Sunday 30 November 2014

Berliner Dom

I recently went on a trip to Berlin.  After doing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church I did the Berliner Dom Cathedral 
During my visit to the Berlin, I was amazed by its range of architectural styles.  I was particularly struck with how they infused the old Reich era Germany with a modern vibrant city.  Berliner Dom, I found particularly symbolic as it sits like an island against a backdrop of Soviet bloc architecture.  I felt the best way to express this in pictorial form was to paint the Cathedral without background to express its identity as an island of 19th century Germany in the modern city,
Dolly X 

My work in progress.
Listening to music I sketch it out in pencil first then go over it in ink pen.  
Of course I use a photo as reference.


Tuesday 7 October 2014

Kaiser Wilhelm Church

I recently went on a trip to Berlin, here is my painting of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
Click Share Dolly x


Tuesday 30 September 2014

The Beatles

For my husband on our 3rd year wedding anniversary I made him a cross stitch of different Beatles references. I mounted it on card, padding it a little.
It took me about 2-3 months, but I was doing it during my lunch breaks, so he wouldn't see me making it.  He was really pleased with it and at the moment sits on our mantelpiece.
Dolly X




Sunday 7 September 2014

Mr Benn

I enjoyed creating The Wombles canvas so much I decided I would do it again.  This time I did Mr Benn.  I grew up watching Mr Benn throughout the 80s+90s, but it was first on TV in 1971.
Much like how I did The Wombles canvas I drew all the costumes and characters in ink and watercolour, on hot pressed watercolour paper.
Painting the background in acrylic and drawing the lines of the door and floor boards in a fine liner pen and watercolour.  I didn't use a ruler on the door, as I didn't want it looking too perfect.
like it? why not share it.  Thanks Dolly x

Mr Benn 1970s drawing painting

Mr Benn 1970s drawing painting
Mr Benn 1970s drawing painting



The Wombles

I am currently working on a exhibition on the 1970s  and decided to do canvas inspired by
The Wombles.
The wombles painting drawing
I will show you how I did it.
   First I drew my initial sketches on paper.  I used http://www.thewomblesbooks.com/ as a reference.
The wombles painting drawing

The wombles painting drawing
Using a light-box I redrew the characters onto watercolour paper.  I use extra smooth hot pressed paper, as I much prefer using the paper without the rough texture.

By combining white acrylic paint and modelling paste I start to fill in The Wombles fur.

The wombles painting drawing

The wombles painting drawing
Here you can see the textured effect the modelling paste creates.
I then start adding watercolour on face, hands etc
The wombles painting drawing
I've taken a close up of  Great Uncle Bulgaria's shoes and Madame Cholet's pinafore, so I can show you how I did them. 
On the slippers do a base wash of yellow and once that is dry do lines of different shades of brown all in water colour.
On the pinafore do a wash in pink watercolour and then in acrylic do a collection of three pink dots and a green line at each.  
The wombles painting drawing
The wombles painting drawingThe wombles painting drawing

So I then started on the background of my canvas.  Using green card I cut a hill shape, which would cover half of my canvas.   After visiting the Warhammer shop I used their glade grass to cover the green card. In hindsight I should of just got grass effect card or felt, 
I painted a 12"x12" cavas, using blue aryclic and then glued it all together. 
The wombles painting drawing

From this angle you can see I used half a water bottle, painted silver as a bin.  I had to glue gun this in place, which seems to work.  I decided to put The Wombles motto 'Make good use of bad rubbish' as a sign on the outside of the bin.  Also on Great Uncle Bulgaria's hat and scarf I used tartan pattern paper instead of painting it. 
What you think? 
DollyX
The wombles painting drawing

Monday 28 April 2014

Robin

This is a ink and watercolour I done based on a friends photograph of a Robin.
I've always loved Robins ever since reading The Secret Garden as a child. 

robin_watercolour

I then wanted to try the composition in a different media.  Here I cut cardboard into the different shapes painted over them in acrylic paint and then glued them together.  I sometimes prefer being a bit messier and making pictures like this one.  It's much like my Green Man picture, have a look. 
As always, Share and Subscribe -  - Dolly x robin_collage_bird

robin_collage_bird

Monday 14 April 2014

Shadow People

I drew these characters using black ink.  In my next post, I will be reproducing this in my first lino print.
Share and Subscribe. Dolly x

Friday 28 March 2014

Light Sensitive Paper



I really enjoyed making these light sensitive
pictures.  I got the paper off Amazon and collected leaves and flowers on a walk in the woods.

The paper was really easy to use.  I first tried out different positions on scrap paper and then laid it out onto the light sensitive paper for real. Positioning it in bright sunlight for 5 minutes changed the colour of the paper.  I finally removed the flowers and wet the paper in just cold water.  This 'fixed' it so it wouldn't develop any further.

In the future I might try it with lace and old fashioned shaped keys.  - I will keep you posted on how these turn out.
They look really nice framed in my bathroom.  
Let me know what you think
Do you have any other ideas of what I could use?

Sunday 16 March 2014

The Green Man

This is a card I made for my husband.  It's the image of The Green Man.
I cut card in the different shapes, then I painted over them using acrylic paint and then layered it on the card.
What you think?
Dolly
Share and subscribe.



Tuesday 11 March 2014

Illustration Friday: Spark

This weeks illustration Friday theme is Spark.
A week never seems long enough. so here is a quick sketch of something that came to mind when I heard the word 'spark'.
Dolly X


Sunday 16 February 2014

Illustration Friday: Twisted

This is one strange, twisted character that I sketched out.
If your on Facebook join me by liking my page Dolly

Thursday 13 February 2014

Illustration Friday: Prehistoric

I was really interested in doing an illustration on fossilised plant life.  I wasn't able to spend as much time as I would have liked on it, but maybe this is an idea that I will revisit in the future.
To learn more about fossilised plants go here... Natural History Museum, London
I also did a quick illustration of a flint tool, which were made by early humans. click here to see a real Flint Tool at the British Museum
-Dolly-



Thursday 6 February 2014

Illustration Friday: Exotic

It's pretty hard to think of 'Exotic' when it's pouring it down every hour of the day, all week.
However, what I've done is redrawn some sketches I did of people at the beach last summer.  I wanted to have a hazy/sandy wash over the top.  It didn't really turn out how I planned, but oh well.
Tell me what you think.
Remember if your on Facebook--->like my page - Dolly -







Monday 13 January 2014

Illustration Friday: Search

Hi everyone! This is my contribution to this weeks theme, search.
As a child I remember pretending that I had a dragon and I would play and hide and seek with him.
This was the inspiration to this drawing, I hope you like it.

Share and subscribe - Thanks Dolly