" Summertime Downs" Landscape painting of Beddingham and Mount Caburn, Sussex

This Summer my sister and I have been out and about on various walks. The locations depend on the weather and how clear the view is so that I can get the best photos.
A couple of weeks ago we made the most of the wonderful sunshine and went up to the top of Beddingham  Hill, Sussex. The views were stunning ! From Mount Caburn,  to Lewes and the sea at Newhaven.

The view from Beddingham Hill looking north towards Lewes on the left

It's often so windy up on the South Downs that it's hard to hold the camera still enough to take good photos, but this day was perfect! I now have so many that I'm spoilt for choice as to which view I will paint first.

The wonderful chalk paths, part of the South Downs Way

I love the chalk tracks against the patchwork fields, a never ending path of The South Downs Way and the views go on for ever!

Looking out to sea over Newhaven and fields of red poppies.

For my first painting of the area I have decided on the little picturesque village of Beddingham that sits at the foot of Mount Caburn.

 A scattering of houses and farms nestled among the hills where artists such as Eric Ravilious would stay and delight in the surrounding and inspirational views.

"Furlongs" by Eric Ravilious

On the top of the 480 ft Mount Caburn is an Iron Age fort and is regularly seen among a multitude of colourful hang gliders soaring on the breeze.

Both the village and Mount Caburn make a wonderful subject for my painting..              

                                                                     

"Summertime Downs"

Acrylic on box canvas 20"x 16"x 1.5" 

looking over the village of Beddingham towards Mount Caburn

 

 Here are a couple of links if you would like to know more about Eric Ravilious and the Beddingham artists

http://jamesrussellontheweb.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/familiar-visions-eric-ravilious-sussex.html

http://itstartedwithajug.blogspot.co.uk/

"Playtime" Painting children

This week I thought I would give myself  a fun challenge !
When you're only 3 years old there are certain things in life that are very important to you...
Pink...all clothing must be pink including your scarf and mittens.
Your favourite character, Peppa Pig must be on everything!
Your shoes must have little heart shaped lights that shine when you walk and of course you really must wear your Mickey Mouse bike helmet!
Now your ready......
                                                            "Playtime"
                        Acrylic on stretched canvas 14"x 18" 

"Playtime" Fun painting of a toddler

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Here's another little girl I spotted whilst out and about. I loved her Summer hat with the big daisy on the side, perhaps that was her name, I shall never know but I like to think so :)
                                                                   "Daisy"
                                                    Acrylic on box canvas 14"x18"x1.5"

"Daisey"  Painting of young child

 

I've just written a short article about my still life paintings for the Art2Arts website, if you would like to know more about the inspiration and the initial process of my work please take a look :)
http://www.art2arts.co.uk/finding-a-subject-to-painta-new-life-in-still-life/info_227.html

"Very Cherry Delight" Still life painting of cherries

No matter what the weather the first real signs of Summer are always the road side signs advertising "Fresh Cherries". It often seems that every lay by has it's own stand, adorned with a colourful sunshade and punnet upon punnet of fresh cherries.....yummy!
I've lived away from Sussex for 30 years and don't remember there being any cherry sellers before I moved,  Kent was always known for it's apples so I seem to be more aware of them where ever I go!Not only are they tasty but also colourful and a perfect subject for a still life painting.

                                               Acrylic on box canvas, 18"x 14"x 1.5"
                               "Very Cherry Delight"

Still life with cherries

BUY

                                 Work in progress....

Starting to paint in the cherries and scarf

                      3 cherries on a pretty Summer scarf. This painting will progress in layers as the colours of the scarf show through the weave of the top layer of fabric, the cherries will be several layers of reds, purples and black with highlighted reflections.

Adding more layers to the scarf

Done a little bit of everything today. First I added most of the weave lines then started to put in some shading on the fabric. More layers were added to the fruit and I've marked in where the highlights will go. Finally I put the first layers of paint on the stalks. Going to let it all dry overnight now.

