Beauty and the Beast # 2

A few hours in and I've started blocking in the background and base colour, and establishing the features. I'm never happy until I've got fairly good likenesses. I use acrylic paint(usually Galeria by Winsor & Newton, or System 3). My base pallet is more often than not a mixture of yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt umber, mars black and crimson red. I've tried lots of combinations of colours over the years, especially for skin tones, and this is the one that works best for me.

Beauty and the Beast # 1

Here is the initial drawing for my Beauty and The Beast painting. I thought you might like to see the progression from start, to finish, as it were. The size of the painting is A3, on thick watercolour paper.

Red Hens

Artwork copyright Lou Partridge http://www.redhenartists.co.uk/

I just want to mention an impressive new website, designed and created from scratch, by a good friend of mine, Louise Partridge. Lou is a co-founder of The Red Hen Artists group, based in Worthing and Brighton, Sussex.

Lou is a busy little bee. She not only works for a theatre company by day, but is also a talented artist, photographer and co-organiser of art exhibitions and workshops. She also helps out at local archelogical digs...I don't know where she finds the time, or energy!

Here's a bit of blurb, shamelessly lifted from the Red Hen website:

"...the idea of the group is that it brings together and motivates the artists to keep on aiming for their goal of making a good income from what they love to do. Previously the artists had found it difficult to find opportunities to show their work in Brighton & Hove as individuals, and the name ‘Red Hen’ comes from the children’s story of the little red hen who decided, as no-one would help her with her project, to ‘do it herself’! "

Go have a peek, using the link above, or under the 'Linky Thingies' section. I am shameless in my promotion of this site because I'm very proud of all that Lou has achieved. It's not easy earning a living as an artist, unless you're very lucky, or well connected!

Running to a standstill

Phew! It's been a busy old four weeks! I've been working solidly and I'm feeling rather jaded now, but have to keep on. So much still to do...

Hark at me. I'm not complaining, honest!!

I've been working on my Beauty and The Beast painting, which is coming along well(I might post some progress pics soon), and also some 75 sketch cards for Strictly Ink Limited.

On the 31st of March, I attended a Doctor Who launch party in London(not the press one) , which was great fun. The setting was The Printworks pub in Farringdon. There were about 350 Whovians packed into the place to watch the first episode of the new series on big screens. It was a great atmosphere. It's great to be able to share views with friends and meet more like minded people. Nicholas Courtney was in attendance too!

I loved the first episode for the new series. I think it was the best opener of all three.

I managed to bag a dealer's table at one point, and sold a few prints. Then I met Daryl Joyce and can finally put a face to the name! I do like meeting other artists, especially artists who work on Doctor Who.

More updates soon!

This is the portrait I unveiled at The Doctor Who Day yesterday. It will be on show at the Doctor Who launch party on the 31st of March too. I hope to have prints taken from it early next week. Can't wait for the new series to start!

Now on with more work. I have a new Aragorn portrait in the planning stages, a family portrait to complete, a special anniversary painting for the 1980's Beauty and the Beast television show, and then something large, special and cartoony, incorporating elements from lots of Sci-Fi shows... watch this space for more news!!!

Ogrons, Cybermen and Sycorax, oh my!

I love my job! It means I get to meet lots of really interesting people. I had the pleasure of chatting to Nicholas Briggs yesterday, at the Darwen Doctor Who event. What a friendly, approachable chappy he is!
Most of the guests I meet at these events, are as excited to be a part of Doctor Who as we 'ordinary' fans are, and Nick is no exception. I gained some interesting insights into what it is like to be an actor(and a fan) working on the show right now.

It was lovely to see Lisa Bowerman and Sophie Aldred again, and meet Will Barton, Mark Morris and Stuart Fell for the first time.

David Howe did a great job as MC for the day and The Hyde Fundraisers kept us all entertained with their monster costumes. The new Sycorax one is very impressive, and it was fun seeing the Ogrons challenging the Cyberman to a game of cricket!

Stuart Fell was a very entertaining Jester, inviting all the children to help him perform his magic tricks, much to their delight.

It's great to attend small, intimate events like these. The guests like the relaxed atmosphere and the fans get the chance to spend a bit more time with them, which they can't always do at larger events. Large and small events have their advantages and smaller ones, it seems reach people who might not to be able to afford a weekend away at the far ends of the country.

