Website!

A very hot, warm and sunny welcome!

Just a quick post to tell you that today I have managed to upload lots of new works onto the website. Some have recently been posted on here - but other's have not!

Go look now (please) at www.edrickart.co.uk at please - don't be afraid to send me an email and tell me what you think.

As ever, enjoy your art.

Paul

Here comes the Sun!

Hi there!

Welcome along to yet another thrill-a-minute-suspense-filled-installment that is (looks at the title) - yep - "A Colourful Life".

First off I have to welcome a brand new follower to the blog - Color Life - who I know lives in New Mexico in the good old US of A. I have been lucky enough to have seen some of her work which she sent me online, and believe me - it's stunning. Wood carving, weaving, blankets, ceramics - this lady does it all, and very well too I may add. At the moment she does not have a website, and I am having a go at helping her along, so if there is any news on that front, then I will give you the details.

I have had 4 or 5 days off now from painting related things, but as promised last week - here is the second of the recently finished Impressionist beach scenes. Perhaps as it's been Sooo hot here recently, and this one is more warm toned, I should call it "Here comes the Sun". Anyway - hope you like it.

Like the last work, the angle is slightly distorted due to my photographic prowess - but you get the picture (oh, great joke!). All the technical details are as the previous work, so if you are interested - go back a posting and re-read.

Whatever your art, until next time, take care and enjoy yourselves!

Paul

Life's a Beach

Hello again, and thanks for stopping by!

Here is another of my works that I have recently completed, and one that I hope you will like.

It is based upon one of my favourite Impressionist pictures, but one that sadly I do not have any information on, other than a photograph of my first attempt at this work from 2006. Attempts to find the title or indeed the artist have drawn (no pun intended) a blank so far. Please - if anyone can help in that respect then please do not hesitate to send me an email to edrickart@aol.com to put my tormented mind at rest!

This is done using my favourite medium of the moment - acrylics, but this time on artistic board (something I have never used before), which is roughly 16"x12" in size, though actual picture size is roughly 12"x8". To try and enhance my photographs of my works (again, see earlier postings) I have put this in a glass free frame on one of my easles. That's why it still looks a little out of shape - before anyone makes and comments!

There are 2 variations of this picture, this one being a cooler toned work. The second one is surprisingly enough a "warmer toned" one, but you will have to wait until my next posting before you can cast your eyes across that one!

Hope it meets with your critical approval, and I'll blog again next week.

Whatever your art, enjoy it.

Paul

Improved?

Hi there!

My creative rush is still, er ......... rushing, as I get a few more of my WIP's completed, mounted, photographed and safely put away in my portfolio cases (crikey - they are getting heavy). But, that's what I want and need, so no moans - just get on with it.

Yesterday was a stunningly hot, humid day over here, but up to mid-morning not bright and sunny. Ideal conditions for me to try and re-photograph as many of my works as I could. So, I took outside a picture frame with no glass in it (no reflections), and lovingly placed each work that would fit in, one at a time, and then got in front of the camera (which rather technically for me, was safely secured to a tripod). Each frame was also taken using the camera's timing facility (no wobbly or hand shake frames for me, thank you very much!).

Hopefully when I get them all downloaded to the PC they will have improved immensely, and all be of a far better quality. This time I have no excuses whatsoever, as I do have a really good digital camera. This workman will no longer blame his tools (weather maybe, but tools - no).

I have never sold any of my works in frames, just mounts. However, I have needed to place these in a frame to hold them flat for photographing, more than anything. In my web pages and blogs etc I have always maintained that frames are purely personal, plus if they are sold with one, it adds to the cost, and who would want to buy something that they were only going to discard? It also means I have heavier loads to lump about too!

Soapbox returned to owner - the pictures now have to be safely downloaded to the PC so as to be used in blogs and updated to my website etc. Best crack on with it then, make some progress, and see some return for my efforts come the end of the day!

Please, enjoy your art, and be happy with what you have achieved.

Paul

New Works!

Here they are!

Well, as I promised earlier this week, here are two of my latest new works. Probably it's just a personal thing, but I have to try and wait for a natural light with which I'm happy in which photograph my work. Before you all email me and say "But you're not very good at photography" - I know, I know, I may not be, but hey ho!


We all learn by actually doing things - especially hands on practical things, and eventually I will get the hang of doing it right, well somewhat better at least. In the meantime "what yer see is what yer git" - or word's to that effect.

