Elvis Presley

The stewarding went well on Monday, sadly no pictures sold, I need to sort out some cards, so I thought I'd work on some staple images. Hence Elvis here.

All the time I've been doing this caricature I've been unable to stop thinking of the line from Terry Pratchett's "Soul Music" ... "Are you Elvish?"

Enough said.

Matt Damon

Well, here he is. Likeness good, background (shaky hand movement) so so. I liked the street hockey idea, not too sure he works well in a Victorian terraced street, though. Maybe in the morning it might look better, oh, hang on it is the morning. Needs a couple more finishing touches maybe...

Oh yeah, and now I know what was wrong with my pastel portrait! Chin...too narrow.

I'll be stewarding for a couple of hours tomorrow and I need to decide who to do next.

Finished?

I've finally finished my RA entry, well, I've stopped painting. There are still areas I want to work on further but if I don't stop now it won't get framed in time. I really must overcome my procrastination gene- it's mainly fear of making a mistake! I'm about 85% happy and have learned some useful things for my next big painting. I'm still ambiguous about using acrylics again but having found some ways around the limitations i.e they dry too fast, I think I'll probably try them again. Only the framing and delivery to go now, train trip to London required - I don't fancy putting it in the storage locker of a coach- all those heavy bags and sharp edges. Fortunately the canvas is nice and light but the frame...acres of bubble wrap required.

Tonight, I need to concentrate on framing and finishing off the 6th picture for the Stowe exhibition as we're on the boat from tomorrow. So I'm not going to get any portraits done, I don't think. This circle abstract picture is one of my entries for Stowe. I decided to exhibit a range rather than just portraits.

Averting disaster

Now, you may need to sit down before you continue...

But...

I've actually...

Done a portrait!!!!!!!!!

(Firework display overhead , lots of cheers and champagne corks popping)

So here it is, Blue boy (Adam) mark 2

I left you yesterday heady from solvent fumes after spray painting and I greet you today heady with fumes from pastel fixatives. I may possibly have mentioned entering some pictures into an exhibition at Stowe school next week. Well, yesterday I went to frame the pictures and discovered I'd inadvertently put one of my pictures onto a recently oiled paint palette. The picture is effectively ruined. As I had already specified the picture details on the form I am not able to submit any other picture, so I've had to redraw him. Actually, to be honest and though it pains me to say this... I think I prefer this one to the original, (below).

I might need to touch it up a little, but me likey!

I decided to take a break from the RA entry as I'm feeling more than a little resentful of the time it's taking, and jaded with constantly looking at it. That and I had illness issues with children, well child to be more precise, but nothing that a pep talk and calpol couldn't fix!!!! The drive to and from his school ate into my painting time quite severely.

I have 4 pictures framed! Only 3 more to go!

A shooting caricature

At last another caricature. Finally I have the image scanned. There's a scanning flaw - the white line over Brian's face - which I have tried to correct but my image editing skills are not up to the task when working with the image remotely i.e on the desktop of another computer.

So here it is in nearly all it's glory. Ranking pretty close to a ten but not quite there yet - there's always room for improvement.

I've avoided procrastinating today. (popping champagne bottle sound) Some progress achieved on the comp entry. I even managed to do the etherial face and I'm almost happy with it. It needs a little touching up. The background is looking less impressive. Sometimes I feel painting is a process of one step forward and three back but I think today might be more forward steps than back.

I also discussed another commission with a client today, I'm awaiting details and no deadline has been discussed but it should be fun.

Billie Piper -revisited

Children back at school ? Check.

School runs? check

Everybody fed and cared for? check

Exploratory tattoo style drawing at coffee time? Check.

Portrait for today's post? Check.

Craft club run? check

Application form for Royal Academy's Summer exhibition form completed and posted? Check.

