‘news from the shed’

I’m working on the series of just three words I thought as I was sketching and writing ideas down I would embark on a picture association. Aim, each day to find an image that reflects the series; these images are not going to be the starting point of my own work but just interludes!Number 1:

a little obvious to start off with!

Finally, managed to spend some time on a painting that I’ve been working on. Its taken several transformations along the way, and has in some way reverted back to earlier work; although I don’t feel that it has been a backward step – revisiting past ways of working and colours has taken me forward; in more recent paintings I have felt that some element for me has been missing. Going back to under painting and building up layers and creating slight surface textures is something I like to do and in this painting I feel that some of that has returned.
New work in the just three words series will have elements of this and each painting, although basically the same dimensions will develop differently in terms of materials and styles – its a challenge I am looking forward to.
The other series I am undertaking is one which hopefully will let me explore a different way of working, using many different materials – ones which I am not familiar with and in some cases have no skills in eg creating neon lighting! More on this series as it develops.
At present I have not got a title for the painting… one thought was ‘not jimi’ (as in Hendrix) which came about in a conversation with Oz one evening!
Still thinking.

Recently posted this on a forum and its seems popular. Bit of coffee table fun and light relief!
I’m gonna start it off, hopefully will put one up a day and will continue to respond if there are any suggestions. (post through comments and I will upload work by artist). keeps the mind ticking over!

The more the merrier!!!

One of the forums that I post on had a link going about mural paintings and I thought I would post some that i have done in the past – roughly eight years ago for my sons bedroom. I see them every day and he has intimated that he would like some changes made!! Inclusion of James Bond, an Aston Martin DB9 and some comic book heroes including Dennis the Menace. If i manage to get time over the holiday period I might have a go.

Having been unable to spend time painting recently, managed to get back on task and complete the first of this series. Purchased 25 canvasses yesterday and have been priming them in readiness!

Life is strange; earlier in a post I as talking about looking after my son who was poorly, we as you might of guessed, I ended up with the flu – much overused word, because the symptoms of flu are a lot more serious than the usual colds we get. So with aching bones, blocked/dripping nose I bundled myself of to bed armed with an assortment of pills, lemsips, honey and lemon drinks, closed the door and prepared myself for a few days lock down!
Lots of fluids later I started feeling chirpier – missed most of what happened over the weekend, Jo took JJ to QPR, they had grandpa over for a meal, did rugby training etc.
Monday morning, not 100% but thought I’d better get back to work – Swedish group over and I am going to be working with them both here and in Sweden, couldn’t miss it really.
It at this stage, that I should mention that Jo pushed me into going back!!!
Driving into work was a very weird sensation; everything was a little woozy and every time I looked in the mirror or onto oncoming traffic I felt dizzy – this had been part of the ‘flu’ that I had suffered.
Anyhow, got into school, parked the car, felt like a crab walking across playground – sideways but forwards at the same time! Got into classroom and stumbled. My technician helped to my seat in my office, next thing; on the floor with someone telling me the ambulance was on the way!!
Ended up in A&E, lying on bed wearing one of those gowns that allows you to expose your bum and strangle you at the same time! 4 hours later, several tests and prodding by student doctors the results came in; I had a viral infection in the base of my brain and inner ears therefore no sense of balance.
As per usual, Jos mobile turned off so when called her school to inform her I was in hospital she replied instantly and collected me (she says sorry for making me go to work when I wasn’t ready!)
currently, sitting in bed, popping pills, head spinning, back to square one…….

ummed and arred about colour choice, sat in lounge and looked at Red Indian hanging on wall

I remember the time spent on this painting and it is still one of my favourites. The surface created by underpainting and applying several layers creates great depth (not visible in photo – as per usual!!!). The red used was one I mixed up some time ago, and as usual I store paint in old coffee jars, alas, it had become sticky and unusable. So I spent time mixing up another batch, the aim was to get close, which I managed. I have now applied the first red layer and have made some changes by adding more cadmium red to add a lighter hue/tone, I will see if this has been effective when next layer applied.
again – photo quality is poor……

since last postings managed to get an hour in the studio and go mad with brush and paint, managed to turn around ‘grin smile laugh’ almost to original starting point, happy with the use of white instead of the dark blue (although photo image looked brown – I am crap at photography, should get Rhysbaker to do the photography thing for me!

couple more layers of white me thinks. Still unsure about red lettering – do I keep red, if so, lighten/keep the same or darken? do I go back to the original white as intended – a lot more work and thinking, further updates tomorrow

Just managed to get on with some painting after day of looking after JJ
Had a re-think about current three little words – ‘grin smile laugh’ – decided to get back and work the background with white. Standing back, I’m happy with the first layer, it will need a couple more to cover the dark blue last painted. the element that I am really chuffed with is when you look closely you can see the under painting – in certain areas the reds and different blues show through.

Able to spend some hours in the studio today – roughly nine hours non stop (apart from cups of coffee). Looking around, apart from the usual mess, there were several unfinished works. I’m getting keyed up for the next series of works… just three words and 100 ways to artfully say bollocks. I decided to work on these and hopefully finish them, clearing the way so to speak. One of the ‘unfinished’ pieces ‘ wince’ has sat around for a few weeks, after the initial sketch and mapping out. I had worked out the colours – a very pale blue grey with a strong cadmium red overlay. also, at the same time, I sat looking at the initial just three words painting and as usual decided to work on that instead.. when will I learn!

Recently, some of the paintings, although successful, I feel I have been missing a certain feeling, one which I haven’t captured for a while. Well, sitting and sitting, getting up and walking around can get your brain working, out with a pencil and started scribbling on the wall – came up with it; I like to layer the surface, putting undercoats of paint which show through in the final outcomes, this was it, I went back to the painting. I originally thought that the background would be white, but after working today, I’m not sure. Then again, I’ve just had a butchers and not too happy with current state. (the blue doesn’t come out on the photo!!)
‘Wince’ on the other hand is going well, using a colour base I used some time ago, made some changes to the mix more cadmium to sharpen it.

Bad light prevents photographing next stage – the blue is a base layer. Further images to be posted.