Farm on Warden

Sometimes I like to stop and document a quick impression of a scene in a small, thumb-nail sketch to be referred to later for a larger, studio painting. This little piece is called 'Farm on Warden'. It measures just 4.5 inches by 6 inches. I painted it on an artist's sketch pad, first doing a quick pencil sketch, then quickly painting over that with acrylic paints, which are perfect for this type of work. They offer a full range of coverage from ultra transparent to heavy opaque, and they dry almost immediately. They are water proof and completely permanent. The colours are also particularly brilliant and there is a relatively small colour shift when dry.

By working this way, I can achieve a degree of impressionism that usually escapes me in more carefully planned works. When I attempted to recreate the feeling of this small sketch in a larger painting, I found that I preferred the small size and casual spontaneity of the original, so I framed the sketch instead.

I used to drive past this spot almost every day on my way to my studio in downtown Toronto, back in the days when I worked as a full-time illustrator. On this particular day, I could not resist the temptation to record the scene. As is so often the case, I am really glad that I did, since it no longer exists in this way. I especially liked the way the sunlight struck the face of the distant farm house and also the split rail fence that leads the viewer's eye into the picture.

Daisy Chain

This is another piece of art that I produced some time ago, specifically for art licensing. I thought the idea of pink pigs all in a row and sound asleep would make an interesting card motif or maybe a border or who knows what! Unfortunately, my licensing rep is not into pigs at all, so this image has not been promoted yet. Should you be interested in licensing it, please let me know so I can tell him 'I told you so'.

The painting measures twelve inches high by twenty-six inches in length. It is painted on illustration board in gouache (opaque watercolour). If you are an artist and you have never tried this medium, it is well worth the effort. It is unlike any other medium I have used. Right out of the tube or jar, it goes on flat and completely opaque. It dries quickly but it always remains water soluble. You can mix it with transparent watercolours, acrylics, dyes or any other water based medium. Have fun!

Painterly Illustration

During the 1980's, I shared studio space with several other artists and a photographer. One of these artists (we were all illustrators in those days) was Stewart Sherwood, one of the most talented and prolific artists I know. Stewart has produced paintings and illustrations based on a wide range of subject matter. He is also amazingly fast, often producing a number of finished pieces in one sitting.

Stewart handles any subject with warmth and humour. Today, Stewart paints primarily for the art licensing market and is one of the most successful artists in this field today. As I mentioned, his subject matter is broad, including Christmas, nostalgia, portraits, sports, animals, landscapes and so much more. I particularly love the many paintings of children that he has produced over the years, many for the Bradford Exchange, as collector plates. For more information on Stewart Sherwood and many more examples of his wonderful art, visit his web site at: www.stewartsherwood.ca

Confederation Park

I love to paint pictures of the Thousand Islands, the St. Lawrence River and boats. This painting is one that I did several years ago. It is the Confederation Boat Basin in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, not far from where I live. In the background is Kingston City Hall and Confederation Park. This is a great place to spend a summer evening near the water when the weather is warm. The view here is from the outer docks, looking back toward the lights of downtown Kingston. The sunset is rapidly fading into twilight and the ducks have settled for the night in the shelter of a boat slip in the foreground.

The painting is sixteen inches wide by twenty inches high. It is painted on cotton canvas with alkyd paint. Prints are available.

Starry, Starry Night...

Here is something very beautiful, both visually and musically. Don McLean's recording of "Starry, Starry Night" expresses the emotions that many people feel for the great impressionist artist, Vincent van Gogh, who experienced very little artistic acceptance or financial success as an artist during his lifetime. Sadly, after only ten years of passionate and wonderful painting, he took his own life. Ironically he has since become one of the most sought after and highest priced artists of all time. The visual presentation of van Gogh's paintings blend beautifully with the sad but beautiful music of Don McLean. Enjoy...

Passing Giants

A true giant of illustration passed away last week. Frank Frazetta, the undisputed king of Science Fiction and Fantasy art, died from complications of a stroke in Fort Myers, Florida, on Monday, May 10, 2010. Frank was 82 years old.

I can't describe how much I looked forward to every piece of illustration that carried the distinctive signature of Frank Frazetta when I first became interested in illustration as a very young teen. I never lost interest in or my love for the work of this tremendous painter. Warren Publications introduced 'Creepy' and 'Eerie', two brand-new high-end comic magazines in the mid-sixties. Through the amazing art on their covers, I was introduced to the work of Frank Frazetta. In earlier years, I had enjoyed the comic strip, Lil' Abner, which also featured the art of Frank Frazetta, but I was unaware of that at the time. Later, Frazetta produced paintings for the covers of the 'Conan' series of pocket books, written by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprauge de Camp. The painting used on the cover of 'Conan the Adventure' recently sold for one million dollars! How many fine art painters can claim as much?

So long to another unique artist-idol from my youth. Rest in peace, Frank.

For more insight into the work of Frank Frazetta, please visit http://drawn.ca/ or follow the direct link to http://drawn.ca/2010/05/13/frank-frazetta-1928-2010/

Mya a.k.a Woofie

I sometimes do portraits of pets for their owners. Most of the time, the subject is a horse or pony, a dog or occasionally a cat. This pup was a very exuberant model, much more interested in play than she was in posing. It was no easy task to get a photo of her to paint from, let alone expecting her to sit still while I painted from life.

She is a sheep dog, a border collie cross and her name is Mya. I preferred to call her "Woofie", since her boisterous nature just didn't seem to fit with a name as formal as Mya. I tried to capture her love of life and playfulness in this small, simple portrait.

The painting measures 6.75 inches wide by 9.75 inches high. It is painted in acrylic paint on art board. Prints are available.