Working on closeup 38

Working on closeup 38

A small snippet of an industrial based oil painting...

WIP painting with work men looking at hole.

 

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

During September 2017 this painting was created, depicting the Cenotaph in Watts Park, central Southampton. The aim of the painting was to show visually the season of the autumn, so recently laid poppy wreaths are shown on the monument, as well as the more obvious golden leaves on the ground on a crisp, sunny but chilly day.

The monument was designed by Edwin Lutyens, who used this as a test bed for the Whitehall Cenotaph in London, and which was in tun was used for many such Cenotaphs around the world. It is grade 1 listed.

This painting measures 28” x 20” and is painted, in oils, on mounting board. The under-painting was done in acrylic paint.

The artwork can be seen in more detail on this link.

 

 

Christmas greetings to my followers 2017

Christmas greetings to my followers 2017

scifi xmas tree concept art

Greetings to all my followers over the year, and I wish you all success and happiness for the coming year!

The artwork was painted digitally in 'auto sketchbook pro' over a period of a few days during Dec 2017, and was generally made up as I went along, although I did have a basic idea in my head. It has a sci fi feel,using an industrial setting and impossible scale.
This panel shows the WIP on the design from the original very rough sketch to the finished art.

WIP scifi xmas tree greetings card digital art

 

Brown Standing Horse Eating - oil painting

Brown Standing Horse Eating - oil painting

Brown Standing Horse Eating - oil painting

A horse eating is the subject of this small, 16” x 12” painting, done in oils on mounting board during September 2017. The base orange wash and under-painting of the subject are done in acrylic paint. As an experiment I deliberately did not apply the finished paint up to the edges, but left the under-painting exposed instead.

The horse is based upon a photograph taken within the New Forest national park, Hampshire, UK.

The artwork can be seen in more detail here.

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - oil painting

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - oil painting

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - 20" x 28" oil painting

This marine based subject painting was done during September 2017, and shows a scene at Eling, on the outskirts of Totton, itself on the outskirts of Southampton, Hampshire. The area was one a small port and home to industries, and is now slowly being regenerated. The river is known as the River Barley, and flows in to the River Test, which is where the large container port of Southampton can be found. In this scene we find various boats and yachts laid up on mud as the river is tidal. Dominating in the background are old shipping containers awaiting reuse for other uses from shipping, or scrapping, but it is understood that these will be removed as part of the regeneration of the area.

The painting itself is done in oils on mounting board. It is sized at 20” x 28” approx.

The painting can be seen in detail here.

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - WIP stages

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - WIP stages

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - WIP stages

In this composite photograph can be seen WIP stages of the painting 'Eling Yacht Southampton Containers'. The scene itself is to be found at Eling, on the outskirts of the City of Southampton, Hampshire, and shows boats resting on the mud at the marina, which was a hive of industrial activity in the past. Now it is gradually being regenerated, and the now famous landmark of old shipping containers will be removed at some time in the future.

The first panel shows the carefully drawn drawing, in brown acrylic paint, of the subject, scaled up from a photograph. Following this the base colours are applied with little detail, also known as the under-painting, using acrylic paint. The colours are kept slightly darker tan needed so as the give the final paint layer something to work against. In the third panel work has started on the final, and detailed oil painted layer, with the final panel showing the final painting, fully painted on a 20” x 28” board.

The final artwork can be seen here.

Working on closeup 37

Working on closeup 37

A small snippet of a forest in the summer oil painting........

WIP summer picnic oil painting

Friesian Cow Portrait - WIP stages

Friesian Cow Portrait - WIP stages

Cow portrait - oil painting in stages

The above panel shows WIP in stages of a recent painting, painted during September 2017 of a cows portrait. The first stage is the cows head drawn in brown acrylic paint on a brown wash background, and showing a guide to the tonal values I wish to include in the finished work. The second image now shows basic areas of colour applied, with acrylic paint in darker values than the finished paint levels will be. This stage is the underpainting. In the third picture can be seen that the final oil painted layer has started where the colours, tones and details are becoming more refined. Finally in the last image the fully finished oil painting can be seen of the cows portrait. The artwork is done on mounting board, sized at 16" x 12".
This painting can be seen in greater detail here.

Working on closeup 36

Working on closeup 36

A small snippet of an autumnal / memorial oil painting WIP.... 

