Yes, I am still alive. :)

I must be the most terrible art blogger there is. It has been so long since I updated this blog. I have still been working on art. So here are the pieces I have completed since the last time I updated.

'The Pioneer' -11x14 - Grevy's Zebra

'In Sight' - 14x18 - Wolf
This piece was exhibited at the national exhibition of wildlife art 2011.

'Alone' - 19x12 - Bengal Tiger
I decided to revisit this piece and therefore cropped and coloured it.

'Aged Wisdom' - 5x7 - African Lion

Currently I am working on a tiger, an eagle, an african crowned crane and an eagle owl which are all in scratchboard. I will post updates on these once I have done a substantial amount of work on them. I am also working on a large acrylic painting too of an amur leopard. I like having lots of artwork on the go so that I don't get bored.

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Some updates!

I have got an update of the zebra piece.

In addition to this I have also started a new piece of a white tailed sea eagle. I decided to play about with different crops and have started scratching on a 7x18 board. It is titled 'The Calm Before The Storm'.

I am still going on with the bald eagle, I will have an update soon!

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'Cold Intentions'

I got my snow leopard piece finished and I titled it 'Cold Intentions' because of the quite sinister stare.

In addition to this I just started an acrlyic piece today. I figured I better get cracking on with my quest to better myself with this medium. After all I didn't spend money on the expensive supplies for no reason.

It is a bald eagle and it is 8x10. It is based off my own reference.

I really do find acrylics challenging! Sometimes I wonder why I took them up, maybe soft pastels would have been a better option, at least then I would be able to blend more easily.

I am just going to keep perservering! I am determined to reach a stage where my acrylic works are on the same level as my scratchboards.

I am still working on the zebra and I am really enjoying it.

Website

Some good news!:)

I recently heard back from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year 2011 competition and was informed that my peacock piece 'Elegance' has been shortlisted!! So it will be exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London amongst other wildlife artists pieces!:) It really is a privilege and an honour to exhibit this piece alongside many other artist's work from the UK and the world.

In addition to this I have also got a new website too, check it Website.

I have also started a new scratchboard too. This time it is depicting a zebra on an 11x14 Ampersand scratchboard. I have titled it ' The Pioneer' as it is the leading zebra and the one looking for greener pastures. It is still at the ugly stages but I have a lot of work to do on him.:)

In addition to the zebra, I just couldn't stay away from the felines so I decided to revisit a board. My fist ever scratchboard on Ampersand was of a snow leopard. I never quite finished it because something was bothering me about it but then last week I decided to crop it and cut it from an 11x14 to an 8x10. I quite like the new composition I near enough redid the eyes and I am still working on the right eye. I have still got a few more tweaks to do on him. The reference photo is from the talented photographer Tambako the Jaguar from flickr.

'Alone' and 'Evening glow'

Time for another update I think. I would also like to add that I created a facebook page for my artwork. If you are interested this is the link Facebook.

Well I got my tiger piece finished which I entitled 'Alone' and it is 16x20. I really like it and I think I am beginning to break through as an artist. My aim is going to be to try and add some more backgrounds to my pieces but I will also still be doing close ups.

I also got another piece finished the 8x10 cheetah which I started about a month ago. It has two layers of scratching on it, which is much more noticeable up close. I titled this one 'Evening glow'.

I am now starting a zebra with a lot of background in it. I hope that I can pull this one off.

I have not given up with acrylics, I went back to the tiger I started and I am working on it. I think it will be a practice piece. I doubt I will ever be happy with it, so it may not be one of my serious pieces.

First acrylic painting complete!!

I finally completed an acrylic painting which is the 4x4 miniature lion I have been working on.

As I had 4 of these small 4x4 boards in total, I have decided to create a big cat series. It will include the four main big cats, the lion (complete), the tiger, the jaguar and the leopard. However to make it a bit different I think I will be doing a white tiger and a melanistic jaguar. It will allow me to hone my acrylic skills to the point that I will be happy to attempt a larger piece. :)

Scratching and painting!

I finally got some more done on my acrylic lion, my weakness with acrylics definitely has to be colour, specifically getting the right colour and not being to afraid to go too dark or light. I am beginning to realise this because when I compare my scratchboards to my acrylics the one thing that stands out to me is the contrast which  I seem unable to achieve with acrylics. However I am just going to keep on persevering.

As stated earlier I have also started another scratchboard, of a cat which I have never drew in my life. It is a cheetah and it is based off a photographs taken by the talented photographer Tambako the Jaguar from flickr. It is 8x10 and on ampersand. I actually find that starting a scratchboard is easy the middle and the end not so.:)

Tigers, Tigers burning bright!!

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have finally got some time.:)

I eventually finished off my sumatran tiger scratchboard 14x18 which I decided to title 'A little Closer'. I think as my first proper background piece it was a success!

I have also started another tiger scratchboard which is 16x20. The reference based off one of Niranj Vaidyanathan's great photos. It is a bengal tiger and I am enjoying working on this piece. It too will include some background.

In addition to this I will be starting another two boards with one being a cheetah and the other will be zebra which is quite different to the big cats I am obsessed with. I have not forgotten about my two acrylics but I don't think I will be completing the tiger but I will definitely be finishing the lion some time soon.

This year I have decided to get more serious and hope to get some of my work displayed and a website up and running too. As a UK scratchboard artist which are thin and few I hope that someday I can do my bit in getting scratchboard the recognition it deserves as a fine art medium.

Scratching away!

Again I am sorry for the inactivity.:( Just busy with university.

I have got another update on my scratchboard tiger. It is still looking rough in some areas particularly the branch but I am getting there. Lighting is a key part of this scratchboard because if I get it wrong it won't look like the tiger is coming forward underneath the log. I have added whiskers to one side and have made some progress on the foliage. I really hate taking photos of this piece because some areas are really shiny which causes a lot of glare.

Anyway the update.

I have decided I need to complete this first before I continue on with my other two acrylic pieces. I detest leaving pieces unfinished so they will definitely be completed.:)