All posts tagged: painting

Brushes and Appliqué – From a self taught angle.

I taught myself to paint, which shapes and colours to highlight, look for and transfer over to paper or canvas. With this comes a greater understanding on what you personally are looking for in the subject and want to portray to painting, but it also comes with the downfall of not understanding your materials. Yet it comes with the fun of learning to use them yourself! My first original pieces were experimental with materials, creating large mixed media pieces with clashing textures and as much movement as possible. My transfer to oils and stubborn independence to learn to use them myself gave me a wider experimental frame. This started with brushes. I used any brushes that I had, I did not use specific brushes for the purpose of the marks I wanted to make, I made those marks regardless. This went on for a long time, I created the marks I intended to and thought nothing else of it. Until I bought a good quality brush and could finally understood how nice it is to work …

Two editorials to end the year with and a BIG thank you!

Having work published in a magazine or editorial is such a huge achievement for me! I am so excited that as my first year as a professional artist, I managed to end it on a high of featuring in two magazines, one being overseas in America and the other a cover feature. Last October with my life at somewhat of a fork in the road I had got away from a situation and sat in a cafe with a pot of tea and a magazine. I saw women being celebrated for their fantastic work in so many different genres of art, fashion, politics, and business. What I noticed about these articles were that each of these women had faced a fork in the road, hit rock bottom or had been forced to consider a huge change in their life before they decided to make the change themselves. Although I was dead centre of a difficult situation, I felt so far away from it with the realisation that I was free to do what I enjoyed …

Iconic Women Oil Painting Collection – Getting there!

The collection of oil paintings I have been working on showing ten iconic women in colour and opulence, have lately been stepping into the light and starting to take form. It has taken a few months to make a good foundation on my collection, I have created the basic layers for each portrait, however whilst some are almost finished, others are still in their earliest stages. A few things I never knew to consider whilst creating a body of work that all related in style and form, is how much your work can improve/change within this time. This means that as I move onto the further pieces, I then find myself going back to the first few and making the edits to lace them all together. It hasnt been easy, however i have the first five close to finished (and now in storage so i can finish up the last five without being tempted with too many edits!) and seeing them together makes it worthwhile. Now I am more determined than ever to get the …

My feature in Cliche Magazine

I have been working really hard lately on my collection of Iconic Women oil paintings for my series in support of Women’s Aid charity. Meaning while being featured in American magazine Cliche. Here are some screen shots of the feature, and a link to the magazine website to take a read! You can read the article online here! Or to buy a copy.

How to be an Artist

How to be an Artist. Everybody is an artist at what they do; and everything you do is an art form. Whether it is the efficiency in which you input data into a system at work, or if it is a full flowing creative stream. Art (in my opinion!) is taking something everyday and making ‘something’. And this ‘something’ doesn’t have to be a painting, or a craft project or something so skilfully applied that people are in awe. Making this ‘something’ is either an expression of yourself that only you can see, something blatant, or something you enjoyed the process for. The people who seem to understand the world the most seem to see the potential in everything. The people who seem to see the potential in everything seem to be the happiest and most interesting people. And the happiest and most interesting people make art of everything they do. To be an artist isn’t always about painting a picture. It is taking what you can and making ‘something’ where the end result is …

Galloping Horses Oil Painting

Galloping Horses A newly finished piece using new techniques I have learnt ‘along the way,’ each brush stroke has intent with the aim to capture movement and strength alongside elegance and beauty. A fierce and powerful representation of the wild nature of magnificent horses. Hopefully portraying my appreciation for wildlife and its characteristics. A full original, no prints will be made of this piece. Oil on wood panel. 35×23.5″ inches.   Katy x

Colourful Oil Paintings – playing with psychedelic colours and abstraction. Doodles

Here are a few photos of my work lately, some portraiture work, commissions and sketchbook work! All along the theme of psychedelic colours… I have started to understand colour better and as I usually do, I just in at the deep end playing with every colour. I’m starting to refine my palettes somewhat to enhance the richness of my paintings. Katy x

Reflecting on 2013 so far!

Iv been working really hard lately towards my recent collection of oil paintings depicting iconic or influential women. It’s a lot of fun having a specific project to work on, doing the research, some sketchbook work and documenting the development of my findings and the paintings as they start to come together! There are so many ideas that I have for future collections stemming from great concepts. My progression from mixed media pieces to oil work has surpassed my own expectations, I am looking at my own paintings in disbelief which is such and amazing feeling! Unfortunately with this I am growing increasingly fond of each piece and feel rather sad when they leave me! The support I have had since I started working properly in oils and documenting my work through social media has been unbelievable and its been great to hear so much feedback and have so many people following my work through Facebook, twitter and Instagram. Seeing people’s messages is very inspiring and encouraging and the beauty of the Internet is that …

Koi Carp – Oil on Canvas

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.