Something a little different

No one can say i don't try.  I've wanted to capture likeness for soo very long and make a painting look lifelike.  I'm getting there but i don't think it will ever be my 'thing'.  However, i enjoyed painting this immensly. 

The skin tone on this particular painting seemed to happen so naturaly.  Maybe the picutre i was copying from highlighted tones better than other pictures i've copied from.

  And then it all just seemed to go right!  

 

But my eyes need lots of work!!

 

Nearly finished, but not quite!  Its all about practice practice!

New Painting

This canvas was mahoooosive!  So exciting seing all that white loveliness and all those endless possibilities. 

So I got well and truly stuck in....just mark making and colour splodging initially.

 

 

added a bit of black

 

Used my fingers to mix it up a bit........

Muchious funious

My Home

It may be dated with clashing carpets and wallpaper....the kitchen may be a little ermmm....80's, the bathroom with its peachy coloured suite but you know what, its my home and its what you make of it right?  Which is why i've posted a selection of photos of my favourite things.





A little corner in my 80's living room with my fab iMac (which i love love love).  The desk was secondhand but with an old embroidered cloth gave it a very vintage feel.  My chair which is a typical red office swivel chair covered in a throw with a little pillow saying 'love is a flower that never fades, it buds in youth and blooms with age'.




My bedroom, picture frame with my nan and grandad on their wedding day and a few bedtime reading books.






A table which i covered in decorative paper and coasters which i painted years ago....fake roses which i bought for 25p per bunch in a lovely creamy jug.  This lives in a little corner of the conservatory.




The 50's/60's fireplace....soo so dated but with a little love and tarting up actually looks quite quirky.











And the dining room table as it is today....little 70's doily things bought from ebay and a few fake flowers.  A vintage tea cup with a tea light living inside.





I love my little home...it might not be up to date and full of brand new things, but surely its about how you dress things yes?  I love pretty things which is why i cannot get rid of anything.  I've battled against this for a long time, but you know what?  It's ok...instead of being thrown away my things just hibernate for a while until its time for them to come out again :).

Considering i had to rebuild my home and life all those years ago...i don't think its all that bad!

Social Networking and Marketing my work!

Everywhere i read, tweet, fb, promote promote promote!  I have had a blog now for 3 years and posted on a regular basis.  I have re-tweeked it, made it look prettier, posted about all sorts of things.  I tweet about my blog, my etsy shop.  I update my FB page with new work, new posts etc etc.  I have tried many many different tacts to no avail.  By rule of thumb all of this social networking i have been doing should have got me more views and possibly more sales by now....but no!

Does this mean my work is just not buyable?  Or am i just not 'networking' hard enough.

Twitter.....i find this a very lonely social networking site.  Most of you will probably be screaming at the monitor 'no way'.  But seriously, it is.  Half the time i stare at it not quite knowing what to say, therefore i plug my blog, shop etc....well isn't that just spamming?  and doesn't that wind people up?

FB......getting people to actually 'like' your page is half the battle....100 and something fans later and it still doesn't seem to work for me. 

Blog.....as i said, i update and update.  I visit other blogs and comment.  Yet comments on my page are few and far between and most of my followers probably don't even come back for a second read. 

Etsy.....well....i have seen some real rubbish on there.  Hair accessories that a 3 year old could throw together (no offence etsy people and i'm bound to now get many followers desert me) but its true!  I spend hours re-inventing myself as an 'artist', trying to paint for my audience.  It's hard....again sales are few. 

As a 'shy artist type' i am not confident with my work and it took lots of years and courage to actually show it....what is the answer? 

I guess now this is the bit where i show a new painting and link it into my post

'It's ok to wear your heart on your sleeve'

Yes, i guess that kinda works :)

Monday morning blues

 Woah there weekend!  Why do you move so fast!  All of a sudden you just creep up and then go as quickly as you arrived! 

It's monday morning blues for me today.  Back in the office, confined in a space where i can't breath, be me, be happy.  Four walls trapping me from the outside world!  There is so much i want to do and so little time.

Life DOES move too quickly

Print and original available in my shop

Painting available in my little old shope

Never stop believing in yourself!  No one else will if you don't!  I only wish i could believe those words every single day.



 

Stupid ideas!

I get these stupid thoughts and ideas in my head that i just have to execute right here right now!  Then i regret them.  I woke up thinking about my art room and how i want it to look.  Kinda like this

or even like this..........

i thought with a little tweaking, painting, tarting up i may even get it like this.......

but no!  I get this!!!  just a big mess.  My desk has fallen apart.  There are materials scattered over the floor and i know i just gotta get my butt in gear and get it finished.  But i've now lost the will to live.  Will i ever get the room i so want?  lol.

Paper 53

At last!

It's here!

The iPad app that i have soooooo been wanting and needing.  I have to say it is the best best bestest sketching/writing app that i have ever seen!  My next purchase is a long awaited stylus so that i can really use it as a sketch book, scribble down ideas etc.  At the moment i'm drawing with my finger, which is interesting and really gives a whole new meaning of finger painting!  Who would have thought eh?

Go see it!!  

I can sit in front of the tv with just one little gadget.  No pens, paper, paint to clutter the place, just one small amazing gadget.  I love my iPad :)  I love this new app!

The effects are realistic (colours could be better) but its like painting with water colour.

and can even manipulate it in photoshop!

I  A M  I N  L O V E