Black on Grey on White

Ok, so I've still not quite got the skills to get ahead of time but I'm not too far off. Here are the two last (yipee!) Xmas commissions. All done before the dead line which is a great relief because it allows for quality corrections and "tweeking" as we like to call it. One is a black cat: Dani , and the other a little white dog: Honey. Both drawings are pure graphite no charrcoal was used. Seem to be going through a charcoal-less phase...! They were difficult to do as the ref photos were not good and low on detail. Done it! Learned a few things and I'm pretty happy with the result. Blogging off now for a few days; mabe week. Speaky soon and a very Merry Xmas to you all!

The year is drawing to close, the festive season is in full swing and time is just not giving us commission artists any slack...! Nearly finished the last of my commissions (actually getting ready to a little night shift...). I am strangely enough quite enjoying doing them as they are totally different to what I normally do: a little white fluffy dog and a cat who's as black as the ace of spades. As so very often, the reference photos are not much help and certainly not detail rich...Funny how one really learns the hard way not to relly on the photograph but to use ones own knoweldge of the subject matter. Will wrap this little entry up by saying....will be posting finished work before the 20th...oh yes... Will get ahead of time... One can only try!

I hate it, working to deadlines...stress, just pure stress...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time just runs away even faster... The great news is: that I have 2 more orders done and accepted! Brilliant news. They were quite OK to work on and always a beloved theme...a horse in action over a fence. Beautifull athletic horses who absolutely adore their work. Sucha joy to portray. I focused on detail as always and used only graphite no charcoal. This took me a little more time but I felt in control throughout the entire protraits. Well back to the drawing board, have a littel white dog to draw and a very black cat. Speaky soon.

Still in a state of shock, heard yesterday of the death of a friend that has really shocked me. She was never ill, always so full of energy, vibrant, outgoing. She took life straight on. She was was one of these people who you can only picture bubbling with life... Not someone dying of cancer. Don't really want to philosophy on life on death right now. One thing I will say though is that her death has affected me quite strongly ... a real deep sadness has been at the front of my mind since I heard of the news, it just seems so unbelievable and unfair...

Yipee!!! The first order is accepted. Cool. The boost I needed to get the next one rolling. Had to post this before calling it a day. Was another busy one. Website giving me grief! One day I will get this whole internet thing under control but until then though, I am sure, I'll have time to get all sorts of new work out!. Anyway cheerio for now.

Done it! The first xmas order is finished. I will now be shown to the client and hopefully get the all clear. Have started on the first of the show jumpers...have 2 to do. They should be fun! Having problems with a black cat...out of sight for a while and will be picked up after the next order is done. Safron and Corrie are mother and daughter and have both great eyes and charisma. Always difficult in a double portrait to do justice to both subjects. However, I have really focused on highlighting the difference between a competing horse and a horse at rest. When a horse is at rest, the really have such air of calmness and tranquility. They always give the impression of being so self-assured and relaxed. Whereas when a horse is competing the coat is different, the eye a little more alert, the veins are always visible. The horses are fit, on the ball, ready to go... Anyway go is what I need to do right now and that is back to the drawing board. Ciao ciao

Summer's gone...the winds are hurling and somehow the joy of drawing growns stronger. The shorter the days the greater the inspiration. Short bracing walks, soaking in the views and the energy levels are up for a good drawing session. Knowing there is no need to be outside, watching the change in the weather from the window, hearing the rain drops overhead... all are little elements that contribute to a good working environment... on no other occasion is my studio as comfortable and cosy as it is in the middle of cold and stormy weather. The xmas orders are coming along smoothly, hopefully the first posting will be up by the end of the week-end. Until then, here's another of my beautiful views.

Busy, very busy, incredibly busy.... and the busier I get the more efficient and creative I seem become...or so I think, why? There are not enough hours in the day and yet somehow the energy stays there and the inspiration is flowing. Filled out my new calendar for next year and I allready have quite a few dates booked up until the middle of the year. Amazing how the older one gets the busier one is. The great thing is the sense of achievement one has at the end of each day. Worth the hard work. Again, Picasso's quote is at the front of my mind , fueling all sorts of new projects and ideas. The big challenge now is to organise myself well enough to get them all done and done well. Can't help thinking this will involve pen and paper. Good thing I love lists...!

Been a couple of days since the last posting and have been quite busy: school holidays (half-term), starting difficult xmas orders, still organising prints, all sorts of other logistical stuff as well as a really baaaaaad asdl connection. The weather has been very seasonal: drop in temperature and bracing winds have given us quite a few stunning effects. Every time I walk out the door, the views are brilliant. Totally inspirational. There's just nothing like a great view...

Got this little chap as finished as I can for the moment. Got to start tomorrow on my xmas commissions. Glad I managed to get a decent portrait of him, still not happy with the mane...nodoubt will be working at it again soon (Have not sprayed it yet!). He is such a cutie. Named the piece "rest & peace" : strong link with the history of the pony being saved from the butchers as well as the sense of peace and quiet around him, no other title would do. If I find a little time maybe I'll manage to get his friend drawn as well. Prints are coming along well. Getting the whole thing organised and putting the finishing touches on the web page.

First word...First line, feels good! Been wanting to do this for a while now, here goes... May sound irrelevant but the quote I read the other day from Pablo Picasso is just constantly at the front of my mind. " I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it" and that is definately the name of the game at the moment. Had a busy day, drew in the morning while Amelie had her snooze. Working on a Shetland pony (a little something for myself - keeping track of its progress, see how that works out: never been so vigilant!) Went to the printers this afternoon...Lancer and Toni are now available as LP...cool! The others are pretty nearly done. All that is left for me to do is get the webpage organised and the promotion. Three orders in for xmas..going to be another busy one!