You know how it is… you’re idly scrolling through your Facebook timeline and up pops one of these videos. Five Minute Crafts. Crafty Mom. Tasty. I got drawn in by one on marbling (always something I have been fascinated by) using nail varnish on water. It looked so simple. So I had a go at doing some enamelled mugs.
Here’s another tangle pattern inspired by a traditional pub carpet. This one is a single motif, which when repeated meshes nicely to make a new pattern with the elements within the motif.
On Monday evening, it’s the monthly art journal session at The Studio. The theme for the session is ‘faux patchwork’, and here’s my sample. Quilting meets paper craft and art journaling.
Just so you know, there is no fabric, padding or indeed cotton/thread on this page. Everything you see is flat and stuck onto the page.
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Here’s the last of my six castle paintings – the half-finished Beaumaris Castle. That’s the castle, not the painting that’s half finished… And, of course, the last was the trickiest! There is something to be said for having a good artist’s sketchbook, having the time and patience to use it and then apply what has been learnt onto the canvas. I don’t ‘do art’ quite like that…
Previous paintings in the series:
Caernarfon – Raglan – Criccieth – Dolwyddelan – Conwy
With the same immenseness as Caernarfon Castle, Conwy is going to be a good balance in the room. With the suspension bridge, modern meets historical – and was most tricky to paint!
Previous paintings in the series:
Caernarfon Castle – Raglan Castle – Criccieth Castle – Dolwyddelan
When I used to holiday near Porthmadog, I joined Cadw – the Welsh Heritage organisation. I then proceeded to overdose on visiting castles – I think the record was 9 in three days. I don’t really know where the fascination started, but it was certainly early in childhood. The bigger, the better in my book… But, as a subject for a painting, Dolwyddelan Castle is pretty much up there, despite being the smallest castle in the series.
Previous paintings in the series: Caernarfon Castle – Raglan Castle – Criccieth Castle
I love Criccieth Castle – less as a ruin, but more because of it’s place on the hilly promontory above the village. It gives such a stark silhouette, reflected in the bay.
Previous paintings in the series: Caernarfon Castle – Raglan Castle
I’ve been painting again today – after I’d potted on my leeks… This time, I’ve gone for Raglan Castle, in Monmouthshire. You might note, in comparison to my painting of Caernarfon Castle yesterday, that the light is coming from the opposite direction. There is method in this madness – the paintings are to hang opposite each other on either side of the room. Thus, the light, and the shadows, will look as if they are from the same direction.
Ok, ok, it was a happy accident that I noticed the above before I started hanging the paintings. Now I will go back to my reference materials and check that the remaining four of the series are split 50/50 in light direction. It was one of those ‘oh no’ moments that turned into ‘well, of course, I meant to do that’ when no one was looking…
I’m having fun in the Studio, actually playing with paints and canvases for a change. It’s also been a little while since I have had any commissions. This is the first in a series of six canvases, each requested to feature a Welsh castle. The main colour of the room is grey, and the accent colour is purple.
I’ve loved the ‘purple twilight’ type photo treatment, and there’s nothing more striking (I think) than a castle’s silhouette. It gives a much more solid appearance, and given most castle’s prominence on the horizon, a real immenseness.
My first is that of Caernarfon Castle. It took me a couple of tries to get the tonal shades right – my first go didn’t have enough contrast between the grey and black.
Now that I’ve recovered from TV work and shows, I’ve put pen to pad and created another Pub Carpet tangle pattern. This one is a repeated motif, that can be used as a border, or, as shown, in circles. Add a bit of shading and colour to make it ping from the page.
