Oil on canvas
Images are reduced in size to fit on the blog and don't reflect the quality of the actual painting. To get a better look at any of the pictures please click on them and they will open in a much bigger window. Also click on any of the labels to find all posts that match (e.g. 'still life' will bring up all my posted still life paintings)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Whisky in the jar
Oil on canvas
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Weeks 5 and 6
Week 5- Brush and Ink on paper. Trying to capture the effect of the strong light on the torso
Week 6- Acrylic on paper- we got painting this week with the tutor restricting us to black and white to concentrate on values.
Need to photo the next one soon!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Cast shadows -Week 4 study
Charcoal on paper 33x22 inches
This week we had a wee bit longer on our main pose so I got more of a finished image. We were instructed to try to use the side of the charcoal stick for the first 30 mins with no measuring and using shading to define edges. Drawings by Seurat were used as an example.
In the last part I used an eraser and some lines to redefine parts that were in need of more resolution.
Ryan
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Leith School of Art week 3
Fiona seated
Charcoal and white chalk
23x33 inches
Ryan
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Leith School of Art week 1
http://www.leithschoolofart.co.uk/
I'm studying figure painting and drawing with a great teacher called Andrew Paterson, whose life-size oils are amazing!
http://www.andrewpatersonart.com/
In the first week we did a lot of quick sketching and loosening up exercises, culminating in a 45min final pose in charcoal. We had to draw looking directly at the model (and not at all at the paper! more difficult than you would think) this lasted ten minutes before we could even look at what kind of mess we made! Amongst the jumble of lines and marks, the loose basis of the drawing.
Next we had to attack what we had done with the rubber, which smudged, merged, softened and lightened our original image. Then for the last 30 mins we got to work proper! Tring to keep some of the sponaneous mark of the under drawing and refining it. As it was the first week I was definitely rusty and was knackered at the end!
Life study week 1
Charcoal on paper 23 x 33inches
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Save our Titians!!!
These paintings have been on loan since 1945 but the owner now wishes to sell . He has offered us the chance to acquire two key works Titian’s Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callisto on extremely favourable terms
We need to secure £50 million by 31 December 2008 to purchase the first painting, Diana and Actaeon. If we don't raise the funds then the painitngs will go on sale on the open market
http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/8685?initial=T&artistId=11008&artistName=Titian%20(Tiziano%20Vecellio)&submit=1
Titian's -Diana and Actaeon
If we are successful with this then we get the opportunity to buy the second Titian (another £50mill ) and secure the remainder of the loaned paintings for 21 years
http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/8686?initial=T&artistId=11008&artistName=Titian%20(Tiziano%20Vecellio)&submit=1
Titian's- Diana and Callisto
The Scottish gallery has launched an urgent appeal for public money to keep these paintings in the public collection- it would be horrendous to think of works like these going into a private collection or worse a bank vault.They have linked up with the National Gallery London in a joint bid to raise the huge funds required in the extremely short space of time
http://www.nationalgalleries.org/supportus/page/3:5883
Ryan
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Green pepper (and friends!)
Acrylic on canvas
8x8 inches
The next small still life and again my mind is on food! I'm enjoying getting these really simple set-ups with vibrant colour and light. Trying to avoid the traditional dark backgrounds to make something more contemporary. Having the white paper to sit things on flattens the picture frame and allows the light and reflections to jump around. I also like the blue/violet shadows you get.
Ryan
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Quick still lifes
8x8 inches
8x8 inches
Saturday, July 12, 2008
New portrait, John
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Horse #2
This was the starting stage for this one- using collage and texturing effects to create an interesting backdrop
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Self portait in soft pastel
Soft pastel on Murano paper
15x12inches
Working on another abstract classical piece so did this while waiting for paint to dry!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Horse, Persepolis
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Stormy seascape study
Trying to improve my seascapes, I realised that I needed to study the movement of the sea a bit more. My coastal scenes tend to focus on calmer sea, and the sea in itself is rarely the focal point. It took about an hour and a half. I'm reasonably happy with the way it turned out and I definitely learned a fair bit from the techniques side of things. The one thing for me is that the pallette of colours doesn't really work here in Scotland as the blue and browns in the rock are too intense. The colours here are much more slate blue/grey for the sea and the rocks locally are a lot darker.
Next I need to try to put some of these techniques to use on original stuff from local scenes.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Quick Self portraits in charcoal
Monday, January 28, 2008
The beach at North Berwick, Winter sun
The beach at North Berwick- Winter sun
Oil on canvas
16x16 inches
January is a cold month for sure! The sky is usually like this, threatening to hit us with snow, sleet or rain- every now and then though the sun peeks through and lights up the landscape with warm light. Wanted to capture that contrast in this piece.
Ryan
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Achilles
This has been on my easel for a while now as had a festive break while waiting for layers to dry. Finally finished it this week. I started this while doing my recent oil painting night class where the tutor was trying to get us to go more abstract. After much head scratching for ideas I came up with looking at the legend of Achilles and using classical art as a starting point tried to create a contemporary 'abstract' image.
It was a real departure for me as I mostly paint in a realist fashion- I have to admit I really got into and was surprised how much work was involved in it. I really got excited seeing what effects, textures and shapes I could get in there.