An advent card for Taylors Port

initial rough sketch to work out layout 

the sketch looked a lot better with colour

and now drawn out on a much larger scale

the first colours go on

a few extra details are added as I go

have a closer look at the treading

and here it is at Judge Sampson in production

I had the exciting challenge this autumn, to paint the  beautiful Vargellas Vineyard in Portugal for Taylors Port, and to include in the painting people working on the harvest, and also treading the grapes in the tanks in the winery. This involves much jollity with music and dancing too!

It took a while to figure out the layout, and did need a couple of minor changes. Adding watercolour to the sketch helped the client to see the final effect.

This was a lovely picture to paint, full of sunshine and celebration. It was then printed as an advent card and has now been sent out to Taylors' friends for christmas time.

Lewes war memorial Charity Card - Merriment and memories

A rough sketch 

ready to paint

Here is the first plan, drawing and finished painting ready for this year's SASBAH Christmas card for Lewes, to be sold at Cards for Good Cause. The Town Cryer was a perfect finish to the drawing which had that open space at the right hand side. He can also hail the selling of the card OYEZ!

A Christmas Card for Chichester

I planned the layout and the colours in my Seawhite sketch book

all drawn out and ready to colour

The finished painting



This year I planned a painting of Chichester for a fund raising Christmas Card for SASBAH.  Back in the spring I met a friend and we went for lunch there, and I had a good look around all in the name of research! I knew the layout I wanted to paint when I came away. It was several months later, and high summer by the time I got to draw it out in my sketch book though! I have added a few famous faces that live around the Chichester area, or have connections there...can you spot anyone? The original painting will be shown at Chalk Gallery next month, and the christmas cards are now on sale at Cards for Good causes shops in Sussex

you can buy the fundraising card also online, here ;
https://www.cardsforcharity.co.uk/?s=sasbah&post_type=product

An Advent Card for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Initial sketch,trying a layout

All drawn out and the first paint goes on

Lots of people to draw

finished painting, includes Nelson and a ship's figure head

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard commissioned me this year to produce a painting for an Advent card to be sold at the Royal Navy Museum there. Here is the link to the finished card  https://shop.nmrn.org.uk/products/advent-card

Stoners the Jewellers, Burgess Hill

loosely sketched in my Seawhites sketch book

scaled up and drawn out on a larger piece of Bockingford watercolour

All done

I grew up in Burgess Hill, in the seventies most Saturdays were spent by having a walk up to the town with my pocket money. The town was fairly small, but had recently been enlarged with a new modern shopping centre with what were at the time exciting new shops. A big Smiths, a giant boots, a new toyshop, sweet shops and some clothes shops, there was also a big showroom to exchange your green shield stamps. That area of the town is now all about to be torn down again. that makes me feel old!

However, there are a few strong survivors, and here is one. This jewellers shop is in its third generation. Survived the first phase of demolition in the town and all those new shops, and now stands firmly resisting all the changes that are threatening again. There are not many shops that have survived for longer than I can remember so these really need to be celebrated!

Once upon a time I would be left outside these shops in my pram, and would talk to people as they passed by or stopped to say hello. I am trying to get a feel for those times within this picture. I also remember well the lady traffic warden that used to pound the streets of the town. She was a bit scary to me!!

progress of a painting for Leeds castle Christmas card

plans in my sketch book

pencil drawing following my rough sketch

nice and tidy with pen

the snow comes alive with blue shadows

all done!

and dusted! (with glitter)

Last year I painted a greetings card for Leeds Castle, featuring the queens and King Henry VIII among others, and following that a Christmas card was needed.
I took the same view, altering the angle slightly so that the fairground and Christmas market could be seen across the moat. some of the same characters are in the winter scene, but with additions of course.
Both cards are now for sale in the Leeds Castle shop, and the Christmas card is all glittery : )

Hisbe - an independent supermarket with a big heart

loosely sketched, first washes, creates a lively painting

the finished painting on thick paper with more attention to details

Brighton means seagulls of course!

This painting of Hisbe - (How it should be) painted for a Brighton themed exhibition at Chalk Gallery
the supermarket liked the lively sketch too, and it will be appearing in some of their advertising soon.
All the good food at Hisbe is locally sourced and sold with love.

The Picture House _ The Duke of Yorks Cinema, Brighton

initial sketch of the cinema in my sketch book

now all drawn out and ready to paint

Finished! can you spot the film directors?

The Duke of Yorks cinema in Brighton is an iconic building that is one of the oldest, continuous running cinemas in the country. Those stripey legs are a landmark!

For my people relaxing and discussing film, I chose some film directors and local supporters of the cinema.

David Lynch, Stanley Kubrik, Ben Wheaton, Nick Cave are there among others, also represented are Violet Melnotte-Wyatt, the actress that had the theatre built, and Brighton arts club Joseph Longhurst, painting the old Longhurst brewery, that was there previously, owned by his father Henry Braddock Longhurst.

Opening time at the Cinema

sketched out plans 

all drawn out and ready to paint

all done

There is an old cinema, The Orion,  in Burgess Hill which has bucked the trend and still shows films, but its future is under threat from a big multi screen that is due to be built nearby.
I have a vivid memory of queueing for this cinema with my sister on a hot day in the school summer holidays, waiting for the doors to open, and hoping we would get in. We would probably have had a box of smarties or fruit pastilles, bought from the nearby sweet shop on the way.
Here is the day, reimagined in pen and watercolour.

A big family gathering for a picnic in the park

planning the painting, mustn't forget anyone

the finished family portrait, just a few changes from the sketch

A family portrait is such a personal gift, and this was one big family! I had lots of photographs to work from and worked out a way to fit everyone in to one big picture in my sketchbook. Once the family were happy with the sketch I went ahead with a larger version on heavy watercolour paper.
This one measures just over 60cm across.
Happy Birthday to the Dad of the family, I hope that this is a good surprise!

LyndseySmith: Inifinity in the North Laine - steps to a painting...

LyndseySmith: Inifinity in the North Laine - steps to a painting...: initial sketch in A4 Seawhite sketch book drawing out on heavyweight Bockingford paper drawn out in pen, bigger and ready for co...

Inifinity in the North Laine - steps to a painting

initial sketch in A4 Seawhite sketch book

drawing out on heavyweight Bockingford paper

drawn out in pen, bigger and ready for colour

I usually start with the colours of the building

grounding helps, and I decide on a sky and shadows

its the last details that take the longest

Infinity Foods stands on a corner of the North Laine in Brighton, a busy buzzy area that is great for a wander, and something to eat. Exciting shops, always something different. And plenty of seagulls!

a painting to remember the family home

Before downsizing from the family home, a gift from the children and grandchildren to the parents was this family portrait to remember happy days getting together and playing in the garden. The couple had also recently celebrated a landmark anniversary, and the cake is behind. Rough plan to finished painting, there were a few changes but not much, don't forget the family cat!

A wedding at Anne of Cleves House

A commissioned Family Portrait recently finished in watercolour, to remember a wedding celebration at Anne of Cleves House in Lewes.

Sunshine and Sunflowers in France

first plans in sketch book

drawing out on thick watercolour paper

finished painting

sunshine and sunflowers! detail

Here is the development of a commission from last spring, to bring a little sunshine to the blog (especially as I am working away on snowy paintings at the moment!)
this couple love to walk and cycle on holidays in the Vendee, France. The sunflowers were a joy to paint!