So long 2009...

Well here is my last painting of the year. Despite a two week break over Christmas, I was able to dive back into painting and complete this image in 4 hours.
The red squirrel is such an adorable animal, and has so much more appeal than the grey. I wanted to do that red fur justice, and so used a mixture of orange, red-pinks and browns to give the rich hue seen on the paper. The tail is very dense, and so a dark shadow and layers of 'splattered' red and white inks helped give the fluffy texture.
The only problem I see with the image is the ears. I may have overdone the tufts a little. I think the image could have also benefited from a seasonal touch, by adding a sprinkling of snow and some pine cones to the branch. That will be something to bear in mind for a future painting.

So, aims for next year? I would like my paintings to gain more notoriety. I will enter more competitions which will hopefully help achieve this. I will also look into including more backgrounds. Nothing detailed, just expressive colours and brush-strokes so as not to distract from the main image. Lastly, I will aim to improve my photography, so I can collect a valuable library of reference material. See you in 2010....

Badgers

It is always difficult at this time of year to find the time to sit down and concentrate on painting. I actually began this painting last weekend, but Christmas shopping and the shorter hours of daylight got in the way of completing it. Luckily, working in a school means I had a 'half day' on Friday, and I was able to race home and put paintbrush to paper.
I have attempted Badgers before, without success. Being nocturnal, it is very hard to collect good reference of them. Their lovely black and white faces are surprisingly difficult to get right. When I initially completed this image, I had got the white central stripe too thin, and as a result the eyes were too close together. Luckily, my artist parents were on hand to point out this mistake, and with a clever use of black watercolour and white acrylic, I was able to reapply the eyes and widen the stripe.
What I like most about this image is the fur. I layered flicks of black, brown, dark blue and white watercolour/ink. The result was a dense and textural covering.
When I eventually get the time to sit down with my paints again after Christmas, I will probably attempt another beautiful mammal, the Red Squirrel.

Foxy Loxy

Veering away from the festive theme this week, I have instead enjoyed returning to the subject of British Mammals. The first fox I painted was at university, when I was illustrating the story of Chicken Licken. Foxes certainly seem to have a crafty reputation, which is highlighted in that children's book. They are however one of our most handsome residents. Living in London means I see them sneaking about most evenings, and they often stop to take a brief glance at you before disappearing, much like the dog fox in this painting is doing.
What I love about painting foxes is the great contrast between their rich orange and black fur. While painting this image I just let the black ink run into the wet orange. I also made sure his striking eyes where bright and full of curiosity, with a crisp white highlight.
This painting will most likely end up in the Haddon Gallery in Devon. Paul and Fiona Haddon have just signed me up to exhibit in their reputable gallery, which is really exciting for me. Hopefully they will also produce some prints of my work, which of course will help spread the word about my art.

Festive Spirit

With less than a month to go until Christmas, it's time to try and get into the festive spirit. What better way than to design some festive looking paintings. This is my first edition, but I do not think it is my best. You would think Geese are a simple subject, but believe me it is harder than it looks. I have trouble getting their overall shape correct and I think this image demonstrates that. They have unusual shaped beaks and lower bodies. The first two on the right look fine, but it is the one to the left which seems a bit plump and 'squashed' to me. One thing I am pleased with is the background. I have created quite a lovely snowy atmosphere. Dropping water onto the slightly wet paint made the snowflake effect, but I could definitely use more practice with this method to get it perfected and a little less messy. I also enjoy the overall feeling of the painting. It is serene, and the Geese look thoroughly happy to be enjoying a walk through the snow!

Grasshopper

Well I did say I was going to attempt something a little different, and here is the end result. Insects like grasshoppers are very rarely portrayed in art, but I find them endlessly fascinating.
This little guy was a real challenge to paint. The bodies of insects are so intricate that watercolour does not really do them justice. However, I am quite proud of this piece. I think the shadows on the blade of grass/leaf are the most successful areas.
With Christmas on the horizon I think it is time to return to designing some festive images. Robins are the most obvious choice, but I may try a mammal, such as a Red Squirrel. Watch this space...

A taste of Summer

Now that the Autumn chill is here, the last of the butterflies have disappeared. I am hoping that the dense cover of Ivy and other vegetation around the shed at the bottom of our garden will provide shelter for some to hibernate.
As mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to try painting something different that I have not attempted before. Therefore last weekend I created this little number. At first glance the form of a butterfly may seem simple to recreate. However the intricate curves and patterns are actually a real challenge to draw. I think I also struggled to portray the vibrant orange on the wings, such is the nature of watercolour.
I am proud of this first attempt. I rarely paint flowers but I think the buddleia here is colourful enough and the basic structure fairly accurate. Above all this painting makes me look forward to next Spring/Summer, when the butterflies grace our gardens once again.

Weird Feet

I have taken advantage of not having to work during the half term, and got stuck into another watercolour. Recently I have moved away from using the inks which I relied on during my early work. I worry that they are just not lightfast enough, and I have to say the Windsor and Newton watercolour set I have, produce such rich and vibrant colours.

