collection of animals enjoying time at an animal funfair

collection of animals enjoying time at an animal funfair.

This image was painted in photoshop to a size of A4 dimensions, during january 2011. The title is "animal funfair", and portrays various animals enjoying a trip to the fair. The animals featured are a mother bear and her cub, snake, crab, pig, lion, dad and son tiger, crocodile, cow and several horses, monkeys and elephants.I wanted to set the scene at twilight as fairs seemed exciting to me, with the light bulbs gradually replacing the fast disappearing daylight.
An image like this is drawn on the computer, then painted in a traditional, layered way similar to conventional painting media.

Knight and big serpent

Knight and big serpent

This is painted in photoshop to A4 size. It was originally done around april 2011 but not fully completed. Then in nov 2011 parts were reworked, mostly the Knight and the lighting to add drama. It is set in a cave of sorts with lots of darkness abound and fire in the background. The red fire helps to balance the colder colours of the foreground, and makes the shaft of light seem more powerful. The creature is half snake, with a rattle on the tail and dragon details on the face.

Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day april 2011

Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 01
Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 02

These images are based on a number of photographs taken at the April 2011 open day at Bursledon brickworks, Southampton, UK. The brickworks is a heritage center celebrating the industrial past of the area.
They are both painted july/august 2011 in oils on a canvas 20"x16". The two paintings were then displayed at the open day in september and proved popular with the public and organisers.
The engine featured in the bottom posting is a Aveling and Porter traction engine, built 1899, registration TA 1063. The tall chimney in the top image is a local landmark but was taller in earlier times.

swans and boats at Christchurch harbour,UK

Swans and Boats at Christchurch harbour,UK.

This painting was based on a photograph taken back in the summer of 2010 at Christchurch Quay/harbour, in Dorset,UK. It actually took ages to paint, not because on any technical difficulty but because of having to prepare other work for exhibitions, print cards and do commercial computer imagery. So this painting was started back in late july 2011 and left unfinished until the early part of sept 2011. I did not latterly enjoy doing it and found it a battle to get it looking reasonably ok. Maybe it was the composition that was wrong? I have to say that when the painting was photographed it tends to look a lot better, and does seem very sunny.
Painted in oils on canvas,16"x20".

More railway locomotive paintings

exbury steam railway 10th anniversary

During August I was invited to attend the celebrations for the exbury gardens railway 10th anniversary. The above painting was a commissioned work for presentation to Leopold de Rothschild, owner of the garden and railway, and is pictured in the cab. The locomotive is named 'mariloo' and is pictured in the gardens. The painting is based on a great photo taken by Nigel Philpott, a manager of the gardens. I added the headboard,front of engine and the lord himself.
The painting is done in acrylics on a canvas 20"x16". I usually paint in oils, but due to time constraints I had to use acrylics, but I feel the outcome is successful.
steam engine bulleid merchant navy pacific 30005 study

During the Exbury event I set up my easel and did a small demonstration painting in acrylics,12"x10 on canvas board. It is a detail of a merchant navy pacific express locomotive (30005). The under drawing was done before the event, and the painting was sold during the event.

boat wreck with sea birds

Boat wreck with sea birds

This was completed in mid July and is painted on a canvas 20" x16" in oils. The boat wreck was situated on the river Itchen, southampton. I was attracted to the textures on the boat, the flaking paint and the rotten wood and the reflection in the water. The birds were added to the composition, though are typical of the wildlife in the local area.

Bournemouth sea front_july

people on Bournemouth beach:beach groin
people on Bournemouth beach:kids and sand
people on Bournemouth beach:waves and sand

These three paints are painted in oil on canvases measuring 16"x20". They were painted during early June, one after another in a very economical style,taking about one and a half days each to do. They are based on photos but heavily rejigged to get a nice composition. Hengistbury head features in the top painting,a land mark in the local area of Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.