Did a lot of driving, Friday and Saturday. Friday taking Esmerelda to Heathrow to catch a flight out of the country and into some warmer drier weather (Florida and then the Cayman Islands). Saturday drove over to Bristol to see my two sons. Whilst doing all this driving spotted a couple of crackin' number plates.
Firstly, A 801 LER - on a Pimlico Plumber van (A BOILER for those who fail to spot it - ed)
Also, on a van with Pest Control adverts on it, RAT 80 Y (RAT BOY - ed) which managed to elicit a laugh from me (easily pleased - ed)
Now, there are a couple of other memorable number plates that I have spotted over the last few years, that still stick in my mindL
C 20 DIX - on a pink stretch limo (sorry don't get that one - ed)
LE55 TAX - on a gorgeous Bentley
Now you may think that I am making these up, but they are all definitely real.
Monday, 27 January 2014
Monday, 20 January 2014
Esmerelda Blenkinsop, the January Muse.
"Oh no!", they gasp, "Not another painting! Haven't you got a job to go to?". Well not yet, interview today, so we shall see how that pans out.
Our Australian friend, Esmerelda Blenkinsop, who has been visiting since just after Xmas, sat down with me last week and we went through a few thousand of my photos, to try pick a half dozen or so that would make an interesting painting.
The result of the first of these paintings and the steps towards its completion, "Mahogany Avenue", and the photo that it is based on is here if you are interested to see.
The rest of the photos that I am going to try and emulate with oil and perspiration are here. If anyone, (Yes, anyone of the few people that follow these musings, naturally excluding Esmerelda - ed) would like to comment on which one they would like to see me attempt next, I would be most grateful, as it would save me having to decide.
Anyhow, have a train to catch to London to a late afternoon interview, so all suited and booted, you can wish me luck is you want to (why? - ed).
Our Australian friend, Esmerelda Blenkinsop, who has been visiting since just after Xmas, sat down with me last week and we went through a few thousand of my photos, to try pick a half dozen or so that would make an interesting painting.
The result of the first of these paintings and the steps towards its completion, "Mahogany Avenue", and the photo that it is based on is here if you are interested to see.
The rest of the photos that I am going to try and emulate with oil and perspiration are here. If anyone, (Yes, anyone of the few people that follow these musings, naturally excluding Esmerelda - ed) would like to comment on which one they would like to see me attempt next, I would be most grateful, as it would save me having to decide.
Anyhow, have a train to catch to London to a late afternoon interview, so all suited and booted, you can wish me luck is you want to (why? - ed).
Monday, 13 January 2014
Potten End Steam Fair 2013
We went away for a weekend in Potten End near Berkhamsted, in what is fast becoming a calendar fixture, to see our friends G&T (or T&G) and visit what we call The Potten End Steam Rally but which has a different official name.
If you like steam engines, then you will get your fill here. Fabulous weather, fabulous environment and stunningly well looked after steam engines and what's more a beer tent to boot. What's not to like.
Took a number of photos for your delectation and delight.
If you like steam engines, then you will get your fill here. Fabulous weather, fabulous environment and stunningly well looked after steam engines and what's more a beer tent to boot. What's not to like.
Took a number of photos for your delectation and delight.
New Year - Older Watercolours
Well in my perusing of photographs, looking for something that leaps out at me and says, "Paint me". I came across a bunch (in this case a bunch is 28! - ed) of watercolours that I painted in late Spring early Summer 2013; and being a sharing kinda person thought I would shove a link to the watercolours into a post. Just back there, the linke at the end of the last sentence where it says "link to the watercolours".
Well, having looked at them again, not happy with the trees at all. Not quite got the knack of trees in watercolour, as quite different to painting with oils. Quite (moderately - ed) happy with the trees in the Eastern Barbados oil painting, as I reckon the bark is better than for most trees that I have done.
Reasonably happy with the sunsets, skies, seas, "make it up as I go along", paintings, as was attempting to get the essence of sunsets etc, rather than any specific sunset etc so the way they turn out are the way they turn out (lost me there - ed).
Hadn't planned on a particularly long post, just a quickie to point you all in the direction of the watercolours. As ever, comment is welcome, and if anyone really likes the look of any of the paintings that I have done, I am sure I can arrange framing and posting for a small fee to cover costs.
Well, having looked at them again, not happy with the trees at all. Not quite got the knack of trees in watercolour, as quite different to painting with oils. Quite (moderately - ed) happy with the trees in the Eastern Barbados oil painting, as I reckon the bark is better than for most trees that I have done.
Reasonably happy with the sunsets, skies, seas, "make it up as I go along", paintings, as was attempting to get the essence of sunsets etc, rather than any specific sunset etc so the way they turn out are the way they turn out (lost me there - ed).
Hadn't planned on a particularly long post, just a quickie to point you all in the direction of the watercolours. As ever, comment is welcome, and if anyone really likes the look of any of the paintings that I have done, I am sure I can arrange framing and posting for a small fee to cover costs.
Saturday, 11 January 2014
New Year - New Paintings
Happy New Year (bit belated that - ed) to one and all!
Well the painting muse caught me unawares this week and I ended up doing three paintings in as many days (not yet back to work after the holidays i.e. still on extended holiday, though new contract is pending)
Here is the link to all my paintings in case you have missed my previous hints as to their whereabouts. Feedback would be appreciated, but the, "Stop. Please Stop!", ones will be politely ignored.
For those who have, "Seen them all before, yawn. Where are the new ones?",
Atlantic Ocean (looking from Eastern coast of Barbados, from a photo I took a four years ago).
Eastern Barbados (at Bathsheba if I remember correctly, again from a photo from four years ago).
Grey Skies (there are occasional days in Barbados when it is not sunny. They are the days where it rains warm rain, or as the Bajan's call it 'liquid sunshine'; this one is more of an abstract from memory).
Will drop the offending photos into the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Barbados folders so that you can compare and contrast. Yes, yes, I have applied for and been given artistic license for both paintings, that is why they are not, "exactly the same", as the photos (mutter mutter, cost of licenses, gripe, moan - ed)
Well the painting muse caught me unawares this week and I ended up doing three paintings in as many days (not yet back to work after the holidays i.e. still on extended holiday, though new contract is pending)
Here is the link to all my paintings in case you have missed my previous hints as to their whereabouts. Feedback would be appreciated, but the, "Stop. Please Stop!", ones will be politely ignored.
For those who have, "Seen them all before, yawn. Where are the new ones?",
Atlantic Ocean (looking from Eastern coast of Barbados, from a photo I took a four years ago).
Eastern Barbados (at Bathsheba if I remember correctly, again from a photo from four years ago).
Grey Skies (there are occasional days in Barbados when it is not sunny. They are the days where it rains warm rain, or as the Bajan's call it 'liquid sunshine'; this one is more of an abstract from memory).
Will drop the offending photos into the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Barbados folders so that you can compare and contrast. Yes, yes, I have applied for and been given artistic license for both paintings, that is why they are not, "exactly the same", as the photos (mutter mutter, cost of licenses, gripe, moan - ed)
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