A Christmas Card Spotlight
Quirky, cheerful & unique, these vintage toy inspired artworks are sure to bring a big smile to the faces of those you give them to. Available as fine art cards & prints.
Looking for unique Christmas cards this year?
Explore this quirky, cheerful collection, inspired by the energy and history of wonderful vintage toys!
Now with 2 new additions - my recently launched Cherilea Turkey & funny snowmen duo!
Available as single cards or bundle savings in packs of 3, 6 & 12.
Message for larger numbers and I can do a bespoke quote!
Snowmen Painting Launch
A vintage toy twist on a classic Christmas theme. Check out the story behind my new Snowmen painting and discover how you can buy a print or card of it for a special 20% off!
⛄Introducing my new Snowmen painting⛄
A sort of Tweedle Dee and Dum of the snowflake world!
I acquired these little vintage toy figures a few years ago and finally, this year, got round to painting them!
Happy to report they are now available as a festive fine art print [in a range of sizes/finish options] and a cheerful greeting card!
Click the product links below to browse your buying options.
This is a fine art print of my original digital oil painting of a vintage toy Snowmen, painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer (see videos below).
Each print from my digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
A great addition to a Christmas themed décor scheme or gift for Snowmen enthusiast!
SEE SHORT FILMS BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT BUYING OPTIONS, ART PRINT SPECIFICATIONS AND THE STORY BEHIND THIS ARTWORK
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please contact us for a quote
This is a fine art greetings card of my original digital oil painting of a vintage toy Snowmen, painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer (see videos below).
A great card for Christmas and Snowmen enthusiasts!
SEE SHORT FILMS FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT CARD SPECIFICATIONS
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please contact us for a quote
BUNDLE OFFERS AVAILABLE - SEE BELOW
A Thanks Giving Turkey
A Thanks Giving Turkey Celebration! Announcing the launch of my new vintage toy inspired Turkey Painting. Watch a video showing the creative journey and explore the fine art print and greeting card options available.
🦃Happy Thanks Giving to you all! 🦃
I am celebrating with the launch of my new painting of a vintage toy Turkey.
Inspired by a tiny, weathered Cherilea toy Turkey, which took me on one epic deep dive into detail!
Starting off very loose with my approach, I found that gradually, the intricate patina of this toy pulled me in, on what felt a little like a never ending journey. Trusting in the process, as one has to do with particularly complex things, I emerged the other end, happy that I kept going, and with infinite respect and admiration for this tiny toy.
AND….I am pleased to report he is now available as a lovely greeting card & fine art print!
Click the links below to view your buying options!
This is a fine art greetings card of my original digital oil painting of a vintage toy Turkey, painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer (see videos below).
A great card for wildlife or animal lovers and Turkey enthusiasts!
SEE SHORT FILMS FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT CARD SPECIFICATIONS
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please contact us for a quote
BUNDLE OFFERS AVAILABLE - SEE BELOW
This is a fine art print of my original digital oil painting of a vintage toy Turkey, painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer (see videos below).
Each print from my digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
A great addition to a Christmas or animal themed décor scheme or gift for a Turkey enthusiast!
SEE SHORT FILMS BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT BUYING OPTIONS, ART PRINT SPECIFICATIONS AND THE STORY BEHIND THIS ARTWORK
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please contact us for a quote
A Santa Salute
Sharing my Santa story in honour of Christmas 2021, revealing the inspiration behind my latest painting of a vintage toy Santa!
This week I was told about an interesting ‘Santa age metric’ It goes like this:
Young enough to believe in him
Old enough not to
Until you reach the age of dressing up and becoming him
Wherever you are on this journey I wish you a very Happy Christmas with my own particular twist on the Santa theme.
This painting was based on a Santa I picked up on eBay. He wasn’t your characteristic round bellied type but rather, something a little more agile and – one might imagine - capable of hopping down and up a chimney!
The name of Santa carries with it many associations, for me the magic and sense of wonder he represents always makes me smile along with my childhood memories of letters drifting up chimneys and mince pies and brandies left out by the fireplace on Christmas eve, disappearing by morning!
Now a little older, the idea of Santa has definitely evolved. Less about the material and more about that deep rooted sense of giving and receiving in its simplest forms, of the love we bear to one another.
It is on that note that I hope your Christmas is a safe, warm and smiling one!
A Magic Mini Merry Christmas
Today I am talking about the inspiration behind my latest Christmas themed painting. Watch my journey unfold in a short video I’ve put together and discover the quirky backstory behind this o so jazzy mini!
It all began with a dialogue I had a couple of months ago with a wonderful group of Dinky toy car enthusiasts on Facebook, which inspired me to create a 'Dinky themed' Christmas painting.
