2018
SHEILA IN THE BLACK CHAIR
I painted this from a 50 year old photo of my wife Sheila, taken soon after we were married.
I can still remember taking it, on film in those days, with my old Minolta SLR.
Oil on canvas 20 x 20 in
VIETNAM MORNING MIST
From a black and white (but mainly grey) photo bought in Hoi An.
Oil on panel 16 x 12 in
NUDE WITH BLACK GLOVES
Osamu Obi
The master from Kanagawa, a region of greater Tokyo. His huge paintings challenge you from the initial drawing, to the brilliant underpainting and on to the final glazes. He even makes his own medium, semi-tempera, from stand oil, lemon juice and egg yolk. It gets a bit smelly after a few days, but it works.
I don’t know why I try to paint his images, they are so hard, but they really do challenge me.
Oil on canvas 20 x 16 in
GIRL IN LAVENDER DRESS
Osamu Obi
Oil on canvas 20 x 16 in
“NOT SURE ABOUT THIS HAIRCUT”
Osamu Obi
My title, not his.
I saw his under-drawing, which looked blonde, like Patti Boyd in her George Harrison days, and had to have a go.
Oil on canvas 20 x 16 in
THOUGHTFUL
Osamu Obi
Another great image from Sensei, Obi San.
Oil on panel 20 x 16 in
JAPANESE NIGELLA?
Osamu Obi
The contrapposto gesture proved very challenging. It’s so easy to make the distant eye too big.
Oil on panel 20 x 16 in
CREATIVE BEE
Study in measurement
Our first exercise at Cornish Painting Holidays with Tim Hall.
Oil on canvas 16 x 12 in
FACING MY TROUBLES
Cornelia Hernes on Instagram
This was the final stage of a demonstration, later shown in full to subscribers on Patreon.com.
I decided the eyes showed someone with deep concern for serious troubles, while the mouth showed her determination to face them. Not an easy combination to paint.
Oil on canvas 20 x 16 in
MATT FROM MOUSEHOLE
Study from life, done in Newlyn, at Cornwall Painting Holidays
LUCIE THE POTTER
Painted from life in Newlyn
Lucie, who makes pottery next door in Newlyn, was sitting for the first time, and proved a perfect model.
Zen still, yet with a secret grin always hovering in the corner of her mouth.
I hope she likes the end result.
Oil on canvas 20 x 16 in
JAPANESE GIRL WITH PARASOL
From a painting by Yasutumo Oka.
He paints photo-perfect, ultra-realistic paintings. The girl, then in a blue kimono, was very much part of her surroundings and absorbed by them.
I wondered if I could paint her in the Western style; in vibrant pink, coming forward, with the background half-finished and suppressed; as in Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of Helena Bonham Carter.
I think it worked.
Oil on board 20 x 16 in.
ALAN BENNETT Pastel on Senellier La Carte paper
80 x 60 cm
LEFT BEHIND, BEWILDERED Red faced outdoors man
Oil on linen 50 x 40cm
DASSENECH WOMAN
WOMAN IN BLUE, LOOKING UP