I paint on board. This is first primed with the acrylic gesso. I paint the gesso on with two or three coats. Once dry it forms a tough and forgivable surface to take oil paint. Now I need to get my composition onto the board. My work does not go edge to edge. I choose [...]
All the separate elements of the painting are finally pulled together in the composition. There is no real rule on how to achieve this aside from moving things around, re tracing, looking at it all in a mirror and eventually it just starts to ‘work’. This process can be a little frustrating and always seems [...]
Once the characters have been created they are placed into a series of small compositions. Though these will make a larger painting, each smaller composition has to work in itself. Each can be separated out and make a single painting on its own. I feel this helps the eye move across the whole painting comfortably. [...]
I though I would blog the process I use in developing an oil painting. Initially it begins with a very simple idea or message. This is often very loose and oddly for a painter who paints a lot of architecture the characters can come first. These are often based on people who I have met [...]
In between Christmas and New Year I took a freezing trip south of the river (always scary for a North Londoner) to the Dulwich Picture Gallery (DPG) to see the Norman Rockwell exhibition. Although the DPG is tricky to get to and no doubt suffers as a consequence, it is an ideal space to show [...]
We went to Bath over the new year and I took time out to get wrapped up and get a few sketches together as a spot of pre planning for the Bath Art Prize in the summer. I am not sure which one i shall do yet. I think I will go back in the spring to [...]
At the LLEWELLYN ALEXANDER (Fine Paintings) LTD London I have a water colour exhibition at the Llewellyn Alexander in Waterloo. All six are scenes of London. Do pop along if you have the time. Chase away the January blues! “Familiar and unusual scenes of London by this group of nine well-established artists: Dianne Branscombe, Roy [...]