The painting progresses and highlights are added

I've now nearly completed the scarf . More colour has been added to the stems of the fruit and I've started work on the reflections on the bottom of the cherries.

Painting in the reflections on the bottom of the cherries

All done....and very tasty they were too! :)

"Downland Gold" Landscape painting of the yellow rapeseed fields of Sussex

At last we've had a few days of sunshine, so my sister and I have been out and about exploring the countryside around us.
 We have been following some of the footpaths in our local area which have led us to some delightful scenery and enabled me to take some wonderful reference photographs.
 The meadows are full of buttercups and the fields full of rapeseed crops, beautiful bright yellow everywhere! It's a good job I wore my sunglasses!

                                    "Downland Gold"
                               Acrylic on box canvas 20"x 16"x 1.5"

"Downland Gold" East Chiltington, Sussex

 I'm delighted that this painting has been chosen as Editors Choice in the September 2013 issue of The Leisure Painter magazine

"The Bulldog Blues" Still life painting with guitar

THE STORY:
He's awoken  by the sound of the letterbox. There on the door mat is an envelope with just his name handwritten on the front. He opens it, it's from his girl friend. A short but precise note stating that the relationship is over.
 With the note is the door key and the ring she nagged him for all last Summer.
He knows there is no point in trying to change her mind, he's too proud to beg, too stubborn to admit he really cares. Anyway, it means he can now do as he pleases, a new found freedom.
 An indomitable bulldog spirit is all that's required.
 But deep down it hurts.
 So for now he'll pour a glass of good ale, pick up his guitar and compose himself  "The Bulldog Blues"
THE BEER:

It was the label that first drew my attention to this bottle of beer. I love the design. Simple, fun and very British ! I don't usually like dark ales but in the name of art I thought I would just have to try it ;) I was pleasantly surprised, it's really smooth and fruity, no harsh after taste like so many of the dark ales. It's definately going back on my shopping list ! It's brewed by Nethergate Brewery in Essex. Check out their other beers here Nethergate Brewery 

THE PAINTING:
Acrylic on box canvas, 20"x 24"x 1.5"
I've sketched up the composition using a simple grid and started to block in the background colour using 3 layers of paint...

I've now done more work on the background by putting in some texture and started the underpainting on other areas. The jumper and beer have been added as well. Made good progress today...

 I've started to build up the layers of colour on the guitar. More detail was added to the top left and I painted in the records ...yes..we still have records! ;) Not such a clear photo of it today....

The next step was to work on the denim, I also started the top of the guitar. I't begining to look like a picture now :)

 I've made good progress on the guitar today. It's taken ages to get the fiddly bits right but it's good to get them done. Still have a lot to do to the guitar but I really need it to dry overnight so I can add some more tomorrow ...

 I had a good day painting and managed to get it finished . Growler brewery love it ! :)

"The Bulldog Blues"

Acrylic on box canvas 20"x 24"x 1.5"

"Bull Dog Blues" still life with guitar

FOR SALE

 BUY PRINTS

 

Ceramic pictures and painting a classic MGTC

My exciting news this week is that 4 of my paintings are going to be produced as ceramic picture . I think they look great . I love the colours and the raised outlines. Each measures 11"x14" and will be available from  Fiesta Studios

"Pirates and Plaice" Ceramic picture tile

"Into the blue" Ceramic picture tile

"Full Steam" ceramic picture tile

Looking at these made me realise that the one thing I havn't painted was a car. I thought I would paint something that was bright, colourful and classic. I couldn't think of anything better than an old red MG....
                                                                            "MG"
                                                       Acrylic on box canvas, 202x 16"x 1.5"

Painting of a classic MG

Wall view of the "MG"

"Paint-Ted", Still life painting of a teddy bear

For a bit of fun I thought I would paint my little teddy bear again. The first time I painted him was for the Eightbyeight project http://www.eightbyeight.org/ ,along with a painting of a pink toy fairy

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 They were only 8" square so I thought I would paint him a bit bigger.

