Baby elephants are so expressive. They seem able to adopt the most unlikely positions, and this one is no exception! My initial drawing of the elephant isn’t too detailed, but it’s crucial at this stage to get the proportions right. Spend as much time as you need on your sketch, as you can’t go…
The first thing you usually notice about bushbabies is their enormous eyes. Makes sense really, as the little guys are nocturnal and rely on their eyes, and their disproportionately large ears to survive and hunt for food. On closer inspection, though, they also have the cutest of noses – just like an upside-down heart. When…
Dear Inner Critic, I was recently reminded of your constant presence by something my husband asked (rather innocently). He asked me if I was happy with my finished painting. A rather good question, actually. It’s a bit double-edged though. I find that I’m never totally happy with the finished product. There’s always something I could…
Don’t Give Up! These words, immortalized in song by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, are also my mum’s favourite trio of words whenever I get dispirited. And the funny thing is – they seem to work. It’s so much easier to consider throwing in the towel when challenges seem insurmountable. However, why give up something…
Last year I painted away merrily, randomly finding inspiration for my paintings of animals from various sources including Pinterest, Facebook, and my own photographs. However, I never realized that even though I thought I was making seemingly random choices of subject matter and colour palette, I was in fact sticking to a theme! It was…
I had such fun painting this little hibernating hazel dormouse. I loved how he was curled up in a little round ball with his fluffy tail lying over him. His bed of fallen leaves in autumnal shades of orange, umber, ochre, greys and blacks makes the perfect contrasting background to his soft, fat furry body….
This cutest of pups was painted using the following watercolour paints (all Winsor & Newton Cotman range): – Payne’s Gray – Ivory Black – Yellow Ochre – Raw Umber – Vandyke Brown – Alizarin Crimson Hue I used A4 300gsm Acid-free watercolour paper. Step 1: The drawing outline With watercolours, I believe it’s important to…
Whether you’re in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, it really doesn’t matter, we tend to think of Christmas from a Northern point of view. All snow and cold and turkey for lunch. However, it’s very different down in places like South Africa and Australia. It’s a perfect time for going to the beach or having…
Yes, well I think this guy I painted yesterday sums up my current mood perfectly. It’s been a long and productive working year and now it’s time for some well-deserved R&R over the fast-approaching festive season. Somehow, when December hits, it’s like the body knows it really needs a rest and a break from the…
It’s Springtime in South Africa and what a gorgeous season it is! We are blessed to have a resident pair of olive thrushes in our garden and they are so cheeky (in the best way!). Every morning the bigger male waits on our stoep (porch) to see what’s for breakfast. If it’s not to his…