'Brush, Paints and Picasso'

'Brush, Paints and Picasso'

10" x 12"

oil on board

Click to bid

Since posting the first stage of this painting I've been able to spend a further two sessions on it. The bulk of the work was completed on Tuesday and finishing off was done this morning. I will, as always, look again later (tomorrow) to decide whether it is finished or not. An important element in my still-life paintings are the abstract shapes within the composition. Abstract shapes become more obvious to the eye in a cropped composition.  Interesting spaces and shapes are created where the objects slice through the picture plane and off the canvas. Picasso is one of my heroes and the printed image that you can see in the book is 'The Weeping Woman' which is one of my favourite paintings by him.

Book, brush and paints

A quick post to show you the painting I started today. I managed to achieve the first stage in the limited time I had this afternoon, but my days are short this week, so progress will be slow I'm afraid! All being well next stage tomorrow!

'Lakeside View' and 'My Faithful Cat!'

'Lakeside View'

80cm x 50cm

charcoal on paper

SOLD

I have two drawings to show you today...this drawing depicts Whisby Nature Park, Lincolnshire. I made it at the time of year when the bullrush heads had just started to explode...I love it when that happens! Charcoal was an ideal medium to use because of its flexibility. I was able to push it and pull it around the paper to portray the softness of the furry tops but at the same time achieve the strength and sharpness of the reeded stems. I always use high quality paper but nevertheless if you require pure white areas within the drawing then you cannot afford to get any charcoal on the surface at all, so planning ahead is essential!

Onto drawing No.2 made today...a page from my sketchbook

 'My Faithful Cat!' 6"x4"

I thought 'd just throw this one in...today I've been recovering from the dreaded norovirus which descended upon me Tuesday evening...arghhh! So no teaching today and no teaching tomorrow and I apologise to all those class members who have had to miss a class. Anyway, all that time my devoted cat has been laying by my side in her favourite box, every now and again opening one eye and peering over the side of the box at me.  Today in her honour, as I began to recuperate I made a drawing of her whilst she awaits the hand that feeds her to get back on her feet!

'Young Amaryllis, Brass Pot and Radish'

'Young Amaryllis'

12" x 8"

oil on board

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I don't know whether you know about the growth cycle of an Amaryllis but once you get them out of their little box and start watering them they're away! Their growth is that rapid you can literally watch them grow! I started this painting Saturday and by the time I had finished it on Sunday, the leaves had grown right off the canvas! I found balancing the two contrasting greens interesting...the organic green of the plant against the synthetic green of the pot. It gave me an opportunity to check out my very old tube of emerald green which has rarely seen the light of day (I'm not a fan of tube green as my class members will be very quick to tell you). But I am pleased to say that I found the paint to be still usable and...a perfect base colour for the green of the pot. In its defence, tube green does have its place but should, in my view, only ever be used within a mix and never straight from the tube.  

'Notre Dame' in charcoal

'Notre Dame'

80cm x 60cm

charcoal on paper

I used an old photograph that I took a long time ago to make this drawing, in the days when there were only reels of film and disposable cameras! In those days our films were sent away to be developed and all we could do was cross our fingers and hope...hope that we got our own photos back and not someone else's! It's hard now to imagine a world without digital cameras, phone cameras and instant results! I have to say making the drawing (this is the second version by the way) brought back some great memories of being in Paris. The one thing I remember above all else was the creative and artistic graffiti dotted about everywhere...wonderful stuff! 

Not sure whether we'll be snowed in by tomorrow. At the moment it doesn't look too bad out there. But whatever it's like, we'll be venturing out as we have our grandson's first birthday party to attend, so come what may we will get there somehow!!

Have a good weekend whatever the weather!

'Winter Beach'

'Winter Beach'

70cm x 50cm

graphite on paper

I was going through my archives today and came across this drawing of Mablethorpe beach in mid-winter...not so snowy that year though!...but I do remember the gale force wind while I was trying to make some studies on the beach!  Needless to say I wasn't on the beach very long!   It was the haphazard fencing that attracted me. It almost looked as if it was growing out of the sand. I feel that sometimes monochrome says more and that the power of the image can be diluted by colour. For this reason I never ever took this drawing into paint.

'Pomegranate and Spoon' becomes 'Pomegranate, Spoon and Knife'!