Earlier in the year my Mum and I took our cameras over to Regent's Park in London. Apart from a huge variety of waterfowl, the lakes there are absolutely teaming with Coots! They are such funny characters, and I find their weird feet fascinating! They are certainly not just black blobs of feathers. I emphasised the deep indigos in this painting to make the overall subject more eye-catching. It also contrasts really well with the jet black head and bright red eye.
So, what next? I have dug out some great photographs of insects, so watch this space for something a little different.

Froggy!

I felt like doing something a little different this weekend. Instead of painting yet another bird, I decided to create this little fella.
My mum took some great photos of frogs in the breeding season earlier this year. I used one as the basis for this composition. I elaborated with the markings a bit, as the dark spots and stripes on common frogs are quite beautiful. The splats of ink around the body help highlight the key colours in the frog's skin and give the painting some energy. I finished by adding a hint of water around his head, so it didn't look like he was flying through the air!
All in all i'm quite proud of this image. It might not be a commercial hit, but I think it could raise a few smiles.

Giraffe Calf

At last I have found the time to paint again. It has been nearly six weeks since the last! I am very pleased with the outcome of this. Usually after a long period of not drawing it is difficult to get back into the swing of things, but with this giraffe it felt easy and comfortable; a pleasant surprise!
This is my first Giraffe youngster, and I have to say they are not an easy subject to paint. They have quite unusual muscle structure. I think my favourite area to paint was the mane. All it took was a smooth line of paint flicking with a brush to give that hairy effect.
This painting can also be seen on my website under the 'wild animals' gallery section. All four galleries are up, and a 'landscape' gallery will follow shortly.

The website is up!

www.samharveyart.co.uk

At last I have managed to get the beginnings of my website up and running. As a whole, it is not much to look at yet,but the first of the galleries can be viewed. 'Wild Birds' is the first on offer, and it is a mixture of both old and new work. Of course more will be added as it is produced.
I aim to get the other galleries up this weekend, namely 'domestic birds', 'wild and domestic animals' and 'Koi'. Then I can begin to spruce up the 'look' of the site. Keep checking back to see how it is coming along!

In other news, both my Lapwing (pictured) and Egret (see previous posts) will be featured and for sale in the 'Art for All' exhibition at the WWT reserve in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. The exhibition runs from 1st November to 6th January. Check out their website for more info...www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/slimbridge/wildlife-art-gallery

Well it has been over a month since I last updated this blog. So much has happened I have barely had enough time to pick up a paintbrush!
I have moved house to South Woodford; a lovely little suburb of East London near Epping Forest. I hope to get out and see the forest in a couple of weeks. It will be a great place to go for reference photography.
I visited Brittany in France for a week. The weather could have been better, but it was good to have a break. The fascinating wave-beaten groynes in the photo here were taken on a beach in the South of the region.

I have also finally found a full time job after three months of unemployment. Until my art takes off (which I still hope will happen one day soon) I have to rely on Admin work to pay the bills. Unfortunately it does mean I have less time to work on my painting, but what can you do!

Also, I have started work on my website, which can be found at www.samharveyart.co.uk. This will be completed asap, and will be a great place to view a gallery of my work. Keep checking back for updates!

Well the Macaw painting I started a couple of days ago is finished. I am amazed I managed to finish it so quickly, seeing as I am about to embark on holiday and in the process of moving house. I am really pleased with the result. I think the 'half-finished' look works well, drawing the eye to their faces and the way they are interacting with each other. I am very pleased with the vibrancy of the watercolour. The pigments do the bright red and blue feathers justice.

I have been looking at the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation website today. The 2010 artist of the year competition is already calling for entries. I may well decide to enter one of my Macaws in the 'Endangered Species' category if I do not produce another appropriate subject.

Work in progress...

As you may have guessed from viewing the beginning of this blog, and hopefully my online portfolio, my main subjects are Birds. Recently I have tried my hand at painting Macaws. They are incredible subjects to paint, mainly due to their beautifully vibrant feathers and cheeky personalities. Above is a new image started today which consists of two Green Wing Macaws sitting together. So far all I have done is add red watercolour to a wet sketch, then adding water to highlight certain feathers and black ink for shadow.
I am focussing on their upper bodies, and will experiment with a loose, almost half-finished look. This is something I have not tried before. Most of my paintings include the entire form and are fully coloured. Check back soon to see how this one goes!

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! I am a complete newbie when it comes to 'blogging' so bare with me!

I use watercolour and ink to paint wildlife and domestic birds and animals. I usually refrain from including a background, as I feel the white space of the paper adds a contemporary edgeand puts all focus on the subject. I splat the colour onto the page, which emphasises the colours and energy of the fur or feathers.

I plan to mainly use this blog as a platform to showcase my paintings as I create them. I will eventually have a website (which I am in the process of constructing) but in the meantime, please visit my online portfolio using the link on this page