Yesterday's event also raised an impressive sum of money for Cancer Research UK.

Well done Graham! Please do another event next year. :)

Next stop...

This is The Ten Doctors, which was my most popular print at Gallifrey Con.

My next outing is a week tomorrow, at Darwen cricket club in Lancashire. It's a one day Doctor Who event hosted by Graham Groom. Guests in attendance will include David Howe, Sophie Aldred, stuart Fell and Lisa Bowerman. Also on hand will be The Hyde Fundraisers, with their Doctor Who monsters. There will be talks, screenings of Doctor Who episodes and autograph signings, also a design a monster competition.

International travelling artist

Los Angeles was a blast! I met some great people("Hi" again!), including Eric Roberts! All compliments were gratefully received, hee hee! But seriously, thank you to all the people who came over and said they liked the artwork, and even better, bought prints, or original artwork, or commissioned me! I'm booked up now until July at least!
The lovely big surprise of the weekend, was winning 2nd prize in the Art Show. I've never won anything in an Art Show in my life - yay!
BIG thanks go to Shaun Lyon and his team, particularly Ken Barr and his lovely wife in the dealers' room, who made me so welcome. I hope to see you all again next year!
More big thanks go to Derek Hambly at the Tenth Planet shop for keeping an eye on me, and The Offstage Theatre Group who performed their little socks off on stage on Saturday evening, and welcomed me as part of 'The Gang'.
Finally, more big thanks to Bonnie and Kelvin for being the perfect hosts after the show and giving me an extensive tour of Los Angeles!
It was a big learning curve. I'll know what not to spend money on next year, like making international phone calls from my hotel bedroom - don't! It cost me £70 for two short, essential calls to let family know I'd landed safely.
Being a first-timer to the US, I was a typical wide-eyed tourist when I arrived. I got all excited over fire hydrants, yellow taxis, palm trees, the smell of gasoline on the freeway, bill boards and American food. It was all just as I imagined it and everything really is bigger than in the UK . It's great fun feeling like a child again, when you're an adult! I can recommend chasing waves into and out of the Pacific Ocean, late at night, by the light of the moon, with new friends!

I'm already looking forward to next year's trip!

Everything Changes

This is the painting I've selected to be in the Art Show at Gallifrey Con next week. I began it when Christopher Ecclestone was still fairly new to the role. By the time I'd nearly finished it, David Tennant had already been cast as the tenth Doctor. So I thought it appropriate to include him in the painting!
I had the sense with the new series and with Christopher's portrayal of the Doctor that the Doctor's life had been given a shake up. The image which came to mind was of the Doctor taking a handful of pictures of his past selves and literally throwing them in the air as if to say "This is me now. Everything Changes..." New actor, new Doctor, new show - hurrah!
Not forgetting the original classic series though!

Next stop for me - Los Angeles(in 4 days time). Wow!

Sarah Jane and the Monsters...

I really enjoyed the new Sarah Jane Adventures episode over Christmas and I can't wait for the new series. So nice to see Sarah back after all these years! This new piece of artwork was unveiled at The Carnival of Monsters event yesterday in Alfreton, Derbyshire. I was a little worried no one would turn up, as the weather was so wintry. Indeed my morning drive from Manchester over the peak district was a little hairy at times, when I was unsure how my little micra would handle all the snow on the road. However my car coped brilliantly and loads of people turned up for the event, determined not to be put off by the weather!

A good time was had by all, especially the children, who took part in the fancy dress competition, Junior Mastermind and monster design competition. Colin Baker, Nicholas Courtney and the two children from the upcoming 'The Shakespeare Code' episode of Doctor Who; Hope Yeomans and Thomas Benikas were kept busy with autographs and questions, while Yeti, Autons and other monsters roamed the crowds.

The dealers all had a busy day and Steve Caldwell and I were kept on our toes too, in our Artists' corner! It was nice to meet so many new fans of the show, old and young. I certainly enjoyed comparing sonic scewdrivers with some youngsters - wonder who was the biggest kid?!

My drive back home was no less hairy, as thick fog made it difficult to see the road in places! But at least the snow had gone. I celebrated a successful day by treating my hubby John to an early valentines meal out. Our first time ever using a baby sitter - the lovely Jain from next door. Thank you Jain!