He sits in my room next to an old honey pot that I keep my small brushes in, watching me work with an intense look of concentration on his face. Seemed only right to paint him "in situ" :)
Work in progress "Paint-Ted" Acrylic on box canvas 24"x 12"x 1.5"

Today I concentrated on the left hand side of the painting. The glass of water and paint tubes are just about done.Still more to do on the bear but he's getting there...

 Added the honey pot and brushes on the right hand side. It's odd painting something that sits and stares at you! A brighter photo of it today as the sun's shining at last!

The sun's still shining and I've finished painting my little bear...I hope he approves!

"Paint-Ted"

Acrylic on box canvas 24"x 12"x 1.5"

Still life with teddy bear

Prints and cards

http://paula-paintmyworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/still-life-paintings-for-sale.html#.Umv8HhCzsgR 

"Beer and Old Blighty" Spitfire still life painting

I thought I would have a little bit of patriotic fun with this still life painting. A good glass of Kentish "Spitfire" ale and a model of it's iconic namesake. A touch of British celebration and a toast to past heroes.
 Although painted in a modern style the earthy colours of this painting give it a vintage feel and combine well with the red, white and blue of the Union Jack flag.

                                             "Beer and Old Blighty"
                                 Acrylic 20"x 16" x1.5"

Patriotic still life with Spitfire and beer

"Beer and Old Blighty"

https://www.artgallery.co.uk/work/110798

"Old chords and coffee" Painting a street musician

As I enjoyed painting  "Busking and Bones"

A busker and his dog on Cliffe bridge, Lewes

 I've decided to paint another street busker. This one is sitting with his flask of coffee playing old classic songs on his guitar.

 "Old chords and coffee"
Acrylic on stretched canvas, 16"x20"

Playingguitar on Cliffe bridge, Lewes

Woo Hoo! I'm in The Artist magazine!

Yay! This month sees my painting "Red, White and Booze" featured in The Artist magazine for being the winner of the artist category of "The Best of Britain" Competition! (Out December 7th)

I won a wonderful prize of a £500 commemorative "Best of British" artbox from Derwent

only one thing left to say really......."Cheers!" ;)

"Red, White and Booze"

Acrylic 24"x 20"x1.5"

"Red, White and Booze"Patriotic still life

 To see this work in progress please click on the following link http://paula-paintmyworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/redwhite-and-boozeacrylic-painting.html

Still life paintings for sale

"Untold Stories" A still life painting collection of WW2 memorabelia. Hurricane and Spitfire painting

A small selection of  WW2 RAF memorabilia will be the subject of my next painting. They belonged to my partner's late father. The fact that these items had been kept and treasured made me realise that each one has it's own story to tell. Stories of life, laughter, sadness and comradery. Stories that will never be told as the narrator is no longer with us to relate them.  I wanted to put them together into a composition to give an extended life to these "Untold Stories" Acrylic.24"x 20"x 1.5"

Page 1......under painting the two hats and flight record book.

Sketched out and painting started on the RAF flying helmet and hat

Page 2..... Building up the layers on the leather flying hat.There are so many different tones and colours that it took about 6 hours to reach this stage.

Many colours are needed to get the old leather to look right

Page 3.....starting work on the hat and book meant I could leave the leather work to dry out for an extra day.                                                                                    

Starting to work on the texture of the book and hat

Page 4...building up the layers of paint, making a start on other areas and starting work on the detail. While one bit dries I'm able to work on another area It's now starting to come to life :)                                                                                                           

Adding the smaller details

The final page..................................                                                                                              

"Untold Stories"

24" x 20" x 1.5"

Acrylic on box canvas

WW2 still life painting

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"Into the Blue"

20"x16"x1.5"

Acrylic on box canvas

Painting of Spitfire and Hurricane