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.
A Fishy Issue
Read the story behind my latest political caricature and watch a little video demo showing how I used a digital paint brush and colour palette to create this image.
Following on from my US election caricature I was inspired by the rather fabulous suggestion of a friend to cast my imagination upon the topic of the fishing rights issue.
This being one of the big items debated in recent Brexit negotiations, where they are attempting to establish a fair distribution of access to fishing in British waters.
So here we have my digitally painted caricature of a little fishing 'tug of war' between Boris who, abandoned by Mr Cummings, pulls solo against the joint forces of Macron, Merkel, Sánchez and Barnier.
The poor Mackerel over which they fight, attempts to draw attention to the dwindling supply of fish in our oceans and open the narrative up to more global implications.
Who do you think will win?
A FISHY ISSUE, digital painting
In future posts I will be going into more depth about my digital painting process, but for now have a look at the video below for a little insight.
Here you will see how I painted Boris’s face, using a digital oil brush and palette of colours. Starting with a loose framework of lines I build in blocks of colour and gradually refine into detail.
Any questions do let me know in the comments below.
Politics Through Pictures
It’s been one humdinger of a week in American politics, read about my visual response to it through digitally painted political caricature and a short video spotlight of my oil on canvas painting First Past The Post.
Greetings from a sunny Sunday in London!
It has been one humdinger of a week in American politics. So first and foremost, here is a little something I made in response to it.
Tug of War, digital painting
As the race to the presidential finish line unfolded, it inspired me to do a small video spotlight on my oil on canvas painting First Past the Post which felt strangely apt given the circumstances.
Whilst I am beginning to make audio commentaries of my paintings, for this week I would like to listen to your interpretations.
So I invite you, should you feel moved to do so, to share one or two words or ideas this piece brings to mind in the comments below.
FIRST PAST THE POST, OIL ON CANVAS, 30.5 X 76 CM
To view First Past the Post in my gallery please CLICK HERE
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday
Dreams of Tomorrow & Yesterday is part of a new series of narrative portraits which places street performers against an urban backdrop in which an inner world of hopes, fears and dreams are manifested in graffiti, street signage and textures.
Dreams of Tomorrow & Yesterday is part of a new series of narrative portraits which places street performers against an urban backdrop where an inner world of hopes, fears and dreams are manifested in graffiti, street signage and textures.
Street performers have always fascinated me with their ability to conjure a crowd from nowhere and a stage from nothing. With no guarantee of payment, their performance is given on trust, offered up with as much as they can muster in the hope that the general public will reciprocate in kind. It is the ultimate in theatrical meritocracy. Over the years there are certain individuals that have stood out for me with their careful construction of character, costume, makeup and sense of story which convey often poignant references to human nature and experience. I am now finally attempting to put these ideas down on canvas beginning with Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday.
I first encountered the street mime from this painting at the Edinburgh Festival some years ago and have been haunted by the poetry of her expression ever since. She conjures for me all sorts of references both personal and universal. In the painting I have tried to do justice to the way she conveyed, for me, a blend of hope, wisdom, love and truth; a fairy godmother of sorts and a messenger of self-belief.
It is no easy thing choosing to pursue the path of an artist, in whichever field it may be. Self doubt is a constant companion, which both beats and drives one forward. With this painting i have tried to remind myself that kindness and encouragement are also vital for growth and self-development.
Work is now underway on 3 new Urban Narrative compositions (scroll down for a glimpse of works in progress) which weave together various ideas that i hope will trigger, for those looking, many a story.
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday, oil on canvas, 100 x 161 cm (2017)
work in progress, oil on canvas, 140 x 70 cm, 140 x 120 cm and 100 x 162 cm. 3 new street performer compositions that I am now working on.