PATH BETWEEN THE BARLEY – PASTEL PAINTING

Out one morning painting,  I spotted this footpath across a field that the farmer had preserved. If I had come across  it earlier I would have used that as my subject, but I had just completed two watercolours, so I took a few photos instead. On the other side of the lane I  I discovered a cherry tree and got a bagful of cherries to supplement the morello cherries on my tree at home. I made three pots of cherry jam yesterday. I love cherry jam on toast – particularly after a tough morning with the paintbrush..

Other landsscapes in pastel, watercolour and  acrylics are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com 

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COCKTAIL HOUR – PASTEL PAINTING

Just wanted to try this scene in pastels. I liked the light  and the complementary green and reds to which I added to keep the rhythm going.  The figures seem a little stiff now that they are up on the screen, but I was trying  out a subject that was more than a life model pose and which contained some context. This is something I would like to explore  further.

Other pastels of figurative subjects are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

DOREEN AND JULIE – ACRYLIC SKETCHES

When I turned up for a life session yesterday I was told the model had cried off. Instead, one of the painters, Doreen, had volunteered to sit in their place. I must admit to being disappointed as I had brought paints and was going to play around incorporating some collage. However with the lighting and the way Doreen posed made it a very good study – it turned out ok in the end.

I decided to move over to doing some life studies in acrylics. The pose was quite stiff, but by getting a low viewpoint something a little more interesting was achieved.

Life painting for sale can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

DROP IN THE OCEAN – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I have seen a number of poured acrylics recently and decided to have a go myself. I have always liked the effects of poured paint and experimented with it around ten years ago with oil based gloss paint and below is one of my more successful ventures, Marrakech,  which, because of the lightfastness of the gloss paint, now hangs in my conservatory.

I did not think you could get the same filigree effects with acrylics that you could get with the more viscous oil paint and so mainly used the liquid acrylics in a more dilute way such as in Dancing the Blues Away, which I posted some time ago, in 2015, on this blog.

So my prejudice has been exposed and I realise it might be worth experimenting with the liquid acrylics in a more concentrated form. I must admit my first attempt included as much manipulation as pouring as I played around with the paint with a palette knife, but the strands and swirls gave a satisfying result and looking at some of the work other people have produced,  further variations can be had with the addition of silicone oil. I will be having a few more goes.

Other acrylic paintings for sale can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

 

LIFE AND PORTRAITS – ACRYLIC PAINTINGS

As well as attending life sessions I have joined a portrait group, so here are a few of my recent paintings all done on a grey undercoat in a similar style, mainly using just three colours, alizaren red, raw sienna and ultramarine blue as well as white of course.

I managed to get  the feet in on this one, which for a standing pose, for me is a minor miracle.

Below are the portraits. The first one was a bit over ambitious, trying to maximise the head on the paper and with flat lighting. I have managed to convince the guy who runs the session that he can get more sympathetic lighting on the subject. Hopefully that will show up in the ensuing weeks.

Last night’s session was a bit better, less ambitious in  size

Other life paintings and portraits are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

GLADIOLI ON PARADE – WATERCOLOUR PAIN

 In my effort to build up a few more flower paintings I decided to have a go at the gladioli I planted in one of my flower borders . There may be a bit too much red, but I was trying to get a hot border with lots of reds and oranges so this looks  like a military  parade.

Other floral paintings are available on my website  grahammcquadefineart.com.

LIFE DRAWINGS – CHARCOAL

Last week I discarded the last crutch and the doctor gave me the ok to drive, so I started to return to the life sessions. I eased myself in with some charcoal drawings.

I might even have a look at a portrait group which meets weekly, now that I can drive again.

Other life drawings and paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com