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