The sad remnants of my cat's latest victim. She brings in a new one at least once a day. Sometimes I manage to save them, sometimes I don't. When that happens, they become artist's models before they go to the big green lawn in the sky. HB pencil on cheap printer paper; about 12cm in length (the paper, not the grasshopper.)


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I went for a visit to Groenkloof nature reserve today. Barely twenty minutes or so from Pretoria's city centre, it is one of the lesser known but better attractions this city has to offer. Don't tell anyone about it. I want it to remain as pleasant as it is. Some photos I took there ( Read more... )

And here's attempt #19. I first hated it, but after a day or two it didn't seem so terrible anymore. Usually it works the other way round: I initially think a drawing or painting worked out nice, and the next day it looks horrible.


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Two small oils, both 15cm x 21cm:


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Another sketch in ballpoint pen, this time after a painting by Eanger Irving Couse (1866-1936), who was noted for his paintings of Native Americans. As usual, no preparatory drawing in pencil, and thus, lots of errors I'll just have to forgive myself for...


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I am a great fan of the work of Rogier van der Weyden (c.1400 - 1464), but I am so completely in awe of it that I tend to be reluctant to even try to copy it, because I just know I'll achieve little more than to insult the man ( Read more... )

It has been almost a year since I have last tried to do anything in oil. Withdrawal symptoms compelled me to take them up again. Only to find that I have become rather rusty, and had to relearn all manner of things. Still, in the end the thing didn't look much more or less horrid than all my previous attempts.


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I stumbled upon this link the other day:

Night of a 1000 drawingsThey are collecting small art works by anyone, at whatever level of skill, to sell in order to benefit some or other charity. So why not get a bit of experience while benefiting the poor and downtrodden? Here is what I came up with; it was fairly loosely done from a photo I recently ( Read more... )

A few recent small watercolour sketches, all turned into greeting cards...

About 15cm x 10cm:


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Decorations for a Halloween-themed barbecue, rather loosely copied from Goya's "Saturn devouring his children":


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