What's in a name?

I chose the, not very artistic, name 'Gingermum' for my blog before I decided I would use it to record my efforts as an artist (see Jan/Feb 2009 for how it came to be!)

...I wonder should I change it for something more 'sensible'...or 'artistic'...?

Beccles Society of Artists Annual Exhibition

Public Hall, Beccles, Suffolk

Saturday 31st July ~ Saturday 7th August 2010

I will be entering these 4 paintings...

Red Valerian, Aldeburgh Beach

Red Valerian, Aldeburgh Beach 1

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

25cm x 36cm

Red Valerian, Aldeburgh Beach 2

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

25cm x 26cm

'Boy Fishing' & 'Girl Fishing'

I have been really happy with my recent work but wanted to try to keep the finished work a little less real this time as there's something about the underpainting that I find quite appealing but that has been getting totally lost by the end.  I worked on these two pictures at the same time and find it interesting that somehow one turned out more realistic than the other.

I like both in their own ways but 'Boy Fishing' is more what I set out to achieve.

'Boy Fishing'

Acrylic on Watercolour paper'

25cm x 16 cm

'Girl Fishing'

Acrylic on Watercolour paper

25cm x 16cm

Dove Cote

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

25cm x 35cm

Dove Cote

Continuing to experiment with underpainting in red/purple to highlight the greens & to attempt to block in light/dark areas in colour first off...the first stage of this is certainly interesting...but does look a little bit mad!

Flower Pots

This is part of a larger painting that didn't quite go how I wanted, but I rather like this part as it is...

Acrylic on watercolour paper

33cm x 13cm

June Sunshine 2

Since watching an inspiring demo last week (see below) I have been desperate to get painting & try out some of the artist's tips...so I have hidden my Paynes Gray, used less water, coloured my canvas red before starting (to enhance the greens & to show through in places rather than work on a scarily shiney white canvas!), built up blocks/layers of colour leaving my (slightly off-) white until the very end

I have worked from a photo I used before (see my post 15/07/09) as I am interested to compare techniques/style...

 Finished painting...

Acrylic on Canvas

31cm x 23cm

Beccles Society of Artists

A fantastic demo in acrylics at BSOA meeting last night by Hashim Akib.
Feeling very inspired and keen to get painting now as I picked up some useful tips....ditch the Paynes Grey, get some even bigger brushes, try using less water, think of light and shade as colours not just tones....all I need now is some TIME to paint!!

'The Cedars' revisited...

When I started work on my recent commission to paint 'The Cedars' I took the precaution of starting two paintings of the same scene until I was sure which foreground I preferred (call me paranoid!!)

As I still had one unused/unfinished foreground I thought I'd have some fun playing around with it...firstly sticking on the actual photo I'd been working from, then incorporating it into the painting....

Acrylic & Collage

26cm x 35cm

Dark Skies, Walberswick Beach

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

36cm x 25cm

Dark skies, Walberswick Beach

I often photograph my paintings as I work, I find it helps me to 'frame' them as I go along, and to view them in a different way, similar to taking a step back, when I have been working up close.
I thought it might be interesting to show my current painting in stages as I go along...

I am experimenting with a base colour of yellow to make the greys
shine out (top tip from Mary Spicer!)

Dark sky...

That's all I've got time for this week...!

Beccles Society of Artists

My painting of Southwold Golf Course (see below...24/3) is hanging in the reception of Beccles Hospital for the whole of May...my prize for winning 'Picture of the Month'!!!!!!!!!

What a difference a mount makes...

...definitely complete!

(sold)

The Cedars

Commission complete...I think!

Acrylic on watercolour paper

35cm x 25cm

 

The Cedars

Despite family distractions & ailments, along with a confidence crisis, I feel as if have finally started to get somewhere with this commission...good job it's a long weekend and I get an extra day off (to paint...) next week!

The Cedars

I was hugely flattered to be offered a commission to paint this lovely house...have made a good start today, but how to make all that grass look interesting....

Southwold Golf Course

I took some photos some time ago whilst walking around the golf course with my husband and decided it was time to see what I could do with them!
I really like the contrast between the bright, manicured green and the roughness of the common on the foreground (but he doesn't...he only likes the golfy bit!!!)

3rd hole, Southwold

Acrylic on Bockingford

27cm x 36cm

Red Tulips

Acrylic on canvas

30cm x 23 cm

Tulips Too!

These gorgeous tulips have lasted a week and a half, in addition to bringing a touch of Spring into the house whilst it is still grey & snowy out, they have inspired me to get painting again!! (THANKS should go to our recent dinner guests!!)

Acrylic on canvas

30cm x 23 cm

Tulips

A chance to paint on a Sunday afternoon meant that I decided to work faster & bolder than usual...I rather like it!

Acrylic on canvas

30cm x 23cm

Waves

This is something I worked on in January...

Acrylic on canvas

30cm x 40cm

New Improved Pip!

(sold)

Pip improvements...

...something is not quite right and I haven't been able to work out what but it has just come to me...I need to adjust the angle/depth of the back of her neck, it needs to be slightly steeper/thicker...

Pip

I am happy with the painting, but need to check with Pip's owners for likeness!

Pip....

....so far

Getting to know Pip...

...is very tricky!


Trying to familarise myself with her for a commissioned painting after half term...not quite there yet...more work required!!!

Drawing Fruit...

...is better than doing no drawing at all

Nanny

Worked in charcoal from a photo taken by my brother ...




...been thinking of attempting this for some time & seems that a labour of love was just the thing to get me working again after a bad case of 'artists block'

Back to work...

...after NINE WEEKS of no art, I was really looking forward to getting started again, but have found it really hard to focus today, think I'm just very out of practice, must try harder next week...