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Grainger Street

by on April 24, 2012 in Limited Edition Prints, North East Prints

Grainger Street

Grainger Street

The popularity of my limited edition prints is partially down to the fact that I usually include figures in the paintings which bring the painting to life. Over the years I spent considerable time observing people going about their daily business in cities like Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh, Venice, Florence and New York. I’ve developed a kind of shorthand for drawing them on the move in my sketchbook which I can refer to when I come to do a studio painting. I will of course take photographs as it’s impossible to draw people in detail walking about the streets unless they are deliberately modelling for you.

It’s the figures in this painting which are the dominant point of interest. Folk have often commented that they love the old man shuffling along with his newspaper sticking out of his back pocket, the two old ladies nattering away with their shopping bags and the road sweeper who has stopped to light up a fag. The original painting sold many years ago but the limited edition print titled Grainger Street is still available online or from my Studio & Gallery in Ponteland.

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Portrait in Charcoal

by on January 24, 2012 in Commissions, Portraits

Dominic- Charcoal

Dominic in Charcoal

I’m currently undertaking a number of portrait commissions at the moment, mostly in oils but some in charcoal. Dominic was commissioned as a present for his 50th birthday in December 2011. I managed only one afternoon sitting with Dominic, however that was sufficient to capture a very good likeness of a man who ticks all the boxes of being tall, dark and handsome. After the sitting I was able to check all the aspects of his features for size, proportions and positioning from the reference photographs I took of him next to the drawing. I made a few minor changes and refined the marks I made during the sitting with my stump.

A stump is an artists tool, usually made of soft paper, (but can be made of leather or felt), that is tightly wound into a stick and sanded to a point at both ends. It is used to blend drawing marks made with charcoal, conte crayon, pencil and similar media. By moving it carefully over drawing marks, gradations and half tones can be produced. I like my charcoal drawings to look like drawings, rather than being too photographic, so I kept the use of the stump to a minimum.

I’m pleased to say that Dominic is delighted with his portrait and it is now framed and hanging proudly in their family room.

 

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Watercolour Paint

by on February 22, 2011 in Top Sketch Book Tips

TIP 8 Don’t use too many colours!

Alan Reed's watercolor paints

Alan Reed's Watercolour Paints

There are at least 96 colours in Winsor and Newton’s Artists’ watercolour range. I use about a dozen regularly which is enough for me. Spend some time finding out which ones you really like and experiment.

The arrangement of different paints you can see on my drawing board is fairly typical  for me when working in the studio. I often squeeze colour from large tubes (which are better value than the smaller ones) into saucers which I then use for mixing colours. I find the large ceramic pans are also handy but then I also dip in to my two metal painting boxes which I use mainly on location.  The smaller of the two is great for carrying about as it’s small, you can mix colours in the inside part of the lid and it has it’s own water reservoir.

These are the colours I tend to use the most and which I carry on location: Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Scarlet Lake, Rose Madder, Ultramarine Violet, French Ultramarine, Manganese Blue Hue, Cobalt Turquoise Light, Windsor Green, Burnt Umber, Vandyke Brown, Payne’s Grey, Lamp Black and Chinese White.

Alizarin Crimson, Cerulean Blue, Winsor Yellow and Cadmium Orange are also colours which I might also use when working in the studio. Remember, you can mix colours, either in your mixing palettes or through laying one wash of colour on top of another when it’s dry. I hope this is of some help. Have fun experimenting folks.

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Top Sketch Book Tips

by on February 15, 2011 in Top Sketch Book Tips

Tip 4

Try drawing with a brush and paint with one colour or a limited palette instead of using a pencil. You will achieve a quality of line that will vary in thickness which should look more interesting. You will also become more confident about handling a brush which should help you with your studio paintings.

Central Station, Newcastle upon Tyne

Central Station, Newcastle upon Tyne

I recommend a small travelling brush for sketch book work, or a size 20 Stratford & York for studio paintings. The study above was painted in about 30 minutes with a travelling brush using a limited palette. As with all my watercolour sketch book work, no pencil was used.

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