Category: art

  • Making a half figure sculpture of Lucy playing the Mandolin
  • Alan: 3 x ink / bamboo sketches

    3 sketches of Alan created with indian ink using  a metre of bamboo with a paintbrush attached to each end. The first two were 15-min monochrome sketches . The third image was a 1 hour pose – the first marks were gently done in Wolf’s carbon, then the image worked into with indian ink and metre long…

  • Woman leaning forward – quick figure sketch

    Quick sketch of a woman leaning forward. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 15cm x w: 25cm x d: 15cm. Completed 2009. Private collection.

  • 4 sketches of Maria

    I started with a quick sketch in Wolf’s carbon looking at contour rather than shadow: Then moved on to using three coloured pencils taped together for the next 10 minute pose: Went back to Wolf’s carbon for the next 10 minute sketch but this time was looking at the shadows and negative spaces: Finally I spent the longer 1-hour…

  • Portrait of an old man – a quick sketch

    A quick sketch portrait of an old man. Fired clay. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size including base: h: 35cm x w: 20cm x d: 20cm. Completed 2013.

  • Girl sitting with hand on foot

    Small sitting figure of girl, with her hand resting on her foot. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 35cm x w: 25cm x d: 25cm. Completed 2013.

  • 1 pose, 1 view, 3 sketches

    Louise kept the same pose for 2 x 2-hour sessions. I started with a 1 hour sketch in Wolf’s carbon: Then spent the rest of that session and most of the next on this watercolour painting on an A1 sheet of paper (approximately 2 hour’s work): Finally I spent the last half-hour doing a quick…

  • Melissa reclining figure – week ♯1

      First 2 and 1/2 hour session on a reclining figure of Melissa.

  • Life drawing: colour sketchs collection #1

    Collection of colour life drawing sketches from the last few months in a variety of mediums.

  • Small portrait of Errol

    A small portrait of Errol. Fired clay. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 22cm x w: 27cm x d: 20cm. Completed 2014.

  • Yesterday’s workshop with Mick at ISoA
  • Lucy playing the mandolin – session ♯1

    This is the first session modelling a small clothed figure of Lucy playing the mandolin in terracotta clay.

  • Louise – 4 sketches

    Quick sketch drawing exercises.

  • Old man in a suit – sketch

    A sketchy portrait figure of Kit wearing a suit created from life over 3 x 2 hour sessions. Fired clay. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 40cm x w: 30cm x d: 20cm. Completed December 2013. Private collection.

  • Making Momus

    Process of modelling the sitting figure of Richard – looking despairing with his head in his hand – in terracotta clay over 5 sessions.    

  • 3 x life sessions with Estelle Lovatt

    The last 3 life session of the semester taught by Estelle Lovatt, keeping the same model and pose for the first 2 sessions – it was meant to be all 3 but Pamala was unwell the last week so Louise modelled instead. The first drawing is in Wolf’s carbon and the other 2 are in…

  • Portrait masterclass: life-sized head of Theodora

    Result of attending a three-day workshop with Etienne Milner run by The Society of Portrait Sculptors. Day 3 end: Day 3 lunchtime: Day 2: Day 1: Here is a link to the armature I had to make in preparation.

  • Francis session ♯2

    Series of quick sketches of Francis created mainly by using a reed or scratchy pen dipped in indian in – not an easy medium to control.

  • Portrait of Thelma – now a relief

    When I cut the head open to hollow it out I thought the piece looked much better without hair so I took a radical decision to make it into a relief instead.

  • Alan: session #2

    Colour sketches were each made in about 10 mins using water soluble felt-tip pens. The b/w drawing was made using Wolf’s carbon pencil and chalk on tinted paper and took about an hour to sketch.

  • Portrait armature

    Armature created in preparation for attending a three-day workshop run by The Society of Portrait Sculptors

  • Making a reclining figure of Charlene 

    Click here to see photos of the finished sculpture.

  • Thelma – session ♯4

    Portrait: week ♯2 – Figure: week ♯3 This session I took advantage of the space and worked simultaneously on both the figure and the portrait of Thelma.

  • The Drawing Theatre 2013

    Five hours Three performances Twenty one drawings Here is a link to a post from Spirited Bodies (the models) about the event.

  • Pamala painted sketches ♯1 and ♯2

    Two quick painted sketches of Pamala.

  • Thelma portrait – week ♯1

    First 2-hour session on a portrait of Thelma.

