Scots wha hae

HAPPY SAINT ANDREWS DAY!!

Study/copy- Arthur Rackham

My study/copy of one of Arthur Rackham's illustrations for 'Alice in Wonderland', by Lewis Carol.  This is an illustration of the mock turtle and the griffin with Alice, by the sea.  My copy is in acrylic inks, 6 by 8 ins., on paper.

For a project on book illustrators on wetcanvas.com

I loved the Alice in wonderland book from the first day my grandma bought it for me...and that was when I was about 7 ish, I think.  I read it cover to cover sitting in a bus shelter, waiting for her to visit Grandpa in hospital.  I just fell in love with all the language games!!  My copy had the Tenneil illustrations.  I prefer Tenneil's Alice (the style for the girl), but I think Rackham's imaginative animals, like the Griffin etc., are exquisite.

Study/copy- van der Weyden

Study after Rogier van der Weyden, (1400-1464), Dutch/Flemish Renaissance artist, 'Mary Magdalene', part of a triptych.  Watercolours, 6 by 8 ins, wc paper.  For a project in classical forum on wetcanvas.com

I have always loved the work of van der Weyden for the richness of colour.  My study is in transparent watercolours and so doesn't result in as rich an effect as oils, but it was interesting to study this portrait/landscape.

Girl with pets

'Girl with pets', 7 by 9 ins approx., ink on paper.

I have another pen drawing on this theme, which I did a couple of years ago, but I will have to look for it to see how it compares.

He saved the swan's egg

'He saved the swan's egg',  pen on paper, 7 by 10 ins., approx.  Doodle-drawing.  Loosely based on our local 'duck' pond, where there are flocks of geese and ducks and a few pairs of swans.

Study /copy - Henri Rousseau

Study after Henri Rousseau 'The dream'.  Gouache, 7 by 10 ins, cartridge paper.  For a project on wetcanvas.com

I started this 'copy' after one of Rousseau's famous jungle art works. A delicious way to brighten up a winter morning.  I changed the original by making the lady on the couch a mermaid.  I think inspired by looking at some surrealist works.  The original is surrealist in feeling anyway... and I thought the lady would look great as a mermaid.

I don't know when I'll get around to finishing it.

Musician

'Musician', gouache, 6 by 8 ins, watercolour hp paper.  I did this on Wednesday.

Currently, I am sorting though my old doodles and drawings and posting some on my main artsite.  Its interesting to revisit this old doodle-work, nearly all in tiny format,  from around 2002-04.

Apart from that, I am looking at some books on surrrealism and rather like the work of Paul Delvaux.