TWO FIGURES – PASTEL PAINTINGS

It’s getting a bit busy here with visitors and exhibitions. I did a group exhibition last weekend and there are three more coming up, the last one being a solo show. I have been tweeking a few of the paintings that have been up on this blog over the last few months in readiness for the shows and was considering reblogging those, but went instead with a couple of life studies from last week.

Today I have to do a floral demo a a club north of Blackpool, so I have also have been preparing for that. I will be demonstrating the geraniums painting I posted a few weeks ago.

Anyway, once I get everything prepared I can start to calm down.

It’s almost like being back at work!

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

MORE PICTURES OF KRABI, THAILAND – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

One of the limestone stacks just off the beach at Krabi, Thailand. This was painted from a beach in a national park where some of the rules on the sign as you entered were: no food and dont feed the monkeys. How could you feed the monkeys if you weren’t allowed food?

When we got to the beach there were some exclusive hotels – but you couldnt get anything to eat as they firmly said Guests Only. So I just sat on the beach and contemplated the view. It was pretty good and there there was even a long tailed boat in view.

On another day we went on an island hopping boat trip to some exclusive beaches – though they weren’t that exclusive as everyone else was doing the same. So we had small pockets of sand overrun with tourists like us, wondering why they had come. Outside our hotel there was a vast sandy beach with hardly anyone on at all – oh well… .

The second sketch was done whilst we jostled for space on Paradise island, named possibly as it was one of the few islands with a toilet.

Other landscapes and seascapes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

A FEW MORE FIGURES IN PASTEL

A little more extensive use of charcoal with the pastel though still not getting the grittiness or directness I am after.

In the one above I used even more charcoal, though probably too much and not to its greatest effect.

And finally a portrait of the child of a child of the sixties, but with the lighting so poor in the studio the features are flattened by the glaring light. Another of life’s little challenges, I expect some of you have shared.

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

AFTERNOON SUN IN THE CHURCHYARD – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I went to Chester the other week primarily to see a contemporary watercolour exhibition, but the person I was with wanted to visit a sculpture exhibition in the cathedral which contained a work by the brother of someone we paint with in a life group. In fact they were dismantling the exhibition when we arrived – I didnt even know it was running – but there were still a good number of exhibits on show by many world class sculptors. Some of the work was displayed in the cathedral  grounds and as we were walking through in the sunshine, there were  people sitting in the sun, surrounded by the great pillars and walls of the building, taking a lunchtime break. I thought I might paint something from a couple of the pictures I took.

The watercolour painting was also quite interesting, featuring some local artists, two of whom I knew – and the day was glorious for a walk around Chester.

Other figurative work is available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LADIES IN PASTEL

A return to pastels in my life sessions. I am trying to get a grittier feel to the paintings and failing somewhat.

I will try bringing in more charcoal work into the pastels in subsequent sessions.

Other life paintings are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

JOHN, RECLINING – PASTEL PAINTING

This is a painting of a guy I was at art college with and who occasionally models. He stepped in last week when the original model pulled out. I was pleased with the face as it captured him really well, the trouble is with the hands, which I could have tidied up later, but as I gave him the painting at the end of the session, it’s too late.

Other life painting with better hands is available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

TWO LIFE STUDIES – PASTEL PAINTINGS

Back to attending some two hour life sessions which allow for a more considered and reflective drawing and time to play around with colour. Here are a couple of my latest paintings.

Other life drawing is available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com