Thursday 30 April 2015

Last day of May

It's the last day of May, and my last figure piece in my challenge, although I have begun to enjoy doing figures, so may well do more in the future.

Window Shopping in the rain, mixed media 10 x 14 inch

I started this one last week, and worked on it a little with my right hand today as my shoulder is still painful.

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Robin Hood's Bay

This is a painting I started some time ago,  but added figures to yesterday.


Robin Hood's Bay, acrylic, 12 x 16 inch

The name Robin Hood's Bay is a bit of a mystery.  Some say Robin Hood came here, but others believe that the name is derived from the wood elf Robin Goodfellow.  Yet others believe that it was probably named after a local smuggler, as Robin  Hood's Bay was once a busy port, larger than Whitby. When we used to visit when our daughter was small, my husband would tell her that it was where Robin Hood went for his holiday's. So you can take your choice.


Tuesday 28 April 2015

Yet another go at the dancer

Still haven't captured the movement but I like the complementary colours of purple and yellow.


dancer, pastel, 8 x 12 inch

Monday 27 April 2015

Dancer sketch

Another go at the male dancer, turned out a bit heavy.  Having a bit of a problem with my shoulder.

dancer 8 x 12 inch

Sunday 26 April 2015

Water soluble oil pastel sketch

Here is another water-soluble oil pastel sketch.  Was out most of today, so a very quick drawing.

Moroccan sketch 8 x 12 inch

Saturday 25 April 2015

Another Moroccan figure

I have quite a few photographs of figures from Morocco, I love the colourful clothes and the contrast of light and dark.  This was done with water soluble oil pastels, I have a mix of Caran d'ache, Portfolio and I think some are Derwent ones.  The Caran d'ache are very heavily pigmented, the Portfolio ones are very soft, so it's good to have different crayons for different areas.


Moroccan figure 5 x 14 inch


Friday 24 April 2015

Another quick sketch

A quick sketch of a dancer, again taken from an old magazine, 1970's.  This time I got out my soft pastels, trying to get some movement into it.



sketch of dancer 8 x 11 inch

Thursday 23 April 2015

portrait sketch

Rather pushed for time today so only a quick sketch of a young woman, taken from an old magazine.



sketch 8 x 11 inch

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Window shoppers

Started this painting yesterday on the theme of window shoppers.  I'm quite pleased with it and I think the whole subject has great potential.  I may try for younger figures on the next painting. I think the shop number would be better at 60 rather than 50 (or even 70) for these grey-haired retail therapy lovers.

Window Shoppers, acrylic,10 x 12 inch

I enjoyed painting it and that's the main thing.  I like to work in this loose, expressive style, but still worry that I should be spending hours getting things just right rather than dashing pieces like this off in under two hours.  I suppose most artists are like that, never happy with the results.

And for those who don't know, 'clouts' in Yorkshire and Lancashire too I think, are clothes, as in the old adage "ne'r cast a clout 'til May is out", which translates as "Never cast off any clothing until the May blossom is on the trees and the weather is warmer".

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Figures in the landscape

Looking at figures in the landscape, proportion and scale.  This was worked from a photograph I took at Robin Hood's Bay last year.


Figures, oil, 9 x 9 inch

Monday 20 April 2015

Landscrape workshop

I went to a workshop with Sandra Holle today entitled 'Landscrape Inspiration.  No brushes were used, only things to scrape with such as plastic cards, painters scrapers and palette knives.  It was an interesting workshop.  This piece is one of two I did, it still needs a lot of work.  The three verticals are from the brown paper covering the table, I just thought it needed something upright.  I may turn these into trees.


Landscrape, 12 x 16 inch, acrylic

I'm not sure if it is my thing as I really like fluid colour with drips and runs and soft edges, but it was an interesting way to work.  Particularly of note is the way that you can build up textures by scraping thin layers of acrylic, leaving them to dry and then scraping other thin layers over, building up a nice textured surface.

