Aiva The Adventurer
Today I am introducing you to a rather unusual Persian cat called Aiva. Learn more about her antics and watch a timelapse showing how this digital painting evolved.
Let me introduce you to a mischievous adventurer called Aiva, also affectionately known as ‘McGee’ and ‘Tinker’.
She is not your conventional indoor-loving, docile Persian cat, but rather an avid explorer of the outside, with a particular penchant for human foods -she will pinch your caramelised pineapple off a summer Mojito, as owner Ellie can testify.
Naughty and endearing, you can follow all her antics on Instagram @not_your_typical_perisan
What lovable quirks can you share about your furry friend? do let me know in the comments below.
See how this digital painting evolved in the timelapse below.
Bismarck The Basset Hound
Today is dedicated to a lovable Basset Hound called Bismarck. Read about her story and watch how my digital painting of her developed.
Introducing today’s furry friend digital painting -Bismarck, the lovable Basset Hound who will eat just about anything, including a whole frozen turkey.
Whilst she looks rather demure in this pose, she is allegedly the big Boss of her family and never fails to get what she wants. Although given that her favourite treats are the discarded sticks from magnum ice creams, her requests seem rather humble and offer her owners a good excuse to indulge!
If you have a furry friend, what is the weirdest thing they have ever eaten?
See below the full time-lapse showing my digital painting process and how this painting evolved. Any questions do let me know in the comments below.
A Love Story in Dance
Today is a Valentine’s special sharing with you my latest digital painting inspired by a love story in dance. Watch how this painting evolved and a video of the dance that kicked the whole thing off!
However you look at St. Valentine’s day, it is a moment to reflect on the idea of love, in whatever guise this may take.
Today’s digital painting is a glimpse of a love story in dance, inspired by the awesome Vinay Kapoor @vinaykapoor_bachata and Liza Bondar @lizbondar.
Taking a remix of the song ‘Stitches,’ they choreographed a stunning bachata dance to it. See them in action in the video below!
As you know I am rather in love with what dance can do, this medium without words that expresses so much. This painting was based on a freeze frame of a moment and gesture in pause. It was an attempt to capture the essence of a particular feeling and mood.
I love the challenge of enshrining such moments in a painting, to pick out those elements of a performance that spark something special. If any of you dancers and performers out there reading this would like to work with me to help celebrate your moments in a painting please do get in touch! Wishing you all a beautiful rest of day!
See below a short time-lapse of how this digital painting evolved.
The Year of the Ox
Today is a Chinese New Year themed #furryfriendsfriday where I tell you all about a very special Lincoln Red Bull called Beverley Vantage and show a time-lapse of my digital painting of him.
Today is Chinese new year, the year of the Ox, signifying a year of calm, strong, patient, hard work.
In preparation for today I wanted to paint you all a beautiful Ox and, on my quest to find one, I was introduced to this magnificent looking fellow.
His name is Beverley Vantage, he weighs 1.2 tonnes, was champion at the Royal Norfolk show and is, according to his owners at Beverley Pastures, the ‘Aston Martin’ of the Lincoln Red world.
I confess I was a little confused about what the exact definition of an Ox was, so when I discovered it is essentially a castrated male bovine, trained as a draft animal, it was a rather comic revelation because Beverly Vantage is anything but castrated.
Indeed, his main job in life is to mate with 20-30 cows, during a 6-12 week period twice a year. It is a role in which he is both diligent and enthusiastic, as wonderfully described by his owners:
‘The speed, persistence and enjoyment with which he sets about the task can only make you smile. He certainly thinks he is the cat's pyjamas and is happiest when surrounded by his harem of ladies’
So there we have it, whilst the year ahead may be hard working, may these labours prove fruitful! Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
For a more in depth look at how this digital painting evolved have a look at the time-lapse I have prepared below. Any questions do let me know in the comments below.
Meet Maggie
This week’s #furryfriendsfriday was dedicated to a special dog called Maggie. Read about her story and how this portrait goes ones step further than other by actively weaving in symbolic narrative elements. Also on show is the time-lapse of how this digital painting evolved
This week’s #furryfriendsfriday was dedicated to a very special dog called Maggie a Border Lakeland Terrier mix with a huge dose of personality (check her out on Instagram @maggiethemooster_borderterrier)
She lives next door with my lovely neighbours and is among the first and last sounds I hear of a day, as she does her morning and evening patrol of the garden to ward off any uninvited cat or squirrel intruders.
This digital painting goes one step further than the recent portraits I’ve been doing by blending in some narrative features which tell a little more of Maggie’s story.
Like the rotten fish she dug up on Ramsgate Beach which was reburied, then found and dug up by her the next day. Or the fact that she has survived a couple of nasty cases of IBD.
She is a rather stoic little miss, in love with life, swimming, chasing balls, cats, squirrels and foxes and being a very protective big sister to my neighbour’s daughter Ivy.
Check out the time-lapse below to see how this painting progressed.
I am very interested in exploring the idea of narrative in painting and how it engages the imagination in new and unexpected ways. Part of my working process is to ask my clients prompting questions that will help reveal symbolic visual references that can be used in the painting.
Have a play with this one…what colour would you most associate with the furry friend in your life? Let me know in the comments below (Can you guess Maggie’s ? )
Whilst I have not officially launched my commission service yet, I am opening a limited number of slots between now and May, so if you would like to find out more then please DM me.