Another chalk drawing

Here's another chalk drawing, drawn from life as all my pictures are... I'm so busy painting and drawing that I rarely get the pictures on here.  These are such a pleasure to do, I'll add some more...

Here's another chalk portrait drawing. Drawings of children and young people give a finished effect and are full of clour. They are some of the most expressive pictures. The tradional method enables all the detail to be recorded and they make a fine family present.

Philip Proctor: a five sitting oil portrait.

And here's another painting that's a good example of a speedy oil portrait. This was done in five or six sittings. It's painted in oil and in tempera and if you click to look at the enlargement you can see the brush marks are all still there and they somehow describe the important parts of the face and expression. I hope it gives the feeling that you know the sitter. These head and shoulder oil sketches make a traditional yet lively portrait.

Dark hair and Blue Eyes

Here's another traditional coloured Chalk portrait that I did recently. Issy is in her early teens and sat for two hour-long sittings. These finished chalk drawings are always a joy to do. The drawing is fresh and quick but somehow captures the detail of face and hair. The live sittings are both a pleasure in terms of the drawing and getting to know one's sitter. These drawings make a lovely present both for young and older subjects.

Here's a large painting that I finished earlier this year. Professor Richard Ross and his family sat both as a group and as individuals. These family portraits are a fantastic thing to do. Here is a record of five people and a dog, their house, an imagined view of Derbyshire including Winn Hill in the Peak District and Richard's allotment and bee hives. I hope it will outlive us all. It's painted in very traditional oil paint on canvas, with egg tempera to make the tones subtle and washes of varnished colour to enrich the hues.

This was a bonding experience. I got to know all the sitters over many sittings each and together. It was a joint family effort and has resulted in a lasting record of the greatest institution we ever belong to. We need to celebrate the family more, we all move on, rush about and travel the world and we need this sort of bonding, timeless record. I believe in my product!

You can see the finished canvas in my studio. Othello, the black dog on the floor, is a pretty big chap, which gives an idea of the size of the picture.

Here are some studies that I made of the two boys as individuals, before assembling the whole.

Portrait of a Barrister

I'm always surprised at how folk have the time to keep updating these blogs. I've neglected mine and will try to make amends.

Here's a picture of Guy Wyatt, Barrister. He sat in his wig and court dress for a chalk drawing and looks the part! These chalks are done in two or four sittings from life and make a fine record of likeness in a limited number of sittings. The professional portrait makes an impressive image and captures an important part of the sitters life.

It's always a pleasure to get to know one's sitter. Finding out about their profession or trade is a pleasure and an education.

First Entry in a year! Painting David Haslam

Well the trouble with being a portrait painter is that there's just no time to blog! It's nearly a year since I last wrote anything and I have done a lot in that time but not had much leisure for updating.

David Haslam, retiring President of the Royal College of General Practitioners was the first big job of last year and was painted from spring to autumn, I drew and painted a series of adults and children, Professor Barry Hancock, Mr Phil Proctor, Dan and his brother, two delightful small boys. I've done pen and wash drawings, here's Caroline... lectures and demonstrations, been on the television and worked to get the studio in good order. I now have two families and a set of grown children from a third family, all to paint and to draw so there's no let up.

Then I think and email Don about why God and Brahman are not controlling my folly and how they enable me to make silly mistakes even tho they control the universe, I cycle and just about keep the fittness going despite the terrible weather.

So what shall I talk about, suffice to say that drawing children is always a pleasure, so I'll talk about that next time, I'll describe painting an official portrait and the excitement of painting in front of 100 people at a demonstration. But I'm in need of my lunch so all three of you will have to do something more sensible than reading this...

Bing