Sunday 19 April 2015

Over the fence


Only time for a quick sketch today.  This is a sight often seen pre 1960's.  A good natter over the fence was better than the daytime TV which has often replaced it.


Over the fence, pen, 6 x 9 inch

Saturday 18 April 2015

Hatshop ladies

Here is the second painting in the 'Window Shopping' series. I have felt a little more comfortable with these figures, probably because they are 'drawn' with a large flat brush using acrylic paint.  I do like a painterly surface. 

I have started to think about other titles and have come up with the following:-
  • Shoe shop
  • Dress shop
  • Gift Shop
  • Flower Shop
  • Cake Shop
Maybe phone shop, and why not Charity shop?  I need to think of a few more to give me a bit of choice as I don't like to be too restricted.


Hatshop ladies, acrylic, 9 x 12 inch

I need to get out with my camera and take a few more candid shots of window shoppers, although you don't get many in the small town where I live!  Perhaps I will also include couples in this series, the backs of some couples tells a story without any words needed.


Friday 17 April 2015

Teashop ladies

I started a new series of paintings on Tuesday - Window Shopping.  I have only finished two so far, and they are both rough drafts for possible future paintings.  I like the whimsical feel to them, you often see two friends staring into shop windows, so you only see the back view.

I think they would work well in collage and acrylic, and have already started thinking about an approach to take.  I don't have much time at the moment so it will have to wait until later in the summer.  I have only just realised that my first exhibition this year is only just over four weeks away, so I need to get moving and sort out work for framing over the coming weekend.

Teashop ladies, acrylic, 10 x 12 inch


Here is another of the paintings from my past, another using the ruler I suspect.

Yorkshire Dales, acrylic, 20 x 16 inch

These two paintings are so far apart it's difficult to realise that I used to paint in such a tight style.  Also the palette was very restricted, no bright colours.


Thursday 16 April 2015

Biro sketch


A very quick sketch using a Biro pen, in the expressionist style.

Biro sketch, 8 x 10 inch

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Morrocan figure No.2


Another Moroccan figure, trying to meld the figure into the background.


Moroccan figure, charcoal & pastel, 6 x 10 inch

Tuesday 14 April 2015

Moroccan figure

 Another sketch in charcoal, trying to capture a misty look.  I did add a little white gouache to lose some of the lines into the background.  Still finding figures very difficult, and not excited by the subject yet.


Moroccan figure, charcoal, gouache, 5 x 12 inch




I have been looking through some of my old work and thought it would be interesting to post a few, to show how my style has changed.  The painting below was done about 15 or more years ago, when I first started with acrylics after painting with pen and watercolour before that.  It looks as if I used a ruler to get the straight edges!  The water and the shadows work well though.

Thornton Dale, acrylic, 12 x 20 inch


I know that many people will wonder why I wanted to find a looser style, would be very happy with the painting style shown above.  The answer is that it doesn't have any of 'me' in it.  Anyone could have painted it. 

Having said that, these figures haven't any of me in them either.  I will keep battling to the end of the month, hoping that I find my way.


Monday 13 April 2015

figure in pastel


I was trying to capture the figure, but only in a hazy sort of way.  It doesn't quite work.  I need more lost edges and the background needs to be over the figure in some places.


figure, soft pastel, 8 x 11 inch

Sunday 12 April 2015

Oil pastel sketch of seated figures

This oil pastel sketch, like the one yesterday, is based loosely on drawings from a book on medieval life.  The drawings were quite difficult to see, so I have had to work in a very loose way.  The figure on the left is seated behind the central figure, but I haven't quite managed to get it to work.

seated figures, oil pastel


Saturday 11 April 2015

Woman seated

A quick oil sketch of a woman seated.  She was actually doing some embroidery at a tambour frame, but I left that out.  Trying the blue-green behind her head as this is a near complementary colour to her hair.


oil sketch 9 x 12 inch

I'm trying to persevere with my idea of painting people all this month, but I have to say I'm not enjoying it much.  I will keep going, but interspersed with other subjects so I don't get bogged down.


