Twice in 1 week!!

My 2nd post of the week!! Here's a couple more of my more recent wips, 'The Arena' and 'Castle Mountain'.

 Thanks to Clare, my partner, for posing as the warrior with our trusty broom handle as her poleaxe.
The Arena started off without a character and the wip looked terribly empty. We needed some drama so I added a warrior and an opponent. Not your usual highly muscled male  warrior though, but a (hopefully) feminine ass-kicker.


I learned the valuable lesson of 'less is more' with the Castle Mountain wip and I literally spent days painting up this intricate castle with all the bells and whistles. 
I had my doubts about it, so I asked my partner and daughter what they thought of the castle and both agreed that it was too detailed. 
What I REALLY wanted for the background was a castle that evoked a sense of vastness, so I spent 30mins or so slinging my brush around Photoshop, and this was the result.

Hope you like them and thanks for looking!!

Now that my hibernation is over I'd better get out and dig up the hazelnuts I buried for the winter.

TTFN

Back from hibernation!!

Obviously I've been hibernating (hangs head in shame...) since my last post and am now back in full swing with my painting.

Here's a couple of older paintings from last year and I'll post some newer work later this week.... fingers (and toes) crossed!!

Damn..... where did that month go!!

Blog started on October 13th.... and then next post November 24th. WOW time does fly when you're having fun!!
For the last month I've been trapped in the alternate Fringe reality with Olivia and I've been trying to get back to this side in that tank of ice-cold water. Obviously I was successful, but that water damn near gave me frostbite!!
Actually...... I've been ultra-busy so here's a couple of things I've been working on. They are a couple of characters from a project I'm working on.

Hope you like them!!

About Me

 For my 1st post I thought I'd expand a little on the About Me box over there on the right. This will probably be the longest post you ever have to read. Pictures only in future.....I promise!!

Before picking up my pencils again, I'd been working as a Strength & Conditioning coach, but I decided to trade in my agility ladders and hurdles and buy an up-to-date computer.
The coal-fired PC I had been using for many years was humanely put to sleep and I buried it in a small shoebox, in the garden.
I planted a tree as a mark of remembrance, but the dog was always standing beside it on 3 legs!! Not sure why, but I think it might be a canine mark of respect. Some form of doggy salute maybe!!

Anyway..........I tried out all the various free graphics programs around while I filled my piggy bank to save up for Painter & Photoshop.
Sadly for the piggy, he soon felt the blunt end of my hammer and off to market I ran, coins (& notes) in hand!!
After buying the software from a visiting trader from the planet Phartgasm, I ran all the way home, passing through every puddle in order to douse the flames from my feet.
I stopped off at the stall of a magazine trader to pick up a copy of ImagineFX. What an inspiration!!
Mentioned in the magazine was a wondrous device called a graphics tablet. I had to get one of these, so the saving began again!!
Another piggy met my hammer and off to the pharmacy I went. The alchemist had never heard of Wacom so he sent me from his tent with a clip round the ear.
After wandering round the market for hours, I finally saw a trader selling an A4 Intuos 3 Wacom tablet.
I didn't have enough money so I included my camel,  a tauntaun, 2 Jawa's and next door's chihuahua in the deal.
Sold to the boy with the empty petting zoo!
I HAD MY TABLET!!
Now I can pack away the mouse and paint with this pen.




Modern computer - CHECK!!
Wacom tablet - CHECK!!
Graphics software - CHECK!!
Assorted pencils - CHECK!!
Sketchbooks - CHECK!!
ImagineFX magazine - CHECK!! 


OK....Let's get this art journey under way..........