Man of Steel....

Here's my latest painting Man of Steel, finished last week and currently being exhibited at Craigton House, on the Hopetoun Estate, Edinburgh.

 

 

Man of Steel....work in progress



I'm currently collaborating on a project with two other fantastic
artists who are members of Contemporary Arts Dunfermline,
Lainy Allison and Angela Parish. The concept was to look at
iconic images and places to do with Dunfermline, using these
as a basis to design and then paint a canvas each followed by
a collaborative effort for a fourth canvas combining our
contrasting styles and techniques. All of the canvases are 1.5m
high by 1m wide and will be displayed at the entrance leading
up to Chambers Gallery Cafe, Dunfermline opposite the Glen
gates.

Really enjoyed this so far, ever since moving to the area I've
seen buildings such as the Dunfermline Abbey, both the old
and new, areas of Pittencrieff Park or even the skyline of the
town that have inspired ideas for paintings. Also the size of
canvas chosen to work on really set a new challenge both in
terms of approach and regarding the decision of which type
of medium to use.

For a long time I've admired the design of the Forth Rail Bridge,
it's gargantuan and distinctive structure, strong colour and the
way the red girders simultaneously cut patterns into the backdrop
- smashing the sky into several prism-like shards of blue glass
that create an interlocking abstract mosaic effect.

But to try and produce another painting of the bridge didn't
seem enough for a canvas of this size, plus altho the bridge
leads into Dunfermline and is without doubt one of the most
iconic images associated with Scotland I wanted something from
the town as well. I chose to use the Carnegie statue, a tenuous
link perhaps but as Andrew Carnegie often cited as Dunfermline's
most successful son, made his fortune in the steel industry it
seemed a good fit and the title soon followed.

I'll post an image of the final piece when it's finished.

'Emergence', colour sample from latest abstract commission....

Here's a small section of an abstract painting I've been asked

to design based on the concept of Emergence... a metaphor

for striving to conquer both the internal and external struggles

involved in growing up, self-development, establishing

yourself and finding your place in the world.

 

Very excited about this project....both the design stage and at

the prospect of painting the final piece which I'll post once it's

finished and elaborate a little more on the process involved.

 

 

Luca with guitar - preparatory sketch...

I'm currently accumulating ideas for a group of figurative
paintings I aim to exhibit in the first half of next year. This
is the first one I've sat down to develop. There seems to be
a theme of music running through the collection so far,
this sketch being based on a photo of a musician I met at
this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

I'm trying to only use reference material/photos that either
I've taken or friends have and given me permission to use.

This will be painted in acrylic on board or canvas, I'm
interested in the negative space around the main subject and
also the cast shadows created by the lighting. It was a warm,
summer's day and the Spanish guitar was beautiful to listen
to, I would love to some how capture that ambience in this
painting.

'Dr Who' themed family caricature - preparatory sketch...

This is without a doubt the best and most inventive themed
caricature I've been asked to do yet. A family caricature
consisting of four members each cast in the roll of a different
character from the David Tennant era of Dr Who!

Not only have I had great fun with this project so far, but it
has proved a good challenge and forced me to re-think my
thought-process and approach to a picture like this...which I
really appreciate.

For example, usually one of the main objectives for me
would be to focus on getting a likeness of the person I'm
caricaturing, cos if no-one recognises that person the finish
could be superb - but as far as being a successful
caricature's concerned, it's an instant fail. However the
difference with this picture is that the above is only part of
the first stage, the second stage is to identify and then transfer
the mannerisms, expressions and characteristics(posture) of
the characters from Dr Who on to the caricatures whilst trying
to maintain that likeness.

At one point I recall thinking to myself ;
''I'm trying to caricature David Tennant(as Dr Who) using
someone else's facial features and limbs''
...which pretty much sums up my point. Once I acknowledged
this and began thinking along these lines - raising eyebrows,
squashing/stretching eyeballs and manipulating other various
features the picture developed a whole new level of character
and life.

Other elements of the design were still integral such as the
layout and compostion and colour palette (will be) but again I
felt these were secondary to the above. The composition was
taken from a couple of different Dr Who posters/DVD covers
but I decided to make the caricatures larger in order to be able
to best capture their facial expressions and convey character.

Anyway it's still at the pencil draft stage but I'm pleased with it
so far and have had positive feedback so hope to start painting
the final piece soon. Here's the preparatory sketch along with
the photogaphic reference material....

 

Painted caricature couple...

Here's the finished version of the caricature sketch from my last

post, you can see the reference material I used there (post below).

An acrylic painting on A3 canvas, I'm pleased with the finish.

 



 

 

 

First draft caricature couple...

Here's the first draft of my latest caricature project, for a good friend
whose parents are about to emigrate to Perth, Australia. A lovely couple,
I'm looking forward to colouring this. The final piece will be painted in
acrylic on an A3 canvas.