Southampton cenotaph landscape WIP

 

Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance - oil painting

Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance - oil painting

Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance - oil painting

In this industrial scene can be seen maintenance work taking place at the Freightliner railway depot at Millbrook, Southampton, in the county of Hampshire. The closest locomotive has had part of the body shell removed so as to expose the 12 cylinder diesel engine, where men are working on the power unit. In the distance can be seen an other main line freight engine and an elderly shunting locomotive. The locomotives shown are a class 66, class 70 and a class 08. The two figures dressed in orange overalls were added to provide scale and interest to the scene.
The painting was done during August 2017 and is painted in oils on mounting board, measuring 20” x 28”.
This painting can be seen in detail here.

Working on closeup 35

Working on closeup 35

 A small snippet of a horse painting......

WIP horse head oil painting

 

Friesian Cow Portrait – oil painting

Friesian Cow Portrait – oil painting

Friesian Cow Portrait – oil painting

This oil painting features a portrait of a cow. It is painted possibly in a 'romantic and sentimental' mode, with softening of the details that oil paint allows you to do, and is based on a photograph.
It is sized at 16” x 12” and painted on mounting board. The board itself is covered in gesso to stop paint from soaking in to the paper fibers, after which an acrylic under-painting is done of the subject. Then the final oil painted layer is done on top. This portrait was completed during September 2017.
This cow portrait art can be seen in greater detail by following this link.

Working on closeup 34

Working on closeup 34

Snippet of a marine based oil painting WIP.........

boats near to Eling, hampshire WIP art

 

Weston Shore Boats At Yacht Club, Southampton - acrylic painting

Weston Shore Boats At Yacht Club, Southampton - acrylic painting

Weston Shore Boats At Yacht Club, Southampton - acrylic painting

This scene shows a boat yard at Weston Shore, Hampshire, near to Southampton Water. The yard is attached to a local sailing club and on this hot summers day can be seen a large number of boats and yachts under cover. Some have not moved for some time judging by the amount of grass under the wheels of the trailer.
The painting is done on stretched paper, measuring 20” x 16”, and painted in acrylic paint during July 2017.
The painting can be seen in greater detail via this link.

Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance WIP stages

'Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance' WIP stages

Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance -

WIP stages

The panel above shows work in four stages of a painting called 'Southampton Freightliner Train Maintenance'. This is a small maintenance depot on the outskirts of Southampton (Millbrook) and features 3 typical locomotives to be found at the location.
The first panel shows the initial drawing, done in brown acrylic paint on a brown wash base of painting, to act as a ground for the painting to be built upon. The second panel shows dark colours applied, which act as under-painting for the final layers added later. At this stage acrylic paints art used. The painting is deliberately darker than intended and lacks detail. In the third layer can be seen the final oil layer start to be applied, all with the correct tonal and detail qualities. Finally the fourth panel displays the final, finished painting, which is sized at 28 x 20" and is painted in oils on a mounting board surface.
The final painting can also be examined in detail here.
.

Disposing of Art 02

Disposing of Art 02

Disposal of further paintings

Following on from last month, more old paintings have now been broken up and disposed of. Now the remains fit easily into part of a bin bag. The space is needed and these pictures have seen their best days. However the images are not lost as all have been correctly and properly photographed over the years at their best. There is still a number to get rid of too...

https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/bournemouth-air-festival-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/cow-and-calf-in-field-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/people-on-bournemouth-beach-parasol-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/southampton-palmerston-park-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/people-on-bournemouth-beach-kids-in-sand-martin-davey.html
 

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire - acrylic painting

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire - acrylic painting

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire - acrylic painting

In this landscape painting, a scene is depicted of the coastline at Warsash, near to Southampton in the county of Hampshire. Southampton Water is the main stretch of water which runs in to the Solent, and at this location painted the River Hamble joins in the Southampton Water. The area has a small path used by cyclists and walkers along the coast, some of whom can be seen in the distance, on this overcast summers day.
The painting is done on stretched paper, sized at 12” x 16”, and painted in acrylics, during July 2017.
This landscape painting can be seen in greater detail here.

New Forest Camping Fun - oil painting

New Forest Camping Fun - oil painting 

New Forest Camping Fun - oil painting

In this painting can be seen children enjoying a summers day in the new Forest national park, Hampshire, on the south coast of the UK. The children are playing in a stream next to a camp site which can be seen in the background, on this hot, summers day.
The painting was created during June 2017 and is painted in oils on mounting board. The image is 28” x 20” approx in size.
The painting can be seen in greater detail here.

