Ruapehu - quick shot from road on way past at dusk

..some snapshots today

If you look VERY carefully you can see the South Island across the Cook Strait in the distance. Was a gorgeous day today, a contrast from yesterday though I love the wild weather too.


About 5pm.

a few more random photos taken today

More random photos

New sculpture near the airport in Wellington.


From Te Papa. The figure on the left is sculpture.


Breaker Bay

Random photos taken yesterday

Between Paeroa & Te Aroha.


A few minutes later closer to Te Aroha.

Tirau.

Lake Taupo.


Mt Ruapehu before the weather set in & it began pouring with rain.

Life drawing 12 May

After a quick warmup sketch I offered a few exercises to the group to try - these are a few of my sketches from the evening. The first is a series of 15 second gesture drawings, all same page. The next was my last sketch of the night, just couldn't catch that pose so quick sketches of some of the people there. The next one down was a 5-7 minute drawiing where you keep your eye on the model & don't look at the page at all AND not lift the charcoal from the page. I tried it twice, so one drawing on top of another. The next was 5-7 minutes not lifting charcoal from page but allowed to look at paper sometimes while drawing, looking at edges. The last sketch was using opposite hand from usual, 5-7 minutes.

My painting featured in magazine article

I've just been told one of my paintings featured in an article in a new Auckland lifestyle magazine which came out last week. Click <<>> to read the full article.

The information I was given about Urban Living is that it's a "leisure and lifestyle publication focusing on colourful lifestyle events, products and services available to the upbeat communities residing along the flourishing and vibrant waterfront of Auckland. Capturing the essence and elegance of the waterfront with refreshingly positive and powerful content Urban Living is presented in a cheerfully vivacious style and will feature a broad spectrum of spirited articles on fashion, interior design, dining and travel through to the arts, entertainment, shopping and real estate."

Urban Living is created by the same people that produce www.btob.co.nz and www.ruralliving.co.nz

Charcoal 29.4.10

Drawing on heavy cream paper, compressed charcoals, from life model.

Red dress

Arrived near the end of the first pose - got a super-quick soft pastel sketch done.

The other red dress drawing is in both soft pastel and compressed charcoal.

The kimono drawing is willow charcoal with some collage thrown on during the pose, at the top is a photo John took of the drawing in progress, before I added the torn paper.

All approx 18 x 24 inches.

'Red Nude'

10 x 14 inches mixed media background with charcoal & ink drawing, the charcoal drawn and brushed on. The initial drawing was sketched from a life model, and completed today at Alison Gordon's studio. Has been a while since I made it over to the monthly gathering of artists. Everyone brings some artwork to work on, we talk, eat a yummy lunch together, check out each other's work, and talk and talk.

Went to life drawing group for the first time in ages, last night. Our model came straight from work and was wearing workboots, jeans, safety vest, and she was tired. I arrived near the end of the first warm up pose so did a real quick sketch in soft pastel on buff paper.

The second model arrived soon after and we had two longer poses to draw, the one of the two facing each other was not easy, because both supported their bodies on their hands there was a certain stiffness in the pose. The top drawing is done in compressed synthetic charcoals, and the centre drawing in willow charcoal. Our male model had the most amazing tattoos that I did not have time to capture.

All 18 x 24 inches.

The art of articulation

New British Op.
Elementalism
Elementalism is the Formal Systematic conception of an Analytic and Geometric composition, based on a Syntactic Specificity of Shape. Elementalism investigates shape as the fundamental component of Form in perception. Elementalism is the derivation of Form as a percept of some possible pure language of shape. The concept of shape is then the Elemental palette. The end of Elementalism is therefore, to present and understand a Geometic Aesthetic. To show that Beauty is a judgement of Elegance and that Elegance is an attribute of Form - being itself derivable as a percept of some pure language of shape. copyright Julian Broadhurst 2001. http://www.drowningcircle.com

Charcoal sketch

Just playing around on one of the mixed media backgrounds. Charcoal pencil and willow charcoal. 10 x 14 inches on heavy grade rag paper with ink and acrylic paint.

Printmaking

UPDATE TO THIS POST: I didn't make the following week at printmaking but Wow! Take a look at some of the results of the printmaking class. This is the result of having a tutor who is willing and able to go with the flow and be creative and experimental. Looks fantastic: http://johnmulvay.blogspot.com/2010/04/printmaking-class.html

I've done monoprints, and collographs...have always avoiding the more chemical processes. My friend, John Mulvay, a fulltime artist who lives locally, has recently been running a printmaking course so I joined in.

This is a zinc plate. First we had to file the edges to make a 45degree angle for a clean print result. Then we polished the plate to remove any scratches and pitting. Next step was to choose the best process for our design and put a "ground" on the plate. The plate was heated on an element, then the ground (a waxy substance that resists acid) is poured over it, and the plate put back on the heating element to "puddle"... the ground evens out.

The next step was to scratch through the ground the chosen design. I had no idea what to do, and quickly drew a bird. My signature had to be in reverse of course.

Next step - touching up accidental scratches with shellac. The plate was placed in a bath of nitric acid, eight minutes for mine, and them removed and washed.

The ground then was removed with turps, and the shellac with meths.

The oil based ink was applied, that's quite a process as it has to be worked over the plate well to get it into the tiniest etched scratches. Then the excess ink is removed until the plate is shiny clean, only ink in the etching.

John had brought one of his printing presses to the venue, and some paper to trial the plate. The paper of course is soaked in water and patted dry in a towel then laid between white paper. All the while trying to make sure no ink gets anywhere it shouldn't be.

The plate is laid on the press, the rag paper on top, felt layers folded down the the press turned.

And...... failure! Did not make a decent impression at all.

Could be the plate was not cleaned properly after the use of turps which can leave a greasy surface. The pressure might not have been enough. Perhaps the plate needs further etching...not sure. We'll be talking about it before we print again.

I dont think I'm patient enough for this process but its been interesting.

Mixed media drawing

Charcoal, acrylic paint, collage, indian ink on grey cartridge paper 24 x 16 inches.

Drawn from life then worked on in studio.

Life drawings

The sitting pose is exaggerated.. I often get asked that... These are approximately 18 x 24 inches, compressed charcoal on 180gsm cream paper.

It might be called Cosmic Night

This was difficult to photograph .. it is still not perfectly correct. However, here is another of my abstract expressionism series. Working on a title at present.. its something to do with night time and darkness... Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 x 1 1/2 " .

Summer's Sea

Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 36 x 1 1/2 inches.

Speculation

This painting is on canvas, 15" x 30" mixed acrylic media.

Abstract impressionism...expressionism...

A friend challenged me to create some colourful abstract works. Now I'm not sure if they're impressionism or expressionism...maybe both...if someone can express an opinion I'd be interested. They incorporate both smaller brushstrokes and layering up of paint as well as bold, freemoving application of the paint. Here are a couple of the series, I have many in progress.

They are as yet unnamed. But both are inspired by the view from my deck of a pointed hill behind which the sun sets. I had the feeling I wanted to capture the bright colour of the sunset as well as the shadows below the hill.

Acrylic on canvas

Abstract 1 20" x 24"
Abstract 2 24" x 36"