 

                                    

 

 



    



Abstracts for The Picture of Health Club cafe area...

This summer I was fortunate enough to be asked to create
a set of three pieces of art on stretched canvas for the
Picture of Health Club's cafe area. The brief was to design
a matching set with a running theme and to use a subtle
colour scheme that complimented the floor tiles and dark
window/door frames. This was in part so that they would n't
compete with or detract from the more colourful, sports
themed paintings on the opposite wall, and also to help
create a calm, relaxing environment.

After taking the latter into consideration and choosing a
basic colour palette of olive, red, black and white, I decided
to design three abstract pieces and concentrate on contrasting
textures, colours and shapes. The mediums I used and their
application (spray-painting underneath, pouring and splashing
satin on top) helped add to this as the finished work consisted
of areas of raised paint which advances creating an interesting
surface texture, with a feeling of movement throughout each
piece which I feel fitted well with the cafe being at a gym/
health spa.

Overall I was pleased with the outcomes and they certainly
impacted on the paintings I started to develop immediately
after, helping to inspire several new ideas.

I feel very grateful for getting the chance to do this project
and would like to say a massive thank you to
The Picture of Health Club for the opportunity.

Here are the pics...

 

 

 

 



Latest abstract paintings...

Conte charcoal torso....

Here's a piece of life drawing from about 8 years ago. Drawn in conte charcoal over a set time of 5 - 10 minutes the objective was to explore mark-making in a medium new to us (at the time I mainly drew with a 2b graphite pencil). Funny to think, our life-drawing tutor would take any pencil that was harder than a 2b and snap it in front of the perpetrator!

 

Preliminary sketch for painting of a snowboarder...

This is a working sketch for the second part of a duo of paintings I'm developing based on snowboarding and skiing. Besides a clear likeness of the activity being portrayed the main aim is to capture the essence of the action taking place by creating an exciting and dynamic painting that (as mentioned in a previous post) places the viewer intimately close to the action.

 

Once these sketches are given the thumbs up, I will layout the composition on to canvas and prepare to start painting, taking into consideration the use of textures and how the paint will be applied. I'll post the final paintings once they're complete.

 



Piece of Cake...

Here's one of three pieces I submitted to be shown as part of a summer group exhibition at the Traveller's Rest Gallery, Barry train station back in 2009. A figurative pencil drawing titled 'Piece of cake', at the time I had finished working in the animation industry and was intrigued by the idea of showing movement within a still image. The said movement is shown here by the boy retracting his hand from the plate. His right hand depicted as a trail of motion created by several overlapping images charting the movement from one position to another, in animation this is known as a path of action.

 

The title was loosely based on the saying ''to have your cake and eat it'' and the theme of 'indecision', explaining why the boy reaches for a cake then changes his mind. Visually I was very interested in the work of Caravaggio, in particular his painting from 1601 'The Supper at Emmaus'. The sharp contours, foreshortening and perspective and dramatic use of chiaroscuro. As far as motion was concerned I could n't get over Marcel Duchamp's 'Nude descending a staircase'. These great works along with many other artists still inspire and motivate me today.

 

Looking back at this piece critically I'd have to say... ''that's one hell of a forehead!'' lol! I think the head was slightly exaggerated and the boy's left eye is too big which makes the facial expression slightly unsettling. I'm still pleased with the result although I am tempted to ink over and turn this into a black and white line drawing.



 

 

Preliminary sketch for painting of a skier...

Currently putting together a duo of paintings, one based on snowboarding the other on skiing...here's a working sketch for the latter. Still in development, this is going to be a figurative piece with an expressive, semi-abstract style finish.

 

Really interested in placing the viewer intimately close to the action, dynamic posture, sharp contour lines and aggressive angles depicting speed and an explosion of energy. Will be contrasting dark shadows against light areas, smooth textures against rough and the application of thick impasto layers of acrylic/enamel next to more evenly bodied mixtures of acrylic/spraypaint. Very much interested in mixed media at the moment. Has to have maximum movement and good rhythm within the composition.

 

Will post the working sketch for the snowboarder next. 



 

Golf themed caricature...

Still at the pencil draft stage, here's the latest caricature project in the early stages. Asked to create a father/son golf themed caricature intended as a 40th birthday gift from father to son, this has proved a good challenge so far.

 

Going for a comical composition but still trying to retain a likeness of both people which is closer to what I'd describe as a 'cartoon portrait' rather than overtly exaggerated caricature, I could still tighten up the facial proportions of each slightly but I'm happy with the progress so far.

 

The intended finish for this is a full-coloured acrylic painting on canvas slightly larger than A3, will post a photo of the final piece when finished.

