Hello 2014
Firstly, I wish you all a blessed 2014!
I have been blessed to have visited one of the most beautiful places in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho a few times. One of the highlights while being there is to venture out and do some “plein air” drawing and painting. The people and especially the children are very curious and surround me while I am sitting near their homes drawing. They love to test their english, “how are you” is one of the first questions, followed by “I am fine, how are you?”.
Here are four little watercolour and pencil paintings that I think came out quite well.
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Watercolour Saturday
In our latest session we had a great time experimenting with various watercolour techniques.
There is so much to learn and experiment with that we will have to do another session on watercolour.
The brief was not for traditional landscape watercolour, but to design an eastern inspired patchwork of patterns.
The results were all very interresting and colourful!
Fine brushwork
Layers of diluted colour one upon another
Limited palette.
Lots of coffee consumed for inspiration!
Painting away.
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Whats been happening?
It seems that summer has arrived at last, heralded by the Cape Doctor.
I am presenting another art workshop this Saturday, 26 October. The theme is “Eastern Magic”. We will be painting with ink and watercolour on paper.
Now, about my own work: the featured image is of one of my finished oil paintings on canvas. As inspiration I am using photos from a road trip we did to Namibia.
Here are a few more, some finished, a few still in progress.
I hope you like them!
Old abandoned car with cactus growing from engine.
Another beautiful old car, unfinished. Oil on canvas.
Kolmanskop: unfinished. Old car, unfinished. Both oil on canvas.
Almost done! Oil on canvas.
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Fourth art workshop
In the latest art workshop we did something new and something old. Charcoal drawing always goes down well, and the ladies and gents made some fantastic drawings. Another excersise was a pen and ink design inspired by arum lillies. The results are nice and colourful.
Join us next time and let me know if you want to receive email updates on when the classes are.
You will find my email address at the bottom of this page.
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painting continued
I am continuing with my oil paintings. Its interresting to note that starting the pictures is the easy bit, its the finetuning and finishing thats the hard part! I have 8 paintings on the go at the moment .
I am a bit unsure af the themes, but will finish all the paintings (and start some more) and see where the process takes me. Six of them feature old cars that I photographed while on a roadtrip in Namibia a few years ago. The other two feature abandoned houses at Kolmanskop near Luderitz in the barren desert surroundings. My plan is to organise an exhibition. I will need to find a gallery that likes my stuff, we will cross that bridge when we get there!
Here are a few pictures of the paintings in progress.
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painting away
I have made an energetic start on my paintings. These are quite different from my illustrations of characters.
As a theme, I am focussing on a road trip we did to Namibia a few years ago.
I have many photos of empty sand-blown houses at Colmanskoppe and of abandoned cars and trucks. Because its so dry there, the detail preserved is amazing. They are all oil paint on canvas.
My goal is to have an exhibition and sell them if anyone wants to buy them! I will be looking for a venue to have the exhibition in the next few months.
Ps. these paintings are all works in progress … ie far from finished …
old truck, oil on canvas
abandoned sand-blown houses, oil on canvas
old abandoned truck, oil on canvas
cactus growing through old car, oil on canvas
collage of abandoned houses in desert, oil on canvas
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Experimental scribble drawing-paintings
This afternoon we are leaving on a road trip to the Karoo town of Sutherland. I love the Karoo with all the open space, textures, colours and shapes. There is sure to be some inspiration for artwork there!
I have been doing quite a bit of work which each started as a random-scribble-drawing. Here are some of the more successful results.
I think I am at the stage now where I have enough new friends to make up some “snapshot” stories.
Or what about a colouring-in book for kids?
I would be fantastic if you could help me make clever and humorous captions for my pictures. Bring on the comments!
pencil scribble drawing
please give me a name!
George will soon go on his first adventure.
I also want a name please …
old drawing redrawn with pen and ink and embellished digitally.
there has to be better names …
dressed in her nicest frock, she sets off on her scooter.
for now he is called “Spot Two”, surely there is a more original name?
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My Tonto-girl!
Tonto is a big part of our household. She thinks she is our boss. Her world revolves around food (any food!), a stick that can be thrown, chicken, barking at the postman, walkies, waiting for food and sleeping. She is amazingly active for a doggie that is almost 12 years old, it must be the Border Collie and Terrier mix! Lately we have had some hot dogs (literally) as a result of the hot summer weather. When Tonto is totally relaxed, she shuffles and wiggles on her back and and makes growling sounds.
Bollie relaxing on rolled-up carpet
Betsie sitting on shelf on the stoep
As far as the cats go – their world revolves around eating and sleeping. Occasionally as entertainment for Pepsi.
I did do some work this week! Here are some pictures: it is a bit of a mixed grill and I think that a little exhibition in a few months time would be good. With Snacks and wine of course.
This little man needs a name, ideas?
This is a bird-chicken and she is also in need of a name.
Spending some time working at my sister’s house, a change of scenery is always good.
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Friday, again!
Bollie cat on top of the dog house.
So little time and so much to paint. This week I did more “random scribble drawings”. That means: I grab a piece of paper, take a pencil, charcoal, koki or paintbrush and let my hand take the drawing tool for a “walk”. I scribble without looking at the page, sometimes with my left hand! Then I turn the page this way and that, until I see something pop out. A pair of eyes, a nose, legs or whatever. So the funny little creatures evolve and I develop the scribbles into paintings of some or other character.
Just a reminder that some of my creatures still need to be named. If you are feeling creative and have any clever or quirky ideas, please leave a comment!
The media used: arcrylic paint, koki, polychromo pastels and charcoal – oh, and tealeaves for the texture.
Betty and George
I called this one “Kattekwaad” which meand “mischief”.
Work in progress
Betty and George – beginnings in old fashioned nib and ink.
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