A painting for the Season at Glyndebourne

all planned out in pencil

pick out the lines in pen

when the watercolours go on it becomes less of a muddle of line

all finished!

close up on some of the characters

Last summer Chalk Gallery artists visited Glyndebourne Opera House, and we had an exhibition of work inspired by our visit. For me it had to be the picnickers on the lawn! They were all drawn from my imagination, apart from a few characters in their costume and a couple based on Danielle De Niese and Gus Christie with their faithful friends. Cheers!

This painting has recently been printed as a jigsaw puzzle and is sold to raise money for the friends of Eastbourne Hospital.

Planning a family portrait

initial sketch in my Seawhite sketchbook

The finished portrait

Here is one of this year's commissions. The layout and colours are planned out in my sketchbook and I then have something to show to the family and make changes as necessary. It isn't always easy to tell how heights compare for example!
The sketchbook has cartridge paper which absorbs the paint quite differently and dries quicker. It makes the paper crinkle and the paint puddles. I love the effect this gives but it would look a bit too bumpy in a frame. The final painting is made on very thick Bockingford watercolour paper. The paints are the same in each case, Winsor and Newton artists watercolours.