Progress with exhibition piece today - umm, I did some yesterday, honest, but today? Well. let's see, did I...did I? Actually no, not a thing, nothing, zero, zip, despite earlier promises I procrastinated. I talked about what I needed to do, I'm even writing about it now, I've even got someone interested in a print when it's completed but I haven't done anything. I'm sorry, Sob!

Still I've done a picture..Billie Piper in pencil, still favouring the portrait rather than the caricature at the moment. I also thought I'd try something completely different and have always been fascinated by the Surf/tattoo style, hence my attempt based on a treble clef - if you hadn't spotted it.

Kate Hudson

Managed a quick sketch last night of Kate Hudson and no sooner do I post it than here I go spotting the flaws . No...not going there now. It's all practice. Bother, and I was quite pleased that I'd managed a likeness in such a short time! I might refine it a bit more and repost - there's definitely potential there... No, I'm not going to be negative. It is good, just needs finishing. I'm trying to be more positive about my work. Instead of dwelling on the flaws seeing them as stages of development. I read an interesting piece on "perfectionism and procrastination" the other day - scary how much I recognised of myself in the description. I found it from this page How to ruin creativity

I especially enjoyed the quote from Chuck Close:- “Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up.” I then got distracted by the quiz on procrastination... ha, ha, ha!

So, I'm trying the old positive thinking approach. I guess I'm just very British - It's easier to find fault than see the good.

So despite the fact today has been very frustrating - too many personal things getting in the way. Five minute jobs taking an hour, children being ill and needing collecting from school. The "new me" is being positive - I managed to fit in a little painting done - in between the chaos. May joy be unconfined...

Now to try and resolve the issues for the big painting.

Blue boy #2

I'm beginning to think I should rename my blog "Drawn to Portraiture" as I seem to be posting more regular portraits rather than the funny ones. This is another of my nephews, the likeness isn't quite as good on this one but there is some similarity. My son, Dominic, thinks they're creepy because they're blue. I quite like them - but I'm biased. I've mixed feeling about this one. I like the effect but the likeness isn't too hot probably only a 4 out of 10.

Mixed sums up today on the whole. This morning the forms for the Summer exhibition arrived -now I've just got to complete the picture. The painting, however, didn't go well and I've decided to paint out what I did today and start again - sigh!

We were also celebrating Andrew's sister Judi reaching 40 - so generally in a good mood. Then we had news that their elderly aunt died this morning - she was in her nineties. It was expected but she will be sorely missed. RIP Doreen.

Let's hope tomorrow will be better

Blue boy!

I'm going through a blue phase. This was a quick sketch of my nephew Adam. I decided to keep it monochrome blue mainly due to the restricted drawing time. That and it's good practice to stick to one colour from time to time. I've managed to get a likeness. I was after a sketchy style and it's worked.

Lots of time to paint today - I finished my big caricature with 4 people in it. I should be able to post it later on in the week. Don't want to give any details for the usual reasons. I'm really pleased with the likenesses. Marks out of 10 for the day? Oh I think it's an 8 or 9.

Spot the difference

The observant will notice that this is the same drawing as yesterday - but not quite the same. I touched up the pastel of Kirsten from yesterday. I thought I'd post it to show the importance of highlights - I think there's a latent teacher lurking in me somewhere, ooooohhhh scary! I still like it! The picture I mean ,not the latent teacher tendencies.

Plenty of painting time today. I've been busy working on a new oil painting and a multiple person caricature but neither of them are ready to post yet.

Kirsten Dunst in colour

I fancied a portrait today. Another attempt at Kirsten Dunst. The colours are not quite the same as the photograph but I liked the effect early on and decided to keep it in the pale colours. I also wanted to keep the look sketchy as the image appears more dynamic. Sometimes when you're faced with a stunning picture copying it slavishly seems wrong, it needs an "arty" slant. Hark at me I'm going all "Art critiquey" - I always hated art history - I like the pictures but not all the waffle that goes with the descriptions and analysis. Art is subjective and personal- unless you can read my mind you don't know what I'm thinking. As a child I did lots of people in pictures but never any faces. My mother was concerned until I started doing portraits. The reason why I didn't put faces on was because I didn't think I could do them! I think I might have got over it now! So, I shall cease the waffle immediately. I did it this way because I wanted to and that's all I need to say!