This first one, I suppose, I should call something really original like "Green Vase". And, do you know what - that's exactly what I'm going to do!

The working surface is canvas textured paper, painted with acrylics: some of the colours have been mixed, but not many. One of my preferences (read-up on previous postings) is to use colour straight from the tube/pot without mixing, and I've done that same again here.

It's a roughly an A4 working surface, fixed in a single cream coloured mount.



This next one is taken from a photograph I took while we were on holiday in Mexico in 2007 - obviously some species of Green Parrot. We went to a couple of excellent nature / wildlife parks, where the animals were mostly totally free - the birds anyway - as they knew where to get fed - they're not daft are they!

This turned out to be quite a reasonable picture (perhaps I should re-evaluate my photography afterall), so I thought I would give it a try and see how it came out.

Not too bad overall I reckon.

Once again the picture surface is just over A4 in size, painted with acrylics on canvas textured paper. This time it has been finished off using a double card mount - cream with an inner burgandy coloured border, just to enhance it a little.


The parrot picture especially has turned out a little distorted, but I hope that it gives you at least a more than fair insight into some of my works.


Whatever your media - enjoy your art.

Regards,

Paul

Phew!

Welcome once again to the wonderful world of Edrickart!

I must admit, it did come as a bit of a surprise to find that I have not posted for one whole week exactly. But, then again, I have had fair reason, I suppose.

Friday was a bit of an off day, but the weekend turned out to be just hectic/total chaos. We had the hedges cut, grandaughter stay and I attempted to help do some gardening Saturday; and Sunday - well, we were still clearing up after the previous day, then out for a well earned family Sunday lunch.

Since then I have had an artistic spell and have so far painted and completed 5 works in progress - all gummed in their card mounts, ready to display, and have still another 6 to get on with - phew!

It is very satisfying though to be able to complete things - to see an idea through to an end product, and it be something you are proud to have done (just hope the rest turn out that way too).

All I have left to do is to wait for a sunny break in the clouds - then I can photograph them and post them all for display on my website, and some in this blog. Best keep watching then!

Enjoy your art.

Paul

Sqwark!

Hello, good evening, and welcome!

I have a few spare moments as I sit here blowing away at my mug of near steaming hot tea, trying to cool it enough to drink it, waiting to be transported to a friends house for dinner, and pick up some hanging baskets (hope it's not salad).

Today has been a good day in my little art world; my green parrot acrylic work which I touched up and finished off yesterday is now gummed to the back of its new cardboard mount. It has been left to dry under a weight of watercolour paper (well it's 300lbs so should be heavy enough) as it flattens overnight, then back into a cellophane wrapper for protection.

Two similar Impressionistic beach scenes have been started, this time a little different for me - on acrylic board, which I have never used before. There are also two works, both very similar but of differing sizes, of apples and a trug. Nice idea of a subject to work on - hopefully it will all work out well.

One last note - I have pencilled in two more parrot works (but I don't want to get too typecast). This time I'm looking at a red, yellow and blue bird, as I think this will stand out really well against a green foilage background, and is more in keeping with my love and use of bright colours. Maybe some time next week I will decide which one, if any, to get stuck in to.

Tea's cool - got to go eat!

Enjoy your art!

Paul

Agent!

Good morning, once again.

This is becoming too regular. I mean, virtually consecutive postings - I'm spending more time on here than painting (well, it seems like).

Today I just could not get back to sleep, so weakend and eventually arose before 07.00am; that's something I only do when we go on holiday and have to catch a flight at silly o'clock. My eyes have yet to adjust to this early morning light - perhaps I should have some of those reactalight glasses?

What I did manage to read (and later print a version off for legal purposes), is that I have now been awarded the sum of 5% commission on sales of a friend of mine's work! Fancy that, me - an agent! Who would have thought it; so all I have to do is sit back and let the cash roll in.

She knows who she is - so everyone in the Hastings area of England, tourists or day visitors, get out and buy some local fine art and help towards sending me to, er ...............................

Anyway - just thought I would share that with you all; I'm so excited I could make another mug of tea!

Whatever your art - enjoy it!

Paul

Careful does it.

Well hello there!

