, they will appear later on today.

Tom Hanks

I've been feeling uninspired with the caricatures recently so got up this morning determined to do something - if if it was a Black and white one. Well the paper came at 8.00am and with it some inspiration. Tom Hanks was on the front cover and I thought hmm. Forest Gump, urban marathon... et voila!

I now have some more acrylics so I can continue with the abstract. All in all pretty good day :0)

Do I LOOK happy?!!!!!!

This is one sorry dog. He's had his bandage removed but has to wear this for a week because he won't leave the stitches alone. When I look at him I imagine he's thinking "Do I look happy? First I cut my paw and am not allowed to lick it better. Next I get taken to the vets and have to stop Overnight. Then I have a purple bandage on it. That gets changed for one that rubs and give me a sore on the side of my thumb. Then I get that removed and have to wear this thing for a week!" He's been looking like this since we got home.

So, the conspiracy continues, I have the eldest sick again - sent home from school yesterday and I took the dog to the vet. I've managed to do some abstract work and I'm hoping to get on with a portrait this afternoon/evening - here's hoping!

I've been looking through the artist's yearbook trying to identify competitions to enter. Residences seem very appealing at the moment...!