..Hellooo ?……thats a serious-looking……..Beak !!……..

Posted on August 6, 2012 by neowatercolour

Bandit from Wazeau’s World

…….. this is “Bandit”, from “Wazeau’s World”, a blog about cats and parrots – yes, incredibly, it seems they do mix  🙂  ……

……..this is my first ever parrot watercolour, and was inspired by Wazeau’s “Gravatar”……

Wazeau’s World “Gravatar”

……which I think is tremendous ! To see more of Bandit and Merlin, click here :

http://wazeau.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/scratch-my-head-please-3/

I’m hoping my watercolour will get a “like” from Wazeau ……….?…..and everyone else , of course  🙂      (p.s. I was working on a painting for my birthday tomorrow but it went pear-shaped, so I painted Bandit instead – who I much preferred !) These are my new Holbein artists watercolours, they are a refreshing change……..

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I couldn’t resist ..!…………Scooby Doo………

Posted on August 5, 2012 by neowatercolour

………Where Are You ?!………right here at the Farmers Market a few weeks ago………collecting funds for Hospital Radio which is run solely by volunteers and relies on donations………

Scooby Doo & Friend raising funds for Hospital Radio

Scooby !

………this chap was dressed as Scooby all day ! Brilliant ! ………I think the Orange Furry is a Fox. ?………this painting will be on display on saturday, 11 August, when I will be having a small  exhibition, and will actually be painting, Plein Air, how radical is that !…. outside Gilberts, SharrowVale Road (more details later)………

……more about Hospital Radio here :

www.hbsradio.co.uk

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“Spare any Change, Madam…..?”……..

Posted on July 29, 2012 by neowatercolour

Orange Furry Collects Money for Good Cause

……..asked the orange “Furry” ? I love the way he is peering into the unsuspecting, young lady’s purse !…… The start of a new painting……..

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The Only Man In The UK………….?…………

Posted on July 26, 2012 by neowatercolour

Andrew Cole at Portland Works

……….who can forge a “Slate Ripper”, is apparently here in Sheffield !  Out and about yesterday, with “nothing to draw” I found an old leaflet in the back of my sketchbook,

Portland Works Leaflet

so decided to do some “speed lettering” practice……..

……..Drawn with Parker Roller Ball, Black Ink, Fine Point, Winsor & Newton watercolours. I quite like it……..

……..Portland Works is a historically significant metalwork factory where Stainless Steel was manufactured for the first time in the World ! Now threatened with closure and conversion into apartments. It should be saved  🙂  to see more and help :

www.portlandworks.co.uk

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Cool Cars………

Posted on July 24, 2012 by neowatercolour

Cool Cars by Quentin Willson (click image to enlarge)

……..one of my favourite books (see blog header, ’nuff said ??). Mixture of St.Petersburg and Winsor & Newton on (? forgotten) Watercolour Paper.

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My Paintbrush………..

Posted on July 20, 2012 by neowatercolour

Artmaster Pearl Watercolour Brushes

……..was lost yesterday, somewhere between using it in the Cafe, and the store checkout, in Waitrose. It wasn’t in the best condition, most of the handle had splintered and worn down to the bare wood, BUT the brush had worn to a great point, I knew its “foibles”, and it had accompanied me on many sketching expeditions over the last year…….I’m hoping it will be found……..

……..the top sketch here is Winsor & Newton watercolour, drawn (crudely !) with a Uniball “eye” pen, Orange ink. The lower one is W & N Gouache, painted freehand, lettering in Staedtler pigment liner, 0.3. Painted on the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

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White Rabbit………

Posted on July 17, 2012 by neowatercolour

Magic Worlds – White Rabbit

………..from a poster seen this morning.

Very quick sketch done whilst in the Museum cafe. Winsor & Newton pro-watercolours and Gouache on a scrap of (scratched !)180 gsm matt photographic paper, as an experiment – not really successful

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Big News……Big Ron,Holly, & Mabel……are off to Malaysia !………….

Posted on July 15, 2012 by neowatercolour

“Weston Park 360°  (Big Ron, Holly, and Mabel to the Rescue)”

……yes indeed ….. my ” Weston Park 360° ” watercolour is going off to a new home in Malaysia, where I know it will be truly treasured. Further, it will help local charities close to my heart……the full £450 (US $700/Euro 570) raised by the painting will be shared with : 

  • Bluebell Wood Childrens Hospice (Sheffield,UK) £ 200
  • Sheffield Cats Shelter £ 125
  • Sheffield Retired Greyhounds £125

I am totally thrilled with this result and send my heartfelt best wishes with the painting, to its new owners, and for a happy new life in Malaysia.

Finally, as always, a huge Thankyou to everyone, for your kind support and encouragement  🙂

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A Very Cute…………French Bulldog…………

Posted on July 14, 2012 by neowatercolour

SharrowVale Barbers & Fifi

……that I saw this morning (*), prompted me to finish this painting I started in 2010 (a precursor to the “Two Pugs” – one of my personal all-time favourites)……

……the one in this painting, (shall we call her Fifi ?) looks slightly annoyed  :-)……this painting also started in my earlier “red” and “detailed drainpipes” phase !

…….will Fifi venture to the Farmers Market tomorrow ? Only if it stops raining, she says……

Fifi the French Bulldog

(* For a year or so now, I have been hearing rumours of a phantom French Bulldog living on the next road to me – this morning I finally saw it – I was driving at the time so only caught a glimpse, but it is definitely cute ! )

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Just Behind this Rhinoceros……….