As you would expect being a trainee part-time temporary artist (allegedly), hidden amongst the little pile (my wife would argue very strongly otherwise) of reference material I have, is a selection of floral pictures (amongst other subjects) - some with vases, some without, that I always thought had potential. I suppose it's just a matter of putting various components together to try and produce something that looks good as a completed work. Almost everyone who has seen my work will testify that I do not produce "real" looking flowers - there is no way I am a floral artist, but we have to get our inspiration from somewhere!

However, with a little practice and perseverance, even a little luck as you just drop on to some techniques - you can portray a reasonable looking floral "bouquet". It's just a case of "careful does it", and it's amazing as to what you can achieve.

Your levels of success are enhanced should you use better quality items. That is an issue I always thought was more of a cunning "sales" ploy than anything else. However, a few months ago I bought a set of acrylic brushes from Rosemary & Co, and can honestly say they are a pleasure to use, and have helped me achieve much better results than I was previously getting. Various types of surface had been tried, along with differing makes of paint. It was the paint that most disappointed me; big name paint gave me small time results! But, the quality brushes used in conjunction with the Reeves acrylics paints I had used for a long time, gave me really pleasant and impressive results. This workman cannot blame his tools now!

It is worth doing a little experimenting and shopping around to a certain extent. We all can achieve results, and not everything works for everyone - it's just finding that fine line - that balance in your subject, materials and ability, to get the results you want. Though whatever you do, please don't look around for too long or you will never settle on anything and be satisfied with your results!

Whatever you do, enjoy your art!

Paul

Happy Days!

Good morning the World!!!

Me again. Yup - 3 times in one week - no need to check your stats. It's true.

Without wanting to seem "boring" (see previous postings), I have been somewhat restricted in my activities. This usually revolves around "colouring in" previously sketched themes in a variety of practice sessions and experimental ideas (some of which have ended up looking terrible, but we all live and learn). But, not any more, happy days!

Yesterday I got down to doing a reasonable pencil sketch of an item in our back garden during the day. It's not perfect, and needs some "tinkering" but I'm quite pleased with the first attempt. It will make it past the "drawing board" stage. My only problem is watercolour or acrylics.

However, last night while listening to the best Internet radio station, I managed two more drawn works, now ready for "real" colouring and working on today (hopefully) - first on my beloved bamboo paper, second on acrylic canvass textured paper. That's how much better I feel. I can just sense from your vibes you are enthralled.

Some of the art materials I purchased earlier this week consisted of paper, which I thought was pastel paper. Er - NOT! Never mind, I say, let's get on and try it out. Hmmm - it's not quite what I expected, and so far it's not had the best of results (well, I don't think so anyway). Ho hey.

It's all part of the learning curve, as they say, and I'm sure it will not be wasted.

I have also helped a friend of mine (she knows) set up a blog of her own. "You're a good man", I can just about hear you all mumble; it's all about life - being friendly and helping each other. Anyway, point being that part of the building involved a "counter" - every good site has one! Unfortunately, the young lady concerned cut and pasted my counter; this results in her now having a couple of days old blog with over 500 hits!


That's enough for now I reckon, or I'll never get anything done. I will leave you with a previously done pastel sketch of some parrots, photographed on a holiday to Mexico in 2007. It's this work that got me thinking of using a parrot in my work. I love birds, and wanted to use them in a lot of my work, but they never quite looked right. Hopefully this one will. See what you think.


Till next time - enjoy your art.


Paul

Hoorah!

Yes - a hearty hoorah!

Today's visit to see the hospital consultant has ended in complete success!

The elbow is well on the way to recovery; the medical man was more than satisfied with my recovery so far, and it is now only a matter of time for it to be fully healed. A bit obvious I know, but I'm so happy I don't care - say what you want.

Apart from stopping on the way home to buy some new art materials (you can tell I'm really feeling so much happier, can't you), I'm just so ready to start working "properly" again.

That's all follks!

Enjoy your art.

Paul

Mini's

Sundrenched hello's from a sunny England.

Yep - it's true - it is sunny - and even H.O.T.

This, I am afraid, is a mini posting; enough to tell you that you can now find me on Twitter as well (does that make me a "twit?).

The elbow is recovering, slowly but surely, and I sincerely thank you all for the countless messages of support, chocolates and flowers that I have received. I am now able to sketch - of sorts, and have started to put a few things together to start and work on in earnest shortly. So confident of this am I, that my selected acrylic colours are out ready!

Please note, that this is not an "interesting, funny or even cool (not in this temperature, anyway) posting".

Whatever your medium - enjoy your art.

Paul