For the last 4 years this has been an institution in Ras Al Khaimah and has become the event of the year. I have watched it grow since it’s inception and the quality of work submitted has grown as has their numbers. Returning to the northern emirates for a fourth year, the Annual Ras Al…
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a woman Acrylic on MDF board 30 x 23cm (12 x 9 inch) Developing from the limited palette exploring painting darker skin tones was the next step. For this exercise I moved away from the Zorn palette and looked at the hues within the photograph I was working from. This will make a huge…
The results of a Zorn palette…..
The Swedish artist Anders Zorn (18 February 1860 – 22 August 1920) was one of Sweden’s foremost artists and famous for his limited palette. It is reported that he used only three colours for most of his works — yellow ochre, vermillion and ivory black, plus white. The result of this combination were some beautifully…
Skulls and gold bling
Every now and again I explore sketching different subject matter. This last week it has been animal skulls and as an experiment I added a little gold leaf.
A Cornish harbour
I am trying to paint more seascapes and landscapes. I get very overwhelmed when there is this magnificent scene in front of me that demands painting – even when it is a photograph. It takes lots of practice to select a good composition, and then do it justice on a canvas. A friend posted a beautiful photo on Facebook a…
Exercises in light and shade
The following exercises explore how to create the illusion of form by understanding the principals of light and shade. In these quick studies I have used fine black pen, permanent marker pen, 2B and 6B pencil, charcoal and chalk. The two life studies are based on paintings by John Singer Sargent. Apple 2B & 6B pencil…
Iconic beginnings….
I love Icons. Not just for their religious representation, but the whole naivety of the image, and how the artist has translated his interpretation of something sacred to him onto a flat surface. I was first introduced to them as a 17 year old venturing into the British Museum for the first time. Coming from South Africa…
Still life – flowers in a teacup
This still life was a very quick and simple exercise in combining the texture of a palette knife with the smoother more even texture of a brush. Flowers in a teacup Acrylic on canvas panel 20 X 25 cm The petals of the flowers naturally lend themselves to the thick, impasto application with a palette…
Fishy colour shapers
Exploring my local art store I discovered something called a colour shaper. I had no idea what it was or how it should be applied and the lady in the art store wasn’t much help either. I had just recently been asked to paint a bright colourful fish in thick paint for someone’s bathroom and…
Still life – reflections in mahogony
This is the last painting in the series of a course Phil gave me for Christmas in 2013. I know, I know, more than a year ago, but I have been so busy with all my other art and giving in to urges to paint all sorts of other exciting things that I put this…
An Iconic icon moment!
I have always loved Russian Icons, and since the day I saw them hanging in a friends home they became an obsession. One of those obsessions you keep with you because you are not sure how you are going to get your hands on one unless you paint it yourself. Painting something yourself isn’t always the…
Exploring landscape techniques
I have spent the last 10 odd years doing my organic landscapes influenced by my desert surrounds. Recently I have tried exploring other types of landscapes. I don’t often get the time to just paint as so much of my time is spent doing commissions, but every now and again I like to do something…
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