It's actually a ballerina!

A5 graphite on paper.

Playing with Illusions

Yesterday I played around with 3d drawing. But only sketchy attempts! You draw something in a distorted angle so that only when viewed at the proper angle can you see the image in proportion, and then it seems to stick out from the surface. 

As in this famous old painting with the distorted skull. See how that elongated mass becomes startlingly real when view from the angle.

The Ambassadors (1533), Hans Holbein 

So here are my attempts:

The cello didn't work so well as the shape isn't very grossly contorted when out of shape and therefore less drama.

The horse worked better. I sketch which I quickly stopped once I began to ruin it with charcoal! I must practice more with that unmanageable medium.

The Bathroom Again

   Several posts ago I hinted that I had a bathroom themed painting underway. Well it has been sitting on my drawing  board for weeks and I haven't done any improvements to it and don't think I will so I will share it as is. It is mostly finished anyway, I just wasn't happy with the cat, Pansy.

 I used pastel on grey pastel paper.

The Queen Mother--video

Since I have almost finished reading a giant book about this lovely lady, the official biography of the Queen Mother (she lived from 1900 to 2001, and it takes a big book to span a whole century!).

Here is a quick sketch I did of her. Took 30 minutes, used white and black pastel pencils on black paper. I made another speed movie too. Not very good though as I don't have a tripod any more.

Horsey Inspiration...Please

Now after that short break, a weekend flu of some sort, I have woken up to Monday morning well enough for weekday duties. 

Now, I have no new pieces of art to show you, nor do I have any ideas for anything! Isn't it very annoying when you really want to draw or paint something but have no idea of a subject!

So do you have any ideas to suggest?

 Drastic..

 Simple...strange....

 beautiful....wild...

abstract...

fanciful...

All my, as yet unknown, ideas seem to be centered around horses just now so give me horsey ideas for a picture. I will be glad of your help, and will be particularly pleased if you have a really good idea.

I'm getting inspired already, just from looking at Google images!

All images courtesy of Google, if you own or know who owns one of these images let me know so I can credit them! :)

Simba

Here's what I produced from that photo. The painting was inspired by this video, as soon as I saw it I wanted to do something like that and immediately began. I learn allot from watching these speed drawing/time lapse videos on You Tube, they are very helpful and fun!

So here is my picture, I did it in pastel and pastel pencil on pastel paper, which is very similar to sand paper. 

My Darling Tigger Video

Several weeks ago Nathaniel, my brother filmed me riding Tigger. I have finally finished making a movie out of the several hours of footage he took! Here it is, enjoy!

Website Update

I have been working all morning on my website Equine Fine Art. Doing all those little updating jobs that seem so simple but are so time consuming. 

I think one day soon I will have to do something about the fact that Equine Fine Art is mainly for my horse pictures and these days I am doing as much 'other' as I am horses!

Though I have just finished another horse yesterday, I will take a photo of it as soon as the camera is charged!

I worked from this photo of Simba a horse I am training. My little brother, Nathaniel, took the photo. In my painting I have used only the horses head.

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you, Faith, for awarding me the Versatile Blogger Award!!

I am much honored. And now I would like to pass on the award to five fellow bloggers.

Rachel from The Inkpen Aurtheress: My very talented writer friend from the other side of the world.

The watercolourist over at Adventure with Colours: Who produces beautiful works of art to feast your eyes on!

Colette from Wildlife and Pet Portraits: Always a new post about her latest stunning and realistic portrait.

And another writer Abigail from Scribbles and Inkstains: If you love reading good writing, this is for you!!

And finally Gurney Journey: Who posts a regular and interesting variety around the subject of illustration.

Congratulations everybody!

If you have won the award see rules below:

First copy the award and put it on your blog.
Award five bloggers
Tell seven random things about yourself!

***

Well now for that last bit:

No 1. If I look out my window I can see a tree full of pears

No 2. I play the violin

No 3. I am one of six children

No 4. Faith is my middle name

No 5. I have 400+ books in my room

No 6. I love the rain and it's raining

No 7. I have seven pillows on my bed!

That wasn't to hard, now enjoy writing yours! =)

Back from Sea!

I am finally home from five long days at sea. Here are some photos. I should have taken a sketchbook along!

Leaving Auckland in the sun.

 Nathniel

 Dad looking at a huge wave coming through the hole in the rock. On a calm day boats take tourists through the hole.

 Home stretch chased by a big rain cloud all the way. It didn't catch us! We were going 8 knots

My other brother, Peter and owner of the boat,

 Home at last at Totara North. We traveled that day 50nautical miles in 7 hours. Which is pretty good for a half rotten boat!

What do you really think??

  This is an unfinished oil painting of mine, excuse the bad photo which is darker than the painting is. Also there is more edge to the painting which the photo cuts off, the big cloud actually extends its edge right to the corner. It has been siting around drying for a couple of weeks and I haven't done anything more to it. I am considering lowering the horses head into a more submissive stance as my mother has suggested (my greatest critic).

   What do you think? Should I lower the horses head? Should I keep it in outline or add details? I intend to add some highlights to the figures after everything. The sky and clouds are probably finished, are there any other things you think would improve it? All your thoughts will be much appreciated!

Sailing the Blue Seas

When you read this I shall be sailing the blue seas!

courtesy of Google images

At least that is what is planned if the weather comes right. With my father and two brothers I will be sailing up the coast from Auckland a 3 to 5 day voyage in my brothers new boat. It was given to him by our uncles and he is thrilled and intends to fix it up with Dads help (who is a boat builder) for it is only just seaworthy from what I know! (should be an interesting voyage!)

I have never drawn much more than a sketch of a boat, here's one charcoal sketch I did years ago:

Drawing Magazine

For Xmas I got money to use for a magazine subscription of my choice, and I have finally used it and subscribed to Drawing Magazine.

I am very much looking forwards to receiving my first issue. I have high hopes. And don't you just love to have real glossy paper in your hands and read real physically printed words! It adds quality and emphasis and even if you can read all the same stuff for 'free' online it's just not the same and holding the actual thing! 

Max Dog Pastel Portrait

 The cute Max is finished and will soon be on his way to owner. I had great fun doing this portrait, I love the reference photo because he is looking straight at you. I used pastels and pastel pencils on A4 drawing paper. I have always preferred to do larger paintings but have recently discovered how rewarding a small picture can be.

I have discovered audio books, and often listen to them while I work. There are free audiobooks here if you are interested. I was so excited to discover this! =)

Sketchbook Project Video

I put this together this morning. A page from my Sketchbook Project sketchbook.

I have only two months to complete it so I need to do heaps of work in it. I am making a video of the whole process. 

This explains what the sketchbook project is: (if you can follow the fast talking!)