Posted on July 11, 2012 by neowatercolour

Gilbert & Sons, Cowlishaw Works, SharrowVale Road, Sheffield

……..is where I hope to be this sunday,15th July……in front of Gilbert & Sons, at the Farmers Market, SharrowVale……

…….. a big Thankyou to Paula, John and Barry of Gilbert & Sons, who have been so kind and helpful……

……..this painting, hot off the easel, will be on display – featuring not only a metal Rhino but a Giraffe too, Gecko’s, Cats with Plant Pots, and many other curiosities (and Charlie the Bulldog walking by)…………more about Gilbert & Sons, (established in 1968,when I was just a wee tot !!)…..here………..   www.gilbertandsons.co.uk

Gecko on the Wall at Gilbert & Sons

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Insufficient Memory……….

Posted on July 9, 2012 by neowatercolour

Memory Stick

…….I am quite pleased with this little sketch, (Winsor & Newton Pro-Watercolour on 200gsm cold-pressed paper), which was prompted by……….

…….a narrow escape last week when my computer went haywire and I thought I’d lost all my photographs (as well as my desktop crammed with essential icons, and everything else), so I finally got round to saving them onto a Memory Stick. The man in the shop had assured me (a couple of years ago….. since when, my cat had “played” with the stick, lost it and it eventually turned up in a shoe I rarely wear………..) that 4mb would be “plenty”………no, apparently, my computer tells me I need 11mb.  How many photos do I have ?  Several years worth, many precious, but also lots of duplicates, subjects I might “one day” paint, so I’m editing them/deleting them and now down to 8 mb………..or shall I just get a bigger stick ??

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A Cool Terrier ………..

Posted on July 6, 2012 by neowatercolour

Pepe & Marion

……called Pepe, and his owner Marion, from Cambridge, sat with me outside the Cherry Tree cafe yesterday…….

……only 1 year old, Pepe is exceedingly well-behaved, and modelled just like a professional. The huge Waitrose bag is crammed full of Pepes’ “kit”  (water bottle, food, kitchen sink, etc, etc). A real character  🙂

Pepe the Fox Terrier

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Mmmmm…………very tasty……….

Posted on July 3, 2012 by neowatercolour

“Ketchup”

………….”Limited Edition”  Heinz Tomato Ketchup, blended with “Indian Spices” …….. great Orange label, and love the Elephant   🙂

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Need a new Sweeping Brush ? ………look no further…….

Posted on June 29, 2012 by neowatercolour

Crookes Hardware, Sheffield

……Crookes Hardware (an Emporium of Everything you could possibly need, from brushes, glue, screws, compost, tools and yes, in case you’re wondering, they also do Key Cutting)……

……drop by and say Hello to Richard, Robert….and “Mouse” the dog (seen here in the window,watching the dog “with attitude” walking past)……or their web-site here : www.crookeshardware.co.uk

……166 Crookes High Street, Sheffield

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My Camera………

Posted on June 27, 2012 by neowatercolour

Pentax Optio on Michelin Map

……experimental sketch. Winsor & Newton Gouache (opaque watercolour) on Michelin Map, sheet No. 236 (France Nord – Flandres – Artois Picardie). Freehand, no pencil drawing.

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View From a Window……..Giraffe !…….

Posted on June 26, 2012 by neowatercolour

“Giraffe”

………a Bouncy Castle one…….seen from inside the cafe, Endcliffe Park, this morning (photo below). Great nose !

“Giraffe” Bouncy Castle

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30″ x 7″…………………..

Posted on June 21, 2012 by neowatercolour

is the final size of the epic, “Nether Edge 360″ (framed 36″ x 13”).  My favourite part is “Sandy” the Greyhound, bottom right corner.

Winsor & Newton on Saunders 300 gsm.

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? How Do I Know When a Painting is Finished ?…………

Posted on June 20, 2012 by neowatercolour

…..people often ask me.  Well, in the case of Nether Edge 360…..

….. when a Greyhound walked past !   Almost complete, the painting just needed a little “something special”, when …..

Greyhound, Sheldon Road, Nether Edge

…..at the cross-roads this morning, waiting for the traffic lights to change, in the very spot where there is the final space in the painting…….

…..incredibly,  a Sand-coloured Greyhound suddenly trotted across the crossing, in front of my very eyes !

…..Astonished ??   was I !!…..

…..So, here he/she is now, in the completed Nether Edge 360 * (the Greyhound is painted from memory, I didn’t have time to sketch it as the lights were about to change) …..

………..and yes, it did have a white snazzy collar, and a curly tail  🙂  (and is possibly a bit more “orange” than in real life)   

(btw, it was on a lead, but I didn’t have time to absorb the owner as well)

* the “final” version of the painting, all 30 inches of it, will appear here tomorrow

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BYOB ! ………a Brixton………….

Posted on June 18, 2012 by neowatercolour

“French & Grace”, Brixton

………Cafe, called “French & Grace”, spotted in the Times Magazine last saturday. The menu looks very tempting, but being 150 miles away in London, I’ll have to make do with sketching it instead !  (from the photo by Laura Edwards, The Times Magazine). 

photo by Laura Edwards,The Times Magazine

……..this tiny cafe started as a “supper club” run from Grace’s Brixton flat, and their blog “Salad Club” has won the Observer’s Monthly Food Award (Best Food Blog).

……..the market, behind Brixton Tube Station, sounds brilliant, stretching through streets and arcades, with a real Bohemian atmosphere.

see the Salad Club blog, here :  www.saladclub.wordpress.com

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From the cross-roads………….

Posted on June 16, 2012 by neowatercolour

Nether Edge 360 – in progress

………at Nether Edge, a “360 Degree” street-scape.

An early morning scene – no traffic (and no traffic lights, etc, either).

Painting in progress……

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