Monday, 9 April 2012

A Close Shave !

Yet again I have to apologise to everyone for my huge lack of posting and commenting! I have been extremely busy at work with the debugging of new software releases for two of our main products. Additionally, I am now at home for a few weeks, recovering and relaxing following surgery last Tuesday. Not wishing to go into too much graphic detail, I think the title of this post may give you enough information as to the nature and whereabouts of the operation :) Ouch ... But I feel at least 100% better now !

Shortly before I went into hospital, I managed to move my art gear out to the garden shed (aka The Summer House/Mike's studio) and although it has been a little chilly and rainy of late, it is nice to have everything in one place and to be able to get some fresh air whilst I am working on my art.

I have also had a little time to review my colour choices and I now have whittled my excessive array of tube and pan paints down to a set of sixteen single pigment colours. Before you all start shouting MINIMAL PALETTE at me, I only use about four or five pigments on each painting, but the ones I use give a fairly good coverage of most required hues. I will discuss my palette choices in a future post but for now you can see it all laid out in a Holbein palette in the photograph of my studio below. As a start, I offer two small paintings. The first was done using a black Pentel Colorbrush and water, the second using Winsor & Newton watercolours and Daler Rowney watercolour pencils ... both from imagination. Wishing you a peaceful Easter and happy painting :)






 The garden studio - at last!

 
Posted by at 15:51

17 comments:

  1. SharonWrightArtist9 April 2012 at 16:44

    Wishing you a very speedy recovery, Mike, and congrats on your studio space. It really is necessary to have your own space!
    Love both the paintings, but especially the top one.....so dark and moody....is excellent.

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    1. Unknown10 April 2012 at 13:19

      Thanks, Sharon! Yes, it's great to have a place to work and to keep it all and it frees up the conservatory for better use ... as a conservatory perhaps?! More dark, moody stuff to come :)

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  2. Judy9 April 2012 at 18:35

    Lovely paintings, Michael! My favorite is the second one, I love the greens.
    Having your own studio space is wonderful! I hope you get well soon!

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    1. Unknown10 April 2012 at 13:22

      Thanks, Judy. I think the second is my favourite too but the monochrome one is perhaps visually more exciting? Feeling better every day, thank you :)

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  3. Jane9 April 2012 at 23:09

    Michael , you made two excellent landscapes out from memory, wish I had the same kind of memory as you .... :-) If I should chose it would be the dramatic first one, but both lovely in different ways. Your new studio looks great and very organized, I like how you use the holder from the dish washer, great idea when the old machine breaks down :-)) Wish you all the best, take care.

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    1. Unknown10 April 2012 at 13:26

      Thanks, Jane. I like them both but as I commented to Judy, the monochrome one is a bit more exciting visually. I need to achieve the same feeling in my colour pieces! Yes, I like to be able to find things quickly and so part of the old dishwasher now has a new life as a pen and pencil caddy - well spotted :)

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  4. Lydie10 April 2012 at 08:02

    A lovely place to paint and dream...
    I love your Pentel work, very beautifully done, with a good work on the values. Reflections in both painting are very well thought.
    Take care and happy paintings.

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    1. Unknown10 April 2012 at 13:29

      Thanks, Lydie. The Pentel ColorBrushes are wonderful, although only the black and sepia ones are lighfast - I love them. I did do another river scene but it was only when I had uploaded it that I noticed I had missed some impotant reflections ... so it will have to be corrected and posted next time!

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  5. Unknown10 April 2012 at 11:16

    Glad the op went well and you are better now.

    Like your new studio set up. I would probably spend all my time staring out of the window & not painting.

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    1. Unknown10 April 2012 at 13:35

      Thanks Sue. I'm feeling much better after just a week now, but still a while away from long sketching dog walks :( What makes you think I don't spend all my time looking out of the window rather than painting? Even the recent heavy East Anglian rain looks good through the window!

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  6. Victor Errington11 April 2012 at 15:33

    Hi Michael.
    Good to see you back. Also glad that you are on the mend mate. Both lovely paintings,
    but the tonal on is brilliant. Well done. All the best Michael.
    Vic.

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    1. Unknown11 April 2012 at 18:43

      Thanks, Vic. It's good to be back mate - and just to be alive too :) Hmmm, the tonal one seems to be the most popular so far. Perhaps I need to get the charcoal out again and do some big tonal studies ! All the best, my friend, Michael.

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  7. John (JWJarts)11 April 2012 at 16:56

    Glad to hear the op went well Michael and that you're well on your way to recovery. Love the studio. I notice you've got some very essential items of equipment there .... brushes, palette, pencils, hip flask. ;-)

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    1. Unknown11 April 2012 at 18:54

      Thanks John. I think I have made a good recovery but I have to take it easy to allow it all to heal of course. I love my studio too ... Men and their sheds Huh? The hip flask was a Christmas present from my lovely wife but it has only had water in it so far - honest! I seem to remember that David Bellamy adds whisky to his water suppply ... a good anti-freeze for watercolour painting in the sort of places he paints - even more remote than East Anglia ! Hope you are enjoying retirement. Congratulations ... and much envy ;)

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  8. Unknown11 April 2012 at 18:40

    Thanks Rose. I'm still moving stuff around and planning to get all my boxes of gear off the floor, but it is a great place to chill and paint :) Feeling much better today thank you ... I managed a short dog walk last night and one this morning :)

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  9. Geri Meftah Art13 May 2012 at 09:49

    Ik vind het altijd leuk om de werkplek van iemand te zien. Ik kwam je weblog tegen via de Draad aquarellen. Ik ben een nieuwe ""volger"" van je. Groeten van Geri.

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  10. Unknown14 May 2012 at 19:34

    Thank you for following my blog, Geri. I am pleased that you came here through Judy's blog. Groeten!

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