Eating out..

 I did this at the meeting of the cork sketch group last night, Thursday the 25th.

This time again I depended heavily on the minen leads, 2H and 6B. I also made 

use of the Derwent 9H to increase the texture effects of the finished work. 

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing of a figure carrying a heavy load.

Recently I managed to get a box of 6h and 4h minen leads,they are hard as a 

rock and when sanded to a chisel shape they could easily cut right through the 220 lb

drawing sheet. Really fun to work with. I have been using them in the lower layers of

the drawing, both for the precise nature of their strokes and their ability to cut up the paper

and so alter the texture of it for later softer layers of pencil. The increased friction then offered

to the pencil tip in later layers allows for a softer deeper shadow where needed.

I'm pretty sure this is what anyone serious about drawing would advise you not to do

but it seems to be working for me.

Thanks for looking :)

Ash Trees

Oil on Canvas 30 x 25 cm

Thanks for looking :)

Plein air painting at Courtmacsherry

Oil on canvas 30 x 25 cm

 I painted this with the SouthWesties plein air group in CourtmacSherry county cork.

Its the bluebell woods walk above the beach heading toward the cliffs.

It really is a scenic spot and if I get the chance I must go back to paint all the 

other stuff I didn't have time for :)

Thanks for looking:)

Woman carrying a pot

26 x 16 cm

 My scribble at the Cork Drink and Draw last tuesday night May 8th.

This was done with a 2h and a 6b minen lead with an oil pitt for tone.

Thanks for looking :)

Small cliff on the west coast

 A small beachside cliff on the west coast of Ireland.

This was completed using gouache, minen leads and an oil pitt

on fabriano.

Thanks for looking :)

Little village West Cork

Oil on masonite, 24 X 28 cm

This is another painting of the scenery of west cork.

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing and painting the scenery of Allihies

Minen leads on 160lb cartridge

oil on canvas 30 x 25cm.

Both the drawing and painting above were done from a photo I found on the 

ring of Beara blog and used with the kind permission of the blogs owner 

Susanne Iles a contemporary symbolist artist. Thank you Susanne.. 

of course it looks nothing like the photo as that would defeat 

the purpose entirely but it was a helpful guide.

Thanks for looking :)

Oil painting of a coastal view

oil on masonite 24cm x 27cm.

This is a view of Fennell's bay from the beach at Myrtleville. This

is my second time working with masonite, this time after prepping it 

I used the smooth side. To prepare the masonite I first coated it with too generous coats of 

gesso, when they were dry I gave it an acrylic undercoat and when that dried I coated it with a 

cold pressed linseed oil. The smooth surface was really nice to work with, but if you are trying 

this, personally, I would recommend soft brushes as the pig bristles leave too many scratch 

marks for comfort.

Drawing with the Dublin Sketch Group

 On Sunday myself and a few others from the Cork sketch group met with the 

Dublin Sketchers and drew from exhibits in the Natural History Museum Dublin.

 Afterwards we got to meet those nice folks for coffee in the National Gallery 

where we got to see their wonderful work. A most enjoyable day indeed.

The sketch above was done from the badger exhibit using Derwent pencils

minen leads and an oil pitt.

Thanks for looking :)

Icarus ...... drawing at Dr.Sketchy's ..

Last Saturday I visited Dr Sketchy's in Dublin with the Cork Sketchgroup

where life drawing models pose in a cabaret setting. Its a fun show and a great 

opportunity to draw from life. This is the last twenty minute sketch given by 

one of the models. Derwent pencils and an oil Pitt on cartridge pad.

Thanks for looking :)

Hey! what are you looking at?

 Minen leads 2h and 6b with medium grade oil pitt on Fabriano.
Drawing this little guy was real fun, I have way too many of them in the garden


Thanks for looking :)

Drawing a sleeping cat..

 This little fellow wandered up to my kitchen door recently to beg for milk and scraps.

He got them and promtly curled into a ball and slept in a crate full of wood shavings.

I guess he paid for his food by being a good drawing model.
Minen lead on 220gm acid free cartridge.

Thanks for looking :)

Pencil drawing of, "The Hunter of the Steppe"

Derwent pencils 6H and 9H, minen leads 2H and 6B and an Oil Pitt.

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing some Koi

Derwent pencils and a medium grade oil Pitt on 150 g/m cartridge.

This is the last of the four drawings based on chinese characters this

one being the symbol for peace.

Thanks for looking :)

Exhibition, "Interpretations" opens

On sunday march 11th, Cormac Mehegan kindly opened the exhibition of my paintings and drawings in gallery Frida in Youghal Co.Cork. A total of forty five works have been displayed, all of which have appeared on this blog at some stage or other. There was a large turn out for the event and a good day was had by all. The exhibition will run until April 5th. You can see the event here.

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing of a Pig..

Derwent pencils and a medium oil Pitt on Fabriano

Anyone reading this blog must surely think I'm running short of headings lately
with introductions such as chicken, cat and pig but it's really just an exercise in
generating inspiration. I draw every day, sometimes all day if I'm not going to be
busy with paint, but often beginning work seems to be the hardest thing. Once the
engine is turning of course, theres no stopping it... it's just to get that beginning....
The previous three sketches and one, yet undone, are based on the chinese
characters for, prosperity, good luck, joy and peace which is yet to come.
I decided to give each one an animal interpretation and then draw the result.
So the symbol for prosperity was assigned to a chicken, good luck to a
cat and joy to a newly born pig... Not profound I know, but a nice simple trick all
the same to keep yourself working while the muse is busy painting her nails...

Thanks for looking :)

Exhibition News

Lars and Lora of Gallery Frida have kindly invited me to exhibit my work 

there for the month of March. So today I was lucky enough to spend the day in 

their gracious company hanging my work on their gallery walls. A total of forty five

works will be shown, a lot of which will be familiar to many of you who are 

regulars to this blog. If you are in the vicinity of Youghal town any time this month do 

feel free to drop in and view them I'm sure you will be made most welcome.

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing a Cat

Minen leads 2H and 6B with an oil pitt.

I enjoyed creating this one, there's something

about drawing cats, its always different... 

maybe it's their personality...

Thanks for looking :)

Drawing a Chicken..

Minen leads 2h and 6b only, with oil pitt for tone.

Thanks for looking :)