I haven't been able to finish any new paintings lately so I thought id share some bits and pieces from my sketch book over the next few weeks. I often love the rough little sketches I do more than the finished paintings. The sketches seem to have more expression and emotion.

 

 

mountain view

A little "Amy Sol" inspierd and very spontaneous  i finished this little watercolour yesterday. whimsical and light.

 

inspiration

Whew, I've been having real art attacks lately. I sit down for a quick sketch and don't end up looking up from the page until three hours later. The wonderful goddess of inspiration is definitely gracing me with her presence at the moment I just hope she brings along her good friend the goddess of divine skill so that some of these many paintings actually turn out good

Clump

This small painting tittled "clump" is for a little side project I'm doing. Its done with watercolour, pen and coloured pencil.
I'm really loving the watercolours lately even though they can be quite uncooperative at times, I'm enjoying the random textures.

Hercynia silva

You might be aware that Iam absolutely in love with forests especially cool climate forests with lots of pines. Recently I discovered the name of the mighty forest that once covered most of Germany and stretched all the way to the Carpathian mountains in the Ukraine. "Hercynia" and the old roman word for forest "silva". "Hercynia silva" doesn't that sound wonderful.
so last night I was searching for more info on the forest and came across this short film made by artists "Anna Abraham" and Jan Frederik Groot". This video is so close to perfect. To me it has the same feeling as my favourite black metal songs a kind of nostalgic longing mixed with dread. I cant explain it but I'm always chasing it.
hears the link. www.onlinefilm.org/en/film/43961

 

"In the northern region is the vast expanse of the Hercynian forest, untouched by the ages and coeval with the world, which surpasses all marvels by its almost immortal destiny." (Pliny, ‘Natural History’ 23-79 AD)

Wonderful old illustrations

Another post were I share some of my large collection of inspirational images I search out tirelessly on the web and else were. Tonight I'd like to share some of my favourite old time illustrators, from around the early 1900s to be more precise . This was a wonderful time for illustration with lots of very talented and creative artists.

 

The first work is by Kay Nielson from the book " In powder and crinoline"

I love the darkness of this picture and the ethereal flowing shapes. To me this is a perfect picture of dusk.

Next are two quite different works by "Virginia Frances Sterrett". The trees and colouring in the first picture are so creative and unusual. The second picture is an example of her fantastic black and white work, witch is the stile I love the most from her. So simple and poetic, just wonderful.

 And of course the ever brilliant Arthur Rackham. This man was just so talented. No one captures north European myth and fairy tales better than he did. The foreboding atmosphere, the brooding skis, the dark twisted trees and all that wonderful delicate detail. I love almost everything he ever did, his art takes me away to those quiet dark forests of my dreaming.

 

Hot like / unlike London.

its that horrible hot time of the year wear the sun sucks all energy from me and and the humidity smothers me with a wet blanket and steals all my air. I hate hate summer in the tropics. I get almost no work done because its too hot in my ...

studio. So anyway hear is some ace art done by other people namely "the London Police". Their crisp detailed black and white art is just so clever creative and fun. I love the contrast between realism and big bold solid cartoon shapes. Their works are very imaginative and they seem to really like dogs so I like them. Not the most in depth or particularly articulate review but then it is soooooooooooooooooooo hot. just check them out for yourself. www.thelondonpolice.com