Jane Austen and passers-by

Here is another close up on some of the detail in the painting. the figures are around 4cm high.

All about Jane, Bath

Finished!! my fourth and definitely final entry in to the Bath prize. It took me ages to decide on what was going in all the windows.
The top left was the last to be filled. because the panes of glass were big, it looked emptier than usual, so I filled it with the heroine from Persuasion, reading her letter from Captain Wentworth.

Hope I haven't forgotten to paint anything this time!!

Here is a close up on the top window. Hard to draw the characters as the space was only a couple of centimeters square!

I will be going to Bath to deliver next week, taking the train with three paintings under my arm! 

Bath Blues

There is a lot of blue in this picture!
Jane's dress will also be blue. Noticed that Barney has lost a leg when I painted the pavement!! ouch!
luckily with a bit of damp brush and a tissue I could remove the overpainted bit and the leg has come back. So watercolour can be forgiving!

Bath colours

I have laid on my first washes in the usual Bath colours of golds and purples.
The paint was drying quite patchily on the brickwork. Luckily the brickwork itself being old stone is quite patchy. Not sure if that was due to the heat or the mix of pigments.
Anyway, it should start to blend as I add further washes and shadows.

Jane Austen centre drawn

All drawn out and ready for paint
My figures did move a little bit after the first drawing. Barney walked on a bit and a couple of extra people arrived, to give it a bit more movement.
at the moment the people in the windows stand out too much, but if I paint them with more subdued colours hopefully they will look like they are inside and behind glass.

Chalk Gallery, Lewes, ready for Artwave 2012

Here is Chalk Gallery with our new exhibition, ready for Artwave which starts next Saturday, although Chalk is open every day from 10 til 5.
There is a focus on my Lewes paintings, there are three in the window.
Chalk has been refurbished this year, and has just had a smart new coat of paint on the outside...just the name to go, now!

Final Bath Painting

After the rush to get my Lewes paintings done in time for the new hang at Chalk Gallery, I had a week away with no painting at all, in Cornwall.
I have come back in time to do just one more for Bath, need to deliver these early next month. There is a prize for painting the Jane Austen Centre...so I thought I would have a go.
House drawn, people pencilled in. they might change a bit yet..watch this space.
I have come home to several commission requests, so I am looking forward to getting started on them in September. Already got three Brighton pubs in the pipeline...what does that say about me?! time for a pub crawl!!

Chalk Gallery Focus Artist 20th August

I will be the Focus Artist at Chalk Gallery from 20th August, for three weeks. Here are the finished paintings that will hopefully be in the window for that exhibition. You saw them here first!!

clock shop gets colourful

the picture of the clock shop is getting more colourful...It always springs alive with the lovely turquoise and blues in the sky and windows. Please dont count the minutes on the clock because I didnt.
I think that I will call this painting "about time..." a double meaning...the viewer can decide which part of the picture it relates to!

watercolour washes

Here is a close up on what I love about watercolour...dropping in and blending the different colours, watching them puddle and mix in the tiny dips in the rough paper. quite unpredictable, but lovely.

clock shop Lewes

Other Lewes picture now drawn out...ready for painting, my favourite part!

Needle makers nearly there

Almost there on this one...just a few decisions to be made, and shadows to go on etc etc.
But had a day in the Chalk Gallery so this went away and I started on my next Lewes picture...I can draw in the Gallery, but not really paint.

washes at The Needlemakers

I have started to wash some colour on...but I really need some bright hot colours to liven it up... I think I can make the shop windows a riot of colours - as they are infact in "real life" ! I think the balance will be better when I paint the black spiral staircase too. .. watch this space!

The Needlemakers drawn

All drawn out and ready to go...

Young Epilepsy link to magazine

http://www.youngepilepsy.org.uk/dmdocuments/YE_KS3_low_res.pdf

Here is the link to the young epilepsy magazine that I contributed illustrations to, earlier this year. It is a lovely bright magazine and I am proud to be part of it.

Two new sketches for Focus Artist at Chalk, Lewes

I will be the Focus Artist at Chalk on 20th August, so I am planning to paint a couple of the lovely old buildings near to Chalk Gallery. Next door at 5 North Street is the Clock Shop. A lovely mix of old brick and tiles, some hand painted lettering and a ghost to boot.
The Needlemakers is seldom looked at end-on...so I am hoping that this will make people look up when they are passing by!