To sum up - I'm very happy with this one - yes you read that correctly - I LIKE this one.

Debbie Harry - at last!

Back to the caricatures. I finally got around to doing a young Debbie Harry. I must say that I'm quite pleased with this one. Spotted a couple of points that need touching up, but nothing that makes me want to weep. I was taken with the idea that Debbie Harry is always being photographed, what would it be like if she was the photographer - she wouldn't have any trouble with the boys smiling, at least!

The graffiti wall is a reference to a documentary I watched a while ago which mentioned they lived in a semi derelict property in New York in the early years of Blondie. Actually, it's a feeble excuse for me to practice textures - I've got a thing about brick walls and texture. It is probably a sign that I need help. Or a throwback to my upbringing in Manchester surrounded by crumbling cotton mills, most of which have now been demolished. Something that I've been mulling over as an idea for a painting - just doing the research before I start. I'm looking for a particular mill. Unfortunately the only image I've found so far is this one taken from the rear the day it was demolished in 1987! It's a great picture but I need the front - preferably intact. The building is "Times Mill" on Grimshaw Lane in Middleton. It's looking like I'll be working from memory.

John Krasinski

I have a confession to make! When asked by Reeta if it was bad that she saw John Krasinski in the  Leonardo Di Caprio portrait (see comments), my initial thought was "Who He?". After very little research my ignorance was removed. He's one of the cast of the American remake of "The Office. " Being UK based we haven't seen the American remake of "The Office." Fans of Ricky Gervais beware, their cast is much better looking! How it compares comedy wise, I know not, but they've made 81 episodes of the US version whereas Gervais did a "quit while you're ahead" stopping at a mere 14.

Anyway I managed to get my pastels out after yesterday's fiasco and did John, as promised. He still needs a little touching up but he's virtually there. As you work on a picture you develop blind spots - often you need to leave it for a while and come back. Then you can spot where it needs more work. He's got quite a lopsided face and it was tricky not to go too far with the nose, mouth and chin. Trying not to think of "The Joker" was also a problem, you know how it is, like when someone tells you not to think of elephants...

I also suspect at least one of my pictures was distorted - hope I've got the face in proportion. Sorry John if it isn't.

Oh yes, and I seem to remember when I drew Drew Barrymore (cringe) the first time in pastel, I said I wouldn't do a portrait in pastel on A4 paper again, I wish I'd remembered that when I started!

Anne Hathaway

Finally finished Anne Hathaway! Also started a painting to enter Royal Academy Summer exhibition. No details yet, but I'll fill you in later! I've committed myself to enter now.

Racing Car/Football caricature

This is the commission I completed Friday - strictly speaking Saturday as I had to lighten a few colours on Saturday morning. It was a bit of a squeeze fitting it in with my eldest being ill. Also the suspension had me cross-eyed on a few occasions - I was working on an image of a black car with little definition. Having said all that, I am pleased with the result and this morning received the following response from the Client.

"Thank you very much for [the caricature] and getting it done so quickly. You really did a brilliant job.

If you ever need any recommendations or quotes if you advertise at all, feel free to ask me."

Well worth it!!!!!!

Brad Pitt - completed

Well he's painted at last. Not too sure about my exploding cloud, need to do a little checking and maybe modify. Otherwise the colouring is how I want it. I bought a lamp today, I'll get the daylight bulb to go in it tomorrow (now I know the size)then I can work more effectively at night. This week I've also continued with an oil painting of Stratton Audley and completed another oil picture of Aberdovey. My last commission was collected yesterday, I'll post it tomorrow.