Oil Sketch of Fred
Fred is such a great character to paint. Here’s a relatively quick oil sketch completed over 3 sittings of 2 hours each. I could have done with one more sitting I think, to sharpen up here and there, but unfortunately…
Portrait of Tony
This portrait was started around January time, shortly before Meg died. That event sadly interrupted my finishing of the painting, and as such the hands remained in limbo for quite a few weeks. They were largely blocked in and positioned,…
A Collection of Small Portraits in Oil
Here are some small portraits from the final few weeks of term before the Christmas break. I really enjoyed working on these, trying a few subtly different pigments – Michael Harding’s Warm White Lead Replacement, and Slate and Vine Blacks…
Day by Day Oil Portrait
Here is a life size portrait that I recently completed (aside from some possible tweaks). I still need to varnish and photograph it properly, but this image isn’t too bad to give you an idea of the finished painting. It…
The Deathshead Moth Tattoo
Here is a relatively quick figure drawing from a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed this project, especially the challenge of representing the model’s tattoo. The following pictures show key stages along the way, as the proportions are mapped…
Portrait, as yet untitled
This is more of a teaser post for a recently finished portrait that is proving very difficult to photograph while it dries adequately enough for a coat of unifying varnish. Hopefully there’ll be some better images to come.
Grey. Three Kinds
Here is a recent life size portrait where I used a slightly smaller canvas than usual because I wanted the focus to be much more about just the head and shoulders. As the painting progressed I wasn’t sure if there…
L’amour est un oiseau rebelle
Another painting on one of my gesso panels. It started well, went astray midway through, then got back on track as we neared the end. Every project is a lesson in perseverance, although that’s not to say that every one…
Silent Prayer
I started this portrait last year, and have been reworking parts of it since then. To say it has been a lesson in perseverance would be an understatement. Originally the painting was larger and included the sitter’s hands and tops…
Charcoal Portrait
My first charcoal portrait for a long time and I was encouraged by how quickly I got a good likeness. The mark-making is quite controlled and the overall statement clean and stark. In a way though I’d prefer a drawing…