Initial suggestions and searches brought the Dinky 485 "Merry Christmas" Ford T Model to my attention. Whilst undoubtedly Christmassy in theme, for some strange reason I just couldn’t connect with it on an aesthetic level so I went looking for something more quirky!
Cue 'Stripey,' Dinky’s magic mini (model no.107), produced for a short 2 year window between 1967-69, based on the 183 Morris Mini Minor (first produced in 1966). With such a short production run it is now one of the rarest and most expensive Dinky cars to find today.
It also has an eccentric backstory, featuring in a series of rather bazaar comics/ books called Candy & Andy created by Gerry Anderson (of ‘Thunderbirds’ & ‘Captain Scarlett’ fame). Candy & Andy were children (made of plastic) who lived with two panda bears called Mr & Mrs. Bearanda. Their main activity was to drive around in this magic mini, helping people with various things - so all in keeping with a sense of Christmas spirit!
Backstory aside, I’m a big fan of the mini in general, there is something so personable about its shape and size. So finding this jazzy version of it, instantly appealed … it is a car that seems to sing celebrations, and what better occasion than Christmas!
🔔You come and get a closer look at this painting on Saturday at
⚡The famous Sandown Park Toy Fair,13th November, 10.30am-3pm! ⚡
I will be sharing more details about this shortly, so keep an eye out!
Penguin Story
This is my second painted version of this toy penguin, read on to discover why and watch the story unfold!
So this is a little story about when you've painted something once and it keeps calling you back until you paint it again.
And yes, I do have a bit of a perfectionist issue which means if I think I can do something better it will keep niggling me until I give it another go.
My first attempt at this penguin, around 2013, was a quick oil on canvas board sketch, done in the lead up to Christmas. My second attempt was last month, painted in digital oil paints and was generally a slower, more considered exploration of the subject.
Not entirely dissimilar to rereading a favourite book, there are always new things you notice and understand when revisiting a subject. The passage of time and experience inevitably influences the way you see it and interpret it.
It just goes to show that even familiar things are never beyond the journey of rediscovery and new revelations.
Also...
If you are curious to explore this penguin in person, I am happy to report that I will be showcasing him at the famous Sandown Park Toy Fair next Saturday 13th November, 10.30am-3pm so if you're free, put it in the diary!
I will be sharing more info about this next week, so keep your eyes peeled!
For now wishing everyone a super Friday!
A Kris Kringle Merry Christmas
This week I bid you a Merry Christmas with a very special Santa also showing you how I went about painting him.
I was tempted to present you with a toy inspired Santa painting for this festive season, but decided instead to give you a rather more specific Santa.
So here you have my digitally painted tribute to the late Richard Attenborough in his starring role as Kris Kringle in the film 'Miracle on 34th Street' (released in 1994).
For me he conjures the appearance and spirit of Christmas like no other so it is with this that I bid you all a very Merry Christmas!
In addition to this I have put together a Christmassy time-lapse below of how I painted him using the same methods I apply to my oil on canvas painting, only exchanging real brushes and canvas for their digital equivalent.
Lasso the Moon
Today I am celebrating one of my favourite Christmas films and how it inspired my latest digital painting. I also walk you through how this painting was made in a special in depth video about my digital painting process.
Today I am celebrating one of my favourite Christmas films It’s A Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra, with James Stewart starring as George Bailey and Donna Reed as Mary.
All credit to my bro who treated me to my first viewing of this many Christmases ago at the London BFI. Since then, it has become a bit of a family tradition to watch every year.
It is the movie that planted the delightful notion of 'lassoing the moon' in my head and all the associations it carries for reaching for one’s dreams.
I have been itching to make a painting about this for a long time and this year, as of literally this week, I have just finished my first attempt at it. The film triggered the idea, but I should also mention the little diecast cowboy toy, from my father’s collection, which was my reference point.
I welcome you to take a little tour of my digital painting, accompanied by the dialogue between George Bailey and Mary, without which it might not have come about. I hope you enjoy!
I have also put together a special in depth video below which walks you through how I painted this piece. It will hopefully give you a clearer understanding of my digital painting process.
I am however also interested to know your thoughts and hear your questions about this, so do let me know, in the comments below, if you have any.
This is a fine art greetings card of my original digital oil painting of a vintage toy Turkey, painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer (see videos below).
A great card for wildlife or animal lovers and Turkey enthusiasts!
SEE SHORT FILMS FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT CARD SPECIFICATIONS
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please contact us for a quote
BUNDLE OFFERS AVAILABLE - SEE BELOW