  • Francis sketch ♯1

    90 minute sketch of Francis. Interesting to find that after a 15-year break I default back to my college drawing style. Hopefully my mark-making will develop from here and mature under Mick’s expert tuition.

  • Kit again and introducing Errol

    Four sculptures all modelled last semester. Three of them have a little damage from firing but all are repairable.

  • Alan: 3 quick sketches
  • Making the small sitting figure of Letizia, chin in hand

    Process of modelling the sitting figure of Letizia in terracotta clay. Here is a portrait of the same model. Here is another figure of Letizia.

  • Natasha quick sketch ♯1

    15 minute sketch of Natasha using 3 coloured pencils taped together.

  • Mathew – figure

    Small figure of Mathew sitting cross-legged. Fired clay. Given a further smoke-firing. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 20cm x w: 25cm x d: 25cm. Completed 2012. Here is a finished portrait of Mathew.

  • Dancing or fighting?

    Created for a conference organised by the Centre for Appled Buddhism being held at Taplow Court this weekend, this piece is a 3D sketch inspired by the conference theme “Transforming Conflict” and a nature programme that I caught recently. Majestic japanese herons were fighting (either over territory or mating partners) and it looked to me like a…

  • Figure of Kit kneeling

    Figure of Kit kneeling. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size (including base): h: 35cm x w: 22cm x d: 15cm. Completed 2013. Here are some photos of this piece being made. Here is a portrait of the same model. Here is a quick…

  • Making the figure of Kit kneeling

    Process of modelling the kneeling figure of Kit in terracotta clay. Here is a link to the finished piece.

  • Letizia – portrait

    Portrait  of Letizia. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 30cm x w: 35cm x d: 20cm. Completed 2013. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Here is a figure of the same model.

  • Making the portrait of Letizia

    Process of modelling the portrait of Letizia in terracotta clay. Here is a link to the finished piece. Here is a figure of the same model.

  • Man wearing a blue shirt – quick figure sketch

    Quick 1-day sketch of Kit in a blue shirt, trousers and a waistcoat. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 30cm x w: 20cm x d: 15cm. Completed 2013. Private collection. Here is a portrait of the same model.

  • Making the figure of Letizia reclining

    Process of modelling the reclining figure of Letizia in terracotta clay. Here is a link to the finished piece. Here is a portrait of the same model.

  • Letizia – reclining figure

    Small reclining figure of Letizia. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 28cm x w: 45cm x d: 20cm. Completed 2013. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Here is a portrait of the same model.

  • Anatomy course – building a small muscle figure in Chavant

    Last semester I attended a brilliant “Anatomy for sculpture” course so these are photos of modelling a small muscle-man made on an armature in soft chavant modelling wax. He was built over 11 sessions starting with the skeleton and adding all his muscles on one side of the body. As well as a life-model we used books,…

  • Today’s work
  • Process: making the portrait of Kit

    Process of modelling a small portrait of Kit in soft terracotta clay. Here are some photos of the finished piece.

  • Kit – portrait

    Life-sized portrait of Kit. Fired clay. Sealed with metal powder suspended in shellac. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 25cm x w: 30cm x d: 35cm. Completed 2013. Private collection. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Here is a portrait of the same model.

  • Making a small figure of Richard

    Process of modelling the small figure of Richard in terracotta clay. Here is a link to the finished piece. Here and here are other finished sculptures of Richard.

  • Richard – figure

    Small figure of Richard. Fired clay. Given a further smoke-firing. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 30cm x w: 20cm x d: 30cm. Completed 2012. Private collection. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Here and here are other finished sculptures of Richard.  

  • Framed squares and circles series

    A series of intensely brightly coloured, simple square, grid-based compositions I created in the 1990s. Although framed and presented as paintings, this series was created using steam-fixed dyes and resist on silk. I was playing around with building up subtle layers of very transparent colour.

  • Making a small figure of Phillipe

    Process of modelling a small figure  in terracotta clay. Here is a link to the finished piece.

  • Phillipe – figure

    Small figure of Phillipe. Fired clay. Given a further smoke-firing. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Approximate size: h: 30cm x w: 20cm x d: 30cm. Completed 2012. Here is a link to a portrait of Phillipe.

  • Phillipe – portrait

    Life-size portrait of Phillipe. Fired clay. Given a further smoke-firing. Patinated with oil paints and soft wax. Approximate size: h: 30cm x w: 50cm x d: 20cm. Completed 2012. Here are some photos of this piece in the process of being made. Here is a link to a figure of Phillipe.