Friday 10 April 2015

Another day gone

Another day gone but no paintings, so its a sketch from my sketchbook again.  I feel as if I am running up a down escalator at the moment, with no time to catch up.


basic drawing

tonal sketch

colour sketch

These are from a series of large thumbnail sketches of a boat in the dry dock of the harbour in Bridlington, where I live.  I am looking for an abstraction of the subject. I have painted it before but I want to make it a more fractured image , similar to the Still Life I did last month.

I only just noticed, this is my 100th post - amazing.

Thursday 9 April 2015

My new website

I spent a lot of time over the Easter holiday setting up a new website.

http://lynneporter.wix.com/artworks

I'm very pleased with how it looks.

Sketch of woods

This is one of the sketches I have been doing for the machine embroidery I posted on my textile blog  lynneporter.blogspot.co.uk.  I know I am supposed to be doing figures this month, but it isn't easy.  I hope to finish a painting today, so we will see tomorrow perhaps.


Bluebell woods, mixed media 5 x 9 inch


I seem to be very tired at the moment, burning the candle at both ends, although the sunshine yesterday was lovely.  Today we have a sea mist.  

I am nearing the 100 posts mark, I am amazed that I have been able to get this far.  Last year I made it to the middle of March.  I am away at the beginning of May, so I hope I will be able to keep the blog going then.

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Sketch

Yet another quick sketch.

sketch, water soluble graphite, 4 x 6 inch

I haven't even had any time to do more of the 100 Artwork Challenge,  which I am rather sad about.  My have more time tomorrow?

Tuesday 7 April 2015

Another sketch


Yet another sketch.  I have been busy setting up a new website today, and have had very little time for anything else.

Sketch, mixed media,8 x 10 inch
I'll be posting the link in the next day or two.

Monday 6 April 2015

Srtill Life painting

Seems I can't get away from Still Life paintings.  I wasn't very well today, but I had this painting half done, or rather more than half done, so I finished it today.

Still Life, Oil & oil bars, 16 x 10 inch

I worked on it today with Markel Oil Bars, which are oil paint in a solid stick.  I like to use these when I want a loose, textured look.

I've painted this still life several times, the first time from observation, but subsequent paintings done from the first painting.  I like to try out different techniques, styles and materials with the same subject.

Sunday 5 April 2015

Still life drawing

Just for a change I did a still life drawing today.  Feeling very tired, not sure why, so no painting again.


Still Life drawing 4 x 8 inch



Saturday 4 April 2015

Another quick sketch

Over this Easter weekend I am not going to have much time for art work.  I have managed another quick sketch of a figure.

Two linked figures, 11 x 5 inch

I seem to have so much to do over the next week, but I am determined to post every day, so it will mostly be quick sketches.

Friday 3 April 2015

Quick sketch figures

I have been working in my sketchbook over the last few days, getting into the rhythm of drawing figures.  I need to work into a sketchbook to explore ideas.  Some work, some don't, but it doesn't matter.  It's the actual exercise that counts.

figures sketchbook 8 x 10 inch

Here I am exploring tone and colours, the light yellow contrasting with the dark purple-blue.

Thursday 2 April 2015

Figures for April

I decided to tackle figures in April.  It is a subject I usually steer well away from as it is so difficult, but I need to have a go and explore all design and techniques as it says on the heading.

This is a piece I started in the Tuesday class I go to, it's a brilliant class, more of a mentoring really.  Its 24 miles away, but well worth the trip.  I worked on it some more today, and I think it's as finished as I want it to go.

Moody, charcoal & white Conte, 10 x 14 inch

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Still Life No. 9

I had already made a start on this Still Life Collage, so decided to finish it, then put away my collage papers.  I am still not sure what I am going to do tomorrow but I might get out my oil paints again.  I'll just wait and see.

Still Life Collage, acrylic mixed media, 9 x 11 inch