caught in trap

The child portraits have been delivered. The parents like it. Nothing like painting a child portrait to bring out the utterly defenseless, insecure artist in erm...uh...Hoarknockle...yes..thats it...Hoarknockle! He was just so worried about the children looking perfectly as they should... I had to give him the afternoon off.
The idea of seeing children's faces on milk cartons is something distinctly unnerving. The thought that each photo is actually a person who is missing. Its so pathetic and desperate... the kind of situation one never believes yourself will ever have to face. It brings all kinds of horrors to mind. Lots of "what if?" questions.
When you read of dreadful persons keeping others captive in a dungeon or a cage... always makes me wonder about who might be in a situation like that right at this moment... one day we may see the story in a paper and try to recall what you were doing at that moment...and how horrid it must have been for the victim while we continued obliviously with our lives.
Milk cartons are so democratic. The lowest common denominator which we all seem to have in our homes. The milk carton is a symbol of the common place and the ordinary.
What if the concept was changed and what if...?
The longer I worked on this, the more creepy and disconcerting the wire cages around the corks became. The twisted, torqued wire suddenly had a whole new voice.
No wonder I had to give Hoarknockle the day off.
Now I'll have to go and mow the lawn myself. I often don't think things through so well.

wrestling with children

I do believe this one is done.
I am always ever so careful when I wrestle with young children. They are delicate and one has to use small brushes and a lot of glaze to achieve a good likeness.
I know there are some portrait painters who achieve the finish by using bold and powerful marks...but I really cant do it. I find the faces of children to be composed of most delicate shading and shape. I admire those who can capture it in fresh quick strokes... but since this is my style and my work.... "Aah, tea, why thank you Hoarknockle!"
All this one requires is a last coat of preserving varnish.
I wanted this painting to reflect the personalities of the children and to give some idea of who they are and what they do.
Its been a demanding time, and I'm happy with the results.
Now on to some digital drawing.

forging it ahead

Awoken from slumbers after the weekend I see the portrait is as yet unfinished.
Hoarknockle has been taking it easy. He has been out tending to lady Sandra as she burns the oils all day and night in her efforts to assimilate a number of heavy and large textbooks. She is writing a large examination soon and it requires a huge quantity of information uploaded into her brain.
The servants are living the good life and I shall have to bring back the lash. Next thing they'll be wanting to be remunerated. Rats!
I shall have to drag myself away from the trout pond and life of leisure to complete this painting. I cant see it doing so by itself.
Never let it be said that I dont give my everything in my efforts to achieve perfection. For the greater good and all that!
Hmmmmm brushes..let's see...
"Hoarknockle! I require tea!"

love of excuses

It was Hoarknockle!
It was a horrible wind storm!
It wasn't me!
Okay..having got that off my chest and out of the way....
I am working on a portrait of two beautiful children. They are on the canvas together so that they wont be able to take it away from their adoring mother once they grow up and leave home. The mother reasons that if they were two separate portraits, it would be simple for them to take their child images and go. Now it seems they will have to fight one another for ownership or decide not to have a picture with their sibling on it too. I'll tell you the outcome of this in about 18 to 20 years.
I have tried to adopt a playful approach to this piece and keeping the brush marks free and loose and quick. They are children and fill of spontaneous actions and energies. The one is a small male person and the other is a female and I want to try and show some sibling connection as well as the difference in their styles.
So far so good. Alternating between glazes and big brushstrokes in strong colour.
I have forsaken the joys of fortified (reinforced?) beverages during the week in a vague hope that it might increase my ability to consume body fat. Thus Hoarknockle is plying me with tea rather than my usual libations.
Due to my use of acrylic paints, I have no recourse to sniffing solvents. 'Tis a hard life I tell you.

got it

My blog did continue, but Hoarknockle was the one diverting it to some other site and I think it may have spoiled some persons fun by having my blog where they didnt expect to find it....yes...those of you who visit the dark side will know!
I was wondering about the notion of spoiling a porn site with good art works....My question is...can porn be spoiled? Isnt it sort of spoiled already? Dont think about this too long...it really is only a passing thought and a provocative one at that.

On the menu today is the board I did for my son. Its a board used on water, rather like a wake board...only for kiting. You get pulled along by a kite rather than a boat. I dont really like generic things, so I painted the board in this flourishey swirley design for his birthday. It was a wonderful variation to my normal stuff.