Blue nile waterlilly sketch

Perpetual Blooms

Some time ago I planned a series of small paintings with the theme of ‘Perpetual blooms’. At the time, I only painted one, but now several years later when I’m looking for an avenue to get back into my painting practise, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.

Read More
Phantasmal poison dart frog final

I is for Inktense

Now the key to these fantabulous pencils is that while they act like watercolour pencils for the most part, once they are dry they are not watersoluble – like waterproof ink. This may sound like a small difference, but it isn’t. Because they dry waterproof, you can go over and over and over your piece of work and build up some beautifully intense (funnily enough) colours.

Read More
Exhilarate closeup

Sunday Sketches – blatant experiments with watercolour

I had nothing tonight for Sunday Sketches, but I did have about an hour to come up with something, despite being exhausted. I found myself playing. I didn’t know what to draw initially (though it is not like I don’t have a pile of unfinished works lying around, but hey, my thought capabilities at the moment are on par with fencing post, so I figured I shouldn’t attempt to ruin anything), so I got out my watercolour pencils and just drew whatever came to mind.

Read More
Red Parrot Pea complete

Tools and Techniques – Watercolour lifting out and scrubbing

As a bonus, I started reading one of my watercolour painting books, and encountered the technique of lifting off. The book basically described how you can lift off paint by wetting the dried paint with a brush and then blotting with tissue. When I experimented with acrylic glazing, I wiped the glaze with a cloth before it could dry properly to give it texture. I pondered if I could get an interesting effect using the lifting off technique combined with the scrubbing on the petals in this piece.

Read More
My art desk

My Creative Backyard – Creative Every Day

I spent tonight tidying up my art corner in order to fit the primed boards inside the house. Since we had children and lost the two spare rooms, everything that didn’t migrate to the rubbish bin ended up out in the hobby room. The hobby room which houses two computers, a display case, four bookcases, two cupboards, six desks, a filing cabinet, a set of art drawers and a sewing machine cabinet, is starting to become crowded. I’m having the problem of needing to put away things that have no place to go. And since I’ve been neglecting things like housework so I can art…well, let’s say it wasn’t a pretty sight.

Read More
Wreath wattle

Inspiration Point – The Black Forest

God, this is scary – actually writing it down. Does this mean I actually have to follow up on it? 😀

It is more of a project than a resolution, but it is something that has been floating around in the vast empty space I use for a brain for several years now, and it is something I really should get off my butt and do.

Read More