'Pomegranate, Spoon and Knife'

8" x 8"

oil on board

SOLD

I've never thought that this painting was quite complete so today I added another object, the knife.  It's quite tricky adding another object after a painting is finished without it looking added on or out of place. I applied more paint around the area where the knife was to be placed so as to achieve softer edges. That seemed to do the trick. Now I feel the painting is resolved.

'First Covering of Snow'

'First Covering of Snow'

7" x 9"

oil on board

Click to bid

This is a view from my previous studio window (I've moved downstairs for the time being). I made the painting after the first snowfall of last winter but before I had started the blog, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to post it now to mark our first snowfall of 2013. I painted it on a primed piece of backing board which was all I could lay my hands on at the time but which proved to be a very able support....mount board is another very able support as long as it's well primed. A tip...give the back of the board a coat of primer as well in order to stop the board bending or distorting. Doesn't the snow look gorgeous from the window...not so gorgeous if you have to venture out in it!! 

'Chloe 10yrs 3mths'

'Chloe 10yrs 3mths'

10" x 12"

oil on board

NFS

Aren't I lucky having such a lovely grandaughter to paint! I've spent three days on this portrait of Chloe. I made a drawing of her when she was over on Monday...to expect her to sit for the whole painting would be asking the impossible as all those of you with 10yr old children or grandchildren will know! For the painting I worked from my drawing, colour notes and a photograph. Making portraits is fascinating. It can be the smallest of marks made on the canvas that transforms the portrait and achieves the likeness and uniqueness of the subject. Capturing something of the character and nature of the sitter is what most portraitists strive to achieve but often that elusive 'something' is so subtle that it's hard to pin down. But oh how exciting it is when it happens! In a way portraying someone you know well is often more difficult to bring to a satisfying conclusion. This is precisely because you do know them so well. You know different aspects of their personality and different sides of their character. It would be impossible to sum up in one portrait such a complex creature as a human being so I find that what helps is to keep focused on a specific aspect of character or personality and stick with that. 

Just to change the subject for a minute...I have a Facebook page now, the link to which you will find below. Please take a look and if you like the page please 'like' the page. Thanks

http://www.facebook.com/annistoker

Another self-portrait! (Still not smiling!)

Self-portrait

8" x 8"

oil on board 

I made this for all those of you who thought my last one didn't look like me. This time I concentrated primarily on likeness and let paint application take care of itself. I started it yesterday and wiped it off! Then began again this morning and here it is. I'm happy with the likeness...I hope you agree. When I look at it now in the photograph, I notice that my left shoulder seems to be missing! But no worries I will add it when I've finished posting this!  

A school ma'am self-portrait!

Self-portrait

6" x 6"

oil on board

Another solemn self-portrait! My intention was to paint a slightly happier version but alas here I am again looking stern and sombre, a bit like a school ma'am...hmmm you want to try concentrating plus holding a perpetual grin for two hours solid...not an easy task!! There are a couple of adjustments that need to be made to the painting but on the whole I'm not unhappy with it. 

'Two Paintbrushes and a Tube of Raw Sienna'

'Two Paintbrushes and a Tube of Raw Sienna'

6' x 6"

oil on board

Click to buy

First painting of the year! A painting about painting! At present, painting for me is about the craft, the materials and honing my skills. In the recent months I have gone back to basics, working from observation taking subjects from the immediate world around me and rekindling my passion for paint. It is very satisfying making a painting that describes the subject in front of you, and at the same time tells a story of the abstract elements within the composition. It goes without saying the importance of the relationship between shape, colour and tone of the subject. But equally important is the consideration of the division of space within the picture plane and the shapes and patterns that the composition is making in relation to it.  

I would like to take this opportunity to say thankyou for taking the time to look at my art. 2013 will see many more paintings and I hope you will enjoy following my progress.

Below are details of my next Life Drawing Workshop for which I still have lots of places left (I'm usually almost full by now...maybe it's post-Christmas lethargy!)

Sunday 13th January 2013

10.30am - 4.30pm

The Village Hall 

Sturton by Stow

LN1 2AE

Cost is at the bargain price of £20!!!

If you are able to make it that would be fab! It would be great to see you there! 

Please contact me asap if you would like to reserve a place.