All posts tagged: canvas

‘Flutter’ Limited Edition Prints

Published by

A common question that I am asked is the distinction between ‘finishing or abandoning’ a painting (in terms of completing work) and which one applies to me?  There are two very different feelings when a painting is complete and is at most an unpredictable part of the process for me. Occasionally my idea is crystal clear enough to see when the finished version is in sight, or be unable to stop until I meet this mark in my mind. This is finishing the work that you set out with a cause, process and visual in mind. Abandoning the painting is a very different but equally as satisfying feeling, in when you reach a stage in the work where you feel it is right to stop. For whatever reason, it may be that the balance is right and anything more could be overworking it. Maybe you feel that what you are trying to put across has been successful and in going further could potentially spoil that. A number of reasons, even just that it ‘feels’ right to …

Micheal Zavros / Inspiration

Published by

Just a quick internet search can tell you that there is no end to the amount of talented artists in the world. Instagram in particular has been great for unearthing these exquisitely talented humans who happen to document their creations and I love to ‘follow’ them. There is an infinite amount of inspiration that you can gain from looking at and enjoying the work of others, without copying/plagiarising. (A post about this topic in particular to be uploaded soon..) Taking inspiration isn’t about stealing, or at least shouldn’t be! It is noting the feeling you get when you see a particular piece of art and translating that into your own work in your own way. A painting might have an electric energy with movement that leaps out at you. Another might have solemn or moody overtones that gave you a sense of atmosphere when you looked at it. It is more often than not the ‘vibe’ of the painting that you most likely enjoyed. Inspiration should be transferring that feeling/vibe/energy in your own way, to …

Second Collection of Original Oil Paintings with Wishbone Publishing / Katy Jade Dobson

Published by

I have been working recently on my second collection with Wishbone Publishing, a collection that I am incredibly   excited about. It has been a lot of fun to work on and showcases a lot of what I have learnt in the last few years as a professional artist. But above that I have injected mainly what I enjoy within this collection, the learning curve is palpable in the application and I love that it is raw and exposed in these original oil paintings. My work as always is selfishly about my process, my work thrives when my heart is fully engaged and I do not stop until the atmosphere is intimate and blatant. The success of my last collection was immensely unexpected and I am incredibly grateful to anyone who has supported my work over the last couple of years as I have found my feet. What I took from working solely on a full body of work is that your headspace during this period of creating can be temporary and down to circumstance. The …

Inspirations and Influences for Paintings – Working on my new collection.

Published by

I have been working on a new collection lately,  with an idea in mind that I wanted to be incredibly specific with… Without giving too much away,  I wanted to write about some of my influences in terms of colour and composition for my latest collection that I am currently working on with an insight into my favourite artists and images that have always inspired me. (Almost like a mood board of certain traits and aspects for this upcoming series of oil paintings.) Starting with colour and my favourite artist Odilon Redon – I learnt of Redon whilst working on a project at college where I imitated some of his works in oil pastels, his abstract tendencies and backgrounds specifically have been one of the most consistant inspirations for my work and hugely in mind when painting recently. I studied his cleverly positioned colour and admired how they looked so spontaneous. It wasn’t until learning this practice in oil paints and in my own style that I found that using a lot of colour all at once in …

Artist Materials – Hog bristle brushes for oil paintings

Published by

When I began painting, buying the paints initially was a costly job for me. I had to supply myself with the basic primary colours to set off my collection that I was to build up as I went along, mixing my own colours until I could afford to buy more. Brushes however were not important at all, I would apply the paint with my fingers if I needed to. (And still regularly do…) Although I sometimes buy more expensive brushes for purpose marks, I tend to buy value packs so I am always stocked up on brushes of all sizes and styles. I do this because brushes don’t last me long at all, especially expensive ones. Being eager to use them (since I paint every day, its the equivalent of getting a new computer mouse at the office for me) they often become raggedy and unusable after around 3 weeks. I might often find myself working slightly more gentle in order to preserve them, but sometimes by subjects are void of a certain boldness I enjoy in …

Wildlife Art – Recent Oil Paintings – Birds

Published by

I have been focusing a lot more on my wildlife work lately! Trying out a few new subjects and styles whilst undertaking a huge commission of a painting that is 2 meters by 2 meters… My first ever original painting was of two birds in flight, one of my main and most popular subjects to date. (The second was a stag which has also been one of my most popular..) Therefore painting birds is something I have continued to do, only taking on new breeds and styles and ways of representing them. This, or finding new ways to represent my favourite breeds. As my work has progressed throughout the year I can see by looking along my own timeline of birds in particular and the way I have worked with them, just how much my painting technique has changed. I decided to do a new take on an old classic of mine. My first ever OIL painting was of an owl. This was such an incredibly popular piece, one of the most mentioned at my …

The Garden of Eden – Adam & Eve – A set of two oil paintings

Published by

For my birthday I once received a box of chocolates; They were Thornton’s Eden Collection and were one of the most decadent concepts I had ever known.   The label read ‘Divinely Sinful’ with a golden fig leaf and the packaging was more than enticing. The chocolates inside read names like Passion, Seduction, Desire, Lust, Original Sin, Temptation and Obsession. I knew at some point, when I had become enough of a seasoned artist, that I would be able to portray a Garden of Eden concept painting with justice. I decided to finally take this project on the other day in order to decorate my new bedroom with a piece just for myself (something I have never done before) as a personal colossal challenge. I do not meet challenges on a small scale. The piece is made of two canvases, both 40×50″ inches, each holding the figure of Adam and Eve individually. I took on this project not because I regard myself as a seasoned enough artist to now start it, but because I am learning new things …

Koi Carp – Oil on Canvas

Published by

Koi Carp Oil on Canvas 24″x30″ inches (Commissioned) I absolutely love this finished piece of three koi carp. It wasn’t an easy one to complete, I started this painting with an idea of a light background. After attempting to get a flattering spectrum of colours within the water glistens the colour just did not pop enough. A black background was suggested which made a huge different immediately. The colours were brought together and more framed and flattered, in keeping with the elegance of the movement of the fish.