 

Thicker Than Water - new abstract piece

Having a blast experimenting with mixed media at the moment, high gloss spray paint, paint effects spray paint, gloss, satin, high gloss enamel..... here's my latest foray into abstract art. Really enjoying

creating textures from different mediums and creating contrasts between binary opposites, rough against smooth, lights against darks, thick against thin, hard against soft, organic shapes against geometric.....

Got SO much to learn but that's half the fun! :)

 

Abstract mixed media sample artwork

So after playing around with some basic colour sketches and pencil doodles thought it was about time I got to it and finally let loose with a mixture of spraypaint, gloss and satin paint the other day. Great fun...one dust mask, a pair of rubber gloves and a couple sheets of newspaper later, these were the results.

Well it's been far tooo long since I last updated this blog, thankfully the hiatus has been (in part) a productive one :)

About two months ago I received a call from fellow artist and CAD chairperson Lainy Allison asking if I would like to participate in a group exhibition along with a handful of other talented local artists from around Fife. This was due to run throughout August at the very respectable Craigton House (on the Hopetoun Estate, Edinburgh) and be advertised as both a Fringe and Fife Open Studios event. After all of about six seconds deliberation, I jumped at the chance! Had I not known she'd need it later on to paint with, and we'd been speaking in the same room....there's every chance I'd have chewed her arm off!     

Anyway.... this gave me the perfect opportunity to finish off some half-painted canvases from last year and put together a new body of work also comprising of a couple of new designs. With the deadline set (late July), next step, what to paint.....

Not easy when your new best mate's a full-on creative-block, who's been lounging on the sofa for months, hobbit-feet resting on the arm rest with Jedi-style control over the caps to your favourite tubes of acrylic! ....After a wee bit of frustration, a few wee conversations with close friends and family and then the self-acknowledgement that this was a wee opportunity too good not to be part of...I rose to the challenge and mentally biatch-slapppped the 'funk' off of the sofa and got to work :)

Now I've always enjoyed playing with words and 'creative' writing and the idea of creating small, poetic descriptions to accompany some of my paintings is a challenge I've wanted to attempt for quite a while. However we all know that just because you enjoy doing something does n't mean it's necessarily any good and this has led to many mental tugs-of-war, the main concern being that I prefer to let the work speak for itself and was hesistant to force-feed the viewer my ideas. Art being a topic that's completely subjective means that no two people are likely see your painting from the same perspective, which is fug-uckling GREAT because (if your lucky enough to get feedback)it usually leads to some really interesting conversations...so why would I want to tell someone how they're supposed to interpret my visual musing?

In the end I decided to steer clear of what I seem to be doing right now (tho there's something really cathartic about this process haha) and just try to simplistically sum up my thoughts and feelings inspired by the paintings themselves to try and add to the atmosphere I attempted to create. An insight the viewer could take or leave.

Just to finish, I've really enjoyed putting this small collection together and it will be the first of many new paintings to come...REINSPIRED! Thanks to the offer and help from Lainy Allison and also Angela Parish things got wrapped up in time and on time. For anyone interested in seeing a country house full of a whole range of varing styles and differing techniques by an excellent group made up of Lainy Allison, Angela Parish, Wesley Edmund, Tom Bishop de Main, Emma Pauley and more, the work is on show until the opening weekend of September this year.

Your Addiction

I'm your addiction,

sharp enough to sever

your reality with my love.

Deep inside,

your shattered pride

knows that you cannot

get enough!

Acrylic on board

13.5'' x 24''

Embrace the Beauty of Today

We steal hearts when we dance,

the night's our playground, you're the game.

In clever lies,

forever lies a lust for life that can't be tamed.

Striking poses as the camera captures,

every moment's another chance to

seize the day....

no hope, no fear, forget tomorrow,

embrace the beauty of today.

Mixed media on board

24'' x 48''

The Lovers

Hands caress,

bare flesh on flesh.

Mouths connect,

exchange of breath.

Sounds expressed,

now time to rest.

Only night knows when

I'll see you next.

Mixed media on board

24'' x 48''

Dancing Havana Streets

The sidewalk's,

our dancefloor.

These Latin beats

breed dancing streets,

throughout Havana

until manana.

Acrylic on board

16'' x 24''

Striving Forward

I'll never let them hold me back,

with words

or through the way they act.

Proceed to believe.

Acrylic on board

16'' x 24''

Salsa Noche

Intertwining figures cut through dusk dancing til dawn.

The energy and rush is triggered

by patterns of the heart and spirit.

Thrusting hips swing quick in-sync

with bustling beats on tapping feet.

Arylic on board

24'' x 36''

Love your smile

I look at you and see my world

and picture all that we could build.

Just need to help you understand,

I'd give you all I have to hand.

Although you may not like my style,

I can't help but love your smile.

Mixed media on canvas

14'' x 36''

That red dress

Mixed media on board

14'' x 36''