Selfie

This certainly isn't a self portrait saying 'Look how beautiful I am!' I did it by looking in the mirror, and you can see the dogged concentration in my face! I'm pleased with it though. Oil on board 8 x 6 inches

Weekly Painting

I have to confess I'm no longer completing a painting every day. I find that if I give myself the whole week I can work in more depth, learn more, and get a more pleasing result. Also I'm not rushing any more. Slow and steady wins the race. Another confession is that I'm very behind on this blog and these were done a few months ago. I will try to catch up with myself over the next few days. I mixed some bought flowers with wild flowers/weeds that I picked from the marina where I live to do these two paintings. 8 x 6 inches oil on board.

Cup and Lemon

I've finished my 'dark period for now, but I may go back to it! I'm not particularly pleased with this painting. It's on a blue ground for a change, and I did a preparatory drawing. I've experimented with a new signature on this one too! It's oil on board 6 x 6 inches.

Low-key Lemons

Oil on board 8 inches by 6 inches.

Continuing in a low-key vein....

Jug and chillies oil on board 6 x 6 inches.

Pretty Apple

This apple was quite beautifully coloured... I decided to adopt a low tonal key for this painting. 6 x 6 oil on board.

My Cautious Process

Just thought I'd share the process I go through at the moment to paint a still life. If I don't make a careful drawing to start with I often find things go awry, so I first look at my set up through the small framed acetate sheet shown below (measuring 4 x 3 inches), to work out the composition. Then I draw a grid in my sketchbook to the same size as my board (8 x 6 inches) and draw in a grid to the same proportions as my acetate frame (2 inch squares). Then I look at the set up through the acetate grid, holding it as still as possible, observing important edges and measurements through the grid and marking them down on the sketchbook grid. Then I continue with the sketchbook drawing until I feel the drawing is correct. (The drawing for this painting is shown below.) Then I draw the grid on my board (bear with, bear with...!!) and use the sketchbook drawing to make an accurate drawing on the board in chalk pastel. Such is my cautious process at this time, hopefully one day I'll be able to throw caution to the wind!!!