Speed Sketch of a Cat

   This is the first sped up video of me drawing I made. I just did a quick sketch for it so the result of the work wasn't very good! The cat is one of my friend's who breeds ragdoll kittens. She has a page for me on her website here: Pet Portraits at Truely Scruptious Ragdolls.

Charles Burton Barber.

   Charles Burton Barber--I heard of him for the first time today after realizing how little I know of the famous artists other than the ones everyone knows about. So I a website that features a few of the famous artists. Charles Barber captured my attention for he was a painter of pets, like me.

Born in 1854 he is one of the best animal artists of the 19th century in Britain where he was born and lived. He painted many famous and rich peoples pets often with their children too. He was commissioned by Queen Victoria to do painting and did one of her on a horse with John Brown at it's head.

Charles Barber always captures the bond between people and their pets. Perhaps a reason why he was in high favor with the rich and famous.

My favorite Barbers are those of the big dogs, collies and St. Bernards. In the painting below the collie seems to be coming to the comfort of his mistress who seems to have just had a tantrum, probably a spoiled little thing and obviously in a rich family. But the dog cares not for that, he loves his mistress and all he know is she has been made sad. He sends a reproachful look back at the unseen offender.

'Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.' - Geroge Elliot

'The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too' -Samuel Butler

Here is a lovely one. A young girl reading while her dog reposes in her arms while keeping a steady eye on the onlooker, protective of his mistress. The painting dose have an unfinished feeling about it. The cup and saucer in the bottom corner seem to be floating on air!

This is cute. The little girl is saying grace over breakfast while the dog and cat look on about to dive into the meal themselves. 

 He dose not do many horses, I guess because horses were less pets and more work animals in those days. Here however this little animal is purely for pleasure and cuddles! The pony is showing the white of  his eye looking back at that massive dog alongside, perhaps he will bolt or give a kick for he looks like a mischievous animal!

I leave you with one of my very favorites:

Speed drawing Video

Yesterday I made two speed drawing videos. Here is my second and best one. A drawing of Audrey Hepburn. 

I have more videos on my You Tube Channel

Renée Zellweger as Miss Potter Drawing

Renée Zellweger as Miss Potter from that movie. Drawn with graphite pencils on A3 cartridge paper.

I have just finished videoing myself doing a quick sketch. I'll speed it up and make a speed drawing video. It's just a trial one but I'll post it here when I'm finished.

New Facebook Page

I've made a new Facebook page for Equine Fine Art. 

Go have a look at all my galleries and like! I will be updating it regularly and add all my latest works.

The Young Queen Elizabeth II

I have always loved the royal family, and especially the queen. here is a drawing I did of her as a young queen, wasn't she beautiful! 

Portrait of The Young Queen Elizabeth II

I've been doing more portraits lately, I love to draw faces and I'm trying to get better at drawing them. I want more experience drawing from live models too. My family are willing but it's hard to catch them. I can do a quick sketch in half an hour but the one above took me almost two hours. My goal is to be able to do something like this drawing in thirty minutes. And then I could have a go at street portraiture!

These artists in Paris are brilliant, I'd love to go to Europe and join them one day -- that's one of my dreams.

Norman Rockwell

    Here are just some of the paintings of Norman Rockwell's which I have grown up familiar with even way down here in New Zealand. I never knew who the artist was until in the last year I have come across him everywhere on the internet.

 These paintings we have in a big literature book and I used to stare at the Thanksgiving for ages trying to figure out if it was a photo or not! I used to study the faces very carefully and try to figure out the family relationships. 

 I used to enjoy studying this one too. Tracing back the family line; I have always been interested in genealogy.

I identified very much with this little girl! 

More illustrations here. There are so many, I'm always seeing another Rockwell I've never seen before. I wonder if all the images are all gathered together anywhere. I mean digital images or prints.

Rockwell slideshow: with an interesting paragraph about each piece.

Enjoy this documentary of Norman Rockwell's illustration. Some of his old neighbours and sitters tell some interesting stories.

Pansy Cat: The Process video

Pansy Drawing

When I work in the craft shop in our local village I often take something to draw as it is not usually busy. It's really good because I have a full day which I can spend on one drawing which doesn't happen much at home. And only interrupted now and then to make coffee or sell something to a rare customer! 

I did this drawing of my cat (Pansy again though we do have four other cats to choose from! Pansy's the prettiest!) in the shop the other day and found out another benefit of working there, it sold before I was half way through drawing it!