Playing with abstract texture

I  worked on a still life for a while today, and then on an abstract, shown below.  Shoulder still very painful, so I didn't work for long.

Abstract seascape, acrylic, 12 x 16 inch

Still Life

I started this still life with the idea that I would do it in the style of Mary Fedden.  Unfortunately it just ran away and ended in my own quirky style, so it ended up more after Van Gogh than Fedden.  I seem unable to leave a hard line.  I was also looking at a book about Anne Redpath when I had my lunch, so the teapot is more in her style.  I must try and stick to a plan!

Still Life, acrylic,  12 x 16 inch

I'm not happy with the background on the right, and am going to make it much darker.  I also need to tidy it up generally.   The composition is too strong on the left and is unbalanced, so I hope the dark background on the right will help this.

I love the fruit bowl, I found it in a charity shop, which is where I find most of my still life props.

Abstract collage

As a change from the Still Life painting, I did a few abstract collages yesterday.  I love preparing the collage papers, using brush, roller, spray, stamp, scraper - in fact anything to make a mark.  I then go over the dry papers with more mark making using pen, pencil, crayon.

I like to use either catering greaseproof paper or tissue paper.  I order the cheapest I can find on EBay, and they are usually very thin, without too much surface sizing.  They take the colour very well and are thin enough to almost disappear when they are collaged down.  Sometimes the greaseproof wrinkles with the moisture, but I like the added texture, so don't worry about it.  I use Matt Acrylic Gel medium to glue down the papers.

Abstract collage on board, 12 x 16

 I can hardly believe I am at the end of month two.  This is the 59th painting I have posted since Christmas.  Of course I have done many more, particularly during the Jane Davies online course.

This year I had decided to do less exhibitions (we did 6 last year!) and concentrate on painting EVERY day, and taking as many courses as I could afford, and fit in.

I have signed up for Jane's Sketchbook Challenge online course starting on the 25th March (now full), and I have also signed up for her online course '100 Drawings on Cheap Paper'  which focuses on different elements each week, creating quantity, letting go of inner judgement.  This course doesn't start until September.  I missed the one in January as it was full and I don't want to miss it again!  If the last course is anything to go by I will end up making 20-40 a week, rather than 10, which is all to the good, if very tiring.  I have marked it on the calendar and will try to keep the ten weeks relatively free!

I am also doing several real time textile based courses, and trying to maintain my textile blog lynneportermaterialmatters.blogspot.  This has suffered so far because I was fully stretched doing this blog and the Jane Davies online course.  I intend to fit in at least one and preferably two blog posts a week in the future on the textile blog, and I will set aside one morning and one afternoon to work on samples in my 'dry' studio, which is actually our spare bedroom.    See the textile blog for more on this.


This blog will of course continue daily.

Still Life version three

This is the work I hoped to post yesterday.  I still want to work on it a little more.  The photograph has come out with the wrong colours, so I need to take the photograph again in better light.  I am very pleased with the composition, and want to do more in this style.

Still Life, version three.  Acrylic and Conte pencil, 12 x 16 inch

Polperro, Cornwall

Worked from a photograph I took a few years ago.  A lovely place.

Polperro, oil, 12 X 16

Still Life, after Cezanne

Decided to do some paintings in the style of artists I admire.  Cezanne had to be first, I love his edgy brushstrokes.  This was worked from a still life I set up in the studio.

Still Life, 16 x 12, oil