Brian's Notebook

Monday 17 April 2017

Quick sketches

Some quick sketches. I got hold of one of those cheap children's watercolor pan sets, and wanted to take it for a test drive, so I put an egg and two cherry tomatoes on the table, sketched them in ballpoint and splashed some cheap watercolour over them. I think even the cheap colours may come in handy for sketching.

And then a portrait sketch of Ryan, the son of friends of mine. Seven is not the best age at which to try sitting still for more than ten minutes at a time, so I had to work at breakneck speed, and there was no question of making corrections!

Pencil on paper, 20 x 15 cm:

Monday 10 April 2017

Miniature glass and cherry tomatoes

Oil on board, 10 x 15 cm:

The tomatoes from my own garden, no less. Putting them into a painting kind of required me to work on a small scale, and lucky thing I was able to get hold of a little mini-glass to go with them.

Thursday 6 April 2017

Kullervo's Curse

A quick sketch after the original painting by the Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865 - 1931). Of course, I couldn't possibly do it justice. Pencil on cartridge paper, 297 x 210 mm:

Wednesday 5 April 2017

Egg and Tot Measure

Oil on board, 15 x 10 cm:

Wednesday 29 March 2017

Marmite and Egg

Oil on board, 15 x 20 cm:

Opinions are divided as to the edibility of Marmite. People seem to either think that it is divine ambrosia, or vile axle grease, with few people being in between. I fall in the former camp. I once served a piece of toast liberally spread with this heavenly substance to an American friend of mine. I'm not sure he has forgiven me yet.