Sunset in the Gearagh as the water begins to freeze

oil on canvas 46 x 36 cm

This is a painting of an area called the Gearagh in Co.Cork

 a flooded plain on the road to Inchigeelagh. When I was there
I could see the water beginning to freeze as the last light played across
the lake. Great inspiration for a painting but so very cold.

Thanks for looking :)

Exhibiting at the Lewis Glucksman

I recently entered an art competition with Voluntary Arts Ireland called put your best pencil forward and was lucky enough to have two of my drawings selected for exhibition at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. The exhibition opened yesterday and will run for a week until the 18th of December after which  it moves on to Derry. Here's a picture of me with my daughter Rachel standing with Fiona Kearny, Director of the Glucksman and Robin Simpson, CEO of Voluntary Arts.. and yes that's me in the hat. Long time readers of the blog will already have seen the drawings entered, both were done at meetings of the Cork sketch Group at the Franciscan well.

If you are in the vicinity of the gallery do feel free to drop in and have a look at the amazing entries of all works displayed by all the artists at this exhibition.

Thanks for looking :)

Crocodile..

disposable pen on recycled paper 30 x 20 cm

This is a very quick sketch of a hatching crocodile done with a disposable writing pen.

I have been doing a lot of drawing with these pens lately, sometimes it's just fun to use

everyday material to turn out a finished drawing.

Thanks for looking :)

Mid Winter Fires

Oil pastel on tinted canson 20 x 15 cm

This was done using  Sennelier oil pastels. 

They are a real treat to work with, being the softest

oil pastel I have ever come across.

Thanks for looking :)

A painting from Donegal

Oil on canvas board 30cm x 20cm

An oil painting of marble hill beach 

county Donegal, as the light fades into the west.

This one is a bit fanciful I know but sometimes it's good

just to have some fun.

Thanks for looking :)

Pencil study of a Rembrandt portrait..

22cm x 30cm on 150g/m cartridge

This is a pencil study of Rembrandt's "Self portrait with a walking stick", 

for this I used Derwent pencils, minen leads and an oil pitt pencil.

I find doing pencil studies of the old masters is really usefull. Its always 

great to see masterworks but often it may be only for minutes, very 

rarely does anyone get the chance to stare for hours at the one work.

To do a pencil study its necessary to spend hours looking 

at the one painting in order to interpret it to the best of our

ability... a good way to learn.

Thanks for Looking :) 

Small cliff on the west coast

Oil pitt and gouache on dyed Fabrianno 30 x 26cm

 A small beachside cliff on the west coast of Ireland.

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 two 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.

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 :)

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 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 a paintbrush, 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 :)

Drawing a Chicken..

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

Thanks for looking :)

A pastel painting... "Sky"

Pastel on tinted canson..

Thanks for looking :)