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