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I absolutely love seeing dandelions start to bloom at this time of year. Feels like a sign that spring is definitely here and that really warm sunny days must be just around the corner! I picked these dandelions from the grass path by allotment, to stop them seeding themselves and also because they make a great subject to paint! Here are two time lapses of me working on the painting which is 5x5" I apologise for the glare and the wobbles - this was my first ever time-lapse so I will try to improve the set up for the next one! 
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Today I'm going to explain how I make the initial drawing for the painting onto my panel, using comparative measurements. Here's a photo of the subject.  To make the measurements, I hold out a paintbrush, keeping my arm straight at the elbow. I mark the measurements with my thumb on the paintbrush. First I measure the height of the arrangement, and then keeping my thumb in the same place on the paint brush, and my arm still held straight, I rotate the brush by 90 degrees to compare the measurement to the width of the arrangement.   I find the height of the arrangement is slightly greater than the width, so I mark a rectangle with these proportions by eye on my panel. I'm using a mixture of burnt umber and ultramarine blue thinned with medium to make the drawing. If I make any mistakes, I can easily wipe them away with some white spirit.   Next I make some comparisons of the main proportions within the still life arrangement. The first comparison I make, of the width of the flowers to the height from the bottom of the jug, shows the width is approximately 3/4 of the height   Next, I note that the width across the bottom flower to the right hand edge of the jug, is approximately the same as the width of the top flowers.   I find the height of the jug, and compare it to its width. I find it's about twice as tall as it is wide.   I plot the points I have measured within the initial rectangle I marked out.I draw another rectangle divided vertically in half to help draw the jug. I find marking the halfway point helps me to keep the jug or vase symmetrical. I check the angles of the sides of the jug with my paint brush.   Here I'm working out the relationship of the handle to the rest of the jug.   Now I have enough information to plot all the outermost points of the arrangement, at this point you can carry on using comparative measurements to complete your drawing, but I usually fill in the rest by eye.  Heres the finished drawing. The proportions aren't 100% accurate, but they are close enough to make the painting work.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below.
I've been meaning to paint cornflowers all summer, and finally today I got round to it. Just in time too , most of the cornflower plants on my have died back now and I just have one with a few flowers left. Heres a photo of the arrangement.  Here's the initial block in. I use hog filberts for this stage, I like the texture these brushes create, which is useful for suggesting details which would be fiddly to paint in.  Next I use some small round kolinsky sables to pick out some details, I also build up a little impasto here and there in the lightest parts.  I mix up a pile of colour for the background, and with another sable, cut in the outer shapes of the petals more accurately, tasing negative shapes. To give a bit of variety to the edges, in some places I paint the petals back over where I cut in with the background.  Heres the finished painting. When Its dry and varnished I'll update this photo with a better one ( this one is taken on my phone)  I'm really excited to have been invited to join Carina Haslam Art, and will be taking part in their quarterly shows. The following two paintings will be shown in their Autumn show which starts with a private view on Thursday 7th November.  Cream Roses in a Blue Jar Oil on panel 7x5"  Cream Roses
Oil on panel 10x8"  Sarah Ryan, the founder of New Blood Art gallery, has been recording a series of informal podcasts with some of the artists her gallery represents. The latest epsisode, where she talks to me, can be heard here.
  'Old Harry Rocks' Oil on paper mounted to card Outer dimensions 7x5" Image dimensions 6x4" Available from New Blood Art gallery £175  Here's a little painting I made last year on the beach at Studland Bay, Dorest, looking towards the Old Harry Rocks.
I sat on the beach with my pochade box on my lap, as the late afternoon sun shone on the cliffs. I gave the painting a little glaze after it dried to enhance the feel of the evening glow. It got a little sandy as I was working on it but I like the little bit of texture it adds. I love watching the light change on the chalk cliffs throughout the day - its so beautiful the way they reflect the colours of sea and sky. I had such a lovely time making this painting, Studland Bay is an incredibly beautiful place and the weather was gorgeous, if a bit breezy - the painting got a little sandy as a result!  10x8 " oil on panel  This is a fun thing to do with a plein air landscape painting - try to line it up with the scene after you've finished! It creates an interesting illusion. Here's a tiny snippet of me creating the painting - if you'd like me to make full videos demonstrating my plein air painting approach, let me know in the comments below, I'll see what I can do!
 Oil on panel 4x6" (sold)  I painted this back in June, just as all the flowers were starting to come out on the allotment.
I felt the need to get on and paint them because time is so short and I never get to do all the paintings I'm hoping too in each season. I stayed up late to paint this little study under the studio lights, and I'm glad I did as I still haven't got round to doing a larger painting containing these flowers. The posy contains nasturtiums, roses, sweet peas, cornflowers, calendula and nigella. I'm so excited that two of my paintings have been accepted for this year's Chelsea Art Society open exhibition !! The exhibition opened today and runs until Monday 17th June, at Chelsea Old Town Hall. There are so many great artists taking part, I can't wait to see their work this weekend when I visit.  Twickenham Riverside, Hazy Morning 10x8" oil on panel  Blue Jug with Clementines
5x7" oil on panel Here's a series of plein air landscape paintings I made of the River Thames near Twickenham during May this year.  It was a hazy morning with the sun just breaking through slightly. I hadn't tried painting in this kind of light before but I really enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere. The water at low tide was completely motionless allowing beautiful reflections to form. Twickenham Riverside, Hazy Morning 10x8" Oil on panel Available from Chelsea Art Society open exhibition 2019  This painting was completed soon afterwards, this time I stood on the bank of the Thames near Marble Hill Park and looked towards Richmond Hill. Again the day was slightly overcast, giving a peaceful feel to the river, with just a slight breeze ruffling the surface of the water.  This third plein air landscape was completed at Twickenham Riverside, in very different weather conditions - this time there was a stiff breeze rippling the surface of the water and tiny white clouds moving quickly across the sky.
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About meI am a realist painter, working in oils, painting landscape and still life. Archives
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