Easter Art

Rebecca Louise

4x6 inches

Coloured pencils and pastels on wood

George - Giraffe in a scarf

8x10 inches

Watercolour pencils, Coloured pencils and Pan Pastels on wood

Firstly wishing a really happy and safe Easter to each and every one of you.

These are the two artworks I have worked on so far over the Easter break.

Rebecca Louise is my brand new niece, born last Wednesday the 20th April. Sadly, I won't get to see or hold her until she is probably walking as we live too far away, but thank goodness for photos and the internet!!!

George was done just for fun, although I did regret adding the scarf once it was all finished :)

Monique

Monique

8x10 inches

Acrylics on Canson Mi Teintes Tex Card

This was the commission I completed a few weeks ago, when experimenting with a few different mediums and finally settled on the acrylics. This portrait was another example of where I was given a wonderful reference photo to work with, which made my job so much more enjoyable. A delightful looking littel girl, and because the photo was taken outside, there are beautiful reflections in her eyes which really add to her portrait. So, many of the same principals I outlined in my last blog for taking good reference photos for pet portraits also apply when taking photos for people portraits.

Acrylic Portraits - Steph

Steph

8x10 inches

Acrylics on Canson Mi-teintes Tex paper (with a hint of coloured pencil and pan pastels)

This was my second portrait using acrylics, and was actually a little more challenging than the first because of the dark skin tones from the cast shadows. I always prefer doing softer, lighter skin tones, but couldn't resist using this beautiful reference photo of my Goddaughter Steph, who actually turned 18 last week. How time flies!!! This portrait will the first used as a sample for my painted portrait listings.

Happy Christmas to all my internet friends & a reflection on 2009

Kaja

8x10 inch

Graphite and coloured pencil on drafting film

What an amazing year 2009 has been!!!! I have been doing commissions right up until yesterday morning, but have decided to take a three day break to spend some quality time with family. Many of my customers requested that I wait until after Christmas, before posting their portraits on my website or blog. This time last year, I was flat out with my nursing career, feeling very stressed and quite disillussioned, and spent every spare minute on my art. This year has been such a journey of self discovery. I had no idea when making the decision to leave nursing whether art would provide me with a sustainable income, or whether I could find a sense of purpose and fulfillment from something which up until then was purely done for enjoyment. There is always a risk, when taking a hobby and turning it into a business, that some of the enjoyment disappears. I must admit it has been a year of ups and downs, where too many times I have been filled with self doubt. My wonderful, supportive husband and the fabulous friends I have made through various internet sites, especially through blogging, are the two treasures that have lifted my spirits whenever I feel lost. We come to the end of 2009, and I feel such a sense of peace and purpose. The commissions are coming hard and fast (I have 5 due in the New Year), and whilst this means there isn't a lot of time for being truly arty and creative, I think my current need was more to find a purpose from the art, and there will be time down the track for really exploring my own creativity. For now, I am thrilled to bring joy to others through commissions, and my other big goal is to write a book down the track on drawing photo realistic drawings on drafting film. I would like to take this opportunity for thanking all of you who have supported me and encouraged me throughout the year. You have no idea how much this has helped to lift my spirits on those days when despondency sets in.

Wishing all of you the most wonderful, magical Christmas and lets hope 2010 brings success and happiness to you all!!!!

Latest Commissions - Ashton

Ashton

8x10 inches

Graphite and black pencil on drafting film

Still going on Commissions, and in between commissions, I have been so inspired by Barbara A Freemans fascinating description about silverpoint, and have been experimenting with that, so will post a WIP once the commissions slow down a bit. A huge thank you to Barbara for sharing her knowledge and journey in working with silverpoint - please visit her blog if you are interested in this medium.

Our new nephew Jack

Jack

5x7 inches

Graphite Pencil on drafting film

It can be such a difficult time for some couples when they decide to start a family, and, where many couples seem to fall pregnant so easily, for others it is far more challenging as months, and sometimes years, go by without that much desired result.

Such was the case for my wonderful brother and his gorgeous wife, and so our excitement was intensified when, early this year, we discovered that they were finally going to get their little bundle of joy. And here he is - Jack. I have yet to meet my little nephew, as all my family live over a thousand kilometres away from us, but I will hopefully get to meet him in the not too distant future.

It never rains but it pours!!!

To all my blogger friends, please excuse my absence of blogging and commenting on your own wonderful blogs lately. After a quiet couple of months, in the last two weeks, I have been inundated with 6 requests for commissioned portraits, and a large Illustration job. These are some of the commissioned portraits - the illustration job will keep me out of mischief for the next few weeks. So, I hope you understand if I am a bit more quiet than normal. It is always wonderful to have the extra work, so I'm not complaining!!!!

Latest Graphite portrait - Wonder

Wonder

5x7 inches

Graphite and coloured pencil on drafting film

I started this one again, after getting halfway through and being dissatisfied with the smoothness of the skin (my husband says I'm a perfectionist - how rude!!! LOL ). The next day, I went out and bought some graphite powder, emptied out my minerals powder foundation from it's container, and filled it with some graphite powder; and dug out some of my softest makeup brushes. I then applied the graphite in much the same way you would buff mineral foundation onto your skin and was much happier with the results. The mineral powder foundation container has little holes in the lid, so I could give it a shake, and get just a hint of powder and then use the makeup brushes to pick it up. Perfect!!!

Graphite with a hint of colour - Pippa

This is the first in a series of portraits I would like to do combining graphite with a hint of colour. The reference photo for Pippa was kindly provided by Andrea (Pencil Painting Network) and is of her delightful daughter Pippa - isn't she a cutie!!!! In future, I am going to try to avoid portraits with too many dark areas, as blending the dark to light proved a frustrating challenge, but we got there in the end.

Finished Innocence

Here is the finished piece of little Miriam - what an angelic face she has! This original ACEO is available for sale in my ebay store and will be available for sale as Ceramic Tile Art, Framed Tile Art and Keepsake box just in time for Mother's Day.

WIP Innocence - stage 2

Working on this little one brings back all the wonderful memories of when our own boys, three of whom are now well into their teens, were tiny like this and almost (I do say almost!!!) makes me clucky again. They are so perfect at this age, especially when asleep, but they are a lot of work too.

WIP - Innocence

There is something so appealing about the innocence and beauty of a little baby sleeping, and so this week I felt the urge to try and capture that with the coloured pencils on drafting film. I have to say it is much easier to capture fur with this medium, than the smoothness of skin. Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter break - mine was fabulous with some quality time spent with family, but the art got a bit neglected, (which sometimes makes way for new inspirations) so it is now back to the drawing board!