New Forest Horses With Light And Shade - oil painting

New Forest Horses With Light And Shade - oil painting

New Forest Horses With Light And Shade - oil painting

Painted in June 2017, this painting shows show horses on a sunny day out in the New Forest, Hampshire, on the south coast of the UK. Horses, cattle and donkeys are all freely able to roam around the national park and can be found in the towns and villages as well as the countryside. The painting highlights a hot, sunny day with strong shadows and a sense of the beating light and heat on the animals.
The artwork is done in oil paint on mounting board, sized at 20” x 16”, and can be viewed here in a larger format.

Working on closeup 33

Working on closeup 33

A small snippet of a cow portrait..... 

WIP cow painting close up

 

New Forest Camping Fun - WIP oil painting stages

New Forest Camping Fun - WIP oil painting stages

WIP stages of 'New forest camping fun' painting

This composite photograph shows the painting 'New Forest Camping Fun' in four stages of work in progress. In the first panel is  the drawing of the scene done in acrylics on a dark brown wash of acrylic paint. The second panel shows the addition of darker colours added, using acrylic paint, which act as the under-painting and will give final layers of paint, when applied something to kick against. The third panel shows a start on the final painted layer, which is done in oil paint. The last panel shows the final and finished oil painting, which is sized at 20" x 28" approx and done on mounting board, during June 2017.
The location is a camping site in the New Forest, Hampshire, on the South coast of the UK. The time is August with the children enjoying the sunny, summers day in this shady woodland part of the National park.
The final painting can be seen in detail here.

Disposing of Art 01

 Disposing of Art 01

The first lot of old art to go

One of the problems with art is that once it is created it leaves a footprint. Digital art is fortunate in that it only exists (assuming it is not printed out) on a hard drive and takes up an un-measurable space. 
A painting, in the real world however, occupies a space, and if it it done on canvas then the painting is supported on wooden stretcher bars which take up further space, and add a thickness to the artwork. 
A paper based painting, like a watercolour, is simpler to deal with because it is only a piece of paper, so thinner and easier to store.Even so it does not that you end up with the one painting to deal with. If you paint, or produce a lot of art then more of this stuff appears, using up valuable space in the studio, on what ever support is used. 
I am now engaging on a programme of destroying old, and some not so old stuff, just to reduce the pile of artwork which has seen its day. It is all properly photographed however, and the photograph is far more valuable than the actual painting. In fact I would presume a very high percentage of people would have seen the photograph of the art, than the actual painting itself. So I have destroyed these 7 (20" x 16) paintings and separated the materials, so that the canvas can go into the bin and I shall leave out the wood for a local person to use as fire wood. There are a lot more paintings to dispose of but the tip is difficult to get to, so I will get rid of them over time in this manner.

The benefit is space for newer paintings, and hopefully better ones, though I expect the process will be never ending! 
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/christchurch-hengistbury-head-beach-with-boats-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/people-on-bournemouth-beach-blue-sea-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/tourists-at-boltons-bench-new-forest-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/southampton-northam-river-itchen-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/southampton-riverside-park-river-itchen-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/southampton-hillier-gardens-martin-davey.html
https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/southampton-docks-ss-shieldhall-ship-martin-davey.html

Mummy Awake - drawing vs painting ART

Mummy Awake - drawing vs painting ART

drawing vs finished art 'Mummy Awakes'

This picture shows a comparison between a rough drawing compared to the finished, digital artwork. The actual illustration is called 'Mummy Awake' and was completed in 2009. The first panel shows the rough drawing completed as done for the painting. It is lacking in any details as can be seen. The finished 'mummy' illustration was done digitally by painting in Photoshop. Most of the details and colour choices in the image are decided 'on the fly', but what is consistent however is the position of all the elements based on the drawing, which remain fixed within the composition.

The artwork can be seen in detail here.

Working on closeup 32

Working on closeup 32

A small snippet of a railway/ industrial painted subject.... 
 

WIP close up of fitter maintaining engine

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire WIP stages

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire WIP stages

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire - WIP stages

This composite image show four stages of the painting 'Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire' which was completed over a few days in July 2017. The first panel shows the drawing, done with brown acrylic paint on a brown wash. The second panel now shows the the base or 'underpainting' applied to the scene. In the third panel can be seen the final colours and detail start to be added with the final, fourth panel showing the completed painting, which is all done in acrylics on stretch paper measuring 12" x 16". 
The location is Warsash, a small village on the mouth of the River Hamble in Hampshire. A cycle path is shown in use by a cyclist and some walkers as they enjoy the view on a cloudy, summers day, while the tide is out.
The finished painting can be seen in detail here.

Fishing Boat At Mudeford Quay - oil painting

Fishing Boat At Mudeford Quay - oil painting

Fishing Boat At Mudeford Quay - oil painting

In this painting can be seen a scene of some local fishermen chatting after working and off loading a catch on a hot summers day in august. Seagulls continue to circulate on the off chance of finding some of the catch left over.

The location is the quay at Mudeford, along Christchurch Bay, Dorset on the south coast of the UK. The Haven Inn is one of the small, listed buildings in this quay.

In the distance can be seen the town of Christchurch, across the bay. The painting measures 28” x 20” and is painted in oils on smooth mounting board.

The final painting can be seen in detail here.

my paintings - New Forest Open Art Exhibition 2017

my paintings - New Forest Open Art Exhibition 2017 

I have two oil paintings on display at the New Forest Open Art Exhibition (2017). The gallery location is The New Forest Centre, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, in the UK. It is open from the 15 July to the 8 October, 10am - 4pm daily.
It is run in partnership with the National Park Authority and sponsored by ExxonMobil. 

My two oil paintings at the New Forest Open Art Exhibition

The two oil paintings on display are both based on sights of the New Forest, one showing two members of the huge horse population that roams the national park, and the other a shaded stream that backs on to a camping site, and which offers much pleasure for the children staying there.
New Forest Camping Fun - oil on board 20" x 28"
New Forest Horses With Light And Shade - oil on board 16" x 20"

Working on closeup 31

Working on closeup 31

A small snippet of a boat based painting.....

Romantic Skeletons Drawing vs Painting ART

Romantic Skeletons Drawing vs Painting ART

rough drawing vs finished art 'Romantic skeletons'

This drawing vs finished art comparison shows a rough drawing compared to finished artwork. The actual art is called 'Romantic Valentine Skeletons in Graveyard' and was completed in January 2014. The first panel shows the rough drawing completed. It is lacking in any detail as can be seen. The finished art was done digitally by painting in Photoshop, but there was no detailed drawing produced on this occasion. Instead the painting was drawn and designed as I went ahead with it, deciding on the details, lighting and colours as I went along. What is consistent however is the position of all the elements based on the drawing, which remain fixed within the composition.

The final art can be seen in detail here.

Working on closeup 30

Working on closeup 30

A small snippet of a camping in the forest painting.....

 

Pines In New Forest Shade - acrylic painting

Pines In New Forest Shade - acrylic painting

Pines In New Forest Shade - acrylic painting

A view of a pine forest is the subject of this painting, completed during June 2017. The forest is located within the New Forest, Hampshire, on the south coast of the UK. It is summer and the sunlight is unable to hit and illuminate the ferns on the forest floor, with just a few dabs of sun making it through in a few places. But it is cool with the tall pine trees giving shade from the heat of the day.

This pine forest view is painted in acrylics on mounting board, sized at 20” x 16”.

The final painting can be seen here.

 

Needles From Hengistbury Head - oil painting

Needles From Hengistbury Head - oil painting

Needles From Hengistbury Head - oil painting

Hengistbury Head is featured in this painting done during May 2017. The location is on the 'spit' of land, near to the town of Christchurch in Dorset. In this coastal view we see the mixture of sand and tough grass that grows at such locations, with tyre tracks from bicycles snaking through the sand. In the distance and across Solent water are the 'needles' as featured on the coast of the Isle of Wight. It was painted and based on a photo taken on a sunny but cold December day.

The painting is done on stretched paper measuring 16” x 12” and is painted in oil paint.

The final painting can be seen here.

 

New Forest horses with light and shade WIP stages

New Forest horses with light and shade

'New forest horses with light and shade'  painting- wip stages

This new Forest themed painting was done at the end of June 2017. It features two typical horses standing on open ground within the national park, to be found in Hampshire, UK. The horses were not in the setting originally, but I felt the setting with the horses would make a nice picture, and is based on a location on the outskirts of a small town called Brockenhurst.
In the first panel can be seen the drawing, done in brown acrylic paint on a brown base wash. The second panel now shows the under-painting applied, done again in acrylics. The colours are darker than intended to work well with the final paint application on top. Moving to the third panel, it can now be seen that some of the final paint application has been done in oils, mainly on the top part of the painting. Finally the last image shows the completed painting, all done in oils on mounting board, sized at 16" x 20".
The finished painting can be seen here.

Working on closeup 29

Working on closeup 29

Snippet of a small oil painting featuring the Hampshire coast....

New Forest Trees With Shadows - acrylic painting

New Forest Trees With Shadows - acrylic painting

 

New Forest Trees With Shadows - acrylic painting

The subject of this painting is a section of the New Forest, near to Ashurst and the main railway line between Bournemouth and Southampton. The tall fir trees make a dark scene with the summer light falling across the view, highlighting the trunks and picking out details of the surrounding trees.

It is painted in acrylics on stretched watercolour paper, measuring 16” x 12”. It took a few days to paint but actually took a few months to complete due to other projects, and was not completed until early May 2017. 

The final painting can be seen here.

Beach Boat Under Cover - acrylic painting

Beach Boat Under Cover - acrylic painting

Beach boat under cover - acrylic painting

This painting shows a scene at Hengistbury Head, near to Christchurch in Dorset, on the south coast of the UK. A boat, one of many at the location, is under cover and out of use on this hot summers day. The beach looks on to Christchurch bay, with the town on the other side. In the back ground of this painting can be seen Mudeford, a small town on the suburbs of Christchurch.

The painting is done in acrylics on stretched paper, to a size of 16” x 12” during mid March 2017, and can be seen here.

Spring Girl - digital painting

Spring Girl - digital painting

Spring Girl - digital painting

This humorous subject was painted during Febuary 2017, and features a 'Spring Girl' character in a field, during the season of Spring, and surrounded by flowers and insects of the period. It is painted digitally using 'Auto sketchbook pro' on a windows drawing device.

The final illustration can be seen here.https://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/spring-girl-martin-davey.html

Fishing boat at Mudeford Quay WIP stages

Fishing boat at Mudeford Quay WIP stages

'Fishing at Mudeford Quay' WIP in stages oil painting

The above picture shows four stages of the creation of the painting 'Fishing Boat at Mudeford Quay, a marine scene set in Christchurch, Dorset. The first panel shows the drawing of the scene done in brown acrylic paint on a yellow ochre colour base. This is followed by the under-painting, done in acrylic paint which lays out the basic blocks of colour within the scene, which are deliberately painted slightly darker than the intended tone.The purpose of the under-painting is to give the final applied colours something to work against.
In the third panel work has progressed on to the initial oil painted colours, mainly starting from the top of the picture. In the final panel, the finished painting can be seen, which can be seen clearly at a larger scale, here. The oil painting is done on mounting board sized at 50cm x 70cm and was completed during June 2017.

Working on closeup 28

Working on closeup 28

A small snippet of a new forest based painting....

Pines in New Forest Shade WIP stages

Pines in New Forest Shade WIP stages

'Pines in new Forest' WIP stages art

This painting was completed in June 2017. Shown is a shady scene in the New Forest, Hampshire with tall pine trees and ferns on the ground in the shade.
The first panel shows the drawing created in brown acrylic paint on a yellow ochre  base colour. In the second panel the basic tones have been applied as the under-painting. Moving on in the third panel more detail and lighter tones have been added, with the final panel showing the completed work. The whole painting is done in acrylics on a piece of mounting board measuring 16" x 20". A clearer view of the finished art work can be seen here.

Steampunk Giant Crab attacks Lighthouse - digital painting

Steampunk Giant Crab attacks Lighthouse - digital painting

Steampunk Giant Crab attacks Lighthouse - digital painting

This digital painting features a scene involving a giant 'steam punk' styled crab during a dull late afternoon leaving the sea at some remote coastal location. One of the few landmarks of the area, a lighthouse, is in reach of being destroyed by one of the giant crabs claws. Some men are seen running away from the menace, its objective unknown.

Painting of the fantasy/ scifi scene was done digitally within 'Auto Sketchbook Pro', during mid February 2017, with some final elements, and the colour regraded, in Photoshop.
The artwork can be seen here.

New Forest Trees With Shadows WIP stages

New Forest Trees With Shadows WIP stages

New Forest trees with shadows - WIP

The above composite image show the stages of painting 'New Forest trees with shadows', a shady scene set in the New Forest, Hampshire.
In the first panel the scene is drawn up in brown acrylic paint straight on to the stretched watercolour paper. Sometimes I do put a ground base wash of a single colour over the whole image area but on this instance I did not.The second panel shows the base colours added of the scene, also known as the 'under-painting'. The colours tend to be darker versions of the final intended colours and with few details added at this stage. The final panel shows the finished painting, with the final colours and details applied on top of the under-painting. The painting itself is sized at 12" x 16" and all the paint is acrylic.
The final artwork can be seen here.