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.

The story of a greetings card for Leeds Castle, Kent

I sat by the castle and sketched, it was late in the day and so peaceful

my first sketch. I knew there would be more characters, just not sure how many at this point

when I sketched it out I gradually added more...literally cutting and pasting to get them all in!

then I worked from my sketch to draw it all out again on Bockingford watercolour paper

and then the paint went on!

a close up on the characters. Leeds, castle of queens

I was happy to be commissioned by Leeds castle to produce a painting that could be sold as a greetings card in their shop. I hadn't been to the castle before, so made my way over with sketchbook one sunny afternoon. Getting lost on the way I arrived late in the day, and was only able to sketch from across the lake. It was beautifully warm and peaceful.
I worked from my photographs and memories of my visit to produce the sketch, gradually building up the characters. Leeds is famous as the castle of Queens. I had them all in there, taking a selfie. Henry and Catherine of Aragon lived there for a while, and in more recent times the castle was owned by Lady Baillie, and her lovely dogs.
Now it is open to the public, and has lots of events, huge grounds, including a golf course, weddings, punting, jousting, a fabulous Christmas market, fireworks, flower festivals and more. see https://www.leeds-castle.com to find out.

No worries at the Brighton Beer Dispensary

initial rough sketch of the painting..notes to self

all drawn out again on watercolour paper

the first colours go on and the painting comes alive again

finished!

I was commissioned to paint the Brighton Beer Dispensary by a regular. He wanted to have his friends from the pub included too. I was sent a collection of photographs of the people and placed them all together for this busy day at the pub. There is a copy hanging up in the pub if ever you go there, and I hear that the roasts in there have won national awards : )

Developing a header for a website

first thoughts doodled in a sketchbook

I took the elements from the first sketch and laid them out again

Redrawn and painted in watercolour

Here is a recent illustration to be used on a website. I find that often I can lay out my first ideas in my Seawhites sketchbook while sitting in front of the telly, and these will end up being the basis of the finished piece. Here you can see the development, from first thought to final artwork.

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.

Developing a painting of The Swan pub, Lewes

the sketch in my A4 Seawhite sketch book

drawn out at twice the size on heavy Bockingford watercolour paper

base colours added

and then the colourpops! the finished painting

Here is the development of a recent painting ready to be exhibited at Chalk Gallery, Lewes.
The Swan pub, sits on a busy junction at the top of a hill in Lewes, on one of the very old routes out of town. Once a blacksmith worked behind the pub, and beer was brewed across the road.

A comission for a present

All drawn out and ready to colour in

Watercoloured!

I am regularly painting house and family portraits to be given as presents. These often include pets or toys...and this one included a whole host of them!