new commission

This is the opening paragraph, bars, verse, brush strokes of my latest commission. All done fluidly and quickly with a brush using turps and burnt sienna. No graphite pencil to contaminate the oils to follow.


The second act is adding paint with a medium bringing in the differing hues.

Portrait of Alex

Yesterday I picked up a piece of waste primed board the size of a post card and decided to use it on a quick little portrait of Alex.
I could have made it easier on myself by using a bigger board. Getting any facial recognition in a face the size of a twopenny piece is not easy . The main thing was to make the portrait recognisable. The photograph isn't great colour wise as I just stuck my little pocket camera out and took it. Normally I use a tripod etc with my Fuji. Actually my Fuji could be a work of art in itself as it has more paint on it than some paintings.

Anyway if you don't know Alex I can assure you it is a true likeness. If you do know her, well take my word for it. It is her. !!

Painting of Talybont on Usk

This is a painting of the lifting bridge at Talybont on Usk I did a few years back and is sold.
I have an affinity to the canals and explored most of them as a child when we had an old ships lifeboat which my father fitted with an old Austin 8 engine.

I have a new commission to start this weekend.

Watching the tide roll away.

The painting above is one of the commissions I worked on last week. As I have mentioned before I generally don't do figures or portraits any more but this was a special request.

We have grandchildren lodging at present so my painting is pretty much curtailed. It's not that I don't like children, after all I used to go to school with them.
I do find myself mentally drained at times.  Too many questions I don't know the answers to I suppose!

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Carmarthen in winter

I had gone 200 yards this morning when the heavens opened. Oh well Jac wasn't bothered. I actually like all the seasons and feel sorry for people with the same weather all year around. The painting above is Carmarthen in the winter and has been hanging over our fireplace for a couple of years.

Grandchildren today.
One of them asked Alex yesterday, "How old are you Nanny? Did Jesus really walk on water?"
Alex, "Erm I'm not quite that old!"

Laugharne morning mist

This is my second nocturne of the week, a painting of "Laugharne morning mist". It is not easy taking a photograph of a dark painting that is still wet but that's the best I can do. I have seen this sight on many occasions in the past as the tide comes in prior to us leaving in our little yacht on the ebb.

This is also on a block canvas which does make life a bit simpler in many ways. (postage, no framing...). I have no real preference either way in regard to whether a painting is better framed or on a deep canvas what matters to me is the picture in it.

Now we have grandchildren ahh...half term...

Painting of Sunset over the Gower

The sunset at Tenby last night reminded me of this painting I did a while back. It was a commission showing the sunset over the Gower from Machynys.

I got a bit of turps in my eye the other day and I don't recommend it. Pretty much better now. Still always serves as a good reminder to be careful with oils and solvents.


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