Category Archives: Arty Stuff

Nostalgia Is The Thief Of Time!

  Mixed media: work in progress. Here’s a large piece I started some time ago – over a year. Sometimes you just get stuck on something and have to put it away for a while. Apparently Titian used to work up his underpaintings then turn them to a wall for 6 months before completing themContinue reading “Nostalgia Is The Thief Of Time!”

Printmaking All Day – Tired and Happy Now!

I spent a long day at Swansea Print Workshop today making a large full-colour monotype. It’s a technique used by the Impressionists – Degas and Monet used to work over their monotypes in oil pastels. I started with a drawing in my sketchbook that I’d done in life drawing group. It’s gone through several incarnationsContinue reading “Printmaking All Day – Tired and Happy Now!”

Wrinkles! [caution – male nude]

It’s nice to work with a veriety of models of all ages, fascinating to see the human body going through different phases. This is an experienced older model whose body wrinkles up beautifully. I know that goes against what’s currently our culture’s idea of beauty, but I like it – great to draw a bodyContinue reading “Wrinkles! [caution – male nude]”

Squidgy Squiggles With My Fingers

  I’m not a painter. But sometimes I wander over to the dark side and have a go. Trouble is, I really don’t like paintbrushes. There’s just something a bit wussy about them. I like big fat sturdy Japanese rubber printmaking rollers and great big tins of stiff printmaker’s inks, not faffy little brushes andContinue reading “Squidgy Squiggles With My Fingers”

A Corset and A Quickie

Oooh got to go and get my corset and big hat on and go to the monthly Steampunk Meet so won’t have much time to post today. Here’s a large drawing I did from a small life drawing in a sketchbook. I used a large piece of Somerset Velvet, coloured with black and pearlised acrylicContinue reading “A Corset and A Quickie”

Mucky Hands and Monotypes.

I spent a happy morning yesterday making some direct line monotypes down at Swansea Print Workshop. The trick to getting a good result is to roll out your ink VERY very thinly. I used Intaglio Printmakers oil-based litho/relief ink in black and a Japanese rubber roller inked onto apiece of Perspex. Don’t be tempted toContinue reading “Mucky Hands and Monotypes.”

I Knows ‘Ew Luvs Me ‘Coz ‘Ew Buys Me Chips

  This large mixed media piece started as a simple life drawing in conte crayons onto Somerset paper [250gsm] that I had squeegeed with black acrylic System 3 ink mixed with pearlised and acrylic medium. This gave me a dark, uneven surface to work on. I collaged on some interesting hand-made papers I had knockingContinue reading “I Knows ‘Ew Luvs Me ‘Coz ‘Ew Buys Me Chips”

Drawing Dancing in the Dark

  Last night I went to an AMAZING drawing and dance performance at the Volcano Theatre premises in Swansea, by Marega Palser and three other dancers. I’m not normally a huge fan of dance, but this combination of extreme movement, creative soundtrack and spontaneous drawing was fantastic. Marega also had an exhibition of her drawingsContinue reading “Drawing Dancing in the Dark”

A Recycled Lady!

  I often use discarded prints as the basis for drawing – I raid the waste paper bin at Swansea Print Workshop for prints that other artists have thrown away as they’re usually on really good paper, a Somerset or Bockinford, and often embossed and coloured which makes an interesting starting point for a drawing,Continue